The Importance of Unity: Week 1

Day 1: I Peter 2:1-5,9,10.
What is God's purposes for His people? How is the church essential to this?

Day 2: John 17:20-26.
How important is unity among God's people to Jesus? Why?

Day 3: Ephesians 4:1-3
What is the exhortation here? What is necessary to maintain unity? How would you evaluate yourself in this?

Day 4: Philippians 2:1-4
How is unity defined here? What is necessary on the part of each member in order to have unity?

Day 5: I Corinthians 1:10-15.
How well were the Corinthians doing with respect to unity? What was their problem? Could this be a danger to you?

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Conflict is to be Expected: Week 2
Day 1: Acts 6:1-7
Why was there conflict? How was it resolved? What was the result (v. 7)?

Day 2: Acts 11:1-3,15-18.
Why was there conflict here? How did Peter address it? What was the result?

Day 3: Acts 15:1-11:
Why was there conflict in this situation? How was it addressed? What was the result (vs. 22,25)?

Day 4: Acts 15:36-40:
Why did the conflict arise? How was it addressed? Is it appropriate at times for Christians to part company?

Day 5: Galatians 2:11-16.
What was the conflict? How was it addressed? What was required of Peter to resolve the conflict (as he seems to have done)?

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Conflict and Unity (Conflict can be bad - Divisive): Week 3
Day 1: Galatians 5:15,19,20,26
What are some of the negative things listed here that can result from conflict?

Day 2: I Corinthians 3:1-6,16,17
What was the effect of conflict in the church at Corinth? What was the cause of this? What is the warning ("you" in vs. 16 refers to the church, not individuals)?

Day 3: I Corinthians 6:1-7
How was divisiveness in the church manifesting itself here? Is this possible today? What are other ways divisiveness can manifest itself?

Day 4: I Corinthians 11:17-19, 27-34
How was divisiveness in the church manifested here? What were the consequences?

Day 5: Ephesians 6:10-12
How does Satan try to deceive us in the midst of conflict? Have you ever fell prey to his deceptions?

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The Devil Uses Divisive People: Week 4
Day 1: 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 13-15
How did Satan use divisive people in trying to turn the church against Paul?

Day 2: James 4:1-6
What does the devil use inside of people in order to try to destroy the church? Is the church in danger from such people today?

Day 3: James 3:5-12
What is characteristic of these types of divisive persons? Are such characteristics always obvious?

Day 4: Romans 16:17-18
What kind of men does the devil use? Why is Paul so harsh in his command to the church regarding these men?

Day 5: 2 Timothy 2:14-18, 3:1-5
How will the devil's agents camouflage their ungodliness?
Who will recognize them? Do you?

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Remedies for Conflict: Week 5
Day 1: Matthew 5:23-24
If you have hurt someone, what is your responsibility? Have you ever taken this step? What was the result? How does that affect you presently? Should it?

Day 2: Matthew 7:1-5
When a conflict erupts, what is the first thing you should do?
Practically how does one do this? Did you do this the last time you found yourself in a conflict?

Day 3: Matthew 18:15-20
What are you to do when you see a Christian sin? What should be your motive? What should you do before you go to him/her (see day 2)?

Day 4: Matthew 18:21-27
What is this part of the parable picturing? Does the slave deserve to be forgiven?

Day 5: Matthew 18:28-35
How did the slave act after he was forgiven? Why should he have forgiven his fellow slave (vs.33)? What is the lesson for someone who has been hurt by another? Does this mean that the victim should not approach the villain?

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Personal Growth in Conflict: Week 6
Day 1: Matthew 7:1-5
How can conflict be used to reveal things about ourselves? Why is this important for growth?

Day 2: Luke 6:27-31
How does God want us to treat those who hurt us? How do you respond when you are hurt? Why is this so hard?

Day 3: Matthew 15:11,15-20
What is God concerned about? How does conflict offer an opportunity to see what fills the heart?

Day 4: John 15:9-17
What is it that Jesus wants to fill our hearts? Where does this kind of love come from?

Day 5: Ephesians 3:14-21
For what does Paul pray for the Ephesians? How would Paul pray for you? Are you praying this way for others (especially those who hurt you)?

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Conflict in the Home: Week 7
Day 1: Genesis 25:21-28
Do you recognize the seeds of conflict here? Who will the conflict be between?

Day 2: Genesis 25:29-34

What is the problem here? How do both brothers fail? What do you suppose will be the result of this incident?

Day 3: Genesis 25:34,35
What was the result of unresolved conflict between Esau and his parents?

Day 4: Genesis 27:1-18
Who is at fault here for the coming conflict?

Day 5: Genesis 27:41-45
Jacob succeeds in stealing the blessing. What is the result? Who's fault was all this calamity?

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Conflict in the Home (cont.): Week 8
Day 1: Genesis 25:21-28
Do you recognize the seeds of conflict here? Who will the conflict be between?

Day 2: Genesis 25:29-34
What is the problem here? How do both brothers fail? What do you suppose will be the result of this incident?

Day 3: Genesis 25:34,35
What was the result of unresolved conflict between Esau and his parents?

Day 4: Genesis 27:1-18
Who is at fault here for the coming conflict?

Day 5: Genesis 27:41-45
Jacob succeeds in stealing the blessing. What is the result? Who's fault was all this calamity?

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Studies in Proverbs: Week 9
Proverbs has many wise sayings regarding strife and harmony. We will look at these over the next two weeks

Day 1: Proverbs 10:11,12
How does the mouth promote strife or harmony? Which is your tendency? Why? (Cf. 11:20)

Day 2: Proverbs 11:11
Do your words usually build up or tear down? What may be the result of continually tearing down? (Cf. 11:29)

Day 3: Proverbs 12:18; 13:3
What are the consequences of rash words?

Day 4: Proverbs 15:1,2
What are some good strategies to disarm heated conflict which is destructive? How should we approach someone who has hurt us?

Day 5: Proverbs 15:18; 20:3
Which describes you? How can you avoid loosing your temper?

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Studies in Proverbs (cont.): Week 10
Day 1: Proverbs 16:24,27,28
What are the consequences of good words? Hurtful ones?

Day 2: Proverbs 17:9,19,20
What are the consequences of our words?

Day 3: Proverbs 20:19; 22:10
What should be our response to gossips? How dangerous is gossip?

Day 4: Proverbs 26:20-28
What are the consequences of gossip?

Day 5: Proverbs 29:8,20,22
What are the consequences of being an angry man? How is he described?