Anorexic Men and Their Bulimic Cousins

1. Anorexic Men and Their Bulimic Cousins Chapter Five

2. Introductory Comments • Admitting That, a Lot of Times, We Don’t Want to Read Our Bibles. • Thousands of Christian men have spiritual anorexia, and that is why they are ineffective in leading their families. What is spiritual anorexia? “Spiritual anorexia is an aversion to reading the Scripture (p.108).”

3. Discuss • Deuteronomy 32:46-47, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. For it is not an idle word for you; indeed, it is your life.” • Because that is true, why don’t we read our bible more than we do?

4. Discuss • On a scale of 1 to ten, on being “very little desire” and 10 being “a great deal of desire” where, honestly, would you rate yourself in your desire to study and know God’s Word? • If you rated yourself low share why you feel that way. What would it take to move you closer to a ten? • If you rated yourself higher share any experiences that have increased your desire to learn His Word.

5. Reading the Bible is a daily decision. • Reread the bottom of page 110 and 111. We can be strong in our commitment to read god’s Word and have been at it a long time, but each of us still fights the temptation to skip it. Discuss these questions with one another • What activities tempt you away from spending time in God’s Word? • What helps you overcome that temptation and stay on course? • What practical advice can you offer one another that will help you be more consistent?

6. God’s Word Gives Us the Perspective We Need • This chapter gives us three important things God’s Word does in our lives (p. 111) • Reminds us there is a God who rules the affairs of our lives • Reminds us of what is true • Reinforces our convictions • Looking at this list discuss these questions: • Of these 3, which do you need to be reminded of the most? Why? • In which of these areas do you most often have a head-on collision with the world? Why? • Which of these give you the greatest comfort, encouragement, and stability during tough times?

7. Realizing We Don’t Want to Apply Scripture to Our Lives • “Spiritually speaking, bulimia is the inconsistent reading or hearing of the Word without personal application (p. 112-113). Being hearers and doers of the Word means our “…goal is to go from (spiritual) ignorance to knowledge to obedience (p. 114)”. • What’s the biggest challenge you face in applying the scriptural truth more consistently?

8. Realizing We Don’t Want to Apply Scripture to Our Lives • Ignorance to knowledge to obedience is the implicational process we must go through with Scripture. Which of those steps is hardest for you? Why? • Think about some of the successes you’ve had in applying scriptural truth. What did you learn from those experiences that can help you now? • Think about some of the failures you’ve had in applying Scripture. Again, what did you learn that can help you be more consistent?

9. Meditation Is the Key to Anorexia and Bulimia • “The righteous man is not anorexic. He delights in getting clear direction from the Word of God, and this divine direction gives him satisfaction…Meditation is to the soul what digestion is to the body. That is, meditation is spiritual digestion (p. 115)” • What are some of the differences between reading and meditation on Scripture?

10. If We Are Anorexic or Bulimic, We Don’t Have to Lose Heart • The Key is to become a spiritual self starter. Here are some ways to do that. • Read the Bible in a year • Listen to the Bible during commute or workout • Memorize • Get involved in Bible Studies • Form a small group accountability • Are there items of spiritual growth that you would like the group to keep you accountable on?

11. What it takes to Be an Oak of Righteousness • Reread pages 121-123 (“When my dad was…but there are no guarantees.”) • Have you ever known a man like Steve’s dad? What impact did he have on your life? • “Only when a tree is fallen can you take the measure of it. It is the same with a man (p. 124).” Discuss the truth of that statement. • Here’s a challenge for you. If you want to leave the same kind of legacy for your children that Steve’s dad did for him, sign the following commitment sheet and have someone in the group act as a witness.

12. Before God, my family, and the guys in my group, I want to make a rock-solid commitment to being a man of God’s Word for the rest of my life. To do that, I will _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Signed _________________________________________________________ Witnessed by____________________________________________________ Date___________________________________________________________