March Madness Week 2 – Discussion Questions
Main Point
Eliminate your financial foes by making a game plan (budget) which will enable you to embrace more opportunities
Start the Conversation
Who is your favorite athlete or, if you’re not a sports fan, someone you consider to be great and successful? Why do you consider them to be so? Do you think they have always been successful at what they do? Would you consider them to be successful if they didn’t take another shot or try again when they missed their mark or made a mistake?
Introduction
Statistics relentlessly reveal that the majority of Americans are in debt. In fact, many even have little to no money in savings. However, just because it’s normal to have debt doesn’t mean it should be acceptable or that it has to be this way. Many of us have failed financially at some point in our lives. This failure may have frightened us or left us afraid to take another shot for fear of failing again. Nevertheless, just because we may have experienced an unpleasant circumstance or made poor choices doesn’t mean we are bound to keep doing so. We are called to do something about it! Whatever it is we are to do, hope is required because where there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present. The objective of this discussion is to huddle up to provide hope and perspective so you can get a game plan together and implement it. The time to begin is now and there is no action too small to start. Zechariah 4:10 declares, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
Encountering God through Bible Study
Read Matthew 6:24.
1. When Jesus is speaking here, does he tell us we can’t serve God and have money?
2. If you love Jesus, do you have to hate money?
Read Hebrews 13:5.
3. What does this scripture tell us to keep free from? Money itself?
4. What does this scripture tell us to be content with? In your life, name a few things that fit in this category.
5. What if we have things we don’t want?
Read Proverbs 16:9.
6. Who creates the plan and takes steps towards fulfilling the plan?
7. Who allows, enables, or directs the plan? How so? Can you share a time in your life when you have felt the Lord directing your steps?
Read James 1:22-24.
8. Does information alone merit success?
9. What must be done with the information heard?
10. Who should be the “doer”?
11. What do you need to do to embrace financial freedom? Do you have a budget? Do you have an emergency fund and other saving funds?
12. Can you think of a possible opportunity you could experience if you found some financial wiggle room in your monthly cash flow?
Embrace others in Biblical Community
Prayer doesn’t cost anything except time. Consider devoting some of your time to praying for people who are spiritually bankrupt or drowning in financial debt without hope. For the spiritually bankrupt, pray that the character of God will be revealed and how he (Jesus) paid the ultimate price so we may embrace freedom. For the people hopelessly drowning in financial debt, pray that they heed and apply the lessons you (or other people) share with them so they may feel encouraged and take practical steps towards financial freedom. Also, pray that Faith Promise continues to change lives through this series by pointing people to freedom both spiritually and financially.
Expand God’s Kingdom
With whom can you share what you learned today? Do you know someone with financial woes? Do you know someone who misunderstands God for who he is? Remember none of us were always where we are today, is there someone that has shaped your life for the better and helped you get to where you are? Specifically, how could you thank them this week?
Leader Notes
We encourage groups to try the Discovery Bible Method as an alternative to these discussion questions. You will find details for this Bible study method here. For this week, please study James 1:22-27.
Want to create and regularly use a budget? See pages 338-343 of Pastor Chris’s book Called Out. If you don’t own the book, you may download a copy here.
Here are some downloadable budget templates offered by Microsoft Office to help get you started: https://templates.office.com/en-us/Budgets
Want to know more about saving and investing money? Check out “Saving & Investing” from the FP series, The Walking Debt.
