Reading Schedule
You shall have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3 NASB
We have a tendency to imagine ancient civilizations bowing before carved statues made of wood or metal when we ponder this first command. God had given the Israelites a list of commandments through Moses at Mt. Sinai after he had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He was now leading them into the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. A land of freedom and of plenty. In order for them to walk in the abundance of blessings God had in store for them, they needed to abide within the boundaries of God’s Law.
The first command was the foundation for the remaining commandments. God was to be acknowledged and worshiped as the one, true, living God, and this is the reason for obedience to all the other commands. The Isrealites were also commanded to refrain from creating idols or worshiping false gods. God is worthy of our undivided loyalty and devotion. There is no room for bowing down to gods that can never satisfy. This applies just as much to us in modern times as it did to the Israelites back then.
An idol, or a false god, is much more than a mere statue that people of long ago knelt down before and worshiped. In our modern time, an idol can be defined as “something other than God that we set our hearts on (Luke 12;29; 1 Cor. 10:19), that motivates us (1 Cor. 4:5), that masters or rules us (Ps. 119:133; Eph. 5:5), or that we trust, fear, or serve (Isa. 42:17; Matt. 6:24; Luke 12:4-5) … An idol can also be refereed to as a ‘false god’ or a ‘functional god.'” (Kenneth Sande, The Peacemaker)
A professed god and a functional god are two different things. We may profess the Lord our God as our only God, but if we turn to other vices to soothe and comfort our hearts, these things become our “functional gods.” We cannot fully serve God if we are also trying to serve these little gods on the side. It doesn’t work!
This week, we are going to learn how to identify and demolish these things that draw our hearts away from having a fully devoted heart toward Christ. We will also learn how to walk in freedom and greater fulfillment in our walk with Christ, and learn to pursue intimacy with Him with every fiber of our beings. We will also learn to walk in greater obedience and deeper reverence toward God in every area of our lives.
This week our small groups will merely be an introduction to get to know each other and to prepare our hearts for this study. There is no need to have anything completed before joining a group. We will also begin working on the assignments in Session 2 this week and will discuss it in next week’s groups.
I pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to you! I hope to see you in a small group this week!
Assignments for the Week:
- Join a small group in the Heart to Heart Facebook group page. Just choose a day and time, and look for the group photo. The discussion will take place underneath. All groups are open attendance.
- Work on the Session 2 daily assignments in the Bible study book, pp. 11-37.
- Pray for your heart sisters.
Discussion Questions for Small Groups
ICE BREAKER: First, tell us where are you from. Second, without telling your age, tell us some of your favorite things from the decade of your childhood.
QUESTION 1: What do you hope to gain from this study and our time together?
QUESTION 2: How would you define a modern-day idol? Name some examples.
QUESTION 3: As we begin this study, are you already aware of possible false gods, strongholds, distractions, hindrances, habits, or idols in your life? If you’re comfortable sharing with the group, explain.
QUESTION 4: Why can’t we serve God and our idols at the same time? What are some of the challenges?
QUESTION 5: Why is often it so difficult to let go of false gods? If you were your own counselor or spiritual mentor, what would you tell yourself about letting go of your idols?
QUESTION 6: Do you have any questions for us? Or, do you have any words of advice for new members?
Reading Schedule
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April 30 – May 6: Read Session 2, pp. 11-37; Small groups: Introduction
- May 7 – 13: Read Session 3, pp. 39-61; Small groups: Discuss Session 2
- May 14-20: Read Session 4, pp. 63-87; Small groups: Discuss Session 3
- May 21-27: Read Session 5, pp. 89-113; Small groups: Discuss Session 4
- May 28 – June 3: Read Session 6, pp. 115-139; Small groups: Discuss Session 5
- June 4 – 10: Read Session 7, pp. 141-165; Small groups: Discuss Session 6
- June 11 – 17: Read Session 8, pp. 167-193; Small groups: Discuss Session 7
- June 18 – 23: Catch up and complete study; Small groups: Discuss Session 8
How to Participate
- If you haven’t yet, be sure to register by leaving your name and email address below.
- Purchase the study book.
- Subscribe to this site to receive future updates by email. Enter your email address in the field to the right, and then click the subscribe button.
- Join our closed Facebook group, Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study, for weekly interaction, activities, videos, and small group sessions. Closed means that no one will be able to see our posts unless they are members of the group. This is for your safety and privacy.
- Small Groups: There will be a schedule for small groups pinned to the top of the Facebook group, Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study, as we get closer to the time. All you need to do is show up at the scheduled day and time, and the discussion will take place underneath the group photo.
- Follow my ministry page on Facebook, Shari Lewis Ministries, to stay up-to-date on ministry events and for daily prayers, nuggets of wisdom and encouragement for your life, photos that you are welcome to share, and faith building blog posts to strengthen you in your walk with Christ.
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