March Book Club Private page
Book Club Study Guide
"In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb: A Call to Boldness"
Preach to Your Soul
- David preached to his own soul constantly — even under threat of murder, he declared God's protection louder than his circumstances
- There will always be a stronghold in your life — the question is whether it's God or something else
- Words carry power (Proverbs 18:21) — speaking God's promises over yourself is a spiritual act, not positive thinking
What have you been preaching to your soul lately — God's truth or your circumstances? What's one promise you could start declaring over yourself today?
Transparent Relationships
- Paul's transparency with the Corinthians — including hard truths — resulted in deeper community, not broken relationships
- Receiving correction without offense is a sign of the Holy Spirit at work — it's a fruit of yielding flesh to God
- Living with eternal perspective makes even our trials worth it when we see others grow
Is there a relationship in your life where more transparency — or more openness to correction — could lead to deeper connection and growth?
Filled with Power
- Micah moved in God's power before Jesus came — how much more should we, with direct access through His blood and the Holy Spirit?
- Speaking boldly must be motivated by love for those oppressed — not self-righteous indignation
- We are not just recipients of grace — we are empowered to act with God's authority and might
Where in your life is God calling you to move in His power — motivated by love, not fear or anger? What would that look like practically?
Our High Priest
- In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies — once a year, with a rope tied to his ankle in case he died
- Jesus tore the veil — the barrier of sin removed — and now we come boldly not by our righteousness but His
- This is not a small upgrade. This is the entire point of the gospel.
Do you actually live like the veil is torn? What would change about how you pray and approach God if you truly believed you had complete freedom and confidence?
Be Like Jesus
- When love is made complete in us, we have confidence even on the day of judgment — that's how transformative real love is
- Being like Jesus means embodying His love, compassion, and truth — selfless, others-first, Father-directed
- Our lives become a living testimony of His grace that draws others to Him
What is one specific way you could demonstrate Jesus' love to someone in your life this week — not in words, but in action?
Until It Is Completed
- God's Word does not return void — when we speak His promises, they carry His power to accomplish His purposes
- We can speak boldly because the outcome doesn't depend on us — it depends on the One who cannot fail
- The good work He started in you is not finished — He is still at work, even when you can't see it
Is there an area of your life where you've stopped believing God is still at work? What promise could you declare over that situation today?
With Great Boldness
- When the early church faced threats, they didn't pray for safety — they prayed for more boldness
- Their confidence came from knowing the power was God's, not theirs — His Word is living and active
- A fitting close to March: every week has pointed here — bold faith is the posture God is calling us into
When opposition comes, do you tend to retreat or lean in? What would it look like to pray for boldness instead of relief — and trust God with the outcome?
The Big Thread This Month
March started with a lion and ends with a lamb — but not a timid one. Every week has been building to this: preach to your soul, speak God's Word over your life, move in His power, approach His throne with confidence, and dare to be bold — not by your strength, but by His.
Tonight's Study
Preach truth to your own soul → then share what God has done this month
Preach to Your Soul
"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?"
- David didn't just feel his way through trials — he preached his way through them. He chose what his soul would hear
- There is always a stronghold in your life — the question is what occupies that position. God as stronghold protects and empowers; anything else enslaves
- This connects to the strong-man passage in Luke 11:21–26 — when God is your stronghold, the enemy has no ground to stand on
- Words carry power (Proverbs 18:21) — preaching to your soul is not positive thinking. It is a spiritual declaration rooted in covenant truth
- Dan Mohler: when we surrender to God, we open ourselves to His protection and strength — enabling us to live victoriously even in the middle of hard circumstances
- This is the practice that ties the whole month together — every week we've learned why we can be bold. March 20 tells us how to keep ourselves bold when circumstances try to talk us out of it
What does your soul hear from you most often — God's truth or the voice of your circumstances? Be honest. What has the inner monologue actually sounded like this month?
What is currently functioning as the stronghold of your life — what are you running to first when things get hard? How does that compare to what David declared in Psalm 27?
What specific promise from God do you need to start preaching to yourself right now? Say it out loud — let's practice together.
Looking back at the whole month of March: what has God been saying to you about boldness? Has anything actually changed in how you live or speak?
What Has God Done?
"They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony."
- Testimonies are not just encouraging stories — they are weapons. Sharing what God has done builds faith in the room and declares His faithfulness out loud
- This is the last book club of March — a whole month of being challenged to be bold. What happened? What did God do?
- There are no small testimonies. Even noticing a shift in how you prayed, or a conversation you had that you wouldn't have had before — that counts
Share one moment from this month where you stepped out in bold faith — even if it felt small. What happened?
What was the hardest devotion this month for you personally — the one that stepped on your toes the most? Why?
Is there anything from the book so far that you have a question about — theologically, practically, or personally? Open floor.
What is the one thing you want to carry out of March into the rest of the year?
Closing the Month
You came to this book club as someone who reads about bold faith. You're leaving as someone who has been practicing it. Keep preaching to your soul. Keep showing up. The same God who emboldened David, filled Peter and John, and shook the room in Acts 4 — He's not done with you yet.
Pray specifically for each person in the group by name — for the bold step they need to take next, and for the promise they are declaring over their life.
Book Club Study Guide
"In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb: A Call to Boldness"
The God Who Hears
- God is not deaf — He hears every cry and responds, even when it doesn't look like we expect
- David's boldness came not from his own strength but from knowing God was with him and listening
- When we calm our anxious thoughts and make room for God's faithfulness, our faith grows stronger
Has there been a time God answered a prayer in an unexpected way? How did it affect your boldness and trust in Him?
Stand Guard
- Vigilance means staying watchful and aware of spiritual dangers — not paranoid, but alert
- Courage is not the absence of fear but the resolve to act in faith despite fear
- Strength comes from relying on God's power, not our own
Where in your life do you most need to "stand guard" right now? What does spiritual vigilance practically look like for you?
Ordinary People
- Peter and John were unschooled and ordinary — their boldness came entirely from time with Jesus
- God uses anyone regardless of background or qualifications — the key is simply spending time with Him
- We don't muster up our own courage — His courage flows through us as a natural result of intimacy
Do you ever disqualify yourself from being used by God? What would change if you believed your time with Jesus was truly enough?
Gospel Power
- Salvation is a deep spiritual transaction — it translates us from slavery in darkness to freedom as God's children
- When we truly grasp the eternal stakes, sharing the gospel stops being optional and becomes urgent
- The gospel story runs from Genesis 3 all the way to Revelation — it's the thread of everything
When did the gospel become real and personal to you? How does remembering your own rescue fuel urgency to share it with others?
Bold Resolve
- Saint Patrick was captured as a slave at 16 — and later chose to return to his captors as a missionary
- His boldness wasn't personality — it was deep trust that God's strength was sufficient for any obstacle
- He faced life-threatening resistance and converted most of a nation — not by might, but by God's power
Is there a situation God is calling you toward that feels too hard in your own strength? What would it look like to rely on His strength instead?
Boldness Despite Culture
- The early church faced Emperor Nero and a sexually idolatrous Roman culture — and proclaimed the gospel anyway
- Sharing the gospel will rarely be convenient or culturally comfortable — that's never been the standard
- Paul's boldness came from intimacy with Jesus, not favorable circumstances
What cultural pressures make sharing your faith feel especially hard right now? How does Paul's example reframe what's actually possible?
We Dared
- Paul and Silas had just been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi — and then dared to keep going anyway
- Being wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove is not an invitation to shrink back — it's a call to prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit
- Obedience to the Spirit in the moment is what real boldness looks like in practice
Has there been a moment when you felt the Holy Spirit nudging you to say or do something bold — and you did it? What happened?
The Big Thread This Week
This week is a masterclass in what bold faith actually looks like in the real world: God hears you, ordinary people are His plan, the gospel is urgent, and it will never be convenient — so dare anyway.
Tonight's Study
- 🎬 Jen booked a movie! She'll be around in April — May dates coming soon, stay tuned!
- 🙏 Please pray for Jen for favor with God and man for a special opportunity this Friday. She'll share more when she can!
The gospel is the most powerful force in existence → and God uses ordinary people to carry it
Gospel Power
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes."
- The gospel isn't just a message — it's the power of God that supernaturally translates people from darkness into His family
- The gospel story runs from Genesis 3 (the fall) all the way to Revelation (full restoration) — it's the thread of everything
- Everyone around us who doesn't know Jesus is headed for eternal separation from God — that reality should create urgency, not paralysis
- Sharing the gospel is not a program or a technique — it starts with remembering what God rescued you from
Walk us through the gospel from Genesis 3 to today — what does that story arc mean to you personally?
Who in your life is far from God right now? Does thinking about their eternity create urgency in you — or does it feel distant and abstract?
What is the biggest thing that holds you back from sharing the gospel? Is it fear of rejection, not knowing what to say, or something else?
Ordinary People
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
- Peter and John had no credentials, no platform, no formal training — just time with Jesus
- Their boldness wasn't a personality trait — it was the natural overflow of intimacy with Him
- Jen is no more important or specially equipped than anyone in this group — we all serve a purpose only we can fulfill
- We don't manufacture courage — we just show up to Jesus, and His courage flows through us
- Operating in authority is a natural byproduct of being filled with the Holy Spirit
Do you ever feel like you're not qualified enough, gifted enough, or together enough to be used by God? Where does that voice come from?
What is the unique purpose — the thing only you can do — that God has placed in your life? Have you been walking in it?
What would it practically look like this week to simply spend more time with Jesus and trust that His courage will follow?
It is never going to be convenient to share our faith. The early church shared the gospel under Emperor Nero. Paul shared it in chains. The standard was never favorable circumstances — it was faithfulness. Most of the time, boldness doesn't look like a street corner sermon. It looks like love. Moving toward people in the opposite spirit of what the world expects — that's the gospel in action.
👀 Preview for May: Moving in the opposite spirit — coming up as its own full theme!
Closing the Circle
You are not too ordinary. The gospel is not too old. And the world around you is not too far gone. God uses regular people who've simply been with Jesus — to carry the most powerful message that has ever existed.
"Who is one person you'll intentionally love toward the gospel this week — and will you let us pray for that person with you right now?"
Book Club Study Guide
"In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb: A Call to Boldness"
Be Filled with the Holy Spirit
- Being born again deposits the Holy Spirit in us — but like chocolate syrup in milk, He can settle at the bottom
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit stirs everything up — transforming plain milk into chocolate milk
- But even chocolate milk separates if left untouched — we need a daily infilling, not just a one-time event
How intentional are you about a daily infilling of the Holy Spirit? What does that practically look like in your life?
Boldness Comes from Intimacy
- If Jesus Himself needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit, how much more do we?
- The early believers' boldness didn't come from personality — it came from intimacy with God
- Surrendering to God's will allows the Spirit to break down barriers and empower us to speak with conviction
Is your boldness rooted in your own confidence or in your closeness with the Holy Spirit? What's the difference in practice?
Fear Is a Spirit
- Fear is not merely an emotion to manage — it's a spirit, and not one from God
- God's gifts are the direct opposite of fear: power, love, and self-discipline
- Note the distinction: the fear of the Lord is holy reverence; the spirit of fear is the enemy's counterfeit
- We have spiritual authority to address and cast out a spirit of fear in Jesus' name
What area of your life might you have unknowingly given over to a spirit of fear? What would it look like to take authority over it?
Pray Like a Bride
- A bride comes to her beloved with trust, confidence, and expectation of good things
- A widow prays from desperation and lack — many of us default to this posture without realizing it
- Confident prayer isn't arrogance — it's deep trust in who God is and what He promises
Do you tend to pray more like a bride or a widow? What would shift in your prayer life if you truly approached God with bride-level confidence?
The Right Words
- Even Paul asked for prayer for the right words — boldness in sharing faith requires divine assistance
- The Holy Spirit knows every person we encounter and can guide conversations organically
- We don't have to manufacture gospel opportunities — we just have to be willing, obedient vessels
Is there someone in your life you've been hesitant to share your faith with? What would it look like to pray for the Holy Spirit to open that door naturally?
Magnify God
- Ten spies saw the giants and shrank; Joshua and Caleb saw the same giants and trusted God anyway
- Courage isn't the absence of giants — it's choosing to magnify God instead of the problem
- What we fix our eyes on determines whether mountains feel insurmountable or moveable
What "giant" are you facing right now? Are you magnifying the problem or magnifying God? What would change if you chose to focus on His faithfulness?
Unashamed
- Jesus' words are both a sober warning and a bold invitation to live with integrity
- Being ashamed of Jesus means shrinking back, hiding faith, or compromising to fit in
- Standing firm honors Him and reflects His love and truth to everyone around us
Where are you most tempted to hide or soften your faith? What would it look like to stand unashamed in that specific context this week?
The Big Thread This Week
This week builds a complete picture of bold faith: stay filled daily, let intimacy produce boldness, reject the spirit of fear, pray with bride-like confidence, trust the Spirit with your words, magnify God over your giants, and stand unashamed. Each day is one more reason why we don't have to shrink.
Tonight's Study
Fear is a spirit you can reject → so come to God with the confidence of a bride
Fear Is a Spirit
"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
- Fear is not just an emotion — it's a spirit, and one that does not come from God
- Notice the exchange: God gives power, love, and self-discipline. Fear is the opposite of all three
- Godly fear vs. evil fear: The fear of the Lord is holy reverence that draws us closer to God — it is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). The spirit of fear is the enemy's counterfeit — it paralyzes, isolates, and drives us away from God
- Mental health struggles may have a spiritual root — and that's not condemnation, it's authority
- We can address the spirit of fear directly, in Jesus' name, and take back that ground
Does reframing fear as a spirit rather than just an emotion change anything for you? What does it feel like to think of it that way?
Have you ever felt judged in a faith community for struggling with fear or anxiety?
Is there a specific area where fear has a foothold? — Romans 14:23 (see also Jan. 4 entry)
Pray Like a Bride
"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
- A bride comes to her beloved with trust, confidence, and the expectation of good things
- A widow prays from desperation and lack — many of us default to this posture without realizing it
- Graham Cooke: "Pray as a bride instead of praying as a widow" — our identity changes everything
- God's throne is described as a throne of grace — we are welcomed, not merely tolerated
- Confident prayer is not arrogance — it is deep trust in God's character and His promises to us
When you pray, which posture feels more natural — bride or widow? Where did that posture come from for you?
The devotion says confidence in prayer is "not arrogance but deep trust." How do you personally tell the difference between bold faith and presumption?
How does March 8 set up March 9? If fear is a spirit you can reject, how does that free you to pray differently — with more confidence and expectation?
Closing the Circle
Fear has no authority over us — God gave us power, love, and a sound mind. And when we know that, we can walk up to His throne not as beggars but as His beloved. That changes everything about how we pray, how we live, and how boldly we face what's ahead.
"What is one area where you'll reject the spirit of fear this week — and will you let us pray for you to walk in that freedom?"
Book Club Study Guide
"In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb: A Call to Boldness"
Whose Approval?
- Living boldly means standing firm in faith even when it contradicts cultural norms
- True boldness is not confrontational — it's rooted in love for God and others
- Love is the fuel for courage: it empowers authentic, selfless living
Where in your life have you been seeking human approval over God's? What would it look like to boldly align that area with His will?
Carpe Diem
- Life on earth is fleeting — eternity is our true home
- Near-death testimonies reframe what we prioritize day-to-day
- Urgency + eternal perspective = boldness to share Jesus now
How does keeping eternity in view change how boldly you live today? What opportunity to share your faith have you been putting off?
Bold
- Cultural pressure has caused the church to retreat — it's time to reclaim boldness
- Lion-like boldness = confidence in God's strength, not our own
- Boldness isn't loud or aggressive — it's courageous truth spoken in love
Has fear of being "canceled" or criticized ever silenced you? How can your identity in Christ free you to be bold without being harsh?
Fully Convinced
- Abraham's faith was bold action — not wishful thinking — even when circumstances said impossible
- Bold faith fixes its eyes on God's Word, not the size of the problem
- "Faith is a life that you live… Faith is an act." — Lester Sumrall
What "barren situation" in your life is calling you to bold, Abraham-style faith? What doubts do you need to silence to move forward?
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
- The Holy Spirit is a Person — not a force — omnipresent, omnipotent, all-knowing
- He is our Counselor, Comforter, and the One who makes boldness possible
- Jesus said it was better for Him to go so the Spirit could come to us
How well do you know the Holy Spirit personally? How might a deeper relationship with Him change how boldly you live and speak?
The Big Thread This Week
Every day this week points to the same call: be bold — not in your own strength, but through love, eternal perspective, God's Word, and the Holy Spirit. Boldness isn't a personality type. It's a posture of faith available to every believer.
Tonight's Study
Life is short & eternity is real → so who empowers us to actually live boldly?
Carpe Diem
"You don't even know if you will be alive tomorrow! For all you are is a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears."
- Life on earth is the beginning — like a baby in the womb, we can't yet grasp eternity's vastness
- When eternity becomes real to us, our daily priorities shift naturally — from bucket lists to kingdom impact
- Urgency isn't anxiety — it's clarity. Knowing life is brief frees us to be bold today
- Paul's posture: forget what's behind, press forward toward the upward call (Philippians 3:13–14)
Has there ever been a moment — a loss, a close call, a near-death story — that suddenly made eternity feel real to you? How did it change how you lived, even temporarily?
What are you spending time and energy on right now that eternity would reframe? What would you do differently if you truly believed life was a mist?
Where does boldness come naturally when you're living with eternal perspective — and where does it still feel hard?
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
- The Holy Spirit is a Person — not a feeling, not a force — omnipresent, omnipotent, all-knowing
- He is our Counselor and Comforter, very real and very active in every believer's life right now
- Jesus said it was better for Him to go so the Spirit could come — that's how important this relationship is
- The early church didn't manufacture boldness — they were filled, and boldness followed (Acts 4:31)
- He transforms from the inside out; boldness is a fruit of closeness with Him, not something we work up
Growing up, how was the Holy Spirit described to you — or was He barely mentioned? How has your understanding of Him shifted over time?
Jesus said it was better that He left so the Spirit could come. Does that surprise you? What does it say about how much God wants to be close to us?
Acts 4:31 links being filled with the Spirit directly to speaking boldly. What might it look like in your daily life to lean into the Spirit for that kind of courage rather than trying to generate it yourself?
Closing the Circle
Life is brief — eternity is certain — and we don't have to muster boldness alone. The same Spirit who shook the room in Acts 4 lives in every person in this group.
"What is one bold thing the Holy Spirit is nudging you toward this week — and will you let us pray for you to actually do it?"