For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lessons,
consult the Explore the Bible leader guide or commentary.
Make sure each learner has his or her own Explore the Bible learner
guide.
Choose to Obey (Gen. 12:1-4)
Read the excerpt from Created to Be God’s
Friend by Henry Blackaby:
Abram’s obedience to God in leaving Ur did something
special in his relationship with God. God had His heart set on Abram, and
Abram now had his heart set on obedience to God. God saw his obedience and
his heart, and immediately established a covenant with him. This is one of
the most holy and sensitive moments, revealed by God, in all of Scripture.
It is so fundamental and basic to anyone’s walk with God, especially from
God’s perspective! God’s people are a people not of “vision” but of
revelation (that is, what God reveals of His will). God now opens His Heart
to Abram, to reveal what is on the Heart of God. Though Abram did not fully
understand it, it was very simple and very real. But it could be understood
only by experience—one day at a time and one step of faith at a time.
Source: Blackaby, Henry (1999).
Created to Be God’s Friend, p. 54.
Read Genesis 12:1-4 and ask:
What was
special about God’s call of Abram and his subsequent obedience?
How did this
occur through God’s revelation as opposed to Abram’s vision?
How are you
walking in what God has called you to do?
What blessings
have you experienced because of obedience to that call?
Choose to Worship (Gen. 12:5-9)
Ask learners to read Genesis 12:5-9 and ask:
How was God
present in Abram’s worship?
What actions
did Abram take to worship the Lord?
Why is it
significant that Abram kept building altars in the places where he met
God?
What alters do
you need to build so you will remember God's work in your own life?
Read the following article from Discipleship
Journal:
Remember His Deeds
In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to
commemorate the ways they saw Him at work. They built altars (Gen. 12:7),
held yearly festivals (Ex. 12:42, 13:8–9), and recounted God's faithfulness
from generation to generation.
I often have my small groups read passages illustrating
these acts of worship. Then we brainstorm ways we can commemorate how God is
working among us. One group decided to create a "worship wall." They covered
a wall in our meeting room with paper so they could write down ways they'd
seen God at work (you could use poster board if you don't have a whole wall
available). Another group made a "God Box." In it, they placed items
representing how they'd seen God at work, such as a fork to commemorate
God's provision of food in a particular situation.
Each of these projects visibly reminded us that God was
indeed at work and encouraged us to remember His faithfulness.
What are ways
you see God at work that inspire you to worship Him?
What items
would you put in a “God Box” to remind you of God’s work in your life?
Choose to Avoid Sinful Influences (Gen. 13:8-13)
After reading Genesis 13:8-13, read the following article about why
birds of a feather flock together:
Simple science governs herd mentality: Study
illustrates the power of 'little guys' with a goal
Bees do it. Birds do it. So do fish and wildebeests. They
are all able to gracefully flock or swarm in a particular direction even
though not every member of the group knows where they are going.
Even human beings will tend to follow each other with a
herd mentality — say, out of a crowded theater. New research provides some
surprising insight into what's going on, including a group penchant for
democratic decisions.
"Groups of animals move purposefully, yet often only
relatively few individuals have pertinent information as to where to
travel," said Iain Couzin of the University of Oxford.
Biologists have
often wondered if there is some complex communication that goes on between
the informed and the uninformed. But Couzin and his collaborators have shown
in simulations that a simple set of behavioral rules can control a group.
"There’s no explicit signaling in our model," Couzin told
LiveScience. "No one is saying, ‘I know something – come follow
me.’"
The only requirement seems to be a balance between a need
to stay in the group and a desire on the part of some to go off in their own
preferred direction. These goal-oriented individuals look just like their
naïve colleagues.
"No inherent differences — genetic or otherwise, such as
dominance or body size— need to be invoked to explain leadership," Couzin
said.
The fact that the followers in the simulation have no way
to recognize who is leading them may explain how animals efficiently move in
crowded environments, where they can only see their nearest neighbors.
Source: Schirber, Michael (2005,
February 8).Simple science governs herd mentality: Study illustrates the
power of 'little guys' with a goal. Retrieved December 31, 2007 from
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6934951/.
Ask:
What factors in the animal world cause the herd
mentality?
Why should the environment have been an important part of
Lot’s choice of land?
Instead, what factors drove his decision?
Read the line from the
article—“Animals efficiently move in crowded environments, where they
can only see their nearest neighbors"—and ask what difference it might have
made for Lot if he had followed the example Abram had set for him throughout
his life.
Remind learners that our choices tremendously influence how our lives
will unfold. Close with prayer.
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EXTRA! Weekly Supplemental Teaching Plans
Adult
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life EXTRA
January 13, 2008
Breakthrough in Forgiveness
Dana Armstrong
Psalm 32:1-11
Before the Session
For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lesson,
consult any of the Bible Studies for Life leader guides or
commentaries.
Make sure each learner has his or her own learner guide.
Psalm 32:1-2
Enlist a volunteer to read Psalm 32:1-2.
Ask: What is the difference between happiness and joy?
Write the following information on the board or on chart paper:
Happiness
Is unsteady.
Covers up
discouragement.
Is
temporary and dependent on what happens.
Joy
Is
steady as long as we trust God.
Defeats discouragement.
Is
lasting and independent of circumstances.
Is
a by-product of God's forgiveness.
Read and discuss the following article:
Find the Keys to Joy in God's Word
Happiness is based on circumstances: getting good grades, making the
team, not having a big zit on the first day of school. Unfortunately, all
those things can change pretty quickly, which means happiness isn’t always
long-lasting. Joy, on the other hand, can hang around regardless of the
circumstances.
The Bible is full of people who were challenged to rejoice in spite of
difficult situations: famine (Hab. 3:17-18); persecution (Acts 5:41);
imprisonment (Acts 16:23-25); poverty (2 Cor. 6:10); and trials (1 Pet.
4:12-13). I’d rather have a huge zit than be in the middle of those
circumstances! What was the source of their joy?
I see evidence of it in some girls at my church. First, there’s Christie.
Whenever I see her, she has a smile on her face and a light in her eyes.
Sometimes, that’s hard for me to believe because I know what she’s been
experiencing.
Christie’s mom recently died after a 15-year battle with cancer. When I
asked Christie about the source of her joy, her answer was pretty simple.
“My mom was sick for a long time,” she said. “I had to learn that God is
always in control no matter what. He had a plan, and I needed to trust Him.
He is the only constant I can count on, and His joy is something I can
always draw from.”
Christie believes the joy Christians seek comes through a daily reliance
on God through prayer and the Bible. She also has made wise choices about
the people who surround her, and that has made a difference in her life.
“They encourage me in my walk with the Lord because of their positive
outlook on life,” Christie said.
The other girl, Renee, was recently diagnosed with depression, yet she
has an attitude much like Christie’s. I asked Renee how she managed it. She
reached into her purse and handed me a little packet of verses she keeps
with her all the time.
“When I start to feel sad, I read these verses,” Renee told me. “They
remind me that God is in control no matter what I’m going through or how I’m
feeling.”
The verses she carries contain principles that will work for anyone
looking to discover joy in his or her Christian journey. Here are just a few
of them:
John 15:5, 9-12 — Stay Connected to Jesus
Jesus was all about living the abundant, joyful life. In John 10:10, He
said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” He was
talking about right now, right here—regardless of circumstances. Tapping
into His joy means staying connected to Him through His Word, through
prayer, through church, and through Christian friends.
Psalm 51:12 — Make a “Spiritual Joy List”
Spend some time playing “Remember When” with God. Let Him remind you of
all He has done for you, starting with your salvation. Ask Him to help you
remember times when you had joy in your life and why you had it. Just like
my kids with their happy lists, it will be hard for you to remain unjoyful
when you focus on how much God loves you.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 3:2 — See the
Big “Heavenly” Picture
Have you noticed your joy tends to diminish when you focus on what is
happening around you? Train yourself to focus on God and all He is doing –
things you might not even be able to see or begin to understand. He will
give you a new perspective on things, and it will result in an attitude
adjustment in your life.
Renee just might be onto something. Maybe you could create your own
packet of “joyful” verses. Pull them out whenever you find your joy fading
and meditate on the truths contained in them. Psalm 19:8 promises that God’s
Word gives joy to the heart.
Source: Sallee, Carol. Find the Keys to Joy in God's
Word. Retrieved December 31, from
www.lifeway.com.
Say: It is our human nature to pursue that which will make us
happy, but happiness can be elusive or temporary. Real joy does not come from
circumstances but from God.
Psalm 32:3-7
Read Psalm 32:3-7 and read the excerpt about Jouko
Ahola:
Jouko "Jokke" Ahola is regarded as
one of the strongest men in the world. In fact, he holds the world's record
for lifting the heaviest Atlas stone sphere over 3.5 feet onto a barrel. The
stone weighed 474 lbs. In addition, he once carried a small car (978 lbs)
more than 90 feet!
Say: The weight Ahola is able to carry pales
in comparison with the weight we carry when we do not confess our sins. Only God
can lift the burden of sin. We must confess, which is seeing sin as God sees it,
and repent , which is turning away from sin.
Read the following article:
The Effects of Guilt
When we sin and refuse to come to Christ for forgiveness, our guilt may
express itself in a number of different ways. For instance, before David
repented of the terrible sins of adultery and murder, he experienced
physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish. In Psalm 32:3-4, describing how
his guilt affected him, he wrote these words:
When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long
[emotional]. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me [spiritual]; my
vitality was turned into the drought of summer [physical].
Here are some ways we may be affected by guilt.
1. Physical. Unresolved guilt may affect us physically. It
usually manifests itself in one of these ways:
listlessness
imagined sickness
real illness
headaches, stomach disorders, vague pains
exhaustion
If we try to run from our guilt, immersing ourselves in work
or turning to sin in reckless abandon, we will pay a price. Eventually our
bodies will force us to slow down.
2. Emotional. Psychologists and counselors see these
emotional effects of guilt:
depression
anger
self-pity
feelings of inadequacy
denial of responsibility
3. Spiritual. Unresolved guilt may have the following
spiritual effects on us:
a sense of alienation from God
inability to pray
reduced fellowship with believers
no feeling of joy
inability to read the Bible
4. Relational. A lack of forgiveness will have an impact on
our relationships with others in these ways:
irritability
blaming others
withdrawal
profuse apologies
inability to relax
self-justification
refusal to accept compliments
outbursts of temper
David's entire life was affected by his guilt. It touched him
physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. But he cried out to
God, found the assurance of forgiveness, and was able to enjoy life
again-damaged but hopeful.
Would David have been more honorable not to seek God's
forgiveness? Would he have been more respectful of his victim's survivors to
refuse any mercy? Would self-condemnation and suicide have been a more noble
course of action?
Only if there is no life beyond the grave. Only if the rest of
us were not sinners. Only if a forgiven person has nothing to offer. Only if
God doesn't love us enough to long for our restoration. But as the
Scriptures show, God loves sinners.
Say: Unresolved guilt can weigh
heavily on us, even affecting us physically and emotionally. There are times
when we have asked for God's forgiveness, but we still feel guilty. We must
always remember that God is eager to forgive. There is no reason to live in
guilt when we have confessed, repented, and turned away from sin.
Psalm 32:8-11
Read Psalm 32:8-11.
Ask:
What lies do
people tell themselves about their sins?
What causes
hesitation when it comes to us confessing our sins?
Read the
following excerpt from The Herschel Hobbs Commentary for Winter
2007-2008, page 73.
After David's double sins of adultery and murder, he went
for several months without confessing his sins to God. During that time he
was miserable; his soul felt the drought of a hot, dry summer without the
presence of the Lord--the source of David's life and joy. Finally David
confessed his sins, and the Lord forgave his sins, transgressions, and
iniquities. David described this experience in terms of having these evils
forgiven (taken away), covered, and not held against him. This was a blessed
and joyful experience. David counseled others to be quick to seek divine
forgiveness, for God alone meets their needs.
Say: Our growing, maturing relationship with God is cyclical.
Because of God's faithful love, He offers us forgiveness. We must turn from our
sins and choose to trust in the Lord instead of following our own ways. When we
trust and obey the Lord, we find ourselves in the depths of His faithful love.
