Chapter 8 – Heat 2: You in the Real World
1. Read Romans 8:20-22. What are the three ways Paul describes earthly life between creation and the second coming?
2. Each of the three ways above end with a question (p. 108-109). Where do you encounter futility and frustration in your life? Where do you encounter the reality of decay in your life? Where are you experiencing pain right now?
3. How does the enemy use the effects of the fall to his advantage? (p. 109). Also read I Peter 5:8-9.
4. Describe the heat and the response in each of the Wilderness examples. Give an example of how you have responded in similar ways. (Pages 110-113).
a. Bane of Boring Food – Numbers 11:4-23.
b. Fear of Threatening Circumstances – Numbers 14:1-4
c. Blame Game – Numbers 20:1-5
5. Author quote from page 113, “the anger we reveal in the middle of the trial says more about us than it does about the trial. The Bible keeps the focus on us. It confronts the self-righteousness and spiritual blindness that makes us think that the biggest problems are outside us, not inside.” Comments.
6. Read Deuteronomy 8:2-14. Why does God give us wilderness experiences? (p. 114).
The following assignment is quoted from the workbook, How People Change. The workbook is a very simplified version of the book, but does include this very powerful project that we will be using in our studies:
7. Personal Growth Project
This project begins a process of self-examination that will take you through the remainder of the book. What you do with this assignment and those that follow will determine how much you personally benefit from this course and how much it will prepare you to be used by God in the lives of others.
Your assignment is to choose an area of struggle from your own life. From now on, you will work on this area, applying what you learn from the HEAT, THORNS, CROSS, FRUIT model lesson by lesson. For each lesson, you will be given a guided opportunity to take the principles, perspectives, and promises of each lesson and apply it to your particular area of struggle. It is our hope that, as you do this, you will see measurable progress in that area of your life, while you get to know your Lord and his grace more fully and deeply.
Perhaps you are thinking, “I don’t know how to choose the thing I should work on”. Here is some guidance:
a. You may pick a relatively minor habit (biting your fingernails or breaking the speed limit) or you may choose a major pattern of behavior, thinking, speech, or emotions (a tendency to be shy and evasive around people; a tendency to be aggressive and controlling; or a tendency to judge or categorize people).
Either choice has its benefits. Small habits are easily observed bits of life that can lead you to think about more substantial issues. For example, biting your fingernails could lead you to consider how you handle stress and tension in general. Larger, more general themes and problems bring more of your life into God’s light right from the start. If you pick a larger issue, like strained relationships with people, you will find it more helpful to narrow the focus, for example, by focusing on one relationship in particular.
b. Here are some possible choices for a personal growth project:
Driving habits: your driving reveals a lot about your personality and expectations about life.
Money and possessions: Are you obsessed with wealth? Covetous? Continually in debt?
Work and rest: Do you alternate between workaholism and a self-indulgent love of comfort? Are you driven and restless? Do you procrastinate and avoid responsibility? Do you pursue leisure in a way that pleases the Lord?
Grumbling: Do you tend to be negative, pessimistic, complaining, irritable, unhappy, discontent, and dissatisfied? When do you grumble, and about what?
Avoidance: Does fear keep you from people or situations? Are you afraid of what people might think?
Subtle boasting: Do you seek to look good in other’s eyes through your job, your possessions, your children, your spirituality?
Secret sin/addictive behavior: Is there an area of sin and temptation that regularly defeats you? Have you found it difficult to admit it and seek the help of others?
c. Take time to pray. Ask God to give you insight and wisdom as you choose your project. Ask God to help you to resist the temptation to take the easy way out and give you the courage of faith to choose an area that really needs attention. Ask him to make you willing to be honest before him and others.
d. Once you have chosen your project, write down everything you know right now about your struggle. When and where does this problem tend to rear its head? How long have you struggled with it? What have you done to get control or victory over it? What do you think Scripture says about it? How do you think it has affected you and the people around you? What do you think it reveals about you and what is important to you? In what ways right now, do you think God is calling you to change in this area? Turn to the diagram in Chapter 6 and try your best to answer these four questions:
HEAT: In what situations and relationships does this struggle most often reveal itself?
THORNS: How do you respond when the HEAT hits? What do those responses reveal about your heart? What are the everyday consequences of responding in that way?
CROSS: What specific things does Christ offer you in your struggle: What promises can you claim? What passages speak directly to your struggle?
FRUIT: In what ways does God want to change your heart? How will that heart change result in a whole new set of responses to the same old HEAT? If those changes take place, what will be the harvest of good consequences?
Do your best to answer these questions. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t answer all of them, since your understanding will grow with each chapter. Be thankful that God has given you this opportunity to meet him and experience his grace, right in the middle of life’s difficulties. It is our prayer that God will use this project to change and mature you and position you to be used by him in the lives of others.
10/30/08
10/21/08
How People Change, Chapter 7
Chapter 7 – Heat 1: God in the Real World
1. How do our life experiences and emotional reactions to these experiences change our theology? (p. 95-96).
2. Read Psalm 88. What is the Psalm writer experiencing? Have you felt this way?
3. What are the lessons from this Psalm? (p. 98).
4. Do you edit your prayer requests? What would it take to be more honest?
5. How does Psalm 88 encourage you?
6. Read James 1:1-15. What is the historical context?
7. What is the truth about trials from James 1, Philippians 1:29, and I Peter 4:12 & 13?
8. How can trials come from blessings? (p. 101).
9. What makes the difference between trials producing thorns or fruit? (p. 102).
10. Read and answer the questions about James 1 on page 103.
11. This series of questions come from page 104 and 105:
– What pressures do you regularly face?
– What are your God-given opportunities?
– What are your everyday responsibilities?
– Where are you facing difficult circumstances?
– What temptations are you facing?
– Who are the difficult people in your life?
– What unexpected blessings have you received?
– In what situations do you feel alone or misunderstood?
– What challenges does the value system of modern culture present?
– In what areas do you feel overwhelmed by the things “assigned” to you (blessing or difficulty)?
– What are the places you are tempted to hide from or avoid?
– What situations tempt you to say you are okay when you are not?
– What is the hardest experience of your past?
– What is your greatest fear about the future?
12. What was the key point for you in this chapter?
13. Action Point:
1. How do our life experiences and emotional reactions to these experiences change our theology? (p. 95-96).
2. Read Psalm 88. What is the Psalm writer experiencing? Have you felt this way?
3. What are the lessons from this Psalm? (p. 98).
4. Do you edit your prayer requests? What would it take to be more honest?
5. How does Psalm 88 encourage you?
6. Read James 1:1-15. What is the historical context?
7. What is the truth about trials from James 1, Philippians 1:29, and I Peter 4:12 & 13?
8. How can trials come from blessings? (p. 101).
9. What makes the difference between trials producing thorns or fruit? (p. 102).
10. Read and answer the questions about James 1 on page 103.
11. This series of questions come from page 104 and 105:
– What pressures do you regularly face?
– What are your God-given opportunities?
– What are your everyday responsibilities?
– Where are you facing difficult circumstances?
– What temptations are you facing?
– Who are the difficult people in your life?
– What unexpected blessings have you received?
– In what situations do you feel alone or misunderstood?
– What challenges does the value system of modern culture present?
– In what areas do you feel overwhelmed by the things “assigned” to you (blessing or difficulty)?
– What are the places you are tempted to hide from or avoid?
– What situations tempt you to say you are okay when you are not?
– What is the hardest experience of your past?
– What is your greatest fear about the future?
12. What was the key point for you in this chapter?
13. Action Point:
10/12/08
How People Change, Chapter 6
Chapter 6 – The Big Picture
Note: This chapter sets up the remainder of the book. The task this week is to understand the concept of the big picture.
1. Explain the difference between the Bible as a ‘big picture’ and the Bible as a ‘set of directions’ (p. 79-81). What are some of the big picture attributes from page 82?
2. Jeremiah 17:5-10 is the key passage summarizing the big picture model. Read the passage and circle the four elements: heat, thorns, cross, fruit. Summarize and comment.
3. Give a written description of the four elements: heat, thorns, cross, fruit (p. 83).
4. Reproduce the drawing on page 84 in your notebook.
5. Read I Corinthians 10:1-13. This passage summarizes Numbers 11-14. Detail the heat, thorns, cross, and fruit in the Israelite’s lives. The thorn element and fruit element will include behavior, heart, and consequences. What comparisons can you see in your own life?
6. For more clarity, reproduce drawing and labels on page 87.
7. Read II Corinthians 1:3-12. This is a personal story of Paul’s life. Detail the heat, thorns, cross, and fruit in this passage. Again, do you see any comparisons in your life?
8. Drawing practice (p. 89).
9. Take a situation in your own life and sort out the situation and your responses using the four elements in the model.
10. How does understanding how God is working through the details of your life give you hope?
11. What were some of the significant author statements in this chapter that you underlined?
12. What was the key point in this chapter for you?
13. Test Question: Explain the ‘big picture’ concept to someone.
Note: This chapter sets up the remainder of the book. The task this week is to understand the concept of the big picture.
1. Explain the difference between the Bible as a ‘big picture’ and the Bible as a ‘set of directions’ (p. 79-81). What are some of the big picture attributes from page 82?
2. Jeremiah 17:5-10 is the key passage summarizing the big picture model. Read the passage and circle the four elements: heat, thorns, cross, fruit. Summarize and comment.
3. Give a written description of the four elements: heat, thorns, cross, fruit (p. 83).
4. Reproduce the drawing on page 84 in your notebook.
5. Read I Corinthians 10:1-13. This passage summarizes Numbers 11-14. Detail the heat, thorns, cross, and fruit in the Israelite’s lives. The thorn element and fruit element will include behavior, heart, and consequences. What comparisons can you see in your own life?
6. For more clarity, reproduce drawing and labels on page 87.
7. Read II Corinthians 1:3-12. This is a personal story of Paul’s life. Detail the heat, thorns, cross, and fruit in this passage. Again, do you see any comparisons in your life?
8. Drawing practice (p. 89).
9. Take a situation in your own life and sort out the situation and your responses using the four elements in the model.
10. How does understanding how God is working through the details of your life give you hope?
11. What were some of the significant author statements in this chapter that you underlined?
12. What was the key point in this chapter for you?
13. Test Question: Explain the ‘big picture’ concept to someone.
10/5/08
How People Change, Chapter 5
Chapter 5 – Change is a Community Project
1. What are some of your positive and negative reactions to the ‘small group’ story at the beginning of this chapter?
2. Why do we want – and not want – friendships? (p. 65). What are some of your fears related to friendship?
3. Why does being made in the image of God make us long for relationship? (p. 67).
4. Read Ephesians 4:1-6 and Ephesians 2:14-22. How are both of these passages a call to community? (p. 68-70).
5. How does the vision that Christianity is corporate as well as individual impact you? (p. 71). Do you have relationships that are deep enough to help you change? Consider the list of obstacles on page 71 that hinder redemptive relationships. Which of these or other reasons keep you from deep, God-based relationships? How can you make changes?
6. What are some of the difficulties with being in close relationship with people? How can these difficulties be turned into positives? (p. 72). Give a personal example.
7. Read Ephesians 3:14 -21. Comment on this passage from a community perspective (p. 73).
8. Read Titus 2:11-14. What are your ideas on how people in community can help each other say ‘no’ to ungodliness?
9. Where are your gifts needed in the body of Christ? The author suggests that we view needs in the church through the lens of our giftedness. What needs do you see that you should be moving towards? (p. 76-77).
10. What was the most important point for you in this chapter?
11. Action point this week:
1. What are some of your positive and negative reactions to the ‘small group’ story at the beginning of this chapter?
2. Why do we want – and not want – friendships? (p. 65). What are some of your fears related to friendship?
3. Why does being made in the image of God make us long for relationship? (p. 67).
4. Read Ephesians 4:1-6 and Ephesians 2:14-22. How are both of these passages a call to community? (p. 68-70).
5. How does the vision that Christianity is corporate as well as individual impact you? (p. 71). Do you have relationships that are deep enough to help you change? Consider the list of obstacles on page 71 that hinder redemptive relationships. Which of these or other reasons keep you from deep, God-based relationships? How can you make changes?
6. What are some of the difficulties with being in close relationship with people? How can these difficulties be turned into positives? (p. 72). Give a personal example.
7. Read Ephesians 3:14 -21. Comment on this passage from a community perspective (p. 73).
8. Read Titus 2:11-14. What are your ideas on how people in community can help each other say ‘no’ to ungodliness?
9. Where are your gifts needed in the body of Christ? The author suggests that we view needs in the church through the lens of our giftedness. What needs do you see that you should be moving towards? (p. 76-77).
10. What was the most important point for you in this chapter?
11. Action point this week:
10/2/08
How People Change, Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – Married to Christ
1. Marriage is used as a metaphor throughout scripture to describe Christ’s relationship with his people. What are some of the qualities of this relationship? (p. 47).
2. Read II Corinthians 11:1-3. What warning is Paul giving and what does this mean?
3. What things function for you as false lovers tempting you to spiritual adultery? (Some examples on page 50).
4. What attracts you to these false ‘lovers’?
5. What are the three ‘profound realities’ that are part of our union with Christ? (p. 51). Elaborate.
6. Read Colossians 1:15-24. What are the qualities of Christ, our bridegroom? Underline and spend time meditating.
7. Read Colossians 1:21-23 and 2:1-15. What are our three deficits and Christ’s three ways of filling those deficits as described on page 55? Why is it so important to understand this?
8. Top of page 56 quote, “The Christian life is built upon the foundation of (1) facing who you really are and (2) trusting who Christ truly is.” Why is this so essential to understand?
9. Which of your strengths and assets have the tendency to become liabilities in your relationship with Christ? (p. 57-end of chapter). Why does this happen?
10. How does your union with Christ shape the way you live in a currently difficult situation?
11. What was the key point for you in this chapter?
12. Action Point.
1. Marriage is used as a metaphor throughout scripture to describe Christ’s relationship with his people. What are some of the qualities of this relationship? (p. 47).
2. Read II Corinthians 11:1-3. What warning is Paul giving and what does this mean?
3. What things function for you as false lovers tempting you to spiritual adultery? (Some examples on page 50).
4. What attracts you to these false ‘lovers’?
5. What are the three ‘profound realities’ that are part of our union with Christ? (p. 51). Elaborate.
6. Read Colossians 1:15-24. What are the qualities of Christ, our bridegroom? Underline and spend time meditating.
7. Read Colossians 1:21-23 and 2:1-15. What are our three deficits and Christ’s three ways of filling those deficits as described on page 55? Why is it so important to understand this?
8. Top of page 56 quote, “The Christian life is built upon the foundation of (1) facing who you really are and (2) trusting who Christ truly is.” Why is this so essential to understand?
9. Which of your strengths and assets have the tendency to become liabilities in your relationship with Christ? (p. 57-end of chapter). Why does this happen?
10. How does your union with Christ shape the way you live in a currently difficult situation?
11. What was the key point for you in this chapter?
12. Action Point.
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