I Choose
Purpose Over Popularity
Week One
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
Think back to Craig’s message. What
sticks out?
•
Have you ever been called a people-pleaser? Why or why not?
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Jock, nerd, rocker, gangsta, gamer, cheerleader—which high school
stereotype had you pegged?
Key Scripture
By faith Moses, when he had grown up,
refused to be known as the son of
Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be
mistreated along with the people of God
rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures
of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake
of Christ as of greater value than the
treasures of Egypt, because he was
looking ahead to his reward. Hebrews
11:24-26 NIV
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We
must obey God rather than human
beings!”
Acts 5:29 NIV
The Power of Purpose
1.
Purpose diminishes distractions.
2.
Purpose pushes you through the
pain.
3.
•
Craig said, “Living for the approval of people keeps you from the
purposes of God.” Why do you think that is?
•
Read Hebrews 11:24-26. Compare and contrast Moses’ story with
cultural norms and modern success stories.
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
•
Read Nehemiah 6:1-3. To what distraction do you need to say, “I’m
doing a great work; I can’t come down.” What great work are you
doing?
•
What parts of your life are painful right now? What purpose is the
pain affecting? How can that purpose push you through it?
•
In what ways have you valued pleasing others over pleasing God?
What one thing could you do to shift the greater value to God?
•
Was there any point in the message or our conversation where you
felt God speaking to you? What was it?
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
•
Purpose empowers you to please
God.
More Scripture About Purpose
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Start thinking. Ask questions to get your group thinking.
Nehemiah 6:1-3
Romans 12:2
Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 6:19-21, 25-33
Jeremiah 1:4-8
Luke 4:18-20
God, there is power in purpose—especially Your purpose. We’re
asking You to refocus our attentions to the passions and plans
You’ve placed in our lives. Help us to make pleasing You the main
thing. Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step, and live it out this week.
•
Start the I Choose Bible Plan, and read everyday stories of choosing
purpose. www.go2.lc/ichoose
•
Fill in the blanks, and take action.
My main purpose is _____________________________.
My main distraction is ___________________________.
My greatest pain is _____________________________.
To choose purpose, I will ________________________.
I Choose
Surrender Over Control
Week Two
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
Think back to Craig’s message. What
sticks out?
•
If you could actually have full control over something, what would it
be?
•
Who rules the TV remote in your house?
Key Scriptures
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding; in all
your ways submit to him, and he will make
your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
NIV
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him
no children. But she had an Egyptian slave
named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The
LORD has kept me from having children.
Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can
build a family through her.” Abram
agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram
had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai
his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar
and gave her to her husband to be his
wife. He slept with Hagar, and she
conceived. … Genesis 16:1-4 NIV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in
every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Start thinking. Ask questions to get your group thinking.
•
Even if you've read Proverbs 3:5-6, read it again like you've never
seen it before. How is this Scripture inconsistent with culture?
•
Why do you think we tend to naturally choose control over
surrender?
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
•
In which areas of your life are you most controlling: family, work,
money, friendships, or something else? How does this impact people
you care about?
•
Talk about the last time you felt completely out of control. What did
you learn?
•
Reflect on Abraham and Sarai’s story from Genesis 16:1-4. Have
you ever tried taking God’s plans into your own hands? How did that
turn out?
•
Share a past or present experience where you’ve given God your
trust. How are you practically doing this? What does it look like to
give this to God?
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
•
3 Questions to Help You
1. Is it worth my concern?
2. Is it mine to control?
3. Is it for God alone?
Start doing. Commit to a step, and live it out this week.
•
What are you trying to control? How can you surrender this to God?
What's your step this week?
•
Start the I Choose Bible Plan and hear from others who are choosing
surrender over control. www.go2.lc/ichoose
•
Write down the thing you’re trying to control on paper. Put this
paper somewhere you spend time every day and repeatedly give it to
God in prayer.
More Scripture
Mark 14:35-36, John 15:1-7, James 4:10,
Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 37:3-6, Philippians
1:6, 1 Peter 5:7
Jesus, we’ve been trying to run our lives like we know better than
You. Forgive us. Holy Spirit we invite You to loosen our grip on
control. Father, we surrender our family, our finances, our work, to
You. Amen.
I Choose
Discipline Over Regret
Week Three
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
What’s sticking with you?
•
Have you ever signed up for a gym? How many times? How long did
it last?
Key Scriptures
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Which is hardest to pass up? A tasty treat, a great sale, or mindless
binge-watching?
I don’t really understand myself, for I
want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.
Instead, I do what I hate… I want to do
what is right, but I can’t. I want to do
what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to
do what is wrong, but I do it anyway... Oh,
what a miserable person I am! Who will
free me from this life that is dominated by
sin and death? Thank God! The answer is
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 7:15,
18b-19, 24-25 NLT
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone
runs, but only one person gets the prize?
So run to win! All athletes are disciplined
in their training. They do it to win a prize
that will fade away, but we do it for an
eternal prize. So I run with purpose in
every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I
discipline my body like an athlete, training
it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear
that after preaching to others I myself
might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT
Start thinking. Ask questions to get your group thinking.
•
Craig said, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and
what you want most.” How does that statement play out in your own
life?
•
Why do you think our actions tend to favor the pain of regret over
the pain of discipline?
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
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What do you want most? Invite God's guidance into your answer.
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What are some areas in your life where you feel you lack discipline?
What will your life look like in five years if you don’t make
changes?
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What goals could you set that would require you to rely on God's
strength and grace?
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Share a story of when you were able to choose discipline over regret.
What worked for you?
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
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2 Questions to Help You
1. What do you want most?
2. What do you need to do now to
achieve what you want most?
Holy Spirit, we need your power. We are so weak. We know what to
do, and then we do what we know we shouldn’t. Will you give us the
ideas, power, and grace to stick with discipline? Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
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What would you need to do differently now to achieve the thing you
want most?
More Scripture
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John 16:33, Hebrews 12:1-13, Proverbs
12:1, Revelation 3:19, Psalm 94:12-14, 1
Timothy 4:7, Romans 13:14
Start the I Choose Bible Plan for some inspiration as you choose
Discipline Over Regret. www.go2.lc/ichoose
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Team up with someone and commit to keep in contact throughout the
week to encourage each other.
I Choose
Important Over Urgent
Week Four
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
Think back to Craig’s message. What
sticks out?
•
If you got two extra hours each day, what would you do more of?
•
Which word best describes your last few weeks? Relaxed, busy, full,
fun, rewarding. Why?
Key Scriptures
As Jesus and his disciples were on their
way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha opened her home to him.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at
the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
But Martha was distracted by all the
preparations that had to be made. She
came to [Jesus] and asked, “Lord, don’t
you care that my sister has left me to do
the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Luke 10:38-40 NIV
Choosing the Important
1. Create artificial deadlines
2. Be ruthlessly selective in your
“yeses.”
3. Do first what matters most.
More Scripture
1 Corinthians 6:12
Proverbs 4:25-27
Luke 21:34
1 Timothy 5:8
Romans 12:12
Matthew 7:13-14
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Start thinking. Ask questions to get your group thinking.
•
Read Luke 10:38-40. Do you identify with Mary or Martha? Explain.
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Why do you think we’re tempted to allow urgent things to rule our
lives?
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Craig said busyness does not equal productivity. What busyness can
you cut out of your life?
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
•
Name three urgent things you need to do and three important things
you need to do. Which are getting more of your time?
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Do you have a process or trick that reminds you to choose important
over urgent? Share an example.
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What’s the most important thing you’ve been too distracted to
pursue? What do you need to stop doing to pursue it?
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
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Jesus, You lived a short life here on earth yet accomplished the most
important work of all. Thank You. Will You give us the strength to
think long-term and people-first? Will You help us to refocus on
what matters most? Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
•
What are you saying “yes” to that you need to say “no” to? Share out
loud, make a list, and create a deadline to take your first steps (like,
today).
•
Start the I Choose Bible Plan and hear from people who discovered
how to choose Important Over Urgent. www.go2.lc/ichoose
•
Make important change in your finances. Ask your campus about
Financial Peace groups.
Visit info.life.church/talkitover