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Today’s lesson may leave you with more questions than answers, but sometimes those are the best ones. Don’t worry if you leave today with one or more areas where you are confused. Just ask God to let the seeds that are planted in your heart & mind today to grow your understanding of Him as He desires, and in His timing.

We’ve talked about the fact that the Bible is one cohesive story that can be concisely described in one sentence – The Bible is the story of God pursuing us. Although it seems like God changes dramatically from the old testament to the new, He does not. That’s not to say His “agreement” or covenant with us isn’t different now than before Jesus came to earth, because it definitely is significantly different. But God’s plan has always been one overarching strategy designed to bring us closer to Him.

God has always known exactly what would happen everywhere on earth and with every person, at every moment in time. The earliest example we have of this is hidden in plain sight in Genesis 2:17-18 which says:

You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.

And, of course, they did eat the fruit. It’s a heartbreaking and confounding story but it starts to make more sense when we consider the part that’s hidden in plain sight. God doesn’t “if” you eat from the tree, he says “when” you eat from it. He knew all along what they would do. He did not have to turn to plan B. He’s always been working from plan A.

Just like Adam & Eve, we’ve all done things God asks us not to do and we all carry some form of guilt or shame thinking that we’ve let Him down. We ask ourselves how we could possibly face God having come up short in so many ways. But just like in the garden, God has always known what we would do in advance. And, even with all of our mistakes, He could not possibly love us any more than He does.

I am genuinely in awe and humbled by the fact that He knows everything about us, all of our mistakes past & future and HE STILL LOVES ME AND YOU more than any of us can possibly imagine. That’s not to say that He doesn’t want us to consistently strive to get better, but simply that we don’t need to go to Him with shame and regret in our hearts. He forgives us for all of it, and all of it is part of the plan. Accepting this forgiveness is not always easy, of course, but for many of us, that is the first step to embracing a deeper relationship with God.

Questions:

1. Was there anything that struck you about today’s lesson? Maybe something you had not previously considered?
2. Was there anything confusing to you about today’s lesson?
3. What, if anything, about today’s lesson gave you a sense of peace and comfort?
4. Do you agree that accepting forgiveness is often the first step in deepening our relationship with God? Why or why not?
5. What are your main take-aways from today’s lesson?

One of the key ideas in the book Untethered Soul is that all our problems start with that annoying voice inside our head. The voice that constantly tells us we’re not good enough, smart enough, strong enough or rich enough. It tells us that people are disparaging us and that we’re going to die destitute and lonely. Or it makes us think that someone in our life is only contributing 49% while we’re contributing 51% which, of course, makes us a victim.

Assuming this voice is at the root of all our troubles, why don’t we just turn it off? Of course, it’s not that easy or we would just do it. To help us think through the answer to the question, we’ll start with our verse for the day:

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32

Since God is for us, isn’t it comforting to know that nothing, not even the voice inside our head, can be against us? The author of Untethered Soul doesn’t directly call that voice the devil, but maybe that’s who it is. It’s not us talking because we’re the one hearing the voice. So, once we know that the voice is not us speaking, then we can ask two very simple questions:

1. If we had a friend who said all the things to us that the voice says to us, would we remain friends with them? and
2. Since the answer to #1 is a firm “no”, why do we attribute any more meaning to what the voice says than we would a terrible friend who said the same things?

The short answer to solve this problem is that we need to observe the voice instead of interacting with it. We can watch it just like we would watch a TV show, but we don’t have to be part of the TV show. When we simply observe and let each thought pass by, then we can reduce the voice’s influence. And only then can we truly be the person God created us to be and not a person controlled by the voice.

And that, to me, is the single biggest reason to make it a priority to stop the voice. God created each of us for a very specific purpose and He wants us to be THE person He created us to be. Only then can we experience all the love and joy He has in store for us and share that love and joy with others as He intends.

Questions:

1. Do you agree with the idea that the voice in our heads is at the heart of all our problems?
2. What would you call a person who said the same things to you that the voice says? (Psychopath, troublemaker, etc.) And would you remain friends with them?
3. What are some examples from your life or others you know where the voice has gotten you or others off track and caused damage?
4. Do you agree that only when we minimize the voice can we become the people God created us to be?
5. How can we tell the difference between the bad voice and the Holy Spirit since the Spirit can talk to us at times too?

I read an interesting concept recently in a book by Richard Rohr titled Immortal Diamond. The overall theme of the book is that we need to find our true selves in order to be most useful to God and to fulfill the plan He has for us while on earth.

The author posed this question – when we face difficult or even tragic events, do we adopt that as our identity, or do we look at it as a gift? For example, assume someone’s business fails. Rohr says that person tends to make that their identity and view everything through that lens. “I am a failure in business” or “I can’t be trusted with responsibility of running a business” or “nobody will ever trust me enough to do business with me again because I failed”. This can become our new identity if we allow it to.

That brings us to today’s scripture, which is from James 1:2-4:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Richard Rohr suggests a way to avoid allowing difficult times to define us. He says that as Christians, our true identity is in Jesus and that we are beautiful, worthy children of a risen savior. We are completely and permanently justified by faith, and we have been relieved of the condemnation, guilt, and penalty of sin thanks to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

He says that if we confidently claim our true identity in Jesus, we can (and should) view difficult times as a gift instead of allowing these experiences to falsely identify us. The gift may come in many forms and will help make us more mature and complete, as referenced in today’s scripture.

Of course, at the moment tragedy strikes, it is nearly impossible to immediately say “wow, I’m glad that happened and I really appreciate that gift”. These events sting and are highly disruptive factors in our lives. But eventually, if we are looking for it, the gift will be revealed to us.

1. Do you agree that it is easy to allow tragedy to define us if we don’t do something to alter our thinking?
2. When we say our identity is in Jesus, what does that mean to you?
3. Have you had any tragic experiences that turned out to be an unexpected gift?
4. Is there anything in your past that you’re allowing to define you? If so, what can you do to let that go?

[If you have time, read Matthew 5 before the lesson]

Waze and other GPS apps have revolutionized efficient driving, but do you remember the “old days”? Back then, how would you know if you needed to get off the highway to re-route a few miles before a big traffic jam? Or how could you be completely confident with every turn of a set of complicated driving directions?

In those days, it was possible to make a wrong turn and then drive miles before realizing you were lost. You were actually lost right when you made that turn but the fact that you were lost wasn’t always immediately apparent. Waze isn’t perfect, but if you follow it, you’re less likely to get too far off track for too long.

Similarly, what if we had a “Waze” for life that would help us with our direction? Since you’re sitting in a Christian men’s group, you may have already figured out that we’re going to discuss the idea that the Bible can be our own personal Waze.

And within the Bible, there are plenty of examples we can use as our life’s GPS – 10 Commandments; Love God, Love People; the parables of Jesus – but today we’ll cover the Beatitudes of Jesus which are contained in Matthew 5:3-10:

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
• Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
• Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
• Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
• Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
• Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

If you would like to go deeper in your understanding of the Beatitudes, Dr. Bill will cover each of them in a series of sermons in June and July. For now, here are a few questions for discussion:

1. Do you agree that a life modeled on the Beatitudes can serve as a “Waze for life” and help us avoid getting too lost for too long?
2. Which Beatitude do you most consistently follow, and which one do you need to work on the most?
3. Can you share an example of a situation that would have gone more smoothly if you would have referenced your “Beatitude GPS” before engaging?
4. In your opinion, how does access to the internet and social media affect our ability to live a life consistent with the Beatitudes?

As part of last week’s lesson, we touched on the idea of true freedom in Christ. This felt like a topic the group was interested in discussing further. I think it was Eric who mentioned that freedom in Christ is the freedom to do the right thing which and we’ll develop that idea further today.

That brings us to today’s verse. The opposite of freedom is enslavement and, in John 8:34, Jesus talked about how we can become slaves to sin in:

Jesus replied, ‘very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin’.

His point was that is we can reduce sin, we’ll be able to maintain maximum freedom – not just physical freedom (avoiding imprisonment) but freedom in every sense. Here are some examples:

• Putting God first can free us from anxiety and worry. When we prioritize worldly pursuits, the added stress and anxiety may cause us to be enslaved by physical and emotional sickness.
• Humility can lead to freedom from strained and toxic relationships. Selfish acts may cause the loss of freedom that comes from maintaining many loving, high-trust relationships.
• Eating or drinking too much of the wrong things (gluttony) can cause physical, mental, and emotional enslavements.
• If someone physically harms or kills another person, they will risk imprisonment. Or, even if they get away with it and avoid conviction, they may still be enslaved with guilt and regret.

So, sin always leads to some loss of freedom. But when we strive to do the right thing and live a life inspired by God, sin loses its power over us. Here is an excerpt from a post from Focus on the Family:

How do we find freedom from the penalty and power of sin? That comes through accepting Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross as the payment for our sin. As we submit to Christ, sin loses its power — Christ’s power takes over. As we choose to trust and follow Him, our sinful habits, thoughts and attitudes lose their control. Guilt disappears, and peace of mind dominates. Right habits become the norm. That’s freedom in Christ — true freedom!

Questions:

1. Other than physical confinement in prison, what are some of the other freedoms it is possible for us to lose?
2. Do you agree that putting God first can reduce anxiety and worry? Why or why not?
3. The quote from Focus on the Family says that right habits lead to true freedom in Christ. What are some examples of right habits?
4. Looking at the last question from the opposite perspective, what are some wrong habits that can cause us to lose freedoms?
5. Are there any specific freedoms you would like to pursue in your life? If so, what are they and what habits will help move you in the right direction?

I don’t even use Twitter but have to admit that I’ve allowed myself to be distracted by the headlines about Twitter this week. As you all probably know, Elon Musk’s offer to buy Twitter was accepted. The deal probably won’t ultimately close for several months, but the announcement resulted in more headlines and emotional reactions (both happy and sad) than any other recent event. Why did this announcement elicit such a powerful response? I believe it boils down to a misplaced desire for freedom and control (or at least the illusion of freedom and control), as I’ll explain below.

Twitter has been described as the new town square where many people go for news. Some people enthusiastically support fresh voices being allowed on the platform while others are terrified, but my guess is that these reactions are all based on the same basic thing. Twitter = influence, influence = power, power = money, and many (most?) people believe that money = independence, freedom, and control.

Today, we’ll focus on debunking the false belief that influence and power can produce true freedom and control. That brings us to today’s verse, which is from Matthew 5:14-16:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”.

I believe we can boil down today’s lesson to two concepts:

1. Each of us can influence those around us for Jesus by acting with humility and love in our hearts. This influence is far more powerful than any influence Twitter can produce, and
2. There is no such thing as true freedom without Jesus.

I’m writing this lesson for myself as much as anyone else because, like many people, the twitter drama has intrigued me. I have hoped for certain outcomes that would ultimately lead to something I thought might improve my life in some way. But I’ve had to continually remind myself that all good things in life come from God, and when we try to replace Him with worldly alternatives, we always fail.

I’m really trying to remind myself this week that Twitter and everything else in this world is temporary, but God is eternal.

[To keep the conversation focused on the core message of the lesson, try to avoid politically-charged comments as we go through the questions.]

Questions:

1. Were you intrigued by the Twitter news this week? If so, what intrigued you most?
2. Do you agree with the suggestion that the Twitter news was so big because people believe influence and power = freedom and control? Why or why not?
3. “True freedom” is mentioned above but it was not defined. How would you explain the concept of true freedom in Jesus?
4.  What does it mean for us to try to be the light of the world and a city on a hill? What is the goal?
5. What is one thing you can do this week to be a “city on a hill” for those around you?

The theme of today’s lesson is warmth. We typically think of warmth in favorable terms.

• If we say someone is a “warm” person, we mean they are nice, approachable, and empathetic.
• “Warming up” to an idea means we begin to like it more
• We associate warm temperatures with beaches and tropical places that are fun and relaxing
• And who doesn’t love to sit around a warm campfire with our favorite people

Today, we’ll focus on warm-hearted people and what makes them that way. We’ll start with our verse from 1 Peter 3:8, which says:

Finally, all of you have unity of mind with one another, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, a humble mind.

So, how does someone become more sympathetic, loving, tender, and humble? I would suggest that it requires real-life practice and experience. And when practice relates to sympathy, love, tenderness, and humility, it often involves our own pain, sorrow, and disappointment.

For example, if you experience a major career disruption, you’ll have a softer heart for others in that situation. Or if you lose a child or a spouse, you’ll become more empathetic and loving toward others who’ve endured the same.

Pain, sorrow, and disappointment in our lives are like friction in that they are uncomfortable irritants. But friction also creates warmth and, if we allow it to, can make us more warm-hearted. Should we view the frictions of life as unfair punishments? Or should we ask how God is using the friction in our life to mold us and help us become warmer people who are more useful to Him?

It’s up to each of us to decide how we will view the friction.

Questions:

1. Do you personally like the idea of becoming more warm-hearted? Why or why not?
2. Who is the most warm-hearted person you know? Do you admire them?
3. Do you agree with the idea that while the “friction” of life is painful, it is also helpful (in making us warmer people)?
4. Do you have any examples of how life’s friction made you more warm-hearted?
5. Are there other ways we can become more warm-hearted without having to directly experience pain, sorrow, and disappointment first-hand?

Easter is coming up in a couple of weeks and that’s the inspiration for today’s verse from Romans 8:34 which says:

Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Easter gets me all fired up. It’s a little goofy but, like Ricky Bobby praying to baby Jesus laying in the manger, I like to envision certain things in my own way. Here’s how I like to picture Easter morning at the tomb:

But unlike the scene in this video, there were not two equally-matched fighters but instead one beautiful, perfect, infinitely strong competitor (Jesus) matched against a pitiful, deceiving weakling (the devil). But still, it’s fun to think about Michael Buffer in a tuxedo standing at the tomb belting out “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!” as Jesus emerges.

Easter is the celebration of the culmination of God’s long plan to bring us as close as possible to Him in the simplest way possible. He made it like paint-by-numbers, 1-2-3, a-b-c. God, in the form of man (Jesus) bore 100% of all of our sins and all the sins of all who lived before and who will live after us, in order to offer us the gift of eternal life with Him in heaven. It is an open-hand gift and to possess the gift, we need to decide to accept it:

And the way we accept it is to claim Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. A google search of “what to say to accept Jesus as my savior” results in various simple prayers, all of which are 3-4 sentences, like:

“Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and Savior of the world. I believe that you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I believe that through your sacrifice, I am a new person. Forgive me for my sin and fill me with your Spirit.”

Of course, if you really say those words sincerely, then that’s just the beginning of the journey. While you are saved solely through faith (accepting the gift), when you accept the gift your heart will be changed and you will want to serve Him by loving and serving others. The reason I bring this up is the same reason I picked our verse today – Jesus is our risen, living savior who is actively interceding for us in heaven.

In other words, He’s clocking in every day and renewing His commitment to us. As Easter approaches, this is a great time to ask ourselves if we’re clocking in for Him every day too.

Most people reading this likely have already said the simple prayer above, accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. But, even if that’s the case, it doesn’t hurt to repeat it and to reinforce our commitment. Everyone please take a minute to do that now. [take about a minute to say the prayer and meditate on it]

Ding ding!

Questions:

1. Does Easter get you fired up? Why or why not?
2. We are called to be “Easter People”, meaning celebrating the message of Easter at all times. What does being “Easter People” mean to you?
3. When we said the prayer of commitment today, were you moved in that moment? Did God put anything on your heart you would like to share?
4. We know Jesus is “clocking in” and interceding for us every day. What does it mean for us to clock in?
5. Following up on question 4, did today’s lesson inspire you to take action of any kind this coming week?

Last week, we discussed how we need to take the fight to the devil and do everything we can to irritate him. Importantly, we should stand strong knowing that God has a plan for us. He wants us to be confident, calm, and collected as we rest in his promises. That brings us to today’s verse which is from Jeremiah 29:11 which says,

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

One example from last week’s lesson was Winston Churchill’s “ungentlemanly” war tactics with Germany and we discussed how we need to have the same take-it-to-the-enemy mindset with the devil. On the home front during WWII, the British posted three “Home Publicity” posters which included:

• Freedom is in Peril. Defend it with all your might.
• Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory
• Keep Calm and Carry On

The message was – 1) we are at war, 2) each individual’s commitment to the effort is important and 3) start with calmness, courage, cheerfulness, and a strong personal resolution.

In the same way, today we’re facing many uncertainties around the world and at home. Our minds naturally go to worst-case-scenarios, creating fear and anxiety. But, as always, the Bible provides hope and assurance in times like these.

Today’s  verse from the prophet Jeremiah was written to the exiled people of Judah who were taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. These exiles were facing far more horrific circumstances than any of us are likely to encounter in our lifetime. They went from being part of the proud and strong kingdom of Judah into slavery. But God wanted them to be at peace knowing that he had a plan to prosper them, not harm them, to give them hope and a future. And, He kept his promise to liberate them, bringing them back home and, as promised, prospering them.

No matter how difficult or troubling our circumstances, God wants us to first remain calm and focus our minds on Him. For me, the idea of sticking it to the devil and bringing a smile to God’s face is great motivation to remain calm and carry on……that is, carry on loving and glorifying God.

Questions:

1. Do you agree that one of the best things we can do to bring a smile to God’s face (and stick it to the devil) is to remain calm in turbulent times? Why or why not?
2. If God had a plan to prosper the people of Judah, why would He allow them to be taken into exile for 70 years? Why allow them to go through such a horrific experience?
3. Related to the last question, can you think of an example of how it might make sense for a parent to allow a child to face difficult circumstances?
4. If God’s promises are so clear in the Bible, why do we all struggle to react calmly and confidently (resting in God’s promises) during challenging times?
5. If your goal was to remain calm the next time you encountered an anxiety-producing situation, what is something you could do to prepare in advance?

It’s about time we all said, “forget you” (F-U) to the devil. It’s time we bring the fight right to the devil’s doorstep and crush him like the little evil twit that he is.

This is not a history lesson, but a quick story from history may provide some perspective. During his tenure as Prime Minister during World War II, Winston Churchill became increasingly impatient with the Germans as the war progressed. At first, he was committed to the idea of fighting a “gentlemanly” war but as he saw more and more of his civilian countrymen killed indiscriminately from aerial bombing, he eventually asked why the British should not take the same type of fight to the Germans. He became very angry that the enemy was brutalizing innocent non-combatants and laid plans to fight back in an ungentlemanly manner. This proved to be a decisive factor in the eventual defeat of the Germans.

Today, our biggest enemy is not the Russians or gas prices or COVID or supply shortages or a falling stock market. The enemy is today, as it has always been, the devil. That brings us to today’s scripture, which is from Ephesians 6:11-12:

Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.

Like Churchill, as I continue to see the news of the day, I get angrier and angrier that the devil is trying to trick us. He wants us to surrender to anxiety, worry, doubt, and distress. He wants to break our spirit and separate us further and further from our love for God and our love for people.

To be clear, the world is in turmoil, and there are reasons for concern. There are more reasons today than in recent memory to be stressed out and anxious. But this is exactly the time when we need to laser-focus on putting on the armor that God gives us so we can defend ourselves against the devil’s tricks.

Today we need to fight our version of an ungentlemanly war against the devil. We absolutely need to recognize that a lot is wrong, but we will not cower, we will not slink away, we will not cave in to the pressure. Instead, we’re coming off the top rope like Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka!

We’re claiming God’s promises. We’re putting on His armor and saying “no” to the tricks. We’re doing it for our family, for our loved ones, and for everyone around us. We’re doing it to take the fight to the devil and to glorify God by doing the exact opposite of what he devil hopes for.

Questions:

1. What are some of the devil’s tricks he uses to try to deceive us?
2. What does it mean to put on the armor of God?
3. In what areas do you personally need to put on the armor of God?
4. Call to action: What are you personally committed to doing this week to take the fight to the devil?

Below is a simple prayer to get us started and you can personalize it to your own experience:

God, this is a challenging time in the world and I come to You to claim your promises. Help me understand what it means for me personally to put on Your armor so I can defend myself against the devil’s tricks. I am particularly concerned about……, ……, and …… but please help me be settled and at peace as evil and disorder swirl around me. Help me to be a source of light and encouragement to everyone around me to give them a thirst to know You better. Show me how I can personally take the fight to the devil today and lift up & glorify Your beautiful and holy name in the process.