The Outcast

Judges 10-11 NIV

It’s easy to make promises to God when life feels desperate, only to lose sight of Him when the pressure begins to lift. Our hearts can drift toward self-reliance, approval, or the values of the world without us even realizing it. But lasting transformation doesn’t come from trying harder or proving ourselves, it comes from receiving the grace Jesus has already given us and allowing Him to change us from the inside out.

1. Why does comfortable living produce weak character?

       a. What can we do to combat this? Read Proverbs 4:20-27 & Matthew 26:41.

2. Have you ever been sincerely wrong?

       a. How do we combat misled zeal? Read Ephesians 4:15.

3. Jephthah's vow “sounds good" at face value. What other phrases or life mottos sound good, but aren’t?

4. Why is it so dangerous to make a vow and not keep it? Read Jeremiah 42:1-6, 19-22 & 43:1- 4, 7.

5. What does it mean for us in the body of Christ that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Jephthah for the assigned mission did not guarantee faultless decision making in all areas? Read Ephesians 4:2-3, 32.

6. Have you ever tried to negotiate with God? What was the result?

7. Why do we struggle to trust in God's grace rather than our own works?

8. What are some things in your life that you do because they are part of culture, and how do they affect your walk with God?