September 7th - Small Group Guide
Small Group Guide
This Week’s Focus: Whatever Is Noble
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
- “Thoughts are like trains; they take you somewhere.” – Kevin Gerald
- Share about a time when your thoughts—positive or negative—led you somewhere.
- Ask: How do you typically redirect your thoughts when they become negative?
Word Focus: What Is Noble
Definition: From the Greek semna — “honorable, dignified, principled, steady, hard-to-rattle.”
- What comes to mind when you hear the word noble?
- Share examples of noble people you admire — fictional, historical, personal, or biblical.
Bible Exploration – Daniel’s Nobility
Choose Principles over Popularity
“They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” – Daniel 6:4
“He went home to his upstairs room … and three times a day … prayed, giving thanks to God, just as he had done before.” – Daniel 6:10
- What pressures in today’s culture make it hard to stand by godly principles?
- How do you stay steady when following Jesus isn’t popular?
Strengthen Your Spiritual Core
“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” – 1 Timothy 4:7b NASB
“In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice…” – Romans 12:1
- What spiritual disciplines help you stay grounded?
Adopt an ‘I Don’t Have to Survive’ Attitude
“If I perish, I perish.” – Esther 4:16b
“… the God we serve is able to deliver us … But even if he does not, … we will not serve your gods.” – Daniel 3:18
- What does it look like to trust God with a “no matter what” attitude?
- Can you share a time when you had to surrender control and trust God with the outcome?
Looking to Jesus – The Ultimate Example
“When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.” – 1 Peter 2:23
- How does Jesus’ example of humility and strength inspire you to live nobly?
- In what areas of your life is God calling you to respond with dignity instead of defensiveness?
- Which of Daniel’s three choices challenges you most right now?
- How can you intentionally replace negative thought patterns with noble, God-honoring thoughts this week?
Practical Challenge:
- Choose one daily practice to keep your mind fixed on what is noble—e.g., journaling gratitude, meditating on Scripture, or speaking encouragement to someone else.