Know Yourself That You May Know God

1 Samuel 17:1-51

Resources:

A number of people have put me on Malcolm Gladwell's new book entitled "David and Goliath" which is all about the famous story in 1 Samuel 17. Turns out his take on David and Goliath parallels mine. I would encourage you to have a listenp prior to your House Church.

Here's the link David and Goliath

In his book David and Goliath Malcolm Gladwell talks about 44 U.S. Presidents, including George Washington and Barack Obama, who lost their fathers when they were young.  In his book "David and Goliath", Gladwell explores the possibility that people who are faced with a major disadvantage can use it to propel them to heights they otherwise would not have achieved.  I think you'd love it.

Here's where to find it. Order Book on Amazon

Things to Ponder: As a Leader before your House Church gathers.

Description of the Imposter taken from the book "Abba's Child"

by Brennan Manning

"Imposters are preoccuppied with acceptance and approval. Because of their suffocating need to please others, they cannot say no with the same confidence with which they say yes. And so they overextend themselves in people, projects, and causes, motivated not by personal committment but by fear of not living up to other's expectations" (page 30).

"To be codependent is to be out of touch with one's feelings, needs and desires. The imposter is the classic codependent. To gain acceptance and approval, the false self suppresses or camouflages feelings, making emotional honesty impossible. Living out of a false self creates a compulsive desire to present a perfect image to the public so that everybody will admire us and nobody will know us. The imposter's life becomes a perpetual roller-coaster ride of elation and depression" (31).

"The imposter is attentive to the size, shape, and color of the bandages that veil my sense or feelings of nothingness. The false self persuades me to be preoccuppied with my weight...the false self rationalizes my preoccupation with my waistline and overall appearance. What is spiritual ecstasy compared to exquisite pleasure of looking like a model? Cardinal Wolsey said, 'Would that I had served my God the way I have watched my waistline' (pg. 33)!"

"There can only be two basic loves," wrote Augustine, "the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self or the love of self unto the forgetfulness and denial of God." We are given two fundamental options - either for the shadow self ruled by egocentric desires or for the true self hidden with Christ in God (pg. 34).

Share: Personally share as a HC Facilitator how the sermon spoke to you; or how any of these quotes speak to you.

Review: Read portions of or summarize story of David & Goliath (1 Sam. 17).

Questions:

1) Can you give examples from your own life where you have overcome obstacles/giants of family of origin, misguided people of authority, and your own internal giants in order to embrace more of your true self who God created you to be?

2) In what ways, or in what situations are you tempted (and often succumb) to the pressure to "wear Saul's armour" rather than rest in who God made you to be (simply bring your slingshot into battle)? We all listen to internal voices of the imposter telling us that we have to look a certain way, be a certain way, present a certain way, in order to be successful, appreciated, beautiful, admired etc.

3) David felled the giant with one smooth stone. What does throwing your stone of repentance look like? Remember, repentance is a change of heart  and mind around something. A 180 degree turn. Sometimes this 180 degree turn is quick, sometimes it seems like turning around an aircraft carrier. How do we begin to repent around our Imposter?

Pray