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Examine the Word

• Read Genesis 15 and Deuteronomy 7:7-9
• Read James 1:1-12
• Read 1 Timothy 6:11-12

For Discussion

• To be faithful is to be loyal, unwavering, steadfast. God reveals Himself to be a faithful God by way of covenants. After reading through Genesis 15 and Deuteronomy 7:7-9, how do we see God acting faithfully toward Israel? What does it mean to you that our God is a covenant-keeping, oath-protecting, loyal God?
• How have you seen His faithfulness in your life recently?
• In James 1, the apostle uses the word “steadfast” to describe a person who remains faithful to God, no matter what. How does James describe this person? Does this reflect the kind of faith you have in God? Why or why not? How would you like to grow in this area?
• Paul urges Timothy to pursue several fruits of the Spirit in 1 Tim 6:11-12. Talk about each one? How does faith/faithfulness fit into this list? Why is it something that Paul wants Timothy to develop?
• Who do you know who exemplifies faithfulness to Jesus? What could you learn from that person?

For Practice

• Worship: Pick a song or passage that proclaims the faithfulness of God and spend time worshiping Him.
• Write: What difficulty, suffering, injustice, or temptation is currently in your life, challenging you to not be faithful to God? Write this down and ask God to develop resilience and faithfulness in you by His Holy Spirit and because of His faithful, loyal love toward you.

For Family Discussions

• Why does it honor God when we’re faithful/loyal to Him?
• How does your family show others that they are Jesus-followers, first and foremost? How can you grow in this area?

Examine the Word

• Read Deuteronomy 15:1-11
• Read Luke 6:37-45

For Discussion

• As God was establishing the blueprint of Israel’s justice system, He urged them toward generosity. What does Yahweh specifically tell them to do in Deuteronomy 15:1-11? As people of the New Covenant, how can we apply these commands? In other words, how does God want us to behave with regard to money, possessions, and debts?
• In Deuteronomy 15, we see many adjectives listed to describe the type of generous person God desires. Talk about these adjectives. Do they describe you? How would you like to grow in this area?
• Luke records the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6. In verses 37-45, Jesus preaches about attitudes that are judgmental, selfish, and hard-hearted. What does He say about generosity? What is God’s blessing toward those who give freely and joyfully?
• Though it’s never a one-to-one response, God does repay generosity. How have you seen this happen in your own life? Share your story with your group. How did God’s blessing after generosity spur you on to further generosity?

For Practice

• Give: Assess how much you are giving to the work of the Kingdom of God. Challenge yourself to go above this amount, trusting that God will provide for your needs.
• Pray: What God is most concerned about in the area of generosity is the attitude of your heart. Are you tight-fisted or open-handed? Are you reluctant or eager? Are you resigned or excited? Ask God to make you generous by the work of His Holy Spirit within you.

For Family Discussions

• Talk about God as our Provider and how we’ve been entrusted with things as His stewards. What does it mean for your family to use your money/house/possessions/relationships to bring God honor?
• How can your family be generous to someone in need this week? Be specific and make a plan!

Examine the Word

• Read Exodus 34:5-7 and Psalm 103
• Read Colossians 4:2-6

For Discussion

• One of God’s repeated descriptions of Himself in the Old Testament is found in Exodus 34:5-7 and Psalm 103. Yahweh calls Himself “compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Is this the way you think of God? Why or why not? What is the connection between grace and these other virtues listed in the passage (compassion, patience, love, and faithfulness)?
• To be gracious is to be grace-filled or grace-forward. Jesus was described as “full of grace.” Consider your family, your church, your group of friends. Would you be described that way? How can you grow in exhibiting grace to others?
• Who in your life has shown you the grace of God? Share a story of someone who modeled grace to you.
• Colossians 4:2-6 talks about how to be an effective witness to those who don’t know Jesus. Paul urges the Colossians to be “full of grace, seasoned with salt.” What does this mean? How can Christians balance an attitude of grace with a knowledge of truth?

For Practice

• Act: Humans were designed to reflect God - to show His character to the world. How can you, as an image bearer of a compassionate and gracious God, specifically act in grace this week toward a friend, coworker, or family member? How can you make grace your first reaction?
• Praise: Our salvation is on the basis of God’s grace. He gifts us His righteousness! Spend some time adoring and worshipping God for His grace in your life.
• Tell: Who do you know who needs to know the grace of Jesus? Set up a time to meet and share with them the way that God loves them.

For Family Discussions

• Write a definition of “grace.” Talk about why grace is so important in your family. Imagine ways that you can be gracious with one another (siblings to one another, kids to parents, parents to kids).

Examine the Word

• Read Psalm 100
• Read Colossians 1:9-14, 3:12-17

For Discussion

• Would you describe yourself as a grateful person? How would you like to grow in your gratitude?
• In Psalm 100, the psalmist thanks God for many things. List them out. How many of these resonate with you?
• Why is gratitude important for a Christ-follower? How is it modeled after Jesus’ own life? How can it be used as a tool to witness to someone who doesn’t know Jesus?
• In Colossians 1, Paul’s gratitude overflows for the salvation God has granted to the church at Colossae. Think about your own salvation experience. What has God rescued you from? What has He brought you into?

For Practice

• Write it out: To cultivate gratefulness, it’s a helpful practice to write out 2-3 things each day that you’re thankful for. Praise God for the ways He’s providing for you and caring for you.
• Share: Let someone know why you’re grateful to God this week.

For Family Discussions

• Write a definition of “grateful.” Talk about why it’s important for your family to be thankful toward God and others.
• During dinner, encourage each family member to list out one thing from the day that they’re thankful for, as well as one thing that they could use prayer for.

Examine the Word

• Read Leviticus 11:45 and 1 Peter 1:15-16
• Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
• Read Galatians 5:16

For Discussion

• Define “holy.” What does it mean that God is holy?
• God commands His people in the Old Testament (Israel) and the New Testament (the church) to become like Him and be marked by holiness. Why would God want His people to be known as holy?
• Holiness is our calling and identity, now that we’re followers of Jesus (see 1 Thess 4:1-12). Do we take this calling seriously enough? Why or why not?
• What does holiness look like in practical terms? Who have you seen embody holiness lately? How have you seen God form holiness in you lately?
• Holiness is a choice to not yield to the desires of the flesh. What does Galatians 5:16 teach us about the way the flesh is defeated?

For Practice

• Write: Prayerfully make a goal to grow in holiness this month. Write down what you’d like to see God do in your life.
• Thank: Holiness is a gift. It’s a way of living that is rooted in the way humanity was created to function in the beginning. It’s also the way of living that we will fully embrace in the new creation. Take time to thank God for the gift of holiness.
• Contemplate: Consider the holiness of God. Spend some time in Revelation 4.

For Family Discussions

• Talk about what it means to be holy. How is holiness possible when we follow Jesus and have His Spirit living in us but impossible on our own?
• Talk about the difference between holiness and perfection. God knows we are human and will make mistakes. That’s what grace is for!