Taught the weekend of Dec 28th - 29th

SIMPLE STEPS TO SOLVING LIFE'S PROBLEMS

NEGATIVE RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS

1. Avoiding the problem. Pretending that it isn’t there.

a. It’s like when a small child wants to play hide and go seek. They run and sit in the corner and cover their eyes. “If I can’t see me, then you can’t either!”

2. Talk, talk, talking to everyone about it. What usually happens when you do this?

3. Whining about it. “Poor me, look what happened!”

a. If you fall in the pigpen with mud and manure, is sitting and whining about it going to change anything?

10 STEPS TO VICTORY

[First, read the story in 2 Chronicles 20 about King Jehoshaphat’s situation.]

1. Identify and classify the problem.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:1–2—The Moabites and the Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.

b. Do we really have a problem? Is it ours or someone else’s?

c. Collect the facts.

d. Classify. Is this a natural, emotional, physical, social, or spiritual problem?

e. Find the source of the problem.

f. Don’t falsely accuse or blame God. He wants you to have “life to the full” (John 10:10).

2. Seek the Lord.

1. 2 Chronicles 20:3–5—Jehoshaphat fasted and sought the Lord.
2. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

3. Pray and apply biblical principles.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:6–12—Jehoshaphat’s prayer.

b. Prayer unlocks God’s potential.

4. Stand in faith.

1. 2 Chronicles 20:9, 20—Jehoshaphat declares his faith.
2. [Read Ephesians 6:13–20.]
3. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We live by faith, not by sight.”
4. Accept the situation with the eye of faith. Don’t live in denial.

5. Focus on the answer, not the problem.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:12—We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.

b. Romans 4:17 talks about “the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”

c. Control your thoughts: Philippians 4:6; II Corinthians 10:5

d. Don’t allow your mind to play the “what would happen if” game.

e. Control your words.

6. Put your problem in perspective.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:15,—Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the big army. The battle is God’s!

b. Think about it. The God who created the heavens and the earth is the same God who is on your side.

c. How does your problem compare to God’s ability and resources?

7. Pursue God’s wisdom and plan.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:16–­17: “Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz.”

b. Most of the time our response hinders the situation instead of helping.

c. God’s plan will lead you out of the jaws of defeat and into victory.

8. Cast all your cares upon Him.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:18 says, “Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down to worship before the Lord.”

b. You can rest in Him when you worship Him.

c. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

d. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

9. Take the necessary natural steps.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:20—“Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa.”

b. Were they afraid? You bet! But they would have never seen victory unless they took action.

c. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

10. Look for the blessings.

a. 2 Chronicles 20:25 says, “So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.”

b. I believe God not only wants to get you through your problem, but to bless you in the process!

Taught the weekend of Dec 13th - 14th

Core Scripture: Isaiah 40:12-15

Memory Verse:
Matthew 19:26 (NIV) "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' "

Discussion Questions:

1. When you think of God, what are some of the adjectives that come into your mind to describe him? Name the first three that come to mind. Have you experienced God as any one of those things in your life? Do you think of God as mighty? Why or why not?
   
2. Why do you think it is so hard for us to see God as both a helpless baby and a Mighty God? When the prophet Isaiah told the people of Israel what to expect in their Savior, how do you think they responded to hearing He was a Mighty God?
   
3. What are some ways that you need God to be "mighty" in your life? Are there things that you are afraid He can't handle? What are they?
   
4. What kind of "messes" in your life do you need Him to work in the middle of?
   

Bottom Line:
In your journey to understand who God is and what our role is as we relate to Him, we have to try to get our head around every aspect of Him. When we see the helpless form of a baby this Christmas, we need to learn to see Him at the same time as mighty and as big as He is too. And when we learn to do that, we can be confident that He is able and willing to work through the messes we have in our lives as well. He can handle it. Whatever it is that any one of us is going through, we can't afford to ever forget that He is a mighty God.

Taught the weekend of Dec 6th -7th

Subject: Wonderful Counselor
Core Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6 (NKJ) “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Memory Verse: Hebrews 13:5b (AMP) “..for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)!”
Discussion Questions:

1. When Isaiah prophesied about Jesus coming to earth, God gave him names to use to describe who Jesus was going to be for his people and for us. If you could pick four names to use to describe who you need Jesus to be, what would they be? Why? Share them with the group.

2. Who are you tempted to go to, or where are you tempted to go to, to find a counselor or some advice? Do you usually go to your friends? Parents? Why do you think it is easier to go to someone other than Jesus for this?

3. How have you seen Jesus work as a Wonderful Counselor in your life? Share a time when you took a situation to Him, and He showed you the answer you needed.

4. How can you approach Jesus during hard circumstances and see him as a Wonderful Counselor?


Bottom Line: For a lot of people, Christmas is not an easy time of the year. Because of family situations, bad memories or painful experiences, Christmas isn’t always a time of excitement or expectation. This is not a surprise to Jesus, to our Wonderful Counselor, who knows our every experience, hurt, and fear. When we choose to worship Jesus, He does not become a cure all for every problem and make every disappointment disappear. What He does is even better. He offers us himself, as our Wonderful Counselor in the middle of everything. If things are hard this holiday season, if Christmas doesn’t feel like a time to be happy, or feel joy, remember this in the middle of everything you are going through: In every need Jesus can fill you with wonder.