Discipleship Part II: Growing Deeper as Disciples Week 3 Accountability Disciples who are growing, serving and reaching out to others so that they become disciples. Page 0
ACCOUNTABILITY Day One BLAMING OTHERS When we start talking about accountability it quickly becomes an interesting topic. There is personal accountability, group accountability, professional accountability and many other forms of accountability. Each of these topics could be unpacked. For example, personal accountability could be broken down into attitudinal accountability, behavioral accountability, financial accountability, physical accountability and many more areas. Accountability is when we are responsible to someone or responsible for something. Accountability is being answerable. The world in which we are currently living does not like accountability. It likes to do whatever it wants to do, whenever it wants to, and however it wants to do it. As Christians, accountability is very important. This week we are going to examine various aspects of it. One of the first breakdowns of not being accountable is when we stop looking at ourselves and we focus on others. When we can point out the weaknesses and mistakes of others we do not have to deal with our own. From the beginning of creation, people started blaming each other. 1. Adam blamed Eve. Genesis 3:12 There are times when we have been hurt and there may have been a lesson that we should have learned. Unfortunately, if we only blame someone else then we may miss a valuable lesson that God wanted us to learn. It is easier to blame someone than to learn. 2. Cain was mad at Abel when he should have learned a lesson. Genesis 4:9 Others may give us reasons to blame them. Others may supply us with validation to stop looking at our personal accountability and shift the ownership to them. For example, when one is being a jerk we may justify being a jerk back to them because they started it. Even if someone deserves to be blamed no one wins when blame takes place. Page 1
3. Joseph definitely offended his father and brothers. Genesis 37:11 When we blame others we are approaching the situation completely wrong. When we blame someone or something we are missing the core issue. There are times when we blame a current event for our troubles and wish that we were back in the good, old days. The good, old days were not as good as we remember them because there were problems then as well. 4. The Israelites were missing out on being delivered. Exodus 16:3 Many times we are pressured into doing something we do not want to do or pressured out of something that we want to do. When we are pressured it is very easy to place the blame on those who are pressuring us instead of breaking down the real issue. 5. When we are pressured, let s make sure we know why we are doing or not doing what we should do or should not do. Matthew 27:24 Instead of blaming one another what could happen if we decided to help one another as we learned from each other? We would see many more incredible things take place. When we seek not to find fault but to find how we can overcome we will all come out better. Let s be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. 6. If we work together, greater things can happen. Ecclesiastes 4:9 When we blame each other we are missing out on the strengths that each other possess. When we blame each other we are slowing down the process of success. Blame creates barriers. Blames causes breakdowns. Blame facilitates bad feelings. Let us extend grace instead of blame. Page 2
7. True accountability does not blame but builds up. Romans 14:13 Be honest. Are you blaming someone for something? Have you been hurt in the past and instead of moving into the future you are stuck in a present of pain? When we blame others or the circumstances that we find ourselves in, we are missing out on growth, joy, and what God has in store for us. Is there someone or something that you have been blaming that you need to turn over to God? What key point are you taking from this lesson? How are you going to apply that to your life? Write out the first twenty-seven books of the Bible three times Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel Page 3
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Write out the Memory verse three times. Genesis 50:20 - You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. As you pray, begin with at least one statement that acknowledges how big God is and one statement on something you are thankful for today. Page 5
ACCOUNTABILITY Day Two GIVING AN ACCOUNT To be accountable means that we are going to answer to God. Every person alive, every person that has ever lived, or every person who will live, will one day stand before God and give an answer for what he/she did with what he/she was given. Have we always been the perfect stewards over everything? Absolutely not and that is a major reason why we celebrate God s amazing grace. Even though we may not have always been a perfect steward have we and are we learning more and more about being what God expects of us? 1. We will give an account. Romans 14:12 There are those who think that they may be getting away with some things. They may rationalize that what others do not know will not hurt them. We may be able to fool people. We may pull the wool over the eyes of those on earth but we need to understand that God knows everything. God is omniscient which means all knowing. Even if people think we are great when it comes to accountability, God knows the facts. 2. God knows everything. Hebrews 4:13 When we are in a relationship with God it is a personal one. We are individually connecting with God. We are communing with Him. There may have been times when we have not been as accountable as we could have because we were focusing on others. We have been measuring our accountability to God by what we have seen from others. 3. God is asking for personal accountability since we have a personal relationship. Matthew 16:15 Page 6
A beautiful aspect of accountability is that of a reward. When we have faithfully been accountable, there is a reward. If we have taken care of something that reward may be that we can enjoy it longer. When we have truly been accountable to God the reward is a deeper relationship with Him. 4. God loves to reward His children. Jeremiah 17:10 We are all going to be judged by God. He is the ultimate Judge. He is the ultimate decision maker. We will be judged or accountable by our faithfulness. We will not be able to stand before God and say, I didn t know about something when He knows that we knew about it. Let us live in a manner that when we face God s judgment we will be found true. 5. God will judge us. 1 Peter 4:5 There are those who will be more accountable than others. It is those who are in leadership of God s Church. Those whom God has placed in positions of responsibility have a heavy load. Many may want the authority of leadership without the responsibility but it does not work that way. If we are in leadership, we are more accountable. 6. God expects much of leaders. James 3:1 We also may be more accountable if God has given us more. We have not been blessed because we deserved it. We have been blessed so that we can bless others. We do not have what we have so that we hoard it. We have what we have so that others can come closer to God. Accountability understands it is not accidental or coincidental that we have what we have. We have been entrusted with what we have for a reason. Page 7
7. We really do have so much. Luke 12:48 What key point are you taking from this lesson? How are you going to apply that to your life? Write out the first twenty-seven books of the Bible three times Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel G E L N D J Ju R 1st S Page 8
2nd S 1st K 2nd K 1st C 2nd C E N E J P Pr E S I J L E D Write out the Memory verse three times. Genesis 50:20 - You intended to me, but God intended it for to accomplish what is now being done, the of many lives. Page 9
As you pray, begin with at least one statement that acknowledges how big God is and one statement on something you are thankful for today. Page 10
RESPONSIBILITY TO EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABILITY Day Three A large component of accountability is responsibility. As Christians we are responsible to each other. We are not responsible for each other. There is a gigantic difference between being responsible to and responsible for. We are not responsible or accountable for what another person does but we are responsible to what we have done to teach or help them. If we feel we are responsible for others then we are allowing them to manipulate us or we have tried to take over control of them when that is not possible. When we are responsible to others we can measure and know if we have done everything that could have been done. 1. When we are responsible to each other there can be growth. Proverbs 27:17 God very clearly outlines our accountability to others. We are to help them. We are to teach them. We are to model Christ to them. We are to be the influencers the salt and the light. But if we are afraid of offending someone and we don t do anything we will be accountable to God for that lack of action. 2. God expects us to hold each other accountable. Ezekiel 33:8,9 When we are responsible to each other it can be a blessing. When we realize how others have been responsible to us it is easier to us to want to help them. When we have understood how others have made a difference in our lives we want to be there for them as well. 3. Thomas understood what Jesus had done for them. John 11:16 Page 11
We are responsible for teaching and warning each other. Scripture plainly instructs us to learn from each other. We are not isolated islands simply floating around aimlessly. We are to be growing towards Christ together. We are also supposed to warn each other. We are to have each other s back and step up when a brother or sister is possibly about to go down the wrong path. 4. We are to teach and admonish each other. Colossians 3:16 We are also responsible to each other to restore one another. If a person is doing something that he/she should not be doing we are to point that out to him/her. Then we are to work together to ensure that the person does not fall back into that snare. Restoration is crucial for us as Christians. None of us is perfect but when we are working together uplifting each other we can all grow deeper in Christ. 5. We are responsible to restore one another. Galatians 6:1 It is not easy to point out where someone else is struggling. We may feel that we are judging or going to come off as if we are better than them. The fact is that if we truly love someone we will say hard things to them. If we truly love someone than we will be more concerned about the bigger picture than a minor inconvenience. We really do need to encourage and hold each other accountable. 6. We have a responsibility to encourage. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 There will be those among us who just don t get it. We will always have weaker brothers and sisters in our midst. We will do the right thing and it will be taken the wrong way. We will be Biblical and there will be those who may not be able to understand the big picture. We are not released from our responsibility of holding each other accountable but it may not be received by all. Page 12
7. There will be those who are weaker among us. Romans 15:1 It is not always easy to hold others accountable. It is not always easy to say the tough things. It will not always be well received. We are to speak the truth to each other in love. If we do not do our part then what could happen to someone? They could be hurt terribly because we did not step up. Is there anyone that we need to speak to concerning something they are doing or not doing? What is holding us back? Are we speaking with pure hearts out of pure concern for them? We are responsible to do what is right. What key point are you taking from this lesson? How are you going to apply that to your life? Page 13
Write out the first twenty-seven books of the Bible four times Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel G E L N D J Ju R 1st S 2nd S 1st K 2nd K 1st C 2nd C E N E J P Pr E Page 14
S I J L E D Write out the Memory verse four times. Genesis 50:20 - You to me, but God intended it for to what is now being, the of many lives. As you pray, begin with at least one statement that acknowledges how big God is and one statement on something you are thankful for today. Page 15
ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR WORDS ACCOUNTABILITY Day Four One of the biggest areas that most people need to work on being accountable is words. Our words can build up and encourage and our words can tear down and discourage. Words are not simple sound waves vibrating from our mouths. Words make a difference. Words have a far greater impact than we can ever begin to know. Words can rob and destroy. Words can add and enhance. When kind words are spoken they can lift a depressed and discouraged person out of a hole of despair. When negative words are spoken we can feel as if we are a balloon that has just been punctured and we are slowly having our life drained from us. 1. Words have an incredible power. Proverbs 18:21 Our words also tell a great deal about us. If our words are positive that can indicate that we are optimistic and can encourage people. If our words are negative that may mean that we are pessimistic and may discourage people. The words that come out of our mouths are directly connected to our walk with God. 2. Our words come from our heart. Matthew 15:18 There are times when we absent mindedly do not think about the words we are using. There are those who feel that God may not really care about our words. Our words can be a reflection about God. God hears every word that we speak and knows our heart behind those words. Page 16
3. We will be accountable for what we say. Matthew 12:36,37 Just as love can be seen, it can also be heard. If our words do not match our relationship with Christ we may have to ask ourselves hard questions. If we are saying that we trust God but then we worry incessantly we have to be honest. If we are talking one way on Sunday but then not on Monday we may have to examine our relationship with God. 4. Our words tell how deep our walk with God may be. James 1:26 When our words are directed to and by God we will draw closer to Him. When our words glorify God we will draw closer to Him. We can use our words in ways that help us to know more of God. Our words can honor God. 5. Our words can bless God. Psalm 19:14 We need to be consistent with our words. If we say one thing in one situation and turn around and say contradictory words in another situation we are double minded which is not good. We need to be forthright and honest in every place to every person in every situation. There may be times when using our words with integrity is not easy but we need to stand firm. 6. Let s not double talk. James 5:12 Page 17
There are times when the best words are no words. There are times when it is best to remain silent. Of course there are times when we need to speak up and voice the truth but there are many times when we do not enhance the situation with our words. Let s remember our mother s advice if you can t say anything nice, don t say anything at all. 7. Sometimes it s best not to say anything. Proverbs 17:28 Our words are more important than we may realize. We don t have to use our words in poor ways. No one can make us say anything that we should not say. We need to take responsibility and be accountable for our words. Have our words ever got us into trouble? Let s be honest and admit if we need to work on our words. Do we need to use our words to make anything right? What key point are you taking from this lesson? How are you going to apply that to your life? Page 18
Write out the first twenty-seven books of the Bible five times Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel G E L N D J Ju R 1st S 2nd S 1st K 2nd K 1st C 2nd C E N E J P Pr E S Page 19
I J L E D Write out the Memory verse five times. Genesis 50:20 - You to me, but God it for to what is now being, the of many. As you pray, begin with at least one statement that acknowledges how big God is and one statement on something you are thankful for today. Page 20
ACCOUNTABILITY Day Five ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH It is imperative for us to understand that we are accountable for our personal spiritual growth. Others may help us and teach us but we have to be willing to receive their help and instruction. It is easy to blame others for our lack of spiritual growth. It is easy to become frustrated because we may feel like we are always in the valley instead of having mountain peak experiences. If we are not growing spiritually we have to ask ourselves some hard questions. Sometimes we are not growing spiritually because we are not where we should be with the Lord. Maybe we are being spiritually lazy or even disobedient. If we are not doing our part, we will not grow. 1. David sabotaged himself. 2 Samuel 11:1 There may be times we are not growing spiritual because we are not working on our own growth but everyone else s growth. We can see the areas that others need to work on but we don t see our own areas. The first person that we need to work on spiritual growth is ourselves. If we are not doing well ourselves can we really help anyone else? 2. Let s make sure we are taking care of ourselves first. Matthew 7:5 God expects different things of different people. To those who are less spiritually mature, God may not require as challenging as jobs. We are all on different spiritual levels. There are those who have walked faithfully with God and more is expected of them. There are those who have not walked that long with God and He is in the process of shaping them. But wherever we are at with God, when we know to do something we need to do it. 3. If we know to do something we need to do it. Page 21
James 4:17 God will hold us accountable for our spiritual growth. If we are intentionally and purposefully seeking to know more of Him we will know more of Him. If we are not being faithful or consistent in seeking God than we cannot be surprised if we are not encountering Him. God gives to those who ask. God reveals Himself to those who seek Him. 4. When we work on spiritual growth, we will be rewarded. Revelation 2:23 We can even grow spiritually when we are going through rough times. The Bible is full of examples of both men and women who grew closer to God when their circumstances were terrible. Throughout the pages of scripture we see people trusting more, depending more, and knowing more of God because they ran to Him when it was tough instead of running away from Him. 5. We can even grow spiritually when life is beating us up. James 1:2 We can grow spiritually in any and every situation. We alone are accountable for our spiritual growth. When we understand this fact and turn to God and open ourselves up for Him to work in us, we will grow. When we are honest and real with God about where we are at spiritually and we possess a true desire to know more of Him, He will come through for us. God is at His strongest when we are at our weakest. 6. It is when we can t that God absolutely can. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Page 22
Let us be intentional about our spiritual growth. It will not just automatically happen. We are not just going to wake up one day as spiritual superstars. We have to be diligent with our accountability for spiritual growth. 7. We have to have a plan to grow spiritually. Luke 14:28 We are accountable for our personal spiritual growth. What are we doing to grow spiritually? What areas do we need to work on so that we can grow spiritually? Write down a specific accountability plan so that you can draw nearer to God. What key point are you taking from this lesson? Page 23
How are you going to apply that to your life? Write out the first twenty-seven books of the Bible seven times Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel G E L N D J Ju R 1st S 2nd S 1st K 2nd K 1st C 2nd C E N E Page 24
J P Pr E S I J L E D Write out the Memory verse seven times. Genesis 50:20 - You to me, but it for to what is being, the of. Page 25
As you pray, begin with at least one statement that acknowledges how big God is and one statement on something you are thankful for today. Page 26
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