Backwards Living--Lesson 1--Looking Forward; Not Back--Hebrews 11 + Ecclesiastes

Discussion Questions:

1.  How have you experienced the living waters from God in your life?  What kinds of things work against you remembering these living waters He has made available to you?

2.  What does it mean to look forward in living instead of backward?  What advantage is there in having a set point to aim for instead of being blown in whatever direction the wind blows?

3.  What kinds of cisterns have you seen people turn to rather than trusting the living waters of God?  How do these man-made cisterns typically let people down?  What helps you feel secure and fulfilled?

4.  How does the unfairness in life affect your faith walk with God?  What struggles have you had trusting God and surrendering to Him because of unfair things you have experienced?

5.  Why are the people referred to in Hebrews 11 called a cloud of witnesses?  What are they witnessing about?  How is faith not a leap into the unknown?

Character Building--Lesson 11--The Perfect Made More Perfect--Jesus--Hebrews 5-6

Discussion Questions:

1.  What do you think about Jesus having to learn obedience?  How does this provide a model for our own walks with God?

2.  How have you seen sin be its ugliest?  How does the ugliness of sin help you appreciate what Jesus does for you as High Priest?  How has God shown that the High Priest is an offer of life? 

3.  Are there any areas of your faith walk in which you tend to be dull of hearing or have quit growing?  What makes people want to go backwards instead of forward?  How does one maintain a teachable spirit?

4.  What does it mean that your character is more important than your comfort?  How did Jesus incorporate this axiom in His life?

5.  How has God poured His rain upon your life to help you grow?  Are there any areas in your character where thorns or thistles are growing?  How can you change this?

Character Building--Lesson 10--Don't Give Up-Part II--Jeremiah

Discussion Questions:

1.  What keeps you motivated to get back up when all the things of life try to knock you down?  What does choosing to get back up have to do with character?

2.  Do you think God has a plan for your life like He did for Jeremiah?  How does one discover that plan?

3.  What causes people to avoid messages of condemnation or judgment?  Are there times we need to hear these types of messages?

4.  Does it encourage you or discourage you to see God allow Jeremiah to experience the hardships that he does?  What do you learn about your own hardships from what happened to Jeremiah?

5.  How difficult do you find it to be “I am who I am” under all circumstances?  How does your character tie to living in the image of God?