Daily Bread

At Journey, we believe that spiritual truth comes from God’s Word, the Bible. But reading and learning from the Bible can be challenging; it’s likely the only 2000-year-old document that any of us has ever read. So how do we develop a pattern of studying and applying God’s truth consistently in our lives? This week, we’ll talk through practical ways that we can grow through our interaction with the Bible and see how that commitment is reflected in the way we teach the Bible at Journey. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some intentional time to discuss how everyone in your group was able to apply last week’s action step. Who was everyone able to talk to about Jesus? Who did you invite to church this week? Did they come? What did they think?  **Take time to pray for future conversations ** your group will have with who they connected with this week This week we will be discussing the importance of knowing and following the Bible in our daily lives.  Connect   What is something you know could or will be really good for you, but it’s still hard to stick with it?  When you think about reading the Bible, what seems life-giving or exciting about reading it? Does anything feel confusing or intimidating?  Opening We all come to the Bible with different experiences and expectations. For some, it feels confusing or intimidating. For others, it can seem distant or hard to connect with because it feels outdated to them. It can be easy to get stuck in these perspectives and miss the value that the Bible has to offer. When we take a step back and look closer, we start to see that it’s not just an old book, but God’s story, written to show us who God is and how his words give meaning and direction to life.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We should commit to reading, understanding, and living out God’s truth in the Bible.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Timothy 4:8-10  Hebrews 4:12  What stood out to you about these verses? What do you think the authors were hoping people would understand or take away from these messages?  Why do you think reading and understanding the Bible is important and challenging in daily life?  When is a time someone’s life reflected God’s truth in the Bible in a way that encouraged or inspired you?  Read   James 1:22-25  Colossians 3:14-17  Romans 15:2-4   Why do you think it’s important to not only know the Bible, but to live out what it says?   Why is doing life together with other followers of Jesus important? How could this help you follow what you learn in the Bible better?  What do you think it could look like for you to actively help others live like Jesus?   Action Step   Commit to reading the Bible, understanding it, and practicing what you learn from it each day this week.  Do this as a group! Communicate throughout the week and encourage each other in this effort.   This could be as simple as going through the Daily Devotional Verses section this week! Make a plan of how you want to apply this action step as a group and try to help each other stick to it each week.   You can also use the YouVersion Bible app’s Bible reading plans like Alex talked about during the message on Sunday.  Closing   It’s natural to have questions, doubts, or even mixed feelings about what we read in the Bible. Sometimes it feels clear and simple, and other times it can feel distant or confusing. The good news is that God’s story isn’t just meant to be read, we are meant to learn from it and live out what it teaches. As we continue to read and understand what it shows us, we begin to see how the Bible brings hope, clarity, and direction to our lives, which leads us to action. This week, spend some time experiencing the story of God and listening to how he is leading you to live out what he is teaching you.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Miguel Adame  Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013.  Prayer Requests:   To achieve effective local outreach.  To support the ongoing growth of their school on the church campus.  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Pastor Miguel  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Isaiah 40:8  “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 119:33-37  Day 2: Psalm 1:1-3  Day 3: 1 Peter 2:2-3   Day 4: Proverbs 3:5-6   Day 5: Jeremiah 17:7-8  Day 6: John 8:31-32  The post Daily Bread appeared first on Journey of Faith.