These discussion guides vary in quality. Some are really not very good! The point though is not for you to use them as is, but for you to use them to supplement your own study and planning! Perhaps they may prompt you to create even better questions for your own group.
God Doesn't Keep Short Accounts... (Daniel 8)
What was your greatest success this past week? What has been your greatest success in the past year?
Who do you consider to be a successful person?
How do you decide whether you are succeeding or failing in life?
How do you think God measures whether or not we are succeeding or failing?
Read Daniel 8:1-4 (the ram is representative of the Medo-Persian empire which was soon to come).
The ram was able to "do as he pleased" and it "became great." Do you think God considered the Persians to be successful? Why or why not?
Why do you think God allowed the Persians to have great success for several centuries? Can you think of ways in which God used the Persian empire to accomplish His will?
Read Daniel 8:5-12 (the goat represents the Greeks, and the four horns represent the four generals who divided Alexander the Great's empire).
Verses 9-12 tell of another horn that came from one of the four. Based on these verses would you describe this king/kingdom as good or bad? Why?
Verse 12 says that this king/kingdom "prospered in everything it did". Why do you think God would allow someone like this to prosper?
Read Luke 13:1-5. The Roman ruler, Pilate, had put down a Jewish rebellion by killing several men and mixing their blood with the sacrifice. Jesus compared their deaths to the deaths of eighteen people who died when a tower fell.
Did Jesus think these people died because they were worse sinners than others? How do you know?
Why does God not always reward the righteous and punish the sinners immediately? What is the implication of Luke 13:5?
If you aren't "successful" in life does that mean you aren't living right? Why or why not?
Does material success indicate that someone is living right? Why or why not?
What do you need to change about your life in view of this discussion?
The Future: Dreadful Yet Hopeful (Daniel 7)
What future events are you looking forward to? What future events do you find yourself dreading?
Compare verses 3-7 with Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2. How do the four beasts seem similar to the four elements of the statue?
Which world empires are represented by these beasts?
Read verse 18. How does this verse demonstrate the difference between the kingdoms of men and the kingdom of God?
How do people sometimes set up their own kingdoms while they live on earth? What kingdoms have you set up for yourself? What would God say to you about your own man-made kingdoms?
Compare verses 9-14 with Revelation 4 and Revelation 20:11-12. What similarities do you see? Do you think Daniel was seeing the same place as John saw in Revelation? Why or why not?
What kind of emotions are stirred within you when you think of God's final judgment?
Who do you think the "more imposing horn" (vs.20-21) represents? Are there people in the world today who act this way?
What are ways you sometimes find yourself rebelling against God? How can you avoid these kind of situations?
How many of these prophesies do you think have already come true? Which ones are yet to come? How does this make you feel about the future?
Read verse 27. How would you rephrase this in your own words? How should the promise of this verse impact the way you live today?
How is this passage troubling to you? How does it give you hope?
How can this group pray for you this week?
Even Detroit's Lions are More Fierce Than Persia's (Daniel 6)
Posted by David Rudd in Daniel on Thursday, February 9, 2012
When have you been rescued by another person? How did you respond to your rescuer?
When have you rescued another person? How did they respond to you?
Read Daniel 6 (the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den)
Verses 3 and 4 seem to indicate that some of the rulers were jealous of Daniel. When has your jealousy motivated you to do something you later regretted?
What are some silly things that have caused you to become jealous in the past? Why do you think we become jealous so easily?
The king's decree is found in verse 7. Daniel chose to disobey this decree. When is it okay to disobey the government? When is it not okay?
Why do you think Daniel chose to pray in a public place? Why couldn't he have just gone and prayed in a place where no one could see him?
According to verse 10, Daniel prayed three times every day. Is it important to have a "prayer routine"? Why or why not? How can a prayer routine be harmful? How can it help?
Why do you think God chose to rescue Daniel from the lions? Why does it sometimes seem that God doesn't rescue people?
Read Darius' decree in verses 26-27. Which statement means the most to you? Why?
Make a list of ways God rescues people. Add to the list the ways he has rescued you.
What are three things for which you are thankful?
Close out your time by praying prayers of thanksgiving for God's acts of rescue.
When There's Something Strange, Writing on the Wall... Who You Gunna Call? (Daniel 5)
Posted by David Rudd in Daniel on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
What is an area of life in which you consider yourself to be an "expert?" What is an area of life in which you don't know anything at all?
What are some things about God that you have a hard time understanding?
When you have a question about God, is it better to think about it and figure it out on your own or to seek help? Why?
Read Daniel 5:1-12
What is your initial impression of King Belshazzar? How is he like Nebuchadnezzar? How is he not like Nebuchadnezzar?
What do you think he hoped to accomplish by throwing this party? When do you find yourself working extra hard to impress the people around you? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
There were likely people of Jewish descent at this party. How do you think they felt when the treasures from the temple were brought out? Why do you think Belshazzar wanted to use those goblets? What did it symbolize to him?
What do you think is meant by the gods of “gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.”? If you were to describe the gods of our culture, what words would you use?
How many times in the book of Daniel do the “wise men” fail when asked to explain something? Why do you think these repeated failures are included in the stories? What can we learn about God and about ourselves from these repeated failures of Babylons wisest men?
How does one need to live in order to have reputation like Daniel's?
Daniel is often referred to as having the “spirit of the gods” in him. Do we have that same spirit? How should that spirit influence the way we live our life? How do we sometimes resist the work of the Spirit in our lives?
How can God's Word help you develop a “keen mind and knowledge and understanding” like Daniel?
What will you do this week to gain a better understanding of God?
The King Who Lost His Mind (Daniel 4)
Posted by David Rudd in Daniel on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
When you hear the word "witness" what do you think about?
What do you think it means to be a witness for the great things God has done? What kind of testimony would you give about the things He has done for you?
Read Daniel 4:1-3. This was apparently written by King Nebuchadnezzar. How would you summarize his testimony about God?
These words spoken by Nebuchadnezzar were the result of a dream he had and the difficult fulfillment of the dream. Read Nebuchadnezzar's description of his dream in Daniel 4:10-17 and then read Daniel's interpretation in verses 19-27.
If you were King Nebuchadnezzar, how would you have responded to Daniel? Which of the suggestions Daniel makes in verse 27 would be most difficult for you? Which would be easiest?
The rest of the chapter explains that 12 months later, Nebuchadnezzar's dream came true, and he lost his mind and wandered in the woods and fields for a long time.
Why do you think God caused this to happen? Was it a good thing or a bad thing? Why?
Why does God sometimes have to bring us low in order to get our attention? What are the benefits we might experience after going through a very difficult experience? How is this encouraging?
If God wanted to get your attention, what do you think He would say to you? How can this group help you walk through a difficult time right now?
Meat, Idols, Love & Sacrifice (1 Corinthians 8)
Posted by David Rudd in 1 Corinthians on Monday, January 23, 2012
PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (Food sacrificed to idols).
DIGGING IN:
- What are some of the key words and phrases in this passage?
- Who are the primary characters (or types of characters) in this passage?
- What is the question this passage is designed to answer?
- Why does Paul talk about a distinction between knowledge and love? Which is better? Why?
- Is this passage more about our love for God or our love for others? Why?
- What is the most difficult part of this passage to understand?
- Try to summarize this passage in one or two sentences.
OPENING UP:
- Do you tend more toward knowledge or toward love? How is this a strength? How is this a weakness? What can you do to create more balance in your life?
- What is an area of your life in which your conscience doesn't allow you the same freedom as other believers? How are you trying to resolve this?
- What is an area of your life in which you feel freedom while the conscience of others does not allow them? How are you trying to resolve this?
- How might this passage be misused on occasion? Does this passage give you permission to confront those you think are doing wrong? Why or why not?
- What does this passage give you permission to do? What should love for other believers compel you to do?
RESOLUTION:
- What is an area of your life in which you need to make sacrifices because of your love for other believers?
- What is an area of your life in which you need to be less judgmental of other believers?
- How can this group help you take the next step in your spiritual journey? How can this group pray for you this week?
Miracles Still Happen (Daniel 3)
Posted by David Rudd in Daniel on Friday, January 20, 2012
What is the most miraculous experience you have had? How did you respond afterward?
As a group, read Daniel 3. Have a few people talk about their favorite parts of this story.
How do you think you would have responded if you were in the same situation as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?
How are people today faced with similar choices as these three (perhaps with less severe consequences)?
Why do you think the faith of these three men was so strong?
Read verses 16-18. Knowing they were about to be "executed" how difficult do you think it was to say the words, "even if he does not..."?
Have you ever been in a situation when God did not deliver you as you hoped he would? How did you respond?
Do you think this is a true story? Why or why not? Does it matter?
Is God capable of accomplishing a miracle like this? What other miracles in the Bible did God do?
Does God still do miracles? Can God still do miracles?
If God can still do miracles, how can that change the way we view our own life's difficulties? How can it change the way you respond to life's difficulties?
What miracle are you waiting for right now? How can the group pray for you and support you?
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