Advent is a time to meditate on the coming of Christ at Christmas so we can sing the carols not just with our lips but with our hearts. In the first five verses of John’s gospel, we get a picture of Jesus before time began, which teaches us the significance of Christmas morning.

Application Questions:

1. Why does John go so far out of his way to explain that Jesus, the Word, is fully God? 

2. How can Jesus the Author give you direction, purpose, and meaning in your life in a way other things can’t?

3. Do you understand Christmas as an inspiration or a rescue? How does your life reflect that understanding?

Life in our fast-paced world keeps us constantly moving and doing things, with our minds usually focused on ourselves. But when we slow down and humble ourselves before our Good Shepherd, we discover a depth of purpose, peace, and pleasure, both now and on into eternity. 

Application Questions: 

1. Do you struggle seeing yourself as a sheep in need of a shepherd? Why or why not? 

2. How does the shepherding heart of God change the way you live your life and eternity? 

3. How can you rest more in His leading, protection, and provision this week?

How do you respond when suffering hits? You may be familiar with the call to trust God in the midst of difficulty, but how are we supposed to do that? When it seems like God is against us, not for us, how do we respond in trust? In Psalm 56 David shows us the path forward in suffering and crisis.

David writes Psalm 51 after blowing up his life, and yet he sees a way forward from guilt to joy: repentance. The psalm teaches us to follow his lead, recognizing the reality of our guilt, the depth of our sin, and the size of God’s grace. 

Application Questions: 

1. How do you handle guilt in your life?

2. David sees himself as a sinner from birth. Do you think that is true of you as well? 

3. We often run from repentance. How can the size of God’s grace help us to run to repentance instead?

In our lives, we will face many hardships from which we need relief. It is only in God that we will find a refuge that relieves fears, provides peace, and gives comfort, no matter what storms may come.

Application Questions: 

1. What fears do you wrestle with most? How can meditating on the strength of God help you to calm those fears? 

2. Where else are you tempted to go for peace instead of God's presence? 

3. In what ways can you look to be more still this week and rest in the knowledge of who God is?  

Psalm 42 shows us the realities of suffering and despair in our lives, and the path of hope. Our souls are often cast down and in turmoil, but God meets us in our hope, and calls us to remind ourselves of all that He has done for us.

Application Questions:

1. In what ways do you feel cast down in your life?

2. In what ways do you see turmoil in your mind and heart?

3. How can lament be incorporated into your prayer life?

4. What would it look like for you to preach to your own soul each day?

David is surrounded by his worst fears, but has strong confidence. How? The beauty of God. When you encounter the beauty of God, it captivates you and satisfies you so that you look to God for who he is in himself, not what he can give you. And yet when you go to God just to behold his beauty, your life will be marked by confidence, hope, and joy.

Application Questions: 

1. Where do you find beauty in your life? How does that point you to Gods beauty?

2. From your own experience, what is the difference between going to God to get something and going to God just for God himself?

3. How can you gaze on Gods beauty in Christ this week?

What is love? Why is love such a powerful concept in our world? As we explore the love of God we find that the reality of love is greater than we've ever dared imagine. And we find that the God of love is the one being in the universe our souls ultimately long for.

Application Questions: 

1. When you think about being drawn into the presence of God, does that make you excited or nervous?

2. What are some practical examples of God's goodness and kindness to you? How might your perspective change if you saw these not as the extent of God's love for you, but simply an example of it?

Does guilt or shame ever creep into your heart? What does it mean to you that God has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west?

3. When is a time you've experienced the best of human love? How does that instance point you to the eternal love of God?

4. What can you do this week to bless the Lord and remind yourself (and those around you) of his goodness and love?

Jesus calls Christians to an upside down kind of life in how we treat other people. The world lives by law, and the law always leads to judgment. But in Christ we live by the gospel, and in the gospel we can see one another, and ourselves, through God's eyes.

Application Questions:

1. What does judging look like in your life?

2. How do you see the world living by "the law"?

3. Why is it so counter-intuitive to live by the gospel?

4. How do you see pride and insecurity in your heart and life? How can you find your security in Christ?

The psalms put the experiences of life into contact with the reality of God. Nowhere is that more apparent than when the psalms describe the glory of God, and how it infuses joy into our lives. 

Application Questions: 

1. What do you think of when you think about God’s glory? Does it play a role in your day to day life? 

2. How does God’s glory reveal what you worship? Are there any idols in your life you can identify as you meditate on the glory of God? 

3. How can beholding God’s glory bring you joy in the things you are going through now? How can you cultivate that joy in your life?