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• What You Believe Matters with Discussion Guide

  What You Believe Matters Discussion Guide

  Summary

  Pastor Kevin from Miami Vineyard delivered a powerful message about the importance of our beliefs and how they shape our lives. He emphasized that we often lie to ourselves and pick up false beliefs from various sources, which then impact our actions and behaviors. Using personal anecdotes and examples, he explained that our beliefs determine our behavior, whether we’re conscious of them or not. The pastor challenged the congregation to examine the lies they may be believing about themselves and others, and to instead subscribe to God’s truth found in His Word, which never changes, unlike the constantly shifting truths of our culture.

  Intro Prayer

  Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and minds, ready to receive what You have for us in this time together. We ask that You would help each person in this group to be receptive to Your truth and to what You want to speak into their lives today. Remove any distractions or barriers that might prevent us from hearing Your voice clearly. Help us to be honest with ourselves and with each other as we discuss Your Word. We invite Your Holy Spirit to guide our conversation and to reveal any lies we may be believing, replacing them with Your unchanging truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  Ice Breaker

  What’s one thing you believed as a child that you later found out wasn’t true? (For example, that chocolate milk comes from brown cows, or that if you swallow gum it stays in your stomach for seven years!)

  Key Verses

  • Revelation 3:20
  • Proverbs 4:23
  • Romans 3:4
  • Matthew 24:35
  • Psalm 139:14

  Questions

  • Pastor Kevin mentioned that ‘what we believe matters’ because our beliefs determine our behavior. Can you think of a time when a belief you held (true or false) significantly influenced a decision you made?
  • The sermon discussed common lies people believe, such as ‘all my problems are somebody else’s fault’ or ‘you’ll be happy if you can get everything you want.’ Which of these resonates with you, and why do you think these lies are so appealing?
  • Pastor Kevin shared about his friend who believed he would die at 39 and how that belief impacted every area of his life. How might limiting beliefs be affecting areas of your own life without you realizing it?
  • The pastor emphasized that we choose what we believe, and that even God doesn’t force beliefs on us. How does this responsibility of choice both empower and challenge you?
  • When Pastor Kevin talked about looking in the mirror and believing lies about ourselves, what came to mind for you? How can we practically replace negative self-talk with God’s truth?
  • The sermon mentioned that God’s truth doesn’t change, unlike cultural ‘truths’ that shift constantly. Why is it important to have an unchanging source of truth in our lives?
  • Pastor Kevin said that behind every action we take, there’s a belief (conscious or subconscious). Can you identify a positive belief that has led to good actions in your life?
  • How can we help each other in this group identify and ‘unsubscribe’ from lies we might be believing while ‘subscribing’ to God’s truth?

  Life Application

  This week, identify one lie you’ve been believing about yourself, others, or God. Find a specific Bible verse that speaks God’s truth into that area, write it down, and read it daily. When you catch yourself thinking the lie, immediately replace it with God’s truth from that verse. Share your verse with someone you trust and ask them to help hold you accountable to this practice.

  Key Takeaways

  • We choose what we believe – nobody can force beliefs on us, not even God
  • Our beliefs determine our behavior, whether we’re conscious of those beliefs or not
  • The only reliable source of truth is God and His Word, which never changes
  • We often pick up lies along the way that negatively impact our lives and relationships
  • God wants us to unsubscribe from lies and subscribe to His truth found in Scripture

  Ending Prayer

  Lord Jesus, thank You for this time of discussion and reflection. We’re grateful that You are the source of unchanging truth in a world that constantly shifts. Help us to take what we’ve learned today and apply it to our daily lives. Give us courage to identify and reject the lies we’ve been believing, and strength to embrace Your truth about who we are and who You are. Help us to be people who live according to Your truth rather than the deceptions of this world. Continue to transform our minds and hearts as we spend time in Your Word this week. May our beliefs align more closely with Yours, and may our actions reflect Your love and truth to those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

• What Is the Daily Office?

  The Daily Office is a historic Christian rhythm of prayer and Scripture that helps believers order their days around regular moments of attentiveness to God. For centuries, Christians have paused throughout the day to pray, read Scripture, worship, and remember God’s presence. Rather than allowing life to become shaped entirely by schedules, stress, distraction, or endless activity, the Daily Office gently calls believers back to prayer and attentiveness at regular intervals throughout the day.

  Traditionally, the Daily Office includes several prayer times such as Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. Each office includes elements such as Psalms, Scripture readings, prayers, thanksgiving, worship, silence, and reflection. At first glance, the Daily Office can seem unfamiliar or even overwhelming to people who have never encountered liturgical rhythms before. That is one of the reasons FLOW was created.

  FLOW serves as a gentle introduction to many of the same spiritual rhythms found within the Daily Office. Through Psalms, Proverbs, guided prayer, reflection, worship, and attentiveness, FLOW begins preparing people for deeper rhythms of daily prayer without requiring them to learn everything at once. For many people, the Daily Office becomes a natural next step after spending time in FLOW because it helps create greater structure and consistency within spiritual life.

  One of the beautiful aspects of the Daily Office is that it reminds believers that all of life belongs to God. Morning prayer invites us to begin the day with attentiveness. Midday prayer creates space to pause and reconnect. Evening prayer encourages reflection and gratitude. Night prayer allows us to rest in God’s peace and care. Within Sacred Rhythms, the Daily Office is offered as an invitation, not an obligation. The goal is not performance. The goal is attentiveness. One prayer. One Psalm. One moment of attentiveness at a time.

  Steve Lawes serves as the lead pastor of Keys Vineyard Church, founder of the Online Bible Institute Network, and leads the Christian Practices initiative through Tower of Praise, Inc. His heart is to help people grow in a steady and authentic relationship with God through simple, accessible rhythms of Scripture, prayer, and spiritual formation.