Book Study - Session #2, Feb. 3, 2026

Topic: Chapter 5, Why

Kingdom Secret: The overarching objective of God for Christians is to “Clear the Way” for His second coming.

Discussion:

• Why is this “Clearing the Way” important to God?
• Are we as ready for His second coming as He needs/wants us to be? How do we clear the way for ourselves? For others? 

Scripture References:

“… but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” (Luke 7:30 ESV)

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. (Luke 12:35-37 ESV)

Topic: Chapter 7, Fig Trees

Kingdom Secret:  Prayer is the secret to bearing fruit. 

Discussion:

• What is prayer?
• What good is it?
• Can we negotiate with God?
• How do we learn to pray effectively?

Scripture Reference:

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:13-16 ESV)

Topic: Chapter 9, Fear Yes

Kingdom Secret:  A healthy fear of God requires a belief in a God that is personal. 

Discussion:

• What does it mean to fear God?
• How do we fear God?

Scripture Reference:

Blessed is everyone who fearsthe Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. (Psalms 128:1-4 ESV)

Topic: Chapter 10, Praise Really

Kingdom Secret:  We are commanded by God to love God. We are created to praise what we love as the completion of that love. So, no praise, no love.

Discussion:  

• Why does God want to be praised?
• How do we do it? 

Scripture References:

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. (Psalms 105:1-2 NIV)