Who Do You Trust?

Jeremiah 17: 5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

• What is wrong with trusting in man?
• If you trust in yourself, what will the result be?

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

• What will happen if you trust in the Lord?
• What does it mean to trust in the Lord?
• Who or what is your trust in?
• What does it mean to not fear when heat comes? How do you react to changes such as a layoff, price increases, or trouble in the world?

9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

• If our heart is deceitful, how can we avoid deceiving ourselves?

10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

• Why is God interested in our heart and mind?

Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

• What will God do if you trust in Him?
• What does it mean to lean on your own understanding?

Being Persistent in Prayer

Romans 12: 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

• What does it mean to be faithful in prayer? Are you?

Ephesians 6: 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

• When should we pray?
• What should we be alert for?
• Who should we pray for?

Colossians 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

• What does it mean to be devoted to something?
• Why is it important to be watchful in prayer?
• Why is it important to be thankful in prayer?

1 Thessalonians 5: 17 pray continually;

• What does it mean to pray continually?

Luke 11: 5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

• What would cause someone to persist in their request even when they knew they were being a nuisance to their neighbor?
• Why did Jesus tell us this story?

Luke 18: 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

• What brought the widow success in asking the judge for justice? What is Jesus teaching us to do?
• Jesus teaches us here that when we cry out to God, He will give us justice quickly. Why then does He need to teach us to be persistent in prayer?
• Why would we need to keep asking if God heard us the first time?
  
• The purpose of this story was to teach us to pray and not give up. Is there anything you should keep praying for that you have been tempted to give up?
  
  

When Did Jesus Say He Would Come Back?

Matthew 24: 30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
· How will Jesus return?
· Who will see Him?
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
· How will we know when Jesus’ return is near? (read the first part of this chapter to see some of the things Jesus said would be happening)
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
· Who knows when Jesus will return?

· If someone tells you the date that Jesus will return, what should you think?

42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
· Why did Jesus tell us that we needed to keep watch and to be ready?
· What does it mean to be ready for the Lord’s return?
· Are you ready?
2 Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
· Why is it taking so long for the Lord to return?

What the Bible Says About Anger

Ephesians 4: 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

• Is it a sin to be angry?
• Are you more likely to sin when you are angry? What can you do to avoid sinning while angry?
• Why shouldn’t the sun go down on our anger? What does this show you about the purpose of anger?

Ephesians 4: 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

• If it isn’t a sin to be angry, why does Paul tell us to get rid of all anger?

James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

• Why does God want us to be slow to anger?
• What beliefs would make you easily angered?
• What beliefs would make you slow to anger?

Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

• Why does Jesus treat our anger (and things we may say while angry) as such a serious issue?

1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

• Why is love not easily angered?

The Old Testament says that God is slow to anger. Some people think that the Old Testament presents a God of anger. The Old Testament has four major parts:

Pentateuch – (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

Historical Books – (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings, First Chronicles, Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther)

Poetic books- (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)

Prophetic books- (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)

All four parts describe God as slow to anger (Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Nahum 1:3). Here is an example:
Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.