Portraits of God--Lesson 8--Behold Your King!--I Samuel 8

Discussion Questions:

1. How have you seen God saying “no” to your requests turn out to be a good thing?

2. How was God’s plan for a king different from what the Israelites wanted? Why do we find

it so hard to wait patiently for God to carry out His plans instead of rushing into our own

plans?

3. Why do we have such a difficult time being different from the world and wanting different

things from what the world wants? Give some examples of how not being like the world

is a good thing.

4. Why is changing an opinion so difficult, even when shown facts full of truth? What kinds of

things need to happen in order to change a heart?

5. What comfort do you receive from having a King who gives instead of taking from you?

What is one specific thing you can do this week to follow His example?

Portraits of God--Lesson 7--A God Who Helps Us--I Samuel 7

Discussion Questions:

1. How has the piling up of problems over the past 2 months affected your spiritual walk?

2. The messages of Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Jesus and Paul to be set apart for God God above all else are very similar (Deut. 6:4-5; Joshua 24:14-15; I Samuel 7:3; Matt. 10:37-38; I Thess. 1:9-10). Why does every generation struggle with this? How does this struggle lead to the problems piling up even more?

3. How central is prayer in your dealing with life’s messes and battles? How has a person committed to prayer made a difference in your life?

4. What does it tell you that there is more power in the prayer and intercession of Samuel and Moses than in the activity of the armies of Israel during these battles?

5. What kind of list could you make of times from your past where God has been an obvious source of help? Do you have any “Ebenezers” to commemorate these?

Portraits of God--Lesson 6--Who is Able to Stand Before God?--I Samuel 6

Discussion Questions:

1. What kinds of struggles have you had battling your human nature?

2. How does dividing over race, gender, politics, religion or economics demonstrate that we do not know how to handle the ark of God any better than the Philistines or Israelites did?

3. How do you answer the question asked in 6:20—“Who can stand before the LORD, this holy God?” Tell how the answer moves from no one to potentially everyone: Jew, Greek, male, female, slave and free.

4. What temptations have you had to send God away rather than letting Him and His ways change you?

5. What is your reaction to the picture Isaiah gives of God’s Kingdom in Isaiah 11:6-9?