Date: July 21
Pursue Godliness
The Point: Make God the focus of your life.
Get Into the Study
Use the following information to introduce Question #1.
Insurance.com recently conducted a survey, asking people about distractions while they are driving. Drivers were asked about the kinds of distracted behaviors they participate in while they are driving. In the survey results of the driving distractions that people rank as “most bothersome,” here are the top 7:
(1) Texting
(2) Yelling children and dealing with children
(3) Dealing with navigation systems
(4) Talking on the phone
(5) Adjusting music
(6) Adjusting heater/AC knobs
(7) Eating
Say: Depending on what you are doing, distractions can be a positive or negative thing. Distractions while driving are definitely a negative. Then call attention to Question #1 (What are some things you enjoy being distracted by?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/330196
Study the Bible
Use the following information to supplement Question #2.
On July 1st, American tennis player Cori Gauff defeated Venus Williams in a first-round match at Wimbledon. What makes this victory amazing is that Gauff is just 15 years old. She is the youngest player to ever qualify for Wimbledon.
“This is the first time I ever cried after winning a match,” Gauff said after her win. “I never thought this would happen. I don’t know how to explain it. I’m literally living my dream. Not many people get to say that.” Gauff’s family and coaches credit Venus Williams and her sister Serena, with paving the path for a “young black teenage girl,” according to the Time magazine article.
“When we shook hands she told me congratulations and to keep going and good luck,” Gauff said after the match. “I said ‘thank you for everything you’ve done’ – I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.”
Say: Cori Gauff follows in the footsteps of American tennis players who are older than her. By her own words, she appreciates the path those older players have left for her to follow. Then call attention to Question #2 (When have you been inspired to follow in someone’s footsteps?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
https://time.com/5618445/cori-gauff-wimbledon-tennis/
— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.
Live It Out [Additional Option]
Use the following optional activity as you begin the Live It Out section to wrap up today’s session.
In advance, secure a TV or laptop with internet access. Challenge your group to take the “Awareness Test.” Search for “Do the Test” on YouTube and play the 1-minute video. The video will challenge your group members to count the number of times a team passes a basketball. However as group members focus on the basketball, they will miss a moonwalking bear in the middle of the video. Use this experience to highlight The Point for this session: Make God the focus of your life.
Click here for a link to the video.
This idea supports the teaching plan found in the Daily Discipleship Guide.
Additional Questions
Icebreakers
- What strategies help you stay focused on a long-term task?
- What kinds of things do you enjoy making time for?
- Who comes to mind when you think of the term “godliness”?
2 Chronicles 14:1-2
- What tools do Christians have at their disposal to determine what is good and right in God’s eyes?
- When has obedience to the Lord brought peace to your life?
- What was the key to Asa’s early success as king of Judah?
2 Chronicles 14:3-5
- Why was it important that Asa both removed idols and implemented new direction?
- Where do you see evidence of ungodliness in today’s world?
- How can you determine whether any idols (loyalties that take God’s place) exist in your life today?
2 Chronicles 14:6-8
- Why was Asa so active in removing the idols and false gods from the towns around his nation?
- What sinful practices and idols do Christians often fail to remove from their lives?
- What kinds of things need to be removed from your life so that you can pursue godly living?
Member Extra
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
How I’ve Learned to Keep Life in Focus
Video
Here’s a brief video giving you an overview of this session: Living a Godly Life, Session 1.
Magazine Article
This article complements the study. Share this link with your group members.
- HomeLife – Words to Live By
Where is July 14 lesson?
July 14 is the session on mentoring. BibleStudiesforLife.com/AdultExtra
Hello I am Royce Harville, I have a few years of experience teaching. Starting with what was then referred to as intermediate age, early teens. From there I went to youth dept. Then Young adult men, then to young couples class. My next move was to median age couples. That is where i have been for the last 20-25 years. During the last 15 or 20 years, no one wants to promote to the next age group. Like most sister churches in Crossett, Arkansas, and I have been told is the trend nation wide. The age spread for my class is Mid 20’s to 80,s. I think it would be easier to prepare to teach mid 30’s to mid 50’s like the class was design to be, but we have to flexible. The couples class was re-named to Paris & Spares, because we had a number of singles active in our class.
I have found it very helpful to have the extra helps that is available. The current events that are available helps to span the age gap that many churches are dealing with today. The phrase I want to go where I feel comfortable, is what we are hearing now. I started my teaching career when I was 23 years old, I will be 80 on 8/7/19. Thanks for the help we are getting with the EXTRAS.
Royce, thank you for your encouraging words, and thank you for investing 57 years–wow!–in leading others to know God through Bible study.