Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Wednesday - Colossians - Chapter 3

1. Take a moment and list all the things that are important in your life. Now place a number beside each according to its priority (1 being the highest).

Now, read Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV) (The Message)

2. According to Paul, what should be our biggest priorities?

3. Think about this....how can you show that God is your biggest priority this week?

Now, read Colossians 3:5-11 (NIV) (The Message)

4. What does it mean to put something "to death"?

5. What is one thing you can "put to death" this week?

Now, read the rest of Colossians 3

6. God loves you so much that He has given you the freedom to choose.

According to Colossians 3:15-17 what choices does Paul wish for you to make?

As always, feel free to add any comments or reflections of your own! :)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tuesday - Colossians - Chapter 2

Theme: Making a Stand

Colossians 2 talks about standing firm in your faith and not being swayed by those who believe differently than those found in the bible. Take some time to talk to god before you begin. Links to two versions of this chapter are linked below.

Colossians 2 - NIV

Colossians 2 - The Message

Memory Verse -

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. - Colossians 2:6-7

After reading, think about these questions. Copy and paste the questions into the comments section if you want to share your answers with the group! Remember not to use names! Also, remember that there are no wrong answers :)

1. Why do you believe in God and the Bible?

2. Where do you think the strength of your faith comes from?

3. What would you do if the person you trust most concerning God's word, such as a pastor or parent, suddenly told you that their faith was not true. Would you still believe as strongly?

4. What are the four things Paul warns the Colossians about in verses 4, 8, 16, and 18?

5. Are the four warnings relevant today to Christians? What are some examples?

Remember, if you have questions you can post them and we will talk about them too! :)

Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday : Colossians - Chapter 1

Theme - Having Concern for Others

Before you begin, take some time to talk with God. Ask him to open your heart and mind to what he has to teach you as you read.

Paul states that the reason he wrote to the Colossians was out of great concern for their spiritual health. In the first chapter, he claims that he had not stopped praying on their behalf.

Chapter 1 is a bit long, so plan to have 30 minutes for this study.

Colossians 1 - NIV

Colossians 1 - The Message

Memory Verse:
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because ofyour evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - Colossians 1: 21-22 (NIV)

After reading, think about these questions. Copy and paste the questions into the comments section if you want to share your answers with the group! Remember not to use names! Also, remember that there are no wrong answers :)

1. Think about the people that you care about. Have you ever needed to help any one of these people? If so, how did you do it?

2. In the situations above, was prayer involved in the way that you helped? Explain.

3. What does it mean to be concerned with another person?

4. Why is God or Jesus Christ represented by light and evil or Satan represented by darkness? How are these symbols helpful to our understanding and an accurate representation of the truth?
If you have more questions about things that don't make sense, you can post them too! We can try to discover the answers together!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Colossians - Introduction

Hey ladies!

I wanted to share some background info for you about Colossians before we jump in to reading this week. The info below comes from my bible :) You may have information in yours too! You can also do a google search for "background info Colossians" if you want to know even more!

Why read this book? - Some people have been surprised to discover something new about a friend they thought they knew well. That's one of the exciting things about a relationship with Christ: There's no limit to the things we can learn about him. Reading Colossians is one way we can discover a few more things about Jesus and learn how we can honor him.

Who wrote this book and to whom was it written? - While under house arrest in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote to believers in the small city of Colosse, located in the southwest interior of what is now Turkey.

When was it written? About AD 60 to 60, during the time Paul awaited trial on an appeal to the Roman emperor Nero.

What to look for i n Colossians: - The supremacy of Christ and what that measn for our everyday lives. Look for insights that show specific ways we can develop attitudes and actions to honor the lord.

Look for discussion questions for Chapter 1 tomorrow! :)

Summer Study :)

Ok ladies, I spent some time at the Christian book store today and lots of time looking online, and I have a couple ideas for a study. I want to do one that is written for girls your age so that the content is more appropriate and readable. I have a few choices below...check them out and see what you think. The links will give you access to look at the table of contents and excerpts from the book so that you can see what they are all about!

You can reply by leaving a comment and let me know what one you would prefer, or if there is one you really DON'T want to read. You and your parents would be responsible for purchasing the book and would need to have it by our first meeting in June.

I will decide and make us a schedule after hearing some input! :)

1.