Small Group Guide Jeremiah 6:16-20The plea: 1. Stand at the crossroads. 2. Look. 3. Ask for the ancient paths and the good way. 4. Walk in it. 5. Find rest for your souls.6. Listen (to the sound of the trumpet). Our response:1. We want to expose spiritual complancency. 2. We want to explore our spiritual heritage. 3. We want to examine spiritual practices. 4. We want to experience spiritual formation. 

Small Group Guide James 1:1-8 What is wisdom? 1. The skill of being able to look ahead and predict likely outcomes. 2. The skill of making tough calls. 3. The skill of living well. 4. The skill of handling life's curveballs. Or the skill of extracting benefits from any situation. Wisdom and Adversity: 1. Wise people realize that adversity is inevitable. So don't get rattled: It's not necessarily you!2. Wise people refuse to be threatened by adversity. So don't get rattled: It's not something that will overwhelm you!3. Wise people expect adversity to come with opportunity. So don't get rattled:This can become something positive. 4. Wise people look more at God that at adversity. So don't get rattled: It's not something you have to face alone! 

Small Group Guide Proverbs 31:1-9 The Appeal: 1. You are my Son. 2. You are God's child. 3. You are the King. You can't live well if you don't understand who you are! The Advice: 1. Protect your purity and character. 2. Practice discipline and self restraint. 3. Pursue Justice and kindness.You can't live well ifyou do't rule yourself! 

Small Group Guide 1 Kings 3:16-28Real time wisdom:1. Wisdom pursuesjustice.2.. Wisdom treats all people with dignity, value and respect.3. Wisdom commits to hearing both sides of an issue.4. Wisdom approaches things from various perspectives. 5. Wisdom tests the truth.6. Wisdom understands and uses power appropriately. 7. WIsdom knows it's source..

Small Group Guide I Samuel 25:1-33 Peeling back the layers:1. The wisdom of listening to others.2. The wisdom of Abigail —and David.Abigail: Consider your path.David:  Did a U-turn.3. The wisdom found in the story.Cautions:A. Don’t make important decisions while depleted.B. Don’t act hastily.C. Don’t let emotion overwhelm reason.D. Don’t determine right by the results.E. Don’t act without checking in with the all-wise God.

Colossians 4:2-6 Pray Wisely· Praying Consistently · Praying Watchfully · Praying Thankfully  · Praying for Open  Doors Live Wisely· In Behavior  · In Opportunities· In Speech Words Full of GraceWords seasoned w/ SaltGiving Individual Attention  

Matthew 2:1-11 What the wise men teach us ...1. Reprioritize the spiritual in your life.2. Look for some stars in your spiritual sky.3. Leave the familiar for someplace new.4. Ask some spiritual questions.  Do some spiritual wondering!5. Be ok with some investment.6. Focus on experiencing Jesus. 

Matthew 1:18 – 2:18The Virgin Birth Matthew 1:18-23 You can be confident in your faith in Jesus because:…He is fully God and fully human the person able to pay the debt of the sins of the world. City of BethlehemMatthew 2:1-6, 17-18 You can be confident in your faith in Jesus because:… He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords of all mankind. Out of EgyptMatthew 2:13-15 You can be confident in your faith in Jesus because:… He is our deliverer who has come to rescue us from our slavery of sin. ApplicationKnow you are forgiven.Choose to continue to follow Him.Live in freedom. John 20:31 (NIV)  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Small Group Guide What they celebrated:          Luke 1:41John the Baptist celebrated God’s presenceLuke 1:46-47Mary celebrated God’s favorLuke 2:13,14The angels celebrated God’s storyLuke 2:20The shepherds celebrated God’s humilityLuke 2:28,38Simeon and Anna celebrated God’s redemption What celebration does for us:1. It lifts us out of the routine, the monotonous, and the ordinary.2. It opens us up to the power of worship.3. It refocuses our thinking on the goodness of life.4. It encourages us to savor the moment.5. It reminds us of what is really important.

Small Group Guide Matthew 15:1-12 1.  People will play the shame card ...A. To validateB. To manipulateC. To obfuscateD. To retaliate· Realize that shame is a weapon and not a tool.· Realize shame is usually based on the violation of expectations, preferences or opinions.· Realize that your shame story may make you more likely to engage in the same. 2.  People will play the shame card on you ...· Consider the source· Identify the shame· Separate the guilt from the shame· Don’t let the narrative of someone else become yours!· Let the truth set you free! What is your next step?