“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives.” — Exodus 18:17-20.  

Over the last few weeks on Friday, we have been looking at little-known characters in the Bible that we might, wrongly perhaps, skip over as not being particularly important. But some of these often-overlooked characters can be significant in other ways, showing us and teaching us something important through their lives, what happened to them, and how other people engaged with them. They were ordinary people who had cast long shadows of godly influence. One was Jethro.

Sometimes, we become irritated when people offer unsolicited advice. It often feels intrusive and even insulting. But in many cases, you can get the best advice from the unlikeliest of sources. In Exodus 17 and 18, we find Moses dealing with the problems of leadership for the entire nation. He deals with and tries to resolve every squabble, question, dispute, and disagreement 24 hours a day. He is basically a one-man court and litigation department.

When he is at his breaking point, exhausted and stressed,  Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, approaches Moses and offers some counsel. He sees how hard Moses works to serve and lead the people, and he doesn’t criticize. Instead, he says, “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too” if you continue like this. So Jethro proposes a plan – select several trustworthy, godly men and appoint them as judges to handle the lesser disputes and questions on Moses’ behalf so that Moses will be free to handle the significant disputes and lead instead of being bogged down in the details. One of the key lines of the text is, Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions” (Exodus 18:24).  Although what Moses was doing was working, he still listened to his father-in-law because there was room for improvement.

Sometimes, we become irritated when people offer unsolicited advice. “Who are they to tell me what to do?” But God calls us to care about the people around us. Sometimes, caring means shar­ing our wisdom, and other times, it means being willing to be taught. We can benefit from the wisdom of others, even when it comes from the most unlikely source.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received from someone? How did it impact you?
2. How sustainable is the pace you’re living? Would a wise, loving advisor say, “This is not good” to you? Speaking of advisors, who is yours? Do you have someone in your life that plays the role of a Jethro? 

“Jesus Unites… Politics Divides” – Andy Stanley

Has there ever been a time in American history that we have been as politically divided as we are now? Politics has become an “us vs. them” attitude; We need to brace for the slew of political memes, sarcastic jokes, and negative articles that will undoubtedly fill social media over the next few months. In this election season and beyond, we must ask ourselves this rhetorical question: If we only love those who vote like us, what makes us any different from the rest of the world?

Anyone can love someone who loves them. And some people can love those who are not attached to their lives in any way. But how many can love those with completely different political views and make your blood boil by denigrating your views? Loving others during these times of political division can be a significant struggle. The constant barrage of conflicting opinions and heated debates often frustrates and disconnects us from those around us. It is hard to love in that environment. Yet that was the standard of Jesus. Jesus commands His followers to love our neighbors as ourselves. He doesn’t tell us to love our neighbors only if they agree with us, vote the same way, or love our political party. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

Love your neighbor as yourself, even if your neighbor is a Democrat. Love your neighbor as yourself, even if your neighbor is a Republican. Love your neighbor as yourself, even if your neighbor hates the candidate you love. Love your neighbor as yourself, even if their ideas for our country scare you. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no wiggle room, fine print, conditions, or exclusions.

The apostle Paul instructed the believers at Ephesus to be kind and forgive one another to unify the church. Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV) says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” He urged Christ’s new followers to put aside the personal and cultural differences that separated them and to move forward together as one body. He would advise us to do the same, regardless of a believer’s political affiliation.

He encouraged us to celebrate the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and life stages in our local communities. He also encouraged us to listen to one another and, above all, to love and respect one another as image-bearers of God.

The Church is infinitely bigger than one country’s two-party system and is made up of believers with many different backgrounds and ideas about politics and government.

Does ‘’loving” one’s political rivals mean ceding elections to them or abandoning our principles and policies to push theirs instead? Of course not. They may still have different political views, but they are no longer our “enemies” when we love like Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. As Christians, how should we react to people with different political opinions?

“But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48.

Christians want to please God with their lives, but we fall short of living the Christian life we want to live. There is way too much pressure.  There is the need to love others, read the Bible, pray, witness, disciple others, etc. We are doing things that God does not want in our life. There always seems to be another area of my spiritual life I need to do better or more.

Fortunately, God does not demand perfection in you. He is not expecting you to measure up. God never thought you could live a Christian life or meet His holy standards. If He thought you could, He wouldn’t have come to earth to die for you. But He did.

God is aware of the gap between His perfection and our sinfulness. But despite that, there is a constant tension within us trying to close that gap to strengthen the relationship and feel closer to God. What does God say about this gap? It’s there and it will always be there. But you, who have put your faith in Jesus, received Him into your life, have been forgiven and declared righteous. You are completely His, and He loves you unconditionally, despite the gap. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

It is likely, however, that you will come to a point in your life where you begin to think that surely God must now want some compensation. What God wants when it comes to you is simple. He wants you. C.S. Lewis said, “God doesn’t want something from us, He simply wants us.” He wants a loving relationship with His children. He wants us to take that vertical love for God and make it horizontal by treating our neighbors as ourselves. If you read scripture, you quickly conclude that love is the foundation of everything God does. 1 John 4:8 says it outright: “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” He created you so that He could love you and you might love Him.  He wants our love.

God is looking for the person who longs to know, understand, and be close to God, who knows that God is the Lord, the omniscient, omnipresent and sovereign God. Someone who knows that God is the God of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness on earth. One who knows that God is good and great and that it is a privilege to know Him. To know God is more life-giving than anything else. To know God is our purpose, our mission, and our life.

The end goal of the Christian life is to become the person God wants us to be. God longs to use you because He loves you. He’s not selfish. He doesn’t need your help. He wants to work with you. He wants your life to matter. He wants you to have an eternal reward for what you do here on earth because He’s a good Father who wants an intimate relationship with His children. He wants you to be filled with the fullness of life that comes from doing life with Him.

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you answer if someone asked you what God wants from you?
2. Does what God wants from us change over time or with changing circumstances? Why or why not?

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” – Isaiah 43:18–21 (ESV)

Do you long for a new beginning in a certain area of your life and wonder where to start? There is something so powerful, exciting, and fascinating about the white sheet of paper, the blank canvas, the new chapter, the fresh morning, and the new year. We are thrilled at the possibility of starting again and anxious not to fail. The best preparation for a successful new beginning is making room for the new.

When God is doing something new, it sometimes requires us to step into the unknown, which may feel uncomfortable, scary, and even unpleasant at first. We might be tempted to hold on to the life we know where everything is familiar. But we must let go of the old, trust God, and embrace what He is doing. Otherwise, we will miss out on all the good things God wants to do for us and through us.

Take Abraham, for instance. God did a new thing in Abraham’s life when He asked Abraham to leave his land, his family, and everything he had ever known to go to a new place. Abraham decided to trust God and abandon his old life. And through his obedience, the nation of Israel came to be. Likewise, with Paul, after he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he accepted his new role as an apostle to the Gentiles and let go of his old life as a Pharisee. Paul’s teachings make up about half of the New Testament.

There is a  Calvin and Hobbes comic strip that shows young Calvin saying to Hobbes, “Resolutions? Me?? Just what are you implying? What do I need to change? Well, buddy, as far as I’m concerned, I’m perfect the way I am!”

Hopefully, we all recognize that we are far from perfect the way we are. Even those who know Christ know we often can improve in one or more areas. Jesus has come to make all things new, starting with us, His people.

Will you let Him? Are you ready for something new?

Discussion Questions:

1. Would you like to have something new or a fresh start in your life?
2. What must you do to be prepared for what God wants to do in your life?

“If anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP).

All of us have done wrong things. Are you thinking of something right now that you’re sorry you did? Do you wish you could undo it and start over again? You can’t undo what’s been done but you can have a fresh start.

If you’ve been feeling unmotivated, uninspired, or otherwise ready for change, a fresh start may be exactly what you need. Maybe a fresh start will help you transition into healthier habits. Maybe you need a new direction, a new set of goals. Or maybe you just need a new starting point. Maybe you’re in the same boat regarding your spiritual life.  You need some spiritual spring cleaning. You don’t feel as close to God as you would like, and you don’t seem to be enjoying the full Christian life that God has given us to enjoy. The solution may be a reset, reboot, or starting fresh.

God’s Word is filled with examples of people given a fresh start. Abraham doubted God’s promise and took life into his own hands but was given a fresh start, a new beginning. David committed adultery and murder but was given a fresh start and new beginnings. Jonah ran from God and was given a fresh start and a new beginning. Peter denied Christ and was given a fresh start and new beginnings. Paul persecuted the church but was given a fresh start. And each one of us is offered that fresh start and new beginnings.

Wouldn’t that be great—to start all over again? When we look back on life and see some of the mistakes we made and some of the things we did that we have come to regret, it would be great to start over. But for all practical purposes, we can do so because we serve a God who gives us second chances.

Maybe you have made some serious mistakes this year. Maybe you feel you have gone too far, done too much, given up, and think there is no possibility that God would ever give you a second chance. That is not true. God does give second chances. You can have a fresh start today.

No matter how many times we fall down in life, if we continue to get back up, eventually, we’ll get to where we need to be. God will lead us to the best life we can possibly have, but first, we must let go of our past mistakes.

Jesus offers a fresh start each day. Isaiah 43: 18 says, “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” God is telling us to forget about what’s happened before because the book is closed on it. God is far more interested in our future than in our past.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you need a fresh start?
2. What changes would you like to make in a fresh start?

“But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” –  Genesis 15:2-3.

Over the last few weeks on Friday, we have been looking at little-known characters in the Bible that we might, wrongly perhaps, skip over as not being particularly important. But some of these often-overlooked characters can be significant in other ways, showing us and teaching us something important through their lives, what happened to them, and how other people engaged with them. They were ordinary people who had cast long shadows of godly influence. One was Eliezer of Damascus.

Eliezer of Damascus is a Bible figure known for his unwavering fidelity and service to Abraham. As Abraham’s chief steward, Eliezer’s primary responsibility was to oversee Abraham’s household and affairs. Despite Eliezer’s minor role and his appearances in scripture being few, his faithfulness and duty offer a valuable and powerful example for each of us. Abraham, the man of faith we read about in Genesis, is nearing death. Before he passes, he wants to see his son Isaac marry a woman from his own country. He appoints his most trusted servant to embark on a journey to bring back a wife for Isaac. Eliezer’s faithfulness and resourcefulness were tested.

Eliezer sets out to fulfill the task being asked of him.  This is not to be a short trip.  Once he arrives, what’s the first thing Eliezer does?  He prays. “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. 13 See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water” ( Genesis 24: 12-13).  Before he even finishes praying, God answers. Rebekah is an answer to prayer.  Exactly what Abraham had asked for. Once he finds Rebekah, he praises the Lord.  When Laban and Bethuel say she can go, Eliezer praises the Lord.

What does this mean for us, then? The servant’s obedience and faith are lessons in discerning God’s will. He did not wait passively but committed all things to God in prayer before taking action in faith. For us today, doing our part faithfully and being faithful in the small things is part of God’s will for our lives. God can and will use these things for His purposes and glory.

This story points us to Jesus Christ. The servant’s love for his master was evident, reminding us of the greater servant in Jesus. The servant took a long journey of several weeks, but Jesus came down from heaven to earth to die for our sins. He came as a servant to redeem a people and was completely faithful to his task, even to death on the cross. He did all these because He loved the Father and the people that He came to save.

Discussion Questions:

1. What can we do this week to become a more faithful servant of Jesus Christ?

“One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is life-long can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”  – Jim Elliot.

In American culture, surrender is rarely seen as a positive idea. It is commonly seen as giving up or losing. But to a Christian, surrender is an act of faith: it is the first act for those coming to salvation and a continual habit of those walking with Christ. Spiritually surrendering means letting go of control and trusting God with our present and future. Galatians 2:20 says, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The returning prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 is a picture of what it means to surrender to God. The son gives up on his way of life and returns to the father, hoping to be a servant. His surrender is met with rewards beyond his expectations. He receives open arms, lavish love, and a new life as a restored son.

Jesus lived a life of continual surrender to the Father. ”So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” (John 5:19). As He said to the Father when the time came to surrender His life, “I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42).

Walking with Jesus means continual surrender, trusting that the God who made you has a plan for you and loves you. You aren’t surrendering your God-given identity and uniqueness when you surrender to Christ. We surrender not for fear or threat but in the hope that the One to whom we surrender has a better life for us.

In surrender, God may—or may not—give us what we want. But when we surrender, He always wants to provide us with Himself. When we surrender, we always receive what is best: the Lord Jesus.When we surrender our lives, we give up ourselves minute-by-minute, day after day. We give up our will, fears, comfort, and control.

Surrender isn’t about giving up; it’s about giving in to the One who knows what is best for us, to the One who knows us most and has a perfect plan.  Surrender is the only real way to experience His peace.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is an area of your life that you know you need to surrender to God? 
2. What might you be giving up if you do surrender that area to God? 
3. Do you believe that surrendering to God could actually benefit you? How?

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10.

It seems that discouragement has a way of finding us. Discouragement may begin as a small, unwitting annoyance or a minor frustration you can’t shake. Maybe a job interview didn’t go the way you’d hoped. Maybe God closed the door on a relationship, or you desired a different outcome on something. Maybe some more significant things aren’t going as you hoped, and discouragement is morphing into defeat.

For the Christian, feeling defeated is no more than a feeling. You are not defeated if you have God in your life. You don’t need to be defeated by anything. Why? Because of the enormous power of God. This isn’t to minimize circumstances. Life can be overwhelming. And if you are in the midst of troubles and woes just now, it may seem like winning is impossible.

Remember the story of the three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego faced a literal fire when they refused to worship a manmade image. How could they survive? Defeat looked probable. But look at their faith: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

They remind us that God is able. He can change our circumstances or provide us with a way through. He can protect us from the flames or carry us through the pain of the flames. The three Hebrew boys had no idea what the outcome of their stance would be. They only knew they could not bow down to that image of gold. We can see how the story ends, but they did not. They could easily have viewed defeat as the probable outcome.

We’ve been in situations like that before. We’ve wished we knew the end of the story and could see the victory. But that is not how it works. We need to live through our joys and sorrows, our knowns and unknowns, with a faith that reminds us that God is able. Even when we feel defeated, we can still choose to worship and serve Him.

We are not defeated because of who Christ is and the gift He has given us.   

Discussion Questions:

1.  It is impossible to be defeated when you are a child of God! Agree or disagree and why?

“Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.” – Warren Wierbse.

Is there something in your life that needs to change? You may be saying, “I can change.” The world offers us many ways to change and things we can do to change, but they are all based on our ability to enact change through logic, reason, etc. It usually doesn’t work all that well. You need God’s power to affect lasting change because only God can make the changes you can’t make yourself.

The apostle Paul felt that way nearly 2,000 years ago. He says this in the Bible: “I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does” (Romans 7:24-25 MSG).

Lasting change requires intentionality, focus, and effort. You have to change what you think, and then you’ll change what you speak. When you change how you think and how you speak, it will change how you behave. And then the change in behavior will change the direction and course of your life. Our thoughts, words, and actions create who we are.

If you want your reality to be different from what it currently is, you need to start with what is happening in your thought life. Renewing your mind doesn’t happen just by casually reading the Bible or certain scriptures, but consuming them to the point that they become a part of you. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

We are responsible for doing these things. You will need to take stock of your life—your thoughts, words, and actions. What are you thinking? What are you doing? Because thoughts lead to actions, what are you speaking?

Change is inevitable. It’s unavoidable. It brings about the unexpected things we didn’t plan for. It pushes us out of our comfort zone. It forces us to adjust to circumstances we may or may not have been ready for. However, no matter how ready or reluctant we are to make or embrace change, one thing is for certain God is with you every step of the way.

The closer you get to God, the more your faith in Him increases. The more your faith in Him increases, the more your trust in all He has mapped out for you should increase. The more you trust God, the easier it will be to embrace the changes He orchestrates for your life.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you typically respond to change? Does it excite you? Does it stress you out? Do you experience a combination of both excitement and stress?
2. Read James 1:22–25. Has Scripture ever revealed something about you that you needed to change? If so, what did you do? 

“I am the LORD, and I do not change…” – Malachi 3:6

Change is hard because you often exchange the known for the unknown. Sometimes, the unknown is exciting, like a promotion, an anticipated birth, or the realization that you seem to fit in well in your small group. But sometimes, change is anything but exciting. Whether we like it or not, living this life involves change. Relationships, jobs, and circumstances change, and we change along with them.

The bottom line is life is change. The longer you live, the more you know that the only thing constant in this life is change. Whether our changes seem hard or make us happy, change teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain and temporary. Nothing is unchangeable.  Or is it. Malachi 3:6 tells us that God does not change. In Psalm 102:27, the psalmist declares, “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end” (NASB).

This means that God’s power, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are unchangeable, and He cannot learn, forget, or be anything other than perfectly holy. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God is a constant and dependable anchor whether we move homes, change jobs, or experience relational, physical, or emotional changes.

Because God never changes, His word never changes. All that He has said about himself remains true forever. Everything He has told us about why and how the world came to be, what’s wrong with the world, and about what He has done to save the world will never change. No matter what changes or how hard we face, God’s word remains firmly fixed. “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89 ESV). “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” (Matthew 24:35).

And because His word never changes, His promises for us remain true: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6). “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

If we accept that change is a natural part of life, we can more easily learn what we need to do to cope with it. But God reminds us that He has our steps prepared. He promises never to fail or forsake us, and I think He helps us see change in its proper perspective. Solomon, in the Old Testament, said there was a time for everything under the sun. Change is less unsettling when we can see the big picture and not just the small universe of our lives. God has promised to lead us in the right way so we can learn to trust Him. We can entrust Him with even the most difficult changes.

Ultimately, while change can be challenging, we can grow in our faith when we learn to embrace it. When we trust God’s plan, He transforms us daily as His followers. So, as you experience change in the upcoming year, remember this truth.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of the hardest changes you have to make? What did you learn from it? How did you change?
2. Habits don’t happen overnight; they come about slowly, layer upon layer. At the start we consciously do a task, but as we do it over and over it becomes automatic, without thinking about it. Agree or disagree and why?