QUESTION: I want to follow God with the harder things but I have doubts. How do I know God is real enough to give my life away?

Talk It Over

1. What stood out to most about the message? What did God confirm in your life? What made you uncomfortable, but made you think? What challenged you the most?

2. Pastor Sean said, “Your doubts don’t disqualify you: that your doubts are simply your opportunity to grow your faith.” What words describe how the culture protrays the Bible and God? Describe in your own words, based on the following scripture how we got the Bible. 2 Peter 1:16 says, “For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” and that the Scripture came as, “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Why do you think Peter had to defend the Bible as “not a cleverly devised fable?” How ready are you to defend that same truth?

3. Hebrew 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he existsand that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” On a scale of red, orange, yellow, and green, how would you rate your “earnest seeking of God and why? What words would you use to describe how you seek God and why? What “rewards” do you believe God gives us for earnestly seeking him? What’s one step you can take this week to seek God more earnestly?

4. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and whocorrectly handles the word of truth.” Would you consider yourself someone who can “correctly handle the word of truth?” What does it look like to correctly handle the Bible? The Bible says, “Do your best to present yourself to God.” Are you giving your best to God to pursue him?

5. Pastor Sean said, bold faith isn't blind faith. He told the struggling faith story of Abraham and how he knew the promise of God, but took life in his own hands to have Ishmael then after seeing the miracle of God through a barren womb and old age Abrahams faith grew bold. Genesis 22:10-12 says, “10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”” What did Abraham see that made his faith so bold? What miracles in your life have you seen that has made your faith bold?

6. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Have you positioned yourself to see the things of God not only in yourself but in others - not only in the WORD OF GOD, but in the PEOPLE OF GOD? If so what does that look like in your life.

7. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Pastor Sean said every movement of God in our lives begins and is built on meals with Jesus. When is the last time you sat down with Jesus for a meal? How bold do you think Jesus wants to grow your faith?