Week 5 - The Psalms and Proverbs

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Christian Life - Small Group Warm Up Question:

What is one of the biggest challenges facing Christians today?

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 13 ~ Psalm 14 ~ Psalm 15 ~ Proverbs 3:19-35

1.     Do you struggle with patience?  Why is patience so hard?  What sorts of things are the hardest to wait for?  Who are you the most patient with?  Who are you the least patient with?

2.     Have you ever heard someone say “not to pray for patience”? What do they mean by that?  How does God grow our patience through His Spirit?

3.     How many times does the Psalmist say “how long” in Psalm 13?  Read 2 Peter 3:8.  What does that mean?  How is it helpful to you in being more patient for God’s answers to your requests (Psalm 13:1)?

4.     What do you think the Psalmist means by “I take counsel in my soul”? (Psalm 13:2)

5.     What is the key to being patient with God’s timing? (Psalm 13:5-6)

6.     Do you know any atheists or agnostics?  How have they interacted with you? What sort of claims have they made?

7.     What does God say about atheists and agnostics in Psalm 14:1?  How is Romans 1:18-23 helpful to consider?

8.     How would you summarize Psalm 14 in your own words?

9.     Why is Romans 3:10-12 and Romans 3:23 important?  Why do you think the Psalmist goes to salvation for the ending of Psalm 14?

10.  How do you think the average church, pastor, or Christian would describe those who are “saved”?  Why is that such an important question?

11.  What is helpful to you in Psalm 15 in answering the question of who is truly saved? What do we learn about the Lord through it?  How does this connect

12.  If you could ask anything of God, what would you ask for? Why?  What guides our requests and priorities in our prayers?

13.  Read Psalm 27:4.  What does the Psalmist want? Why do you think the Psalmist prioritizes this request in both prayer and pursuit?

14.  Read Proverbs 3:19-35.  Was Earth “intelligently designed”? How can we see this in the world around us?  What might be an easy way to explain to an atheist that God created the earth?  How does atheism ultimately rest on “faith”?  Read Hebrews 11:3. How does Christianity ultimately rest on “faith”?  Is there more evidence for atheism or Christianity?  Does it take more “faith” to be an atheist or a Christian?

15.  Which piece of wisdom stands out to you in the second half of Proverbs 3? Why?  Why does God provide so much advice to us as His children?