Bible Smackdown! Week 4
“Knock Out Punch…Overcoming Temptation”
Reading for the week of October 3 – October 9
Day 1- Proverbs 26 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 27 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 28 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 29 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 30 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 31 and Matthew 4:1-11
Bonus- Proverbs 1-3 and Luke 4:1-13
Memorize/Reflect - “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”(1 Corinthians 10:13)
Personal Reflection- What are one or two temptations that I am facing during this season of my life and how am I doing at resisting them?
Discussion- What has helped you overcome and resist temptation in the past?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to help you notice the tactics and schemes of the enemy as he seeks to tempt you. Then, pray for the power and discipline needed to resist and overcome temptation.
“Live It!” Challenge - Jesus used scripture as His main weapon against temptation (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13). Find two or three passages that battle against a specific temptation you are facing and commit them to memory. When the temptation flares up, meditate on these truths.
October Prayer Focus: This month we will be praying for people in our life who do not yet have a relationship with Jesus. In the back of your Bible, write the names of at least 4-6 people you care about who need to discover God’s love. Take a couple of minutes each day this week and pray for their hearts to soften to the love and grace of Jesus.
October-December: This week we will begin focusing on a new spiritual discipline. It is the discipline of celebration. God wants us to live with a sense of awe, joy, and wonder at His goodness. Make a list of five things/people/truths… you are deeply thankful for and make a point of celebrating these things throughout the coming week.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 4
“Knock Out Punch…Overcoming Temptation”
Reading for the week of October 3 – October 9
Day 1- Proverbs 26 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 27 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 28 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 29 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 30 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 31 and Matthew 4:1-11
Bonus- Proverbs 1-3 and Luke 4:1-13
Memorize/Reflect - “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”(1 Corinthians 10:13)
Personal Reflection- What are one or two temptations that I am facing during this season of my life and how am I doing at resisting them?
Discussion- What has helped you overcome and resist temptation in the past?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to help you notice the tactics and schemes of the enemy as he seeks to tempt you. Then, pray for the power and discipline needed to resist and overcome temptation.
“Live It!” Challenge - Jesus used scripture as His main weapon against temptation (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13). Find two or three passages that battle against a specific temptation you are facing and commit them to memory. When the temptation flares up, meditate on these truths.
October Prayer Focus: This month we will be praying for people in our life who do not yet have a relationship with Jesus. In the back of your Bible, write the names of at least 4-6 people you care about who need to discover God’s love. Take a couple of minutes each day this week and pray for their hearts to soften to the love and grace of Jesus.
October-December: This week we will begin focusing on a new spiritual discipline. It is the discipline of celebration. God wants us to live with a sense of awe, joy, and wonder at His goodness. Make a list of five things/people/truths… you are deeply thankful for and make a point of celebrating these things throughout the coming week.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 3
“Cage Match…Breaking the Choke Hold of Stuff”
Reading for the week of September 26 – October 2
Day 1- Proverbs 19 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 20 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 21 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 22 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 23 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 24 – 25
Bonus- Proverbs 26 and 1 Timothy 6
Memorize/Reflect - “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”(1 Timothy 6:6)
Personal Reflection- What material things have a hold on me and what can I do to loosen this grip?
Discussion- How can you share the material things you have with others so that they are used for God’s glory?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to help you see where stuff has become too important in your life. Commit to be generous and to live with open hands.
“Live It!” Challenge - Identify one material thing that has a hold on you, demands too much time, or that you never really use. Consider giving this away or selling it and giving the resources to a ministry that helps the poor and needy.
September Prayer Focus: This will be our final week where our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider praying some passages about material things and let them give direction to your prayers this week (Proverbs 11:24-31, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, James 5:1-6).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a final area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 3
“Cage Match…Breaking the Choke Hold of Stuff”
Reading for the week of September 26 – October 2
Day 1- Proverbs 19 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 20 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 21 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 22 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 23 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 24 – 25
Bonus- Proverbs 26 and 1 Timothy 6
Memorize/Reflect - “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”(1 Timothy 6:6)
Personal Reflection- What material things have a hold on me and what can I do to loosen this grip?
Discussion- How can you share the material things you have with others so that they are used for God’s glory?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to help you see where stuff has become too important in your life. Commit to be generous and to live with open hands.
“Live It!” Challenge - Identify one material thing that has a hold on you, demands too much time, or that you never really use. Consider giving this away or selling it and giving the resources to a ministry that helps the poor and needy.
September Prayer Focus: This will be our final week where our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider praying some passages about material things and let them give direction to your prayers this week (Proverbs 11:24-31, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, James 5:1-6).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a final area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 2
“Royal Rumble…Pinning Down Your Tongue”
Reading for the week of September 19-25
Day 1- Proverbs 11 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 12 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 13 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 14 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 15 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 16 – 17
Bonus- Proverbs 18 and Psalm 119
Memorize/Reflect - “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6)
Personal Reflection- When does my tongue tend to get out of control? What can I do to tame my tongue and use it to bless and not curse?
Discussion- Who is one person in your life that has spoken many words of blessing to you? What could you do to be more like this person?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to make your words a source of blessing and healing and not a source of pain and burning.
“Live It!” Challenge - For a whole week, pause before you speak. Actually ask God, “Will the words I am about to speak reflect your wisdom?”
September Prayer Focus: For September our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider using James’ teaching on the tongue to give direction to your prayers this week (James 3:1-12).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a new area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 2
“Royal Rumble…Pinning Down Your Tongue”
Reading for the week of September 19-25
Day 1- Proverbs 11 and James 1
Day 2- Proverbs 12 and James 2
Day 3- Proverbs 13 and James 3
Day 4- Proverbs 14 and James 4
Day 5- Proverbs 15 and James 5
Day 6- Proverbs 16 – 17
Bonus- Proverbs 18 and Psalm 119
Memorize/Reflect - “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6)
Personal Reflection- When does my tongue tend to get out of control? What can I do to tame my tongue and use it to bless and not curse?
Discussion- Who is one person in your life that has spoken many words of blessing to you? What could you do to be more like this person?
Prayer Direction- Ask God to make your words a source of blessing and healing and not a source of pain and burning.
“Live It!” Challenge - For a whole week, pause before you speak. Actually ask God, “Will the words I am about to speak reflect your wisdom?”
September Prayer Focus: For September our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider using James’ teaching on the tongue to give direction to your prayers this week (James 3:1-12).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a new area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 1
“The Never Ending Battle…Wisdom vs. Foolishness”
Reading for the week of September 12-18
Day 1- Proverbs 3 and 4
Day 2- Proverbs 5 and 6; James 3:13-18
Day 3- Proverbs 7 and 8
Day 4- Proverbs 9 and 10; 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Day 5- Ephesians 5 and 6:10-20
Day 6- Psalms 1 and 19
Bonus- The Book of James and Psalm 53
Memorize/Reflect - “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (I John 2:15 NIV)
Personal Reflection- There is two systems of wisdom: the world’s and God’s. Where are you wrestling between these two? What can you do to follow God’s wisdom in this area of your life?
Discussion- What are some of the ways your choices and lifestyle are different now that you are a Christian verses when you were not a believer?
Prayer Direction- Pray for eyes to see the foolish ways of living that you still embrace. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you strength to change your lifestyle and patterns so that they will align with God’s wisdom.
“Live It!” Challenge - It is impossible to be a Christian in the will of God and operate in the “world’s” system of wisdom? What is one change I can make this week that will move me from folly to wisdom?
September Prayer Focus: For September our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider using the beatitudes to give direction to your prayers this week (Matthew 5:3-10).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a new area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
Bible Smackdown! Week 1
“The Never Ending Battle…Wisdom vs. Foolishness”
Reading for the week of September 12-18
Day 1- Proverbs 3 and 4
Day 2- Proverbs 5 and 6; James 3:13-18
Day 3- Proverbs 7 and 8
Day 4- Proverbs 9 and 10; 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Day 5- Ephesians 5 and 6:10-20
Day 6- Psalms 1 and 19
Bonus- The Book of James and Psalm 53
Memorize/Reflect - “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (I John 2:15 NIV)
Personal Reflection- There is two systems of wisdom: the world’s and God’s. Where are you wrestling between these two? What can you do to follow God’s wisdom in this area of your life?
Discussion- What are some of the ways your choices and lifestyle are different now that you are a Christian verses when you were not a believer?
Prayer Direction- Pray for eyes to see the foolish ways of living that you still embrace. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you strength to change your lifestyle and patterns so that they will align with God’s wisdom.
“Live It!” Challenge - It is impossible to be a Christian in the will of God and operate in the “world’s” system of wisdom? What is one change I can make this week that will move me from folly to wisdom?
September Prayer Focus: For September our prayer focus will be learning to meditate on and pray the words of Scripture. Consider using the beatitudes to give direction to your prayers this week (Matthew 5:3-10).
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick a new area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
God Encounters 11: David’s Story
“Preparing for Success”
Reading for the week of September 5-11
Day 1- 1 Samuel 13
Day 2- 1 Samuel 14
Day 3- 1 Samuel 15
Day 4- 1 Samuel 16
Day 5- 1 Samuel 17
Day 6- 1 Samuel 18
Bonus- Proverbs 1-2; Psalm 119:11; Acts 13:22
Memorize/Reflect - “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7- NIV)
Personal Reflection – What is most important to you, your outward appearance or the condition of your heart? What can you do to improve the appearance of your heart?
Discussion – How do you know what is in your heart. What do you think a lot about? What gets you upset and mad? What brings you great joy and happiness?
Prayer Direction – Ask God to help you with “a change of heart,” and to help you know what needs to be changed on the inside. “Create in me a clean heart O God”… Psalm 51:10
“Live It!” Challenge - Find someone you respect as a committed Christian (who knows you). Share with them what you think God wants you to change in your heart. Then ask God to help you change as you work on memorizing verses in the Bible that relate to your growth area (ie- jealousy, lust, greed, bitterness, anger, fear, etc).
September Prayer Focus:For September our prayer focus will be learning to pray the Bible. Consider using the Lord’s Prayer to give direction to your prayers this week.
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick one area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
God Encounters 11: David’s Story
“Preparing for Success”
Reading for the week of September 5-11
Day 1- 1 Samuel 13
Day 2- 1 Samuel 14
Day 3- 1 Samuel 15
Day 4- 1 Samuel 16
Day 5- 1 Samuel 17
Day 6- 1 Samuel 18
Bonus- Proverbs 1-2; Psalm 119:11; Acts 13:22
Memorize/Reflect - “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7- NIV)
Personal Reflection – What is most important to you, your outward appearance or the condition of your heart? What can you do to improve the appearance of your heart?
Discussion – How do you know what is in your heart. What do you think a lot about? What gets you upset and mad? What brings you great joy and happiness?
Prayer Direction – Ask God to help you with “a change of heart,” and to help you know what needs to be changed on the inside. “Create in me a clean heart O God”… Psalm 51:10
“Live It!” Challenge - Find someone you respect as a committed Christian (who knows you). Share with them what you think God wants you to change in your heart. Then ask God to help you change as you work on memorizing verses in the Bible that relate to your growth area (ie- jealousy, lust, greed, bitterness, anger, fear, etc).
September Prayer Focus:For September our prayer focus will be learning to pray the Bible. Consider using the Lord’s Prayer to give direction to your prayers this week.
July-September: This will be our final month focusing on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. This is all about intentionally making our lives less complex. Pick one area you need to simplify (finances and stuff / schedule / your thought world and worry / some other area) and ask God how you can simplify your life so you can focus more on your relationship with Him.
Resources online or in the Shoreline Bookstore: No extra resources recommended this series. Just read Proverbs and James over and over and over!
