Mastering Our Passions

  1. Describe a time in your life when you felt your life was out of control. What feelings gripped your heart during those moments?

 

  1. Where are people’s lives out of control in today’s world? Why do you think it is so?

 

  1. How do you define self-control, what does self-control mean to you? Is it harder for some than for others? Why might that be? Talk about the importance of this virtue’s presence in the list of the nine fruits of the Spirit – read Galatians 5:22-23.

 

  1. The Greek word translated “self-control” is a combination of two Greek words: en kratos. “En” means “in” and “kratos” means “strength, power, might or dominion.” A person with en kratos is a person who has strength within or rules him/herself well. Can we have self-control without God’s help? For the believer, how does this strength manifest itself in life’s daily decisions?

 

  1. Talk about the difference between self in control and self under control. What spiritual dynamic is at play here?

 

  1. If you took an honest inventory of your life, you might have to admit that some things are not the way they should be. Most of us struggle with feeling that we have a good grip on some parts of our life while others are somewhat out of control. What areas of your life do you feel you have a good grip? What is contributing to these areas being positive or healthy?

 

  1. In what areas of your life do you feel you need to exercise more self-control? Why? What is standing in the way of you exercising more self-control in these areas of your life? What needs to change if you’re going to get a grip on these areas of your life?

 

  1. How can you lean on God’s Spirit this week to cultivate the fruit of self-control in your life?

 

  1. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

Growing in Gentleness

  1. When you think of a gentle person who comes to your mind? Why?

 

  1. How would you define gentleness? Is a gentle person a weak person?

 

  1. Jesus speaks of himself as a gentle person and invites us to learn from Him (Matthew 11:28-29). Where do you see Jesus being gentle?

 

  1. Read Proverbs 15:1; 25:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8. What effect does gentleness have on people?

 

  1. Read Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 3:15. In what situations and circumstances are Christ followers called to practice gentleness? Why is it important?

 

  1. Gentleness is the fruit of God’s Spirit working in us (Galatians 3:22-23). Give an example of how gentleness is growing in you. Or are there situations where gentleness needs to grow in you? Explain.

 

  1. What do you sense Jesus is telling you?

 

  1. What are you going to do about it?

You Can Count On Me

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  1. When you think of “faithfulness,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Why?

 

  1. What does the word “faithful” mean / how would you define “faithfulness”? What is the power of faithfulness in a culture where it seems fewer and fewer people value faithfulness?

 

  1. How do you exhibit faithfulness in your daily life? In what way are you challenged to be faithful in your daily life?

 

  1. Like all the other fruit of the Spirit, faithfulness is rooted in God’s character and in the work of Christ. How have you experienced God’s faithfulness (i.e. in what ways is He faithful to His children)? What helps you trust God?

 

  1. What do the following verses say about God and faithfulness: 1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 2:13? Which of these verses impacted you the most? Why? What do you learn about Jesus’ faithfulness from Heb. 3:1-16?

 

  1. How are you faithful to God? How are you faithful to others?

 

  1. In Sunday’s message, we considered a number of ways it’s important we are faithful to others. Which way in particular stood out to you? Why?

 

  1. Pause for a moment and ask God’s Spirit to bring to mind someone who would benefit from your faithfulness this week. Who is it? Why might God have brought this person to mind?

 

  1. How can you lean on God’s Spirit this week to cultivate the fruit of faithfulness in your life?

 

  1. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

Kindness Matters

  1. Describe the kindest person you know. What do you feel makes them so? Would you describe yourself as someone who is habitually kind? Why or why not?

 

  1. How would you define kindness?

 

  1. How do you exhibit kindness in your daily life? What blocks the practice of kindness in your daily life? What do you think you can do to become kinder?

 

  1. Kindness is the medium through which Jesus’ love becomes tangible through us. It’s practicing benevolence and a loving attitude toward others. When have you experienced this in your life?

 

  1. On Sunday, we talked about how Jesus is the kindness of God, and that He has set an example for us to follow. Describe what is most inviting and most challenging to you about living this truth in your daily life.

 

  1. In Sunday’s message, we considered four ways Jesus has been kind to us and how we then can be kind to others. Which way in particular stood out to you? Why?

 

  1. Pause for a moment and ask God’s Spirit to bring to mind someone who would benefit from your kindness this week. Who is it? Why might God have brought this person to mind? In what way will you be kind to them this week?

 

  1. How can you lean on God’s Spirit this week to cultivate the fruit of kindness in your life?

 

  1. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

 

Lord, Please Give Me Patience NOW

  1. Describe the most patient person you know. What do you feel makes them so? Have they always been a patient person or is this something you have seen grow in them? Would you describe yourself as someone who is patient? Why or why not? If not, what do you feel is preventing you from being patient?
  2. In what situations do you find yourself struggling the most with patience? What does this reveal about your growing edges? How can you reframe these situations to see them as opportunities to develop in Christ-likeness?
  3. The fruit “patience” in Galatians 5:22-23 is translated from the Greek in three different ways in the NIV, NLT, and NKJV. Compare and contrast the words used. What conclusions do you come to about the intended ‘type’ of patience based on this?
  4. Why is patience with circumstances generally easier than patience with people?
  5. Exodus 34:6, Nehemiah 9:17, and Psalm 103:8-10 (to list only a few) describe God as being “slow to anger.” Describe the ways in which you have experienced God’s patience in your own life.
  6. Read Proverbs 14:29. What are some of the repercussions of our lack of patience?
  7. Look carefully at Colossians 3:12-13 and Ephesians 4:1-2. In both cases, what phrase do you find which indicates the need for patience with one another? Why do you think it is used?
  8. If the “fruit of the Spirit grows best in the garden of obedience”, what does this look like for you this week?
  9. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

 

 

Peace in the Storms of Life

  1. Describe the most peace-filled person you know. What do you feel makes them so? Would you describe yourself as someone who lives peacefully? Why or why not? If not, what do you feel is preventing you from living a peace-filled life?

 

  1. What in this world makes people feel anxious? Makes you feel anxious?

 

  1. How do you find peace?

 

  1. Jesus often retreated to quiet places, either by himself or with His disciples to rest, spend time with God and friends. What do you do to retreat from the busyness of life? Do you have anything scheduled regularly?

 

  1. Have you ever experienced God’s peace in a storm? What was it like?

 

  1. God will do what we can’t as long as we do what we can. We highlighted three things that we can do: Be Prepared, Be Content, Trust God. Which of the three do you feel you do best at? Which of the three do you need to lean into more?

 

  1. Read Mark 4:34-41. Is there anything that strikes you that you have never noticed before?

 

  1. What are the factors that you believe allowed Jesus to be at peace in the worst of times, in storms, mobs, even on the cross?

 

  1. Phil. 4:6-7 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Does this passage bring hope? Why?

 

  1. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

 

Becoming More Joyful

  1. Describe the most joy-filled person you know. What do you feel makes them so? Would you describe yourself as someone who lives joyfully? Why or why not? If not, what do you feel is preventing you from living a joy-filled life?
  2. What is the difference between happiness and joy?
  3. On Sunday, numerous barriers to experiencing joy were discussed. Read James 4:1-2. How is selfishness an impediment to entering into true joy?
  4. Read Hebrews 12:15. How can bitterness and resentment keep us from experiencing joy?
  5. Read Proverbs 12:25. How will being filled with worry prevent a person from living a life filled with joy?
  6. The Bible makes very clear that there is a way to experience joy, though the way there goes against much of what our culture tells us. Acts 20:35 (GN) reads: “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.” Talk about how living selflessly is a key step to experiencing joy.
  7. The Apostle Paul tells the Colossian believers (3:13 LB): “Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Discuss how being willing to forgive frees a person to experience joy.
  8. Psalm 62:8 (LB) says: “Trust in God at all times; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” How can trusting God to act and focusing on His power instead of your problems move you to living a joy-filled life?
  9. The interesting thing about joy is that it is not dependent upon our circumstances. We can be joyful even in the face of tough times. Why is that so?
  10. Three reasons we can live with joy in even when life gets tough: God is with us in our tough times; God has a plan for us in the face of the challenges we face; and God promises to help us through our difficulties. Which of these speaks most powerfully to you today about living with joy in troubling times? Why?
  11. What do you sense God has been saying to you through this study? What are you going to do about it?

Become More Loving

1. If someone wanted to become a more loving person, what advice would you give them?

Read Galatians 5:19-21

2. What does Paul mean by “flesh”? And “works of the flesh”?

3. As you read through the works of the flesh is there any work you could find in yourself? Describe. How does it make you feel?

Read Galatians 5:22-26

4. Paul speaks of the “works/acts” of the flesh and the “fruit” for the spirit. What is the difference between works and fruit?

5. List the nine qualities of a Spirit led life. Try to explain each quality in your own words and give examples.

6. Where do you see these qualities in Jesus? Where and to what degree do you see them in yourself?

7. What qualities within you do you feel need improvement? What are you going to do to about it?