Daily Readings (Page 296)

Anger leads many to sin, and uncaring words spoken when one is angry have often caused lasting harm and irreparable damage.  How do we discipline ourselves to “not give the devil an opportunity” in our relationship with others?

Some find it hard to be authentic, others just can’t seem to hide their intolerance of others, just how do we “speak the truth in love?”

Paul talks about ‘putting off’ and ‘putting on’; what do we need to put off and then put on in order to truly be like God?

How does being in Christ make a difference in the way we think?

Why is submitting to an authority which persecutes believers a concern for Peter (vv12-14)?  What does it mean to “submit” in this context?

If you were to build a spiritual house from the living stones in your small group, where would each member be positioned (as walls, roof, telephone line, etc.) to realise his or her gifts?  How does this fit who you are in Christ?                

How does it make you feel to be chosen, to be royal, and God’s possession?(v9) When is it most difficult to remember what God has made you? 

How does Peter’s readers’ new status of with God influence the way they live (vv11-12)?

How would you re-word in practical terms what Peter meant by his pictures in vv5 and 9?  In what ways would it be difficult for Peter’s readers to think of themselves in these terms?

How is Christ a living Stone?  Why would people stumble over the Stone rather than build their lives on it?