Introduction
Definition of Discipline
Discipline is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using words and actions, warnings and consequences to keep one on track. Christian discipline involves cultivating specific habits and practices like prayer, fasting and Bible reading to help believers grow closer to God and become more like Christ.
Discipline is a key quality that shapes how we work, live, behave and relate with others. It involves managing our actions and staying committed especially when challenges arise. Discipline includes Motivation and Attitude: the motivation to improve and push oneself, and an attitude of focus, selfcontrol and professionalism in pursuing a goal.
Definition of Self-Respect
Self-respect is pride and confidence in oneself – a feeling that one is behaving with honour and dignity. It is the foundation of how we treat ourselves and others, and how we present ourselves in the world. Self-respect, learned through Scripture, will cultivate a healthy sense of identity, self-worth and self-esteem.
Over the next 20 days of the devotional challenge, we will dive into three aspects of self-respect, namely Confidence, Compassion and Modesty. The first is about believing in oneself and one’s ability to make a positive impact. The second involves treating others with empathy and care, while the third is reflected in how we dress and present ourselves appropriately for different occasions.
Notes:
1. The duration of the devotional sessions is 20-30 minutes.
2. This leader’s guide is suitable for both online and physical discussions.
3. This leader’s guide is suitable for officers and leaders who lead a group or individuals who are not joining any of the discussion groups.
For officers or leaders who conduct the sessions in a group, keep in mind the following:
1. Have a non-judgmental attitude.
a. In the course of the discussion, some members may give answers that you, as the leader, know are wrong.
b. Don’t pounce on the answer or reprimand them – they will not want to continue participating.
c. Value the insight you are gaining into their true thoughts, so that they are able to share what they think openly rather than parroting “right answers” to you.
d. Accept the answer by saying something like, “That’s an interesting point of view. What do the rest of you think?”
2. Encourage participation.
a. Some members are chatty and assertive. Welcome their contribution but remind them to give others a chance to speak.
b. Other members are shy and quiet. Encourage them to share, but if they really don’t want to, don’t force them.
c. Try to give every member a chance to say something.
3. When summarising or concluding, highlight good answers that have been contributed and add insights from the leaders’ guide that the members may have missed.
Day 1: Self-Control in God’s Strength
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to live Godly lives, participate in God’s nature, and grow in Christlikeness.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 2 Peter 1:3–10.
❖ Context: The books of 1 and 2 Peter were written by Simon Peter, the ex-fisherman who, together with James and John, formed the inner circle of disciples who were closest to Jesus. 1 Peter was written to encourage Christians facing persecution from outside the Church, whereas 2 Peter was written to help Christians facing false teachers and evildoers inside the Church. In today’s reading, Peter writes about how God has enabled us to live godly lives and take part in His very own nature. With that enabling, Peter calls us to grow in spiritual maturity, listing out Christlike qualities that we should do our best to develop. Lastly, Peter motivates us to grow in those qualities so that we can be 100% confident of our salvation and our place in Christ’s Kingdom.
❖ Materials: Marshmallows or ask the members to prepare a snack that they like.
Activity:
❖ Give each member a marshmallow, and tell them they can earn a second marshmallow if they refrain from eating it for five minutes.
❖ � � � � �If you’re doing this online, ask your members to prepare some marshmallows or any snacks that they like.
❖ Debrief them:
➢ Who decided to eat the marshmallow before the five minutes were up? Why did you do that?
➢ Who managed to wait and get a second marshmallow? Was it difficult?
➢ If you have time, watch “The Marshmallow Test” online.
❖ The “marshmallow test” is a test of self-control, which is one of the Christlike virtues mentioned in today’s reading.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What has God given us, and why has He done so (2 Peter 1:2-4)?
A: God has given us everything we need so that we can live godly lives. He has also given us His great and precious promises so that through them, we can participate in His divine nature.
[Note: What is God’s divine nature? It is what God is like - His goodness, His love, His holiness etc. Human beings were created in the image of God, and were designed to display certain aspects of His character and who He is. For example, God is rational, so we are capable of thinking logically. God is spiritual, therefore we have an eternal spirit. God is creative, and we too make works of art, architecture, and literature. God is morally perfect, therefore we have a conscience. God is relational, therefore we are designed for relationships.
Unfortunately, when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God, that image was marred and spoilt. But because Jesus died on the cross, we can be of right standing with God again. Separated from God, we become beastly, less than human, controlled by instincts and desires. Reconciled with God in Christ, we become new creations, bearing His perfect image once again. This wonderful transformation is what Peter means by “participate in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).]
2. Q: List down the Christlike qualities mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-8. Which of these qualities do you feel you need to develop more of, and how could you discipline yourself to do so?
A: Peter mentions faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
The second part of the question is personal to your members. Give them some time to think about it, evaluate themselves, and answer. Encourage them to choose one quality to focus on, and to think of specific and concrete ways to discipline themselves to grow in that particular Christlike quality and practise it.
3. Q: Why should we grow in these Christlike qualities (2 Peter 1:8-10)? Write down two reasons below.
A: We should grow in Christlikeness so that:
(i) We will be effective and productive in knowing Jesus (2 Peter 1:8). Knowing Jesus is not merely head knowledge or verbal confession. It should produce life transformation. That is the effectiveness and productiveness that Peter is talking about.
(ii) We will not be spiritually short-sighted and blind, forgetting that we have been cleansed from past sins (2 Peter 1:9). And worse still, if we are so blind and forgetful, we may end up returning to those sins again.
Conclusion:
(iii) We can be 100% sure of our calling and salvation (2 Peter 1:10a). On Christian subreddits, there are common questions like: “Can I be a Christian and listen to secular music?”, “I did this. Have I committed the unforgivable sin?”, “Have I blasphemed against the Holy Spirit and lost my salvation?”, “I feel that God has abandoned me. Am I going to hell?” Peter is not saying that we are saved by our efforts to grow in Christlikeness. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). But Peter is saying that if we make every effort to grow in Christlikeness, we don’t have to worry about questions like these. As we become more and more like Jesus and see His transforming power at work in our lives, we can know with confidence that He has saved us and is saving us by His grace. Our spiritual growth will be a confirmation and an assurance of the salvation that is already ours in Christ.
(iv) We will not stumble in our race of faith (2 Peter 1:10b).
❖ Summarise God’s heart for us:
➢ God has given us everything we need to live godly lives.
➢ He has given us His great and precious promises in His Word.
➢ He calls us to the amazing goal of participating in His divine nature.
❖ If we will live Godly lives, participate in God’s nature, and grow in Christlikeness, we will:
➢ Effectively and productively know Jesus.
➢ Have clear spiritual sight and be able to leave past sins in the past.
➢ Be 100% certain of our calling and salvation.
➢ Run the race of faith well, without stumbling.
❖ Encourage them to discipline themselves to develop faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, or love.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 2: Lasting Rewards
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to run the race of faith well and win the prize, the eternal crown of knowing Jesus.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
❖ Context: The books of 1 and 2 Corinthians were written by Paul. He founded the Corinthian church during his second missionary journey, and he wrote this first letter to them in the year 55 AD, while he was staying in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. He wrote in order to help them handle problems in the church – division and disunity (1:10-4:21) and sexual immorality and disorder (5:1-6:20) – as well as to answer their questions about marriage (7:140), freedom in food and drink (8:1-11:1), worship (11:2-14:40), and the resurrection (15:1-58). Today’s passage is in the section that deals with freedom. Before this, Paul shared that he had certain rights and freedoms as an apostle, but he relinquished them for the sake of the gospel (9:1-23). In today’s passage, Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete running a race to encourage the Corinthians to follow his example: To relinquish their freedoms rather than trying to enjoy them to the permitted limits. After today’s passage, Paul uses examples from Israel’s history to warn the Corinthians that the desire to push at the boundaries of freedom leads to idolatry and punishment (10:1-13).
❖ Materials: A paper or cardboard crown, and enough space to run a race or do star jumps.
Activity:
❖ Before you meet with your members, make a paper or cardboard crown. It doesn’t have to be very fancy or beautiful, just a simple zigzag band will do (see https://www.firstpalette.com/printable/zigzag-band.html).
❖ If you have the space for it, get your members to run a race. Maybe if your room is big enough, they can race from one end of the room to the other, or around the perimeter of the room. The winner gets the paper crown!
❖ Alternative: If you don’t have space or ���� you’re doing this online, they can do a star-jump and complete 30 jumps. Again, the fastest member gets the paper crown!
❖ Debrief them:
➢ Who won? Why did they win? (Most probably they are either an athlete, or someone who is in good physical shape. In other words, they have practiced running or doing star jumps and have become good at it - an obvious advantage over someone who has never practiced or trained themselves in those things.)
❖ In today’s passage, Paul describes the Christian life as a race, and tells us to run the race to win.
➢ For today’s winner, they won because they had disciplined and trained themselves to run fast/ do star jumps quickly.
➢ How should we discipline and train ourselves to win in the race of faith? Let’s see.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: How does an athlete prepare himself to run a race well (1 Corinthians 9:25)? How should we prepare ourselves to run the race of faith well?
A: The athlete goes into strict training. This would include diet, stamina training, strength training, speed training, and so on. In today’s competitive athletics, they may also work with a coach to make sure their running technique is correct - their cadence, pace, stride length, pronation vs supination, forefoot vs midfoot vs heel strike, etc.
Similarly, to run the race of faith well, we need to discipline ourselves (with God’s help) to control our spiritual diet. What kind of movies do you like to watch? What kind of music do you like to listen to? Do they meet the Philippians 4:8 test? Do you regularly take in God’s Word (through daily reading, weekly sermons, bible studies, etc) and take time to meditate on it, to digest and internalise it? Do you then go on to live it out and practise it?
It’s ok if you struggle or find it difficult. No one starts off running fast straight away, they build up strength and stamina with consistent effort and discipline. In the same way, persevere and you will find yourself growing and maturing spiritually - running the race of faith well.
2. Q: Why does the athlete train so hard? What about us, what motivates us to run the race of faith well (1 Corinthians 9:25)?
A: The athlete does it for a crown that will not last. In ancient athletic competitions, the winner would be honoured with a wreath of laurel, pine, or olive leaves. These leaves would very soon dry and shrivel up, so it was literally a crown that did not last. Today’s devotion pointed out that athletes also compete for fame, but that too is fleeting and their achievements are soon forgotten by most people.
We run the race of faith for a crown that lasts forever, an eternal prize. This brings to mind the joy and wonder of heaven, when we will finally see Jesus face to face. For knowing Jesus is the prize that surpasses all other things (Philippians 3:7-11); we do know Him now, in part, and are growing in knowledge of Him, if we believe in Him. But when the day comes when we gain our imperishable crowns, we will finally know Him fully (1 Corinthians 13:12). All the other things we are drawn to and attracted to right now – wealth, fame, power, pleasure – will fade away; those are crowns that don’t last. But knowing Jesus is a crown, a joy and a victory that will last forever.
3. Q: How does Paul describe the way we should train and discipline ourselves spiritually (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)?
A: Paul describes this training and discipline as:
(i) Strict. This does not mean that you should be too hard on yourself or that you should punish yourself when you fail, but it does mean that you should have clear ideas of what you should and should not do (let those ideas be informed by the truth of Scripture) and try your best with God’s help to follow those moral guidelines with perseverance and consistency.
(ii) Not aimless. Our spiritual training and discipline is not random or haphazard, but intentional and purposeful. Jesus is both our source and our goal; we fix our eyes on Him and follow Him (Hebrews 12:1-2).
(iii) Conquering or overcoming our natural desires and instincts. Physical training and discipline often involves this. When you are on a diet, you may crave chocolate cake, but you resist the temptation. When you are following an exercise regimen, there will be times when you feel too lazy to work out, but you do it anyway. Similarly, it will often be our natural inclination to be selfish, cruel, proud, and so on. But with the help of God’s grace and His Holy Spirit at work in us, we can overcome those natural inclinations and build new tendencies and habits towards selflessness, kindness, humility, and so on.
Conclusion:
❖ We’ve talked about many things today (summarise the main points from the day’s discussion).
❖ Right now, let’s turn to Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith, our source and our goal, the all-surpassing prize and everlasting crown for whom we are running.
❖ Ask Him, “Jesus, what is one thing You want me to do regularly and consistently in the coming weeks to step up my spiritual training and discipline?”
❖ Commit yourself to doing that one thing as we close with this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ABgEG8-3sU
❖ Share with one other person about the commitment you made, and keep each other accountable over the following weeks.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 3: Life Changes
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to put off the old self and put on the new self.
Preparation
❖ Bible verse: Read Ephesians 4:20–24.
❖ Context: Paul wrote the book of Ephesians around 60 AD, about six years after establishing the church in Ephesus. His letter, written whilst in prison in Rome, served to strengthen the faith of Christians in Ephesus and the surrounding region. In today’s reading, Paul exhorts them to discard their old selves, their way of life before they knew Christ. Just before today’s passage, he described that old self as futile in thought, darkened in understanding, hardened in heart, and given over to sensuality (4:17-19). In today’s passage, he describes it as being rotten and spoiled by deceitful desires (4:22). Instead, they are to integrate their new selves, to be righteous and holy like God (4:24). As Paul goes on after today’s passage, this new self includes truth-telling, timely emotional regulation, honest work, generosity, encouraging words, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness (4:25-32).
❖ Materials: A hanger, normal day clothes and BB uniform.
Activity:
❖ Ask the members to put a set of normal day clothes on a hanger and hang them on a wall or someplace high. Prepare a set of BB uniform on the side.
❖ In the fastest possible time, swap the clothes on the hanger with the BB uniform.
❖ In this game, it’s so easy to change outfits.
❖ But, in today’s reading, Paul tells the Ephesians to change, not their outfits, but their way of life, attitudes, and identities. Let’s read it together.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What are two ways Paul describes the old self that we should “put off” (Ephesians 4:20, 22)?
A: Paul describes the old self as:
i. Our way of living before we knew Jesus. (Invite your members to share some things they used to struggle with before they knew Jesussins, fears, addictions, etc. Non-Christians can also share if they have stories of life transformation. Sharing may be a bit awkward as this is the first few days of devotion; the facilitator should take the lead and break the ice by sharing something from his or her own past if no one else has the courage to go first.)
ii. Being corrupted by deceitful desires. “Deceitful” because often, these desires start off as innocent longings for good and worthwhile things. And in fact, our desires are God-given - desires for peace, companionship, joy, pleasure, security etc. are not wrong. Yet our primary desire should be for God Himself (Psalm 27:4), and these secondary desires become deceitful, distorted, and destructive when they are raised up to become more important than that best and greatest desire.
2. Q: What are two ways Paul describes the new life that we should “put on” (4:24)?
A: Paul describes the new life as:
i. Like God in righteousness. Whereas the old life consisted of actions and attitudes which were wrong, sinful, and selfish; the new life involves doing what is right and good.
ii. Like God in holiness. The idea of being ‘holy’ is being chosen and set apart by God for His purposes. We are called to be different from the world around us not for the sake of being different, but because we love and belong to the true and living God.
Note: Some attributes of God are His alone; for example, omnipotence and omniscience. No matter how close we get to God, how like Him we become, we will never approach His level of power and knowledge. These are called the incommunicable attributes of God. Attributes like love, truthfulness, and as listed by Paul here, righteousness and holiness, however, are communicable attributes. The more intimately we know Him, the more we will become like Him in these ways.
3. Q: How can we “put off” the old life and “put on” the new life (Ephesians 4:21, 23)?
A: Hear and learn about Jesus and His truth. The old life is “not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ” (4:21). Therefore, the way of life you did learn is the new life. If you believe in Jesus, then you have this new life of Jesus living in and through you (Galatians 2:20). Now, you must nurture and grow this new life. Be made new in the attitude of your mind. While you, as a believer in Jesus, already have His new life in you, you still retain old habits and old ways of thinking that you need the Holy Spirit to change and renew. One way you can do this is by reading and meditating on God’s Word. Align your heart and mind with His truth, allowing His way of thinking to change and replace your current attitudes, values, and thought-patterns.
Conclusion:
❖ What are some disciplines you will engage in, moving forward, to keep hearing and learning about Jesus and His truth, and to be made new in the attitude of your mind? Tick those which you will commit yourself to do:
� � Attend Church regularly
� Participate in Church Youth Fellowship, School Christian Fellowship, and/or Boys Brigade activities and Bible studies
�
� Complete this 40-day challenge
�
� Read the Bible and pray for 5 to 10 minutes every day or every alternate day
❖ In the coming weeks and months, do those things!
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 4: Practice These Things
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves in terms of our relationships in conflict, our emotions and attitudes, and our mental input and focus.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Philippians 4:1-9.
❖ Context: The book of Philippians was written by Paul. He founded the Philippian church during his second missionary journey, and he wrote this letter to them in the year 61 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome. He wrote to share the true joy that comes from Jesus alone, with the words “joy” or “rejoicing” appearing 16 times in just four short chapters. Today’s passage is in the last chapter and Paul ends his letter with some personal messages and final words. He calls two members of the Philippian church by name, asking them to settle their disagreements (v.1-3), and he exhorts the church as a whole to rejoice (v.4, the theme of the letter), be gentle (v.5), turn anxiety to prayer (v.6-7), discipline their thoughts (v.8), and practise what they have learnt and received (v.9).
Materials: None.
Activity:
❖ Lead the members to play “Say the Colour, Not the Word” game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AELLnt02Wo
❖ Discuss these points:
❖ 1) The right way of practice - Why do we find it difficult to play this game? Because we are used to matching words with colours. That’s the correct way all along. Now this game is teaching us the “wrong” way, but if we do it often enough, we will master it. But is it the outcome we want?
❖ 2) Perfection is an unreasonable goal - We can keep practising this game, but we will never get perfection, because once we change the combination of words and colours, our mind needs to retune again. But yes, we can progress with PRACTICE.
❖ The saying “practice makes perfect” contains some truth. Musicians or athletes will say that the only way to master a musical instrument or a sport is by lots and lots of correct practice.
❖ In today’s passage, Paul calls us to put our faith into practice.
❖ Alternative: If you do not have the Internet, discuss the following:
❖ There is an English saying, “Practice makes perfect.” Do you think this saying is true? Why or why not? (Let your members give their opinions and discuss whether the saying is true.)
❖ Some criticisms of the saying which may come up are:
➢ If you keep practicing doing something the wrong way, you’re forming bad habits. So it isn’t simply practice that helps you improve, but the right or correct practice itself.
➢ Perfection is an unreasonable and impossible goal. So some people prefer to say, “practice makes progress.”
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: Why did Paul tell Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2)? How can we apply this instruction in our lives?
A: These two women had worked together with Paul to spread the gospel when he was in Philippi (v.3). They must’ve have a conflict or sharp disagreement that was so serious that news of it reached Paul, resulting in him writing this.
Conflict and disagreement are things that we are likely to face, even in the BB Company itself. Paul’s instruction reminds us to prioritise the things that unite us because as Christians, we serve and follow the same Jesus. Though we may disagree on the details of how things should be done, in the big picture we want the same things for Jesus to be glorified.
Keeping that big picture in mind helps us to stay calm during conflict, to communicate clearly and work through disagreements without letting negativity and hostility take over, and to continue working together even though we may not always agree.
2. Q: Paul gave the Philippians some instructions regarding emotions like joy, gentleness, and peace. Which do you need to work on? How will you do so?
A: Give your members time to reflect and then share their answers. Below are some thoughts about cultivating these heart-attitudes.
Joy - Read 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. Remember that difficult situations are temporary (“light and momentary troubles”) and in Jesus we have unending joy (“an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”). Our present may not be joyful, but we can trust that all will be well. So we focus on Jesus (“fix our eyes”) and hold on to joy.
Gentleness - Learn to pause before responding. Our immediate reaction to people and situations is often too brash and strong, and may even be hurtful. To be gentler, stop and think before speaking or acting.
Peace – Paul teaches us to turn every anxiety into prayer. Worried about your exams? Pray. Concerned about a friend making bad choices? Pray. Whatever troubles you, turn it into prayer, and God promises you His peace.
3. Q: What does Paul tell the Philippians to focus their thoughts on (Philippians 4:8)? Consider a favourite song or movie. Does it meet this criteria?
A: Paul instructs us to think about things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
You may use a current example, like the trending song APT., by Rosé and Bruno Mars. It’s incredibly catchy and is played everywhere. But if you analyse the lyrics, it's about a woman soliciting sex from a man. If he’s interested, he can meet her at the APT (apartment). This song is about sexual promiscuity, and not something I would want myself, my wife, my son, or my daughter singing and dancing to.
Expect some objections from members, like, “It’s just for fun, don’t be so serious lah!” or, “Wah, like that cannot listen to any songs or watch any movies lor!” Explain that it is a personal decision to discipline themselves in what they read, watch, listen to, and think about – in order to glorify God.
For example, I personally don’t watch horror movies because it glorifies evil things. To me, they don’t pass the Philippians 4:8 test. But I don’t have the right to command others to stop as it isn’t a clear-cut moral truth. Every Christian has to consider for themselves where to draw the line in terms of media consumption. Encourage your members to think about it and make some decisions.
Conclusion:
❖ Today, we’ve talked about disciplining ourselves in terms of our relationships in conflict, our emotions, attitudes, mental input and focus.
❖ Now that we know these things, we need to translate them into action so that it doesn’t just remain as head knowledge. Paul wrote in v.9, “put it into practice”!
❖ As you do your best to discipline yourself, remember also what the devotion said – “We’re never practicing in our own power.” We depend on God’s grace and the help of the Holy Spirit. So don’t be discouraged if you face setbacks. Persevere!
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 5: Feeding Ourselves
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to read and apply God’s Word on our own, learning to discern good from evil and feed ourselves spiritually.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Hebrews 5:12-6:2.
❖ Context: The book of Hebrews does not name its author, but the most likely candidates are Apollos and Barnabas. It was written to Christians of Jewish descent, to convince them that Jesus is greater than everything else in Judaism, such as angels, Moses, the Old Testament priesthood and the old covenant. Before today’s passage, the author described Jesus as the Great High Priest (4:14-5:10). In today’s passage, he writes that he would like to explain more, but his readers aren’t ready because they’re still taking in the basic teachings and are unable to move on to higher-level stuff.
❖ Materials: Food.
Activity:
❖ Prepare some simple food for your members to eat – pizzas or instant cup noodles.
❖ Welcome your members to eat, with one condition: They can’t feed themselves!
❖ Alternative: ���� If done online or at home, ask a parent or sibling to feed them from one arm’s length, just to make it fun and difficult.
❖ Debrief:
➢ How was your experience of feeding others and being fed? (Awkward, difficult, fun, inconvenient, etc.)
➢ Can you imagine not being able to feed yourself and having to depend on others like a baby?
❖ In today’s passage, we are told that it’s time to learn to feed ourselves spiritual “solid food” rather than depending on others to feed us spiritual “milk”.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: In the Bible passage, what do the metaphors of “milk” and “solid food” refer to?
A: “Milk” refers to the basic foundations of our faith, like “elementary truths of God’s Word” (5:12) and “elementary teachings about Christ” (6:1). Examples include salvation by grace, a free gift paid for by Jesus’ death, that isn’t dependent on our good works. This a basic belief of Christianity that is different from other religions who prescribe a set of rules to attain salvation.
“Solid food” refers to “the teaching about righteousness” (5:13) and consistent practice in differentiating good and evil. Before moving onto “solid food”, Christians should have a proper understanding of grace, or they will either become too frivolous (doing whatever they want because forgiveness is guaranteed) or too legalistic (thinking that being a good Christian is all about following a set of rules).
2. Q: How can we prepare ourselves to move on from spiritual “milk” to “solid food”?
A: Consistently learn to differentiate good and evil. In other words, God’s Word must not remain as head knowledge only but put into practice. That's how we grow strong and mature enough to handle more difficult biblical teachings about righteousness, which are “solid food”.
3. Q: What are considered “elementary teachings”? Do you need to learn more about them before you’ll be ready for “solid food”?
A: Repentance from sins, faith in God, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment are listed as “elementary teachings.”
(i) Repentance from sins involves turning away from our wrong actions, thoughts, and attitudes and turning toward God instead.
(ii) Faith in God begins with believing that He exists (Hebrews 11:6). If your members struggle with this, they can read apologetics and moral arguments for God’s existence such as https://www.reasonablefaith.org. With this basic belief, faith should develop into understanding and experience of His reality.
(iii) Baptism is the most likely meaning of “instruction about cleaning rites” (6:2). Encourage members who are sure of their faith but have not been baptised to do so, and to talk to a church youth counsellor or pastor.
(iv) Laying on of hands was used in the Old Testament to commission priests and leaders (Numbers 8:10). In the New Testament, it was done for healing (Matthew 9:18); blessing (Matthew 19:13–15); and imparting the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17). Members may experience this by laying hands on a friend to pray.
(v) Resurrection from the dead will happen when Jesus comes again (John 5:28-29). The Christian concept of the afterlife is that we won’t be floating around like ethereal spirits but have new, imperishable, spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
(vi) Eternal judgment will also happen when Jesus comes again, and all will stand before the Great White Throne of the Lamb (Revelation 20:11-15). As Christians, we need not fear this final judgment because if we believe in Jesus, we can be sure that our names are written in the Book of Life.
Conclusion:
This may be an opportune moment to ask your members whether they are sure of their eternal destination. If not, you may pray the Sinner’s Prayer with them, so they too have nothing to fear when Judgment Day comes:
Admit that they are sinners, Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose again to pay the penalty for their sins, and Confess Him as their Lord and Saviour.
❖ Today, we’re five days into our 40-day challenge. Hopefully, you are having a good time, getting into the Word and sharing life with one another.
❖ While it’s good to have the support of a Christian community, we also need to mature, be able to feed ourselves spiritually, feed others and help them along the way.
❖ Beyond these 40 days, discipline yourself to read the Bible on your own and apply its truths in your life. Let these 40 days be a kick-start for you to go on feeding yourself after it’s over.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 6: Called to Grow
Lesson/Learning Objective: To personally experience God’s glory and goodness, grow in Christlikeness, and receive assurance of salvation.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 2 Peter 1:3-9.
❖ Context: For the context of 2 Peter 1:3-9, see Day 1.
❖ Materials: Laptop, tablet, or phone with internet.
Activity:
❖ Watch this short video about an interesting animal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vJ7vH9iYvQ (turn on subtitles if you wish)
❖ Today’s devotional article uses the sea squirt, an animal that eats its own brain, as a negative example of how not to grow.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: How has God called us (2 Peter 1:3)?
A: He has called us by His glory and goodness.
God’s glory refers to the radiance and beauty of His character; and the immeasurable worth of who He is. It’s something we have to experience for ourselves and is difficult to define. One metaphor is that God’s glory shines like the sun (Revelation 21:23). We need the sun; without its light, we can’t live nor see.
Similarly, we were created for God’s glory (Isaiah 43:7). Without His glory, we would not even exist. Yet the sun’s heat can burn or blind us if we're too exposed to it. In the same way, God’s glory is so immense that if we were fully exposed to it, we would die (Exodus 33:18-20).
God’s goodness refers to His moral perfection; He is righteous in everything He does (Psalm 92:15). His goodness is often paired with mercy (1 Chronicles 16:34) for He perseveres in loving us even though we deserve punishment. Like God’s glory, it’s something we must “taste and see” (Psalm 34:8) to know His goodness.
2. Q: In Day 1, we chose one Christlike quality to grow in: faith, goodness, knowledge, selfcontrol, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. How has your progress been?
A: Give each member a chance to share their struggles and victories in developing these
Christlike qualities, and how their growth in those areas has impacted their effectiveness and productivity. Rejoice with those who have had breakthroughs, and encourage those who are finding it difficult to move forward.
3. Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how sure are you of your salvation? How can you confirm this with greater certainty (1:10-11)?
A: Let every member share about their level of confidence. Some may be very sure, some unsure. Ask those who rated 9 or 10 why they’re so confident. You can also remind nonChristian members about the “A-B-C” prayer from Day 5. If they’re ready and willing, pray with them to invite Jesus into their hearts.
For Christian members who are unsure of their status, remind them of 1 John 5:12, “Whoever has the Son has life.” Assure them that Jesus has promised to dwell with anyone who opens the door for Him (Revelation 3:20).
Beyond that, today’s passage and article encourage us to keep growing in Christlikeness, and to enjoy exploring the vast ocean of God’s goodness. As they do so, worries about the question, “Am I really saved?” will fade away.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage every member to continue getting to know God better, experiencing His goodness and glory and growing in Christlikeness.
❖ Commend those who are making progress in disciplining themselves to develop faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
❖ For those who are struggling, remind them that growth is a slow process.
➢ When you see a child every day, you don’t notice them growing… then to your surprise, one day you realise they’ve grown as tall as you!
➢ Similarly, spiritual growth may be slow. You may feel frustrated and feel like you’re not growing at all. But just persevere, and one day you will be surprised at how much you’ve grown!
❖ Call those who are unsure of their salvation to put their trust and faith in Jesus. Assure them again that with Him, they can be sure that they have eternal life.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 7: A Disciplined Life in God
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to run the race of faith with focus and intentionality, overcoming natural desires and instincts.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
❖ Context: See Day 2.
❖ Materials: A4 papers, scissors, cellophane tape, colour pencils or magic markers.
Activity:
❖ Give each member two sheets of A4 paper.
❖ Give them 5-10 minutes to design, make, and decorate a crown.
❖ Once they’re done, everyone votes for the best crown.
❖ Debrief:
➢ Well done, everyone, for making these crowns! But how long do you think they will last?
➢ They’re just made of paper. Imagine if they get rained on or burnt. 100 years from now, what are the chances that ______’s (insert winner’s name) crown will still be around?
❖ In today’s passage, Paul encourages us to discipline ourselves and run the race of faith well to win a crown that lasts forever.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions: 1. Q: What does it mean to “Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24)?
A: It means to try our hardest, to give our best effort, to be focused and disciplined, and to never give up.
Sadly, some Christians don’t live their lives this way. They just drift along, attending Church because their friends and family are there, following cultural norms around them without really thinking about what they believe and why they believe it. To them, being a Christian is more like a relaxing stroll in a park than a gruelling footrace.
This sentence calls us to step up our game, not to take things easy or rest on the laurels of past spiritual achievements; but to press on and keep improving, to stay focused and disciplined, to give our 100% in running after Jesus. Do your members need to undergo this paradigm shift in their own Christian lives?
For non-Christian members, what is the prize in your life that you are running for? Of course, we hope that one day, you will also choose Jesus as your ultimate prize, for
nothing can fulfil you like He does. Nevertheless, whatever the goal that you are aiming for – excellent exam results, a place in a hard-to-get university course, a lucrative career, a harmonious family, or other things – give it your best effort.
2. Q: Speaking of running competitions and strict training, (1 Corinthians 9:25), which aspect of spiritual training have you been working on since Day 2’s devotional? Share your progress and your experiences.
A: The three aspects of “strict training” we talked about on Day 2 were: Filtering media input into our lives with the Philippians 4:8 test; regularly taking in God’s Word; and doing our best to consistently live out and practise it.
Give each member a chance to share how they’ve been doing with their spiritual training. Encourage them to keep going strong. In doing so, they will surely “develop and grow in moral character,” and “become loyal and responsible citizens” as per BB values (www.bbmalaysia.org/our-values).
3. Q: What does Paul mean by, “I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave” (1 Corinthians 9:27)?
A: It does not mean that Paul physically hurt himself. It means that he overcame his natural desires and instincts.
For example, dieting does not come naturally for most people. We would rather enjoy sweets and junk food than wholesome, nutritious food. Exercise is the same. After running a few metres, our muscles are burning, we’re gasping for breath, and we feel like giving up. To discipline ourselves to diet and exercise, we have to overcome our natural inclination to shy away from these kinds of unpleasant things.
Similarly, spiritual discipline does not come naturally to us. We prefer to watch and listen to whatever we like, rather than submit our choices to Christ’s Lordship. We’d rather read a storybook or listen to an interesting podcast than the Bible or a sermon. We’d rather look out for our own interests than the interests of others (contra Philippians 2:4). So in order to do these things, we have to conquer and overcome our natural desires and instincts.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage every member to continue to discipline and train themselves to run the race of faith well.
❖ Lead your members in worship with this song, which speaks of persevering in running the race of faith until we see Jesus face to face - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OqAsRbAlMg
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 8: Prayer Marathon
Lesson/Learning Objective: To consider God’s calling for their lives and respond positively to it.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-28.
❖ Context: The books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written by Paul. He founded the Thessalonian church around 51 AD and he wrote this first letter to them in the year 51 or 52 AD, a few months after leaving them. He wrote to strengthen their faith and correct their misconception that Jesus would come again immediately, before they or their loved ones passed away. Today’s passage is in the final section of the letter, which instructs them on how they should live as they wait for Jesus’ second coming. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to choose joy, prayer, and thankfulness (v.16-18).
❖ Materials: Pen and paper.
Activity:
❖ Ask your members to list down the things they’re joyful about and feel sad about on a piece of paper. Give every member an opportunity to share.
❖ Sometimes, we might remember bad experiences more than joyful things.
❖ In this activity, we want to learn to be thankful for both joyful and bad experiences.
❖ In today’s passage, Paul tells us to “Rejoice always,” and “give thanks in all circumstances,” not only when everything is going well!
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: Paul tells us to “Rejoice always,” (v.16) and “give thanks in all circumstances” (v.18). How can we do this?
A: The secret to rejoice always amidst sadness, and thankful amidst hardship is found in the verse sandwiched between 16 and 18: “Pray continually” (v.17). To maintain joy and gratitude, we need to focus on God. No matter how our feelings or circumstances may change, His goodness, love and truth are constant, firm, and as unchanging as bedrock.
2. Q: Why did Paul ask the Thessalonians to pray for him (v.25)?
A: Paul believed (and so do we, as Christians today) that prayer makes a difference; that God hears our prayers and answers us, and that interceding for others before His throne is a worthwhile endeavour.
In this letter, Paul didn’t give many details about how they should support him in prayer. But in his second letter, Paul asked them to pray that the gospel will spread quickly and be wellreceived, and that he and his fellow-workers would be delivered from evil people (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
Just as Paul called the Thessalonians to pray for him, we too should uphold our pastors, fulltime ministry workers, and church leaders in prayer. In the context of the BB, Christian members should support their Captain, Officers, NCO’s, Officers’ Council, Squad Leaders etc. in prayer.
3. Q: Let’s have quiet time to pray individually with God as a way of starting a persistent prayer life.
A: Give your members a moment of quiet time to pray, reflecting on prayer points in their hearts such as: What are you grateful for or joyful about this week? Ask them to think of leaders or authorities in their BB company, school, and church that they can pray for. You can also play soft, quiet background music as the teenagers pray.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage your members to discipline themselves in doing these practical things which Paul advises the Thessalonians to do.
❖ If you would like to end with a song, this is an old song which puts 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to music: (851) Kids Song - Rejoice Evermore - YouTube
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 9: Always Pray and Don’t Give Up
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to persevere in prayer.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Luke 18:1-8.
❖ Context: The gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ public ministry, which is roughly divided into the three phases of obscurity, popularity and rejection. Today’s reading is in the middle of the rejection phase, which leads up to Passion Week. Before Luke 18, Jesus spoke about how sudden and unexpected His second coming would be in Luke 17:20-37. It is in this context that He tells the parable of the persistent widow, teaching His disciples something they would need to practice as they awaited His second coming – perseverance in prayer and trust in God’s goodness and justice.
❖ Materials: Three mineral water bottles, six rubber bands.
Activity:
❖ Put three mineral water bottles on the floor. From one metre away, throw a rubber band so that it goes around the bottle. Limit each person to six tries; the aim is to get a rubber band around all three bottles.
❖ Debrief:
➢ How many of you got a rubber band around all three bottles? (Ask for a show of hands.) Well done!
➢ Did you manage to do it on the first try? (If your members are normal human beings, no one will have gotten it on the first try.)
➢ How many tries did it take to score? (An estimate will do)
❖ When you didn’t score at first, you didn’t give up. You persevered and kept trying.
❖ In today’s passage, Jesus tells us that we need to have that kind of perseverant discipline and attitude in our prayer life.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: In what ways is the unjust judge in the parable similar and dissimilar to God (Luke 18: 28)?
A: The judge was in a position of power and authority over the widow. Similarly, God is in the position of ultimate power and authority over us.
The judge refused to respond to the widow’s pleas for justice. Similarly, at times we may feel like God isn’t answering our prayers.
The judge was not a good man; he neither reverenced God nor respected social norms. God, however, is good and is the source of all good things (James 1:17).
In the end, the judge responded to the widow out of selfishness to protect himself. God’s answer to our prayers, even when He says, “No”, is motivated by love for us and is for our own good.
2. Q: How does the parable of the persistent widow encourage us to persevere in prayer (Luke 18: 6-8)?
A: God is good and He loves us. Unlike the widow and the unjust judge, we don’t have to persuade Him, convince Him, or wear Him down. But just as she persevered and eventually received justice, we too can persevere knowing that we will eventually receive an answer to our prayers. Sometimes God doesn’t say, “Yes,” but “No,” or “Wait.” Despite that, we can continue to trust that He is in control and that He has our best interests at heart. Our knowledge of His love enables us to persevere in prayer without giving in to fear, worry or discouragement until Jesus comes again.
3. Q: What are some practical ways we can persevere in prayer?
A: Listen to your members’ answers and accept those which make sense and are helpful. You may bring up some suggestions like:
(i) Set aside daily prayer time. Consistency as part of your schedule will help you to persevere. If you don’t know what to pray, follow the acronym CATS:
C – Confession. Admit your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness.
A – Adoration. Worship God for who He is to you.
T – Thanksgiving. Thank God for what He’s done for you.
S – Supplication. Ask God for things that you want or need, and pray for others.
(ii) Use Scripture to pray. For example, after reading Luke 18:1-8 today, pray something like, “Dear God, Jesus said that You will bring about justice for your chosen ones, and You will see that they get justice. I pray that your justice will be done in ________.” Fill in the blank with any injustices you’re aware of; amongst friends, in school, in Malaysia or the world.
(iii) Keep a prayer journal. Write down the situations and people you pray for. Once a week, read through the entries and if the Spirit moves you to, persevere in prayer for those still unanswered. When there is an answer, record it as well. Seeing God answer your prayers will encourage you to continue persevering.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage your members to discipline themselves to persevere in prayer, putting Question 3’s discussion into practice.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 10: On Our Hearts
Lesson/Learning Objective: To discipline ourselves to remember and obey God’s Word.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9.
❖ Context: Deuteronomy contains Moses’ retelling of the Law that God gave His people at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20-30). In today’s reading, Moses concluded his summary, then proclaimed the Shema, the Jewish declaration of faith. After that, he boiled down the essence of the law into loving God with our entire being. Moses then instructed them to keep God’s commandments on their hearts, pass them on to their children, and make them an integral part of their daily lives so that they will always remember and obey them.
❖ Materials: Bibles; if you decide to do the creative activity, A4 papers, scissors, cellophane tape or staplers, and artwork stationery.
Activity:
❖ Ask your members to pair up.
❖ In pairs, take turns to memorise and recite Deuteronomy 6:4-5 to each other. The aim is to recite it word-perfectly without looking at it.
❖ After 5 minutes, choose 3 or 4 volunteers to recite it in front of the whole group.
❖ Encourage those who have not yet managed to keep working on it on their own.
❖ If you have time, give them some A4 papers, cellophane tape or staplers and let them use their creativity to design headbands and bracelets with the words of Deuteronomy 6:4 and 5.
➢ For bracelets, you may shorten the verses to “the LORD is One” and “Love the LORD your God”.
➢ You may move this activity to the “Conclusion” if more appropriate.
❖ If you are doing this devotional individually, memorise and recite the verses on your own and feel free to make a headband and bracelet too.
❖ What we’ve done in today’s activity is a direct application of the verses in today’s reading. Let’s read it together!
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: Why were the Israelites to obey God’s law (Deuteronomy 6:2-3)?
A: So that they would fear the Lord, enjoy long lives full of wellbeing, and experience great personal and national growth.
Sometimes when we think of God’s commandments and laws, we think of God like a strict policeman, waiting to zap us if we break one of his rules. But the reasons given for obedience here reveal a very different picture of God. He did not give us the law to restrict us and confine us, but to help us live lives full of true freedom, joy, wellbeing, and growth.
And the greatest benefit of obeying His law is the privilege of having a personal relationship with Him, being able to know and revere the almighty Creator of our vast, wonderful, beautiful, complex universe. (Note: To “fear the Lord” does not mean to feel scared of or terrorised by Him, but to worship Him with reverent awe)
2. Q: What can you learn about God from the verses you memorised (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)?
A: Verse 4 – God is One. This means that He alone is God; there is no one like Him. Everything and everyone else are created, bound by time and space, imperfect, and dependent on external causes for existence. But God alone is the Creator, is eternal, transcends time and space, perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient.
Verse 5 – God is worthy of our love. He is worthy of our total allegiance, worthy to be the focal point of all our feelings, desires, thoughts, and efforts. The Israelites experienced His love, for He sent Moses to rescue them out of slavery to the Egyptians. We too have experienced His love, for He sent Jesus to rescue us.
3. Q: How can we hold God’s commandments in our hearts and make them a part of our daily lives (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)?
A:
(i) We can memorise God’s Word, as we did in the Activity earlier. Then, we can meditate on it. Allow it to transform our mind, change our ways of thinking, ways of seeing the world, and ways of interpreting our experiences; and to modify our deeplyheld attitudes and values.
(ii) We can talk about God’s Word with our family members and friends. As a son or daughter, you could also share with your parents the things you are learning about God. As a teenager, you can give back to your parents, encourage them spiritually, minister to them, and be a blessing to them.
If you are from a non-Christian family, sharing what God is doing in your life can sow God’s truth and love in their hearts. Moses encouraged the Israelites to have deep, meaningful conversations about God at every opportunity - sitting, walking, lying down, and getting up.
(iii) We can use reminders to help us remember God’s commandments. Remember the WWJD wristbands and P.U.S.H. slogan from the 90’s? They stand for “What Would Jesus Do?” and “Pray Until Something Happens”. The headbands and bracelets we made today may not last, but we can use other reminders to act in Christlike ways, and turn our anxieties into prayer.
(iv) We can write Bible verses on sticky notes. Place them on laptop screens or mirrors etc. Every time we see them, we’re reminded of God’s truths. Moses told the Israelites to tie and write God’s commandments on their hands, foreheads, door frames, and gates. It is up to your members’ creativity on how and where to place reminders of God’s words in their lives.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage your members to discipline themselves to memorise God’s Word, meditate on it, talk about it with friends and family, and put reminders in place to help them recall it.
❖ Close in prayer.
