Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

Start with Context:

James is focused on practical Christian living and how faith is expressed through actions. James, the cousin of Jesus and a leader in the early church, wrote this epistle to address issues of faith and practice among believers. His letter emphasizes that genuine faith is evidenced by works, and he challenges Christians to live out their faith with integrity and sincerity.

Read James 2:1-10, and James 2:14-18 aloud.

James begins chapter 2 with a lesson on favoritism. Why is partiality a severe issue within the church? How does this reflect the values of the kingdom of God? Where have you been tempted to show favoritism (a very human thing!)?

Reflect on how James describes the treatment of the rich and poor. How does this teaching challenge or align with your own experiences and observations?

In James 2:14-18, James argues that faith without works is dead. What does James mean by this, and how does he use examples to support his point? Consider Martin Luther’s words: “We are saved by faith alone, but faith never comes alone…”

How does James’ teaching on faith and works challenge us? How does it encourage us?

Reflect on areas where you might struggle with balancing faith and works. How can you address these areas in your life?

Close with a prayer, asking for God's guidance and strength to overcome favoritism and to live out your faith with integrity and action. Pray for each other’s needs and for continued growth in living out the teachings of James.

Recommended reading: “The Screwtape Letters.” Recommended movie: “Nefarious.”

Start with Context:

Ephesians 6:10-20 is the final section of Paul's letter, where he shifts focus to the theme of spiritual warfare. Paul uses the metaphor of armor to describe the resources and strength believers have in their battle against the spiritual forces of evil. This passage is grounded in the earlier exhortations to live out the implications of being a new creation in Christ, highlighting the need for spiritual vigilance and reliance on God's power.

Read Ephesians 6:10-20 aloud.

Spiritual warfare is an abstract concept. It’s not so much seen as it is felt. This warfare manifests itself through temptations, doubts, and conflicts that challenge our faith and integrity. On an extreme level, spiritual warfare can manifest itself through hearing voices, seeing visions, haunting dreams, etc. As a group, discuss the concept of spiritual warfare. What do we learn from Ephesians about the nature of our struggle and the spiritual realm from these verses? Is there a time when you felt like you were in a spiritual battle or “under attack”?

Though spiritual warfare may be different than regular warfare, St. Paul still encourages armor, albeit a different armor than we might wear if we were actually fighting a battle. Talk about the individual components. Discuss how each piece of the armor (truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God) can be practically applied in your daily life. How have these protected and equipped you in the past?

How can understanding that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces change our perspective on the challenges we face?

Reflect on which piece of the armor of God you feel most challenged to apply in your life. Why?

Identify specific ways to put on each piece of the armor of God. For example, how can you practice truth-telling and righteousness in your interactions?

Conclude with a prayer asking for God’s strength and protection as you seek to live out these principles. Pray for each other’s specific needs and challenges.

Start with Context:

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome around AD 60-62. Ephesians emphasizes the church's unity as the body of Christ and provides practical instructions for living out the Christian faith. In Ephesians 5:22–33, Paul addresses the relationship between husbands and wives, using the relationship between Christ and the church as a model.

Read Ephesians 5:22-33 aloud.

“Wives, submit to your husbands.” It feels uncomfortable to say and read. Though this passage has been used to enforce a certain inequality among genders, that’s not what Paul intended. He’s not some misogynist pig who hates women. To understand what he’s saying, we need a bit of Greek. The Greek word for “submit” is hupotasso. The word implies a voluntary,  respectful yielding, not forced subjugation.

Additionally, note how Paul in verse 21 encourages us to “submit to one another…” This submission is rooted in a relationship with Christ, reflecting the church's submission to Christ. As the head, the husband mirrors Christ’s headship over the church, emphasizing responsibility and care rather than dominance. How does this explanation change perhaps your understanding of submission? How does the concept of submission in this passage differ from societal views of submission?

Reflect on how Paul instructs husbands to love their wives, specifically in verse 25, where Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” What does this reveal about Christ’s love for the church?

Paul uses the image of “one flesh,” quoting Genesis 2:24. There is a profound unity in marriage, which is why marriage should not be entered into lightly but reverently. How does this “one flesh” unity correspond to the relationship between Christ and the Church?

What role does sacrificial love play in marriages (and, to be more broad, other relationships)? What role does it play in the Church?

Close with a prayer, thanking God for His Word, asking for the strength to submit and unite with Christ and one another.