Category: Gameday – Staff

Proverbs 25:11

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.”

Q: What makes encouragement so valuable?

Encouraging words gives hope and reassurance to the person receiving them. People want to be around those who lift their spirit and bring positivity.

Proverbs 24:5 & 6

“A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power. For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.”

Q: Why is it so vital that you surround yourself with encouraging friends?

You will win the battles in life with encouraging friends who keep you accountable, especially when hardship strikes.

Proverbs 16:24

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Q: What is your goal in terms of becoming a great encourager?

Example: “My goal is to say at least one encouraging thing to someone each day.”

Psalms 119:50-51 & 119:97

“This is my comfort in my affection, that your word has revived me. The arrogant utterly deride me, yet I do not turn aside from Your law.”

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Q: In what ways does God’s Word provide encouragement to you?

Example: “I know that I am deeply loved through and that God made me unique. It is comforting to know that He is with me every step of the way”

Picture

Acts 1:8– “…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Q: How does “sharing Jesus” with lost people by your life and your words give you encouragement?

It allows me to know for certain that every person I meet has had a chance to hear the Gospel and not be eternally separated from Christ.

Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Q: Why does “discipling someone” or investing deeply in someone else’s spiritual growth provide the greatest encouragement of all?

Sharing the gospel with someone is the most important job I could ever have. When we invest in others, we’re essentially saying, “I care about you eternally.”

Paul

Hebrews 10:25 – “Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Q: How are you doing in habitually encouraging those who are closest to you?

Example: “Not very well. I tend to just keep to small talk or be critical rather than encouraging those around me.”

Peter

2 Timothy 2:2 – “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Q: Who do you know that needs “the encouragement of Christ?”

Example: “One of my best friends who I have known for a long time or one of my close family members.”

Q: What do you need to do to become one that disciples that person?

First, I need to be a light of Christ in their life and gain their trust. Then, I could ask them if they desire to learn more about the Bible and Jesus and share my testimony.

APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes do they bring to my life?

LOCKER ROOM: Is there anything that has been holding you back from encouraging others?

 

Proverbs 18:21

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Q: How are death and life in the power of the tongue? Does your mouth produce good fruit or bad fruit?

Death comes when we hurt others with our words, and life comes when we encourage others. Example: “My mouth is constantly producing bad fruit because I’m not good at holding my tongue.”

Psalm 141:3

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Q: Do you struggle with your mouth? Have you prayed and asked God to help set a guard over your mouth?

Example: “Yes, I struggle with putting others down. I have never prayed that God would put a guard on my mouth but know that He can help me be more encouraging to others.”

Picture

Matthew 12:36-37 – “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Q: What are some careless words that you use? How do these affect your testimony?

Example: “I sometimes curse when I play sports. This hurts my testimony because others see me and do not take me very seriously as a Christian.”

James 3:4-6 – “Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.”

Q: How is your tongue like a boat’s rudder? How is your mouth like fire?

Boat’s rudder = what I say can either direct my ship (my life) in a good direction or a bad direction.

Fire = it only takes a few words to create an out-of-control wildfire of rumors and lies

Paul

Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Q: What does this verse say about your speech? Are your words encouraging to those around you?

Everything that I say should be encouraging and edifying to others. Example: “I try to be encouraging, but honestly, most of the time I fail and get caught up in gossip.”

Peter

1 Peter 3:10 – “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.”

Q: Why is taming your tongue and putting it under the Lordship of Christ so important?

My tongue can either bring me life or death; the words I say are a reflection of my heart, and if my words are hurtful, that reflects on my sinful nature.

APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes do they bring to my life?

 

LOCKER ROOM: Is there anything this week that you have been enslaved to, and how we can help you?

 

Proverbs 18:15

“The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”

Q: What does it look like to have the ear of the wise? In other words, how do you listen wisely so that you can acquire knowledge?

You are willing to listen to others and hope to understand more from what they are saying than what you may respond with. You have to humbly admit that you are able to learn from others’ experiences.

Psalm 34:15

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry.”

Q: Who does God listen to? Why do you think that is?

He listens to those pursuing and crying out to Him because He is a good Father who wants to help His people.

Picture

Luke 8:15 – “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”

Q: Describe the illustration of the sower who sowed his seed in the weeds, the rock, the path, and the good soil. Why is someone who listens and responds to God’s Word like a seed in the good soil?

Seed in the weeds – people hear the Word, but worries, riches, and pleasures of life chokes the Word in their heart.

Seed in the rock – people hear the Word and believe for while, but temptations lead them astray.

Seed in the path – people hear the Word, but the devil takes the Word from their hearts.

Seed in good soil – people hear and receive the Word, bearing fruit in perseverance.

The good soil means that they are firmly rooted in the Word and have a strong foundation.

Matthew 13:16-17 – “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Q: What was Jesus saying in this passage? What is Jesus saying to you in this passage?

Jesus was talking to a crowd of people from a boat and telling them how blessed they are for truly hearing and believing the Word of God and not just being ritualistic about their faith. We should be evermore grateful as we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us!

Paul

2 Timothy 4:3 – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires…”

Q: What are things you hear at school or from friends that may “tickle” your ears (sound good) but do not line up with God’s word?

Gossip, whether at school or in the news; Also, when people talk about the “party” scene and how fun it seems, but we know that the promise of God is greater.

Peter

2 Peter 1:18 – “…and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

Q: How can you be like Peter and hear the voice of God?

By stopping, praying, searching and listening to God. 

APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes do they bring to my life?

LOCKER ROOM: Is there anything this week that you have been enslaved to, and how we can help you?

 

Proverbs 16:3; 3:5-6

“Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Q: What is true success, and how do you obtain it?

Success isn’t about being the greatest athlete, being the best looking or having the most money. TRUE success is being obedient to Christ in everything that you do and seeking His guidance before making your own plans. We cannot rely on ourselves!

Proverbs 16:9

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Q: A wise man once said, “Work like it all depends on you, pray like it all depends on God, and you will find success.” Comment on this statement.

We should work hard, to the best of our ability, in all that we do, as long as it is pleasing to God. When we need guidance, we should pray and ask God instead of find our own path.

Proverbs 21:17

“He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.”

Q: What is Solomon’s warning in this passage?

If we only seek things of the world (pleasure, riches, looks, money, alcohol/drugs, porn), then we have nothing. Pleasure and money will not buy eternal happiness.

Proverbs 21:6

“The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.”

Q: Why is integrity more important to you than worldly success?

Worldly success is only temporary and will not last forever; the friends who follow you for that are not true friends. Being a man or woman of integrity can leave a lasting impact on those around you and even encourage others to follow Christ.

Psalms 15:1-4

“O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change.”

Q: How does David speak to you about true success in this passage?

David defines true success as having integrity, being honest and being obedient to Christ. This is opposite of what the world calls “success.”

Q: Which quality of a successful man, as described in this passage, impresses you the most?

Example: “The quality of integrity impresses me the most because I feel like it is all encompassing. If I have integrity, than I will be honest, not talk bad about my friends, and will seek the Lord in all I do.”

Picture 

John 15:4-5 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart of Me you can do nothing.”

Q: What does it mean to “abide in the vine?”

To “abide in the vine” means to be united to Jesus, to depend on Jesus, and to remain in Jesus.

Q: Why is constant dependency on and fellowship with Jesus necessary for the achievement of true success?

We are dependent on Jesus because we gain life from Him. Without the vine (Jesus), the branch (we) is useless, lifeless, powerless. We are completely dependent upon Jesus for everything that counts as spiritual fruit, and apart from Him, we can do nothing.

Paul

Romans 8:5-8 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are flesh cannot please God.”

Q: Why is “walking in the Spirit” necessary for real, lasting success?

We have to walk in the Spirit to keep our sights set on things of Heaven and not of the world! If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, then we will be let tempted to be led astray by temptations.

Q: What is wrong with success gained by “walking in the flesh?” Apply this passage to the goals you are pursuing in your life today in academics, athletics and material gain.

If we gain success by “walking in the flesh,” then we are on the road to death. These successes are only temporary and turn our eyes away from Christ. Example: “If I gain success by being the best athlete or student, I need to give all the glory to God and let others know I didn’t do it on my own.”

Peter

2 Peter 1:5-7 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

Q: Find the eight “steps to success” in this passage. Why would the pursuit of these things result in true success?

The eight steps are 1.) faith 2.) moral excellence 3.) knowledge 4.) self-control 5.) perseverance 6.) Godliness 7.) brotherly kindness 8.) love.

If we continue to develop these qualities in our life, then we will be fruitful in His kingdom, and if we practice this obedience, then we will never stumble! Then, we are truly successful!

APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes do they bring to my life?

LOCKER ROOM: Is there anything this week that you have been enslaved to, and how we can help you?