| 1. On page 48, Ted tells Shelly that she’ll eventually give up on their friendship if he can’t find his way back to God. Do you think God ever tells people to give up on a friendship? Under what circumstances? What about restoration? Can such a friendship be restored later? What does the bible say about that? |
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Scripture References:
Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. Though the situation is different, how does Paul’s stated intent relate to what Ted told Shelly? What about James 5:19-20?
Look at 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 and 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15. What do they tell us about restoring friendships? |
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| 2. In Chapter 14, Ted and Grandpa Anderson talk about forgiveness. On the bottom of page 83, Ted asks Grandpa why God can’t heal him of the unforgiveness he has toward himself. Grandpa tells him that isn’t a matter for healing, it’s just a letting go and trusting God. Do you understand what Grandpa was talking about? Do you agree with him? Do you find it harder to forgive yourself than to forgive others? What does the bible say about it? Is there any time you have the responsibility to not forgive yourself? |
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Scripture References:
This is a bit of a trick question. You can’t go at it from the front door because the bible never actually says anything about forgiving yourself. However, you should explore what the bible specifically says about forgiveness. See what the bible says about the one sin that it does call unforgiveable. |
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| 3. Greg talks to Kylie about myths in Chapter 15, specifically about the myth of the phoenix. What do you think about what Greg said? Can God really use falsehoods like myths to point to the truth? If so, what kind of precautions do we need to take when we use them? What does the bible say about this subject? Does it tell us that “the devil doesn’t have an original thought” (pg. 90)? |
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Scripture References:
Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. Though the situation is different, how does Paul’s stated intent relate to what Ted told Shelly? What about James 5:19-20? |
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| 4. The central theme of this book is the cord of three strands in Ecclesiastes. In Chapter 22, Dave and Ted talk about it. On pages 138-139, Dave explains what he’s learned about bible study and how it’s changed his interpretation of the cord of three strands. What do you think about what he says? Verify the information for yourself. (If you’re not sure how to do that, you can visit my website for some helpful advice.) |
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Scripture References:
Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. Though the situation is different, how does Paul’s stated intent relate to what Ted told Shelly? What about James 5:19-20? |
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| 5. Shelly, Dave and Craig all told Ted that Jason’s death was the result of a sequence of events, it wasn’t his fault. Do you agree with them? Do things really happen that can’t be blamed on anyone? What if it had been Ted’s fault? Would he have then had the right to withdraw like he did? Do people have to be punished for their sins? What does the bible say about sin? Is there a sin that can’t be forgiven? If so, what is it? |
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Scripture References:
Consider 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. Though the situation is different, how does Paul’s stated intent relate to what Ted told Shelly? What about James 5:19-20? |
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| 6. “The Bryant Curse” afflicted Ted even though he’s a Christian who doesn’t believe in curses. It wasn’t really a curse. It is a metaphor for what happens in our lives when we struggle against God’s will. Especially once you see it, if you try to ignore God’s will, things will often go wrong. What do you think about that? See if you can find biblical evidence that Christians don’t fall under curses. Is there biblical evidence that God will use misadventures to direct our paths? |
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Scripture References:
Use a concordance to look up "curse" in the New Testament. Read Judges 14:4 and Acts 8:1-8. |
