Stand: Stand in Faith in the Fire

March 10, 2024

Description:

It is one thing to stand in Faith while waiting, but it’s a whole other thing to stand in faith in the fire. We conclude this series on the book of Daniel by taking a look at his friends known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three young men showed confidence and faithfulness to God, perhaps one of the most amazing stories in scripture. These men knew that God can and will, and even if He doesn’t, they will never turn their back on God. Let’s commit to standing for God even if it’s in the fire.

In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

  1. Get to Know You Question:  Have you ever been persecuted for something you believed in or stood up for?
  2. Idolatry is described as anything put in the place where God deserves to be.  What are some common examples of that in our culture today?
  3. Read Daniel 3:1-30.  What stands out to you about this amazing story and the faithfulness of these three men?
  4. What would have happened if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have bowed or compromised their faith? How have you seen compromise affect your faith?
  5. Read 1 Peter 1:7.  Peter says that when your faith stays strong in trials, it honors God and helps reveal Jesus to the world.  How have you seen that in someone’s life? How has someone else’s faith revealed Jesus to you?
  6. Is there a trial you need to take a firm stand in? What specifically will you do differently from before?

Stand: Stand in Faith

March 3, 2024

Description:

It can be really hard to wait on the Lord. Do you ever feel like you have prayed and prayed only for a situation not to change? This can make you feel like praying is useless.  Yes, Daniel shows us a different way. In a long life of prayers and struggles, Daniel never stopped praying and showed he was always listening. We all need to be encouraged to remain standing in our faith, keep praying, be encouraged, and stay strong. He hears you, you are precious to Him, and he is doing more than you will ever know. So, like Daniel, let’s stand patiently in faith.

In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

  1. Get to Know You Question: On a scale of 1-10, how impatient of a person are you? Give an example to explain your number on the scale.
  2. What’s your prayer life like right now? Hit-and-miss? Thriving? Non-existent?
  3. Read Daniel 10:1-21. What stands out to you about this vision and interaction with what seems to be the pre-incarnate Christ?
  4. Tell about a time when your faith was tested. How did you get through it? How did God show up in that situation?
  5. Talk about a time you prayed for something, and God answered your prayer.
  6. Talk about a time you prayed for something or someone and have yet to see God answer that prayer.
  7. How is God calling you to remain faithful and patient in prayer right now? Take some time to pray now.

Stand: Stand Strong

February 25, 2024

Description:

When God raises you up, expect people to tear you down. This week, we’re continuing our series called “Stand,” and we take a look at an iconic Sunday school bible story, Daniel and the Lion’s Den. We all know the story well enough, but perhaps there’s something God wants us to know that we’ve missed. No matter what we face in life, the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den gives us three truths to help us stand strong with the courage of the Lord.

In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

  1. You’re about to spend the night in a Lion’s Den. But you get to bring a Lion’s Den survival kit. Share with the group 3 items you would bring with you (They can be practical, spiritual, humorous, or a combination of the 3!) 
  2. Read Daniel Chapter 6 as a group. Think about the circumstances that landed Daniel in the Lion’s den. How do those circumstances reflect the challenges of maintaining faith in our society? 
  3. Daniel’s prayer life didn’t change at all after the King’s decree was signed. What is the importance of consistency in faith practices? Should that change in the face of persecution? Why or Why not? 
  4. In verse 18, we see that King Darius was very troubled by the situation with Daniel. What do you think teaches us about the influence of good character on those who are in authority? 
  5. How does Daniels’s story in chapter 6 encourage us to stand firm in our beliefs and practices, even when faced with opposition or the potential for loss? 
  6. When Daniel first heard the King’s decree, his response was to pray. Think about the role of prayer when facing challenges and threats in our own lives, or share an example if one comes to mind. How can we strengthen the practice of turning to prayer, especially during difficult times?

Stand: Stand Up

February 18, 2024

Description:

If you don’t stand for something, you can fall for anything.  Continuing this series called “Stand,” we take a look at the faith of Daniel and his friends and how they stood out, stood up, and stood in faith for God, even in a culture that promoted going against God’s plan.  Using the story of Daniel’s confrontation with King Nebuchadnezzar, we see Daniel lovingly confronts the king about his sinful behavior despite the risks. This story walks us through the prayerful, careful confrontation that God calls His followers to humbly and gently guide one another toward restoration. Daniel shows the importance of standing up in the right way for what one believes is right and doing so in loving humble confrontation.

In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

  1. Get to Know You Questions:  On a scale of 1-10, how often do you find yourself in conflict with others? Is it more natural for you to avoid conflict and ignore a problem or cause conflict to address a problem?
  2. What are some of the ways you’ve seen people avoid conflict to their detriment or cause conflict to their detriment?
  3. Read and discuss Daniel 4:22-27 and Galatians 6:1-2.  What can we learn about Daniel’s approach to conflict and the relationship of the person you are having a conflict with?   
  4. Read and discuss Matthew 7:1-5.  How does this passage play a part in the call of Galatians 6:1-2?
  5. What obstacles might be standing in your way of taking a more prayerful approach when confronting others?
  6. Who is God leading you to confront? When having that conflict, we do so not because we are right but because we love the one we are talking with and want them to be right with Jesus. How will you practically and prayerfully confront them?

Stand: Stand Out

February 11, 2024

Description:

If you don’t stand for something, you can fall for anything.  Kicking off this series called “Stand,” we take a look at the faith of Daniel and his friends and how they stood out, stood up, and stood in faith for God, even in a culture that promoted going against God’s plan.  Kicking off the book of Daniel, we see many times in life our faith is pushed to the breaking point, and we have to make the decision to either blend in or stand out.  So get ready to stand out, but let’s do it like Daniel in the right ways, at the right time, and for the right reasons.

In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.

  1. Get to Know You Questions:  Share a time in which you really felt like you stood out from a crowd of people.  How did that make you feel?
  2. What are some of the ways you’ve seen people blend into the world?
    1. What do you need to overcome that will enable you to stand out for God fully?
    2. Share a time when you stood out for God in the right way. What resulted from your taking a stand?
  3. Read and discuss Daniel 1:1-21 and Ephesians 6:11-13.  How did Daniel stand out, and how are we called to stand?
  4. What do you think is most difficult about standing out for God and not blending in?
  5. What’s one way you’re being lured to blend into today’s world?
  6. What is one step you feel God is calling you to take this week to stand out for God correctly?

FORK CHRISTIAN CHURCH

6810 SUNSHINE AVENUE,

KINGSVILLE, MD, 21087

 

410.592.2292

[email protected]

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