Truth & Dare | Yes, I Don't (Discussion Guide)

This Guide is available for download here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, February 10, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Shawn

Truth & Dare | Yes, I Don’t (Week 2)

Remember, this Guide is not intended as an exhaustive list of what can be discussed, but is best used as a guide to help your Group process what God is teaching them. Read through the discussion points below and prayerfully consider what the Holy Spirit would have you work through.

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 Be sure to pray for, encourage each other, 

and share the victories God is giving your Group.

From Last Week (Truth & Dare, week 1):

Read Psalm 119:10-16

:: How can we tell if we have assumed the teachable posture of the psalmist?

:: What are symptoms that we do not have this level openness/teachability when it comes to the Word? What are the dangers of doing so?

:: What does it look like to position ourselves to be receptive to the Word? What part does obedience play in this?

“It ain’t those parts of the Bible I don’t understand that bother me. It’s the parts I do understand.” ~ Mark Twain

:: How can you relate to this?

:: What ‘part you do understand’ bothers you? How can you process this to understand God’s heart?

:: What does it look like to align our lives/hearts with the parts we understand and don’t like?

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12

:: How does this change the way we read and understand Scripture?

:: Why should this make us desire even more to read the Scriptures?

:: Have you ever thought of the Word as being ‘living and active?’ What does this mean? What are the ramifications for us?

Read James 1:22-27

:: What does it look like to listen to the Word...and deceive ourselves? Have you ever seen this happen in your own life? What are ways we avoid doing this?

::We sometimes forget that the Word is “the perfect law that gives freedom;” what are some of the [false] ways we can view the Word? How do these false perceptions cause difficulty for us?

:: What contingency for blessing is seen here? What do you think this blessing is (hint: it’s probably not a material blessing)?

This Week:

TRUTH: Followers of Jesus reflect His character.

DARE: Reconcile  | Reject (the temptation to trade the truth for a lie) | Repeat

“Although the Bible answers life’s problems, ignoring it creates them.”

:: How have you seen this in your life, positively or negatively?

:: Why do you suppose it seems easier to ignore Scripture than to proactively seek its truth & wisdom?

:: Have you ever experienced a time when you needed simple instructions...even when you thought you didn’t?

Read Matthew 5:33-37 

:: How is this an issue of character?

:: What is the danger of seeing this passage simply as a matter of behavior modification?

:: In what ways do you see living according to this brings great freedom?

:: How does this show us our role in either closing the door to dysfunction or inviting greater dysfunction?

:: How does this effect every relationship we’re part of?

Jesus makes it clear that the evil one doesn’t want our ‘yes’ to be ‘yes’ and our ‘no’ to be ‘no.’

:: In what ways have you seen Satan use a disconnect between our ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to create division or confusion?

This is a great example of how the power of truth can immobilize the enemy. What are ways to gently speak the truth in love and preserve relationship?

Read Galatians 3:9-10

:: What are some of the ways we’re tempted to lie to each other?

:: How is lying within the Body of Christ a sign of much deeper dysfunction than simple word choice?

:: How can we convince ourselves this is a suggestion for interaction more than a command for living?

Some statistics:

:: The average person begins to tell lies between ages 2-3

:: When meeting new people, the average person will like 2-3 times in 1o mins

:: Most people lie about 4 times a day = 1,460 lies/yr

:: Average # of lies/day: Men = 6, Women = 3

:: Most common lie told by both: “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

What do Jesus’ words have to do with even the little, seemingly positive lies? How can we break the cycle of lies in our lives and around us?

The three most common reasons people lie:

:: To make ourselves look good.

:: To get out of trouble.

:: To avoid hurting someone else’s feelings.

What is one thing you can do this week to be a person of deeper character? Spend time to pray with your Group that the Holy Spirit would reveal a clear next step for them in this. Invite your members to share with one another (be sure to share yourself!) and check-in on each other during your next meeting to see how their ‘one thing’ has been going.