Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
12 27 2023
God Questions For 2024 – Don’t start your New Year without asking them!
What does the Bible say about goal setting? Proverbs 21:5 — “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Ps 20:4 “May He give you the desire of your heart and make your plans succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
I pray you’re planning to take some time off before the new year to enjoy this quieter time of the year. This week is a rare opportunity to catch your breath, slow down, and take inventory.
It’s also a good time to ask deeper questions about what God wants in your life, and your marriage and setting priorities that will lay the foundation of your year.
For me and our Courageous Men’s Leader Group, these are questions for us to ask ourselves, before gathering for our Leadership Vision night coming right after the New Year. As we set out to lead another semester of men into deeper relationships with God and other men, we first need to put our house in order. Of course, this pertains to all who are reading. I pray you will take the time to search your hearts before God for these answers. Please share these questions and your answers with your spouse and your accountability partner to “Transform and renew your mind” Romans 12:2 . (This is a ten-minute read or listen in your car)
GOD QUESTIONS 2024
1. What’s one thing you can do this year to increase your enjoyment of God? Perhaps meditating on short passages in the Bible to help you retain it and hear from God versus reading a chapter and walking away. Worship/Praise ____ Sunsets _____ Quiet Walks ____ Star Gazing _____ What ideas do you have? List one ___________
Why?
2. What’s an IMPOSSIBLE prayer you can pray?
There is more than a dozen “but God” statements in Scripture, such as in Rom 5;8 which reads,
“But God, shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Situations that were humanly impossible were transformed by “but God” (Ephesians 2:1–7).
What’s a “but God” prayer you can pray for the coming year? _________________________
Are you, a family member, or a Friend in an impossible situation right now? What is it?
________________________________________________________________
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Ezekiel Dry Bones – Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (read it) Is the hand of God on you right now? Yes ___No___
Do you want that power of God’s spirit leading you? Yes ___ No _____
Why?
3. What’s the most important thing you could do to improve your family life?
Exercise together ___ Cook together ___ Sing together____ Create cuddle time ____ Game night ___ Dirt bike together____ Prioritize your marriage____ Appreciate each Other ____
Family prayer time? ___ Fight less…Sorry isn’t enough____ Name one of your own ______ ____
Why?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year? Would it be a personal spiritual discipline (that is, one you practice alone), or an interpersonal spiritual discipline (one you practice with other believers)? There are 10 disciplines;- Reading the Bible, Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Serving, Stewardship, Fasting, Silence and Solitude, Journaling, and Learning. Once you decide, determine the next step to take and when you will take it. Circle one or more above.
Why?
5. What’s the single biggest time-waster in your life, and how can you redeem the time? Uh…Oh, I have gone to meddling! Social media? TV? Video games? Sports? Hobbies? It’s easy for any of these (or something else) to take too much of our hearts and time. Is repentance required? Just easing back is probably not enough. How about substituting family and God into some of that scaled-back time?
List two _______________ ______________
Why?
6. What’s the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church? While we often stress the fact that individual believers are the body of Christ (1 Cor 6:15), the New Testament says seven times to one that the church is the body of Christ (Eph 5;23). We mustn’t let our frequent emphasis on our personal relationship with Christ minimize the importance of our service to Jesus through his body. Pastor Mike said once that the lobby is an extension of the sanctuary. Small groups are another way we love our neighbor as we love Christ. How can Grace LOL be stronger this year because of you? Serving? Giving? Praying? Building relationships?
Circle one above or List your own ___________________________
Why?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year? Praying frequently and fervently for someone’s salvation makes us more sensitive to opportunities to share the gospel with him or her. Will you commit to praying for at least one person’s salvation every day this new year?
Name 2 __________________________ __________________________
Why?
8. What’s the most important way, by God’s grace, you will try to make this year different from last? Obviously, God’s sovereignty rules over all things, and there is nothing we can do about much that he brings into our lives. On the other hand, under his sovereignty he gives us a measure of responsibility over many areas of life. In which of these would you most like to see a change from last year? You may find that your answer to this question is found in one of the 10 questions of our focus. To which of them do you sense the Holy Spirit calling your attention most urgently?
Pick and list one of the 10 or list one on your own. ______________________________
Why?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year? We have been talking about prayer. “Our Father” For many, it might be as simple as designating a time exclusively for prayer instead of praying only “on the go” types of prayers. For others, it might be learning the simple, biblical practice of praying the Bible. Or Prayer Time. When? ___________ Bible reading time: When? __________
Pray with your spouse When? _______ List one ____________ Why? ____________________________
10. What single thing can you plan to do this year that will matter most in ten years? And In eternity? Short-term deadlines tend to dominate our attention. Busyness and fatigue often limit our vision to just getting through today. But don’t let the tyranny of the urgent distract you from something you’re neglecting that would have an enormous long-term impact on your soul, your family, or your church. Disciple your children. When? ________ Leading someone to Christ. Intentionality? _____
Mentoring someone? When? ____________ Who? ___________________________
Handle conflict humbly, gently, introspectively, and bravely.
Resource: Andy Stanley: “Judgement and helping others who are sinning”.
Judging outsiders ______
Learning to walk in God’s peace in life’s storms:
list something _____________________________________________________
Copy this to your phone. In your Journal. Look at it once a month.
Choose you this day and every day who you will serve.
What you do here is COMPLETELY up to you but tell someone you are doing it and be accountable.
