- What is God’s role in disciplining us? Is God with us during times of discipline? Job 5:17-22, Jeremiah 30:11; 46:28
- Who does God discipline? Hebrews 12:5-6, Deuteronomy 8:5
- According to Hebrews 12:10 & 14 why does God discipline us?
- How does God discipline us? What tool does God use in disciplining/teaching us? Deuteronomy 4:34-36, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- What does the discipline of the Lord entail? Deuteronomy 11:2-7, Psalm 39:11
- Read Deuteronomy 8:2-5
- Why did god cause the Israelites to be hungry and thirsty in the desert?
- Does God discipline His children in similar ways today? Does God withhold certain \blessings” from us today? What is usually His intent?
- What assurance do we have from His word? Lamentations 3:31-36; Job 5:17-22
- What role does the word of God play in pruning us and making us disciplined? Hebrew 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Christ cuts away the unusable in order to make us usable
Anonymous
- Why is it so crucial for a believer to undergo pruning? What is the result of pruning? John 15:2b
- According to John 15:8, what is the significant characteristic of a believer?
- Read Hebrews 12:1-4
- What does sin do to us according to Hebrews 12:1?
- What can we do to cause sin to increasingly lose its hold on us according to Hebrews 12:2?
- What should be our attitude towards sin? Hebrews 12:4
- Recall the theme verse (Hebrews 12:11) from memory.
- What is one major characteristic of discipline?
- Why must we go through discipline? What are the results/fruits of discipline? Also refer to Romans. 5:3-4
- How does one exhibit the harvest of righteousness and peace? Or what is the evidence that one has been trained by discipline?
- What should be our attitude towards Gods disciplining us? Hebrews 12:5-8
- What should be our attitude during times of personal discipline? Psalm 6:1-2; 38:1
- Why should we accept discipline? Psalm 94:12-13; Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 10:17a; Proverbs 15:32b.
- How is the person who despises discipline described? Proverbs 1:7; 12:1b; 15:5a
- What happens to the person who despises discipline? Proverbs 5:11-14, 23; 10:17b; 15:10, 32a
- Read 2 Samuel 24:1-4,8-14. What was Davids response to the Lords discipline? What can we learn from it?
- Read Jonah 1:1-17, 2:1-9. What was Gods chastening Jonah meant to achieve?
- Recall the story of Joseph (Jacobs son, the dreamer) from Genesis.
- What was the attitude of Josephs heart in the face of temptation? Genesis 39:6-12
- How did Joseph see the difficulties he had encountered as a result of his brothers’ betrayal? Gen 50:19-20
- The state of a believer who has not been taught/disciplined by Gods Word is synonymous to a branch that has not being pruned? What happens to such branches and what is its implication for us? John 15:2
- What is the relationship between remaining in Him, bearing fruit (which results from pruning) and answered prayer? John 15:7,16-17
- What are some of the fruits that a growing Christian is expected to bear? Galatians 5:22, 2 Peter 1:5-7
- What does God require of us in terms of self-initiated cleansing? 1 Corinthians 5:7-8
- Internal cleansing may often be preceded by external cleansing? What are some external things we may need to cleanse (prune or purge) from our lives just like in the case of Josiah? 2 Chronicles 34:3-7
- Hebrew 12:11 talks about a harvest of righteousness being produced in those who are trained by discipline. Is it possible that some people may not be trained by discipline? How can one miss the training that discipline brings?
- In what way can we ensure that we are continually being pruned (cleansed) from our old ways and continually produce a harvest of righteousness and peace? Romans 8:6
- God gave a command in Deuteronomy 21:18 about how rebellion should be treated. What does that tell us about Gods character and what He desire of us as His children?
- What is the role of discipline in physical and spiritual parenting? Proverbs 13:24 Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13-14; Proverbs 29:17
- Name some spiritual disciplines.
- How can we as believers help each other when one is going through a hard time of being pruned? Hebrews 10:24-25