Week 2

Look Back

How did God reveal His truth to you through prayer about a lie you have been telling yourself in a way you could see and believe it?

Connect

What “freedom” do you value most as an American citizen? Why?

Look Up

Read Romans 8:18-25

1. What do you think Paul is trying to convey when he says that “all creation has been groaning”? How is this significant to Christians?
2. What do these verses say that the Holy Spirit gives to believers? How often do you think of the Holy Spirit in this way?
3. Why do you think that Paul encourages his readers to wait patiently for their adoption as children of God? How should believers today apply this?
4. What do verses 24-25 teach us about “hope”? How is this different from, or the same as “faith” and “perseverance”?

Read Romans 8:26-28

1. What are the different things that these verses say that the Holy Spirit does for believers? Which of these is most important to you right now? Which one is the hardest for you to understand, accept or apply in your daily life?
2. What does Paul mean when he says that the Holy Spirit “intercedes”? Why is this necessary or important?
3. Why do you think Paul wraps up this passage with verse 28? What are some of the key words or phrases that make verse 28 particularly powerful to Chriatians today?
4. When it comes to performance, how does v 28 help us navigate that?

Overall (Discovery Bible Study)

• What do these scriptures say about God?
• What do they say about people?
• How will I apply this to my life?

Look Ahead

We all wrestle with this performance mindset to one degree or another. Where is that for you? What area in your life are you most likely to rely on your performance to receive value? What is one verse that you can go back to , in order to be reminded of what God says about you ?

Notes

Be your best you… Do your best… Strive to get on top… These seem to be the story lines of our world. We grow up in a world that is always trying to perform better and better. Which does tend to crossover in our walks with Jesus. Therein lies a tension.. God loves us for WHO we are and not WHAT we do. Our value is in Him alone and it's out of that we live in obedience. Sure we should wake up and follow Jesus, we need to bey His Word, and learn to listen to the SPirit. But at the end of the day there is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more and nothing you can do to love Him any less...