· PIX – Honduras Mission Team

· PIX: Jacob Smith

· “Jacob wants to be with somebody who he trusts. He won't ski with people he doesn't trust.”

· Who you trust matters.

· Who do you trust?

· Trust equals peace.

· “I mean, enough to turn right when he tells me to.”

· John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

· Shalom peace is deep sense of well-being not dependent on external circumstances.

· PIX – Soul diagram

· Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart

· Don’t make a decision without God.

· Ephesians 3:17b-19 -  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

· Lean not on your own understanding.

· Humility – the ability to accept the reality about myself.

· Trust equals peace because your life doesn’t depend on you.

· 6 in all your ways submit to him,

· Take your next step with Jesus

· Know Jesus.

· As you take next steps with Jesus, experience his guidance; He will guide you down the mountain.

· 7Do not be wise in your own eyes;

· PIX – Johari window

· By all means, don’t trust yourself, because you’re the one who’s got the problem – Dallas Willard

· Fear the Lord and shun evil.

· "Ooh, I'd thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”

· 8 This will bring health to your body

· Who you trust impacts your health.

· Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

· PIX: Jacob Smith

· Are you trusting? Are you obeying?

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: Other than Jesus, who do you trust most in your life? Why?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read Proverbs 3:5-8

2. In your opinion, what would it look like to trust in the LORD with all your heart? How would it change the way you lived?

3. Describe an experience when you trusted your own understanding and didn’t work out. Why did not work out?

4. Imagine God uses you as a voice to help someone find his or her way down the mountain. How would you help them find a smooth path?

5. What does it mean to you that God is not safe but he is good?

· John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

· Shalom peace is deep sense of well-being not dependent on external circumstances.

· “Happiness is love. Full stop.”

· Relationships matter!

· A healthy relationship with God leads to healthy relationships with people

· Mark 12:30-31a - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

· Proverbs 3:1-2 - My son, do not forget my teaching,

· You need a relationship teacher.

· PIX: Shamu

· 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

· Healthy relationships equals health!

· 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

· Video – bulldog holding on .34 seconds.

· First, let the love of Jesus flood your soul.

· Second, ask for love daily.

· Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

· You need an anchor that holds you, so you can hold another.

· Is this loving? Am I being faithful?

· 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

· A healthy relationship with God leads to healthy relationships with people.

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: What has been the most successful relationship in your life? Why has it been successful?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read Proverbs 3:1-2

2. Notice how Solomon admonishes his son to not forget his teaching, and to let his commandments guard his heart. In your experience, what is the best way to remember the important teachings of scripture about relationships?

3. Solomon specifically references peace and time being added to your life if you keep his teaching? Why do you think Solomon can make a promise like this? Why would listening to teaching add time to your life and bring peace to your relationships?

4. Read Proverbs 3:3

5. How would you describe a committed love? What are some examples of this kind of love?

6. In your opinion, what does it mean to be faithful – to a spouse, child, friend, to God?

7. Read Proverbs 3:4

8. How would having a good name help you in relationships?

· 2,700 to Sumter United Ministries

· $625,000 toward our Pocalla Building Project

· What do kind of peace do people want?

· 5. Financial peace.

· 4. Political peace.

· 3. Family peace.

· 2. Marital peace.

· 1. World peace.

· What kind of peace do we need?

· The world cannot give peace. There is sufficient hate, selfishness, bitterness, malice, anxiety, and fear to swamp every attempt at peace – D.A. Carson

· Shalom.

· The peace Jesus offers is a deep sense of well-being

· Jesus is giving them the peace they need – the peace of the soul.

· Your soul is the operating system of your life

· PIX – Soul

· Heart/Will – where you make decisions.

· Jesus, what decision do you want me to make?

· Mind – home of your feelings and thoughts.

· “What a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and griefs to bear… Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care?

· Body – home of your appetites and desires.

· Admit you are powerless over your desires and appetites

· Acknowledge God has the power you lack and you need to restore you to sanity.

· Make a decision to turn your will and your life over to the care of God.

· Heavenly Father, I confess I have made a mess of my life, I have sinned. You have the power to forgive me and make me whole. Please forgive my sins and take charge of my life. I commit to following you.

· Relationships – how you interact with people.

· 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

· You cannot have the peace you need until the King of Peace reigns over your soul.

· Heavenly Father, please give me the peace I need in my soul.

· PIX: Allen Langham

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: What has been the most peaceful time in your life? Why was it peaceful?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read John 14:26

2. In your opinion, how would the presence of the Holy Spirit help you live in the peace of Jesus?

3. Read John 14:27

4. Notice how Jesus differentiates between the peace he offers and the world’s peace. How would describe the difference between the two?

5. Describe a time in your life when the peace of God caused you to make a different decision, or change your thinking/feelings.

· 46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation 47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, 48 who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence. 49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name. 50 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever. - Psalm 18:46-50

· “After looking back at God’s gracious ministry to him, what else could David do but praise Him? “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).” – Warren Wiersbe

· God’s love poured out for His people!

· And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 2:1-8

· Where would you be if not for God’s grace?

· If you have a King of Hope, you have HOPE

· Because he first loved us we loved others.

· This SHOULD change the way you approach every moment of life.

· HOW GREAT THOU ART (Hymn before this last slide)

· May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit – Romans 15:13

· May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit – Romans 15:13

· First gift: Security.

· Psalm 18:30-31 - 30 As for God, his way is perfect:

· Let God give you the gift of security.

· Second gift: Strength

· 32 It is God who arms me with strength

· Let God give you the gift of strength

· Third gift: a place to stand.

· 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

· Let God give you the gift of a place to stand

· Fourth gift: Training

· 34 He trains my hands for battle;

· Let God give you the gift of training.

· Fifth gift: protection.  

· Let God give you the gift of protection.

· Sixth gift: Grip

· 36 You provide a broad path for my feet,

· Let God give you the gift of grip.

· Heavenly Father, I am a sinner; I ask for your forgiveness. I give my life to you and now commit to follow Jesus – to do what he says, to learn from him, and to be like him. Amen.

· King of Hope.

· “Where is the one born King of the Jews? We saw his star and have come to worship him.”

· Cry out to the God who can help you and know he rescues you.

· What happens after God saves you?

· How do you be like the one?

· Knowing Jesus means you know you matter to God and God matters to you.

· 20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;

· Galatians 5 22-23 - 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control

· Not sinning is a next step toward Jesus.

· 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;

· Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

· 23 I have been blameless before him

· Not sinning is a next step toward Jesus.

· 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

· to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

· 26 to the pure you show yourself pure,

· but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

· 27 You save the humble

· but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

· 28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;

· Knowing Jesus means you know you matter to God and God matters to you.

· Do you know you matter to God?

· How much does Jesus matter to you?

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: In your opinion, what are behavioral signs that God matters to someone?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read Psalm 18:20

2. Why would right living help a person grow in their faith?

3. Read Psalm 18:21-24

4. How do these verses expand the theme of v. 20?

5. If someone were to ask you how to know the ways of God, what would you say to them?

6. In your opinion, what is the best way to stop sinning?

7. Read Psalm 18:25-27

8. Note how the first lines of these three verses contain a behavior and then show God’s response. What does this teach you?

9. Read Psalm 18:28-29

10. How has God been a light for you? What walls has he helped you scale?

· King of Hope

· “Where is the one born King of the Jews? We saw his star and have come to worship him.”

· Cry out to the God who can help you.

· Knowing who God really is; Being real about how you feel; and Knowing God hears you.

· What happens when God hears you?

· First thing God does: God reacts

· Psalm 18:7-8 - 7 The earth trembled and quaked,

· Can you imagine God getting angry on your behalf

· Isaiah 40:31 - Those that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and no grow faint.

· Second thing God does: God moves

· Psalm 18:9-13 – 9 He parted the heavens and came down;

· PIX – clouds and lightning

· God is on the move toward you

· Third thing God does: God shows up

· Psalm 18:14-15 - 14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,

· God showing up makes a difference.

· Fourth thing God does: God saves

· Psalm 18:16-19a - 16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

· PIX – dipping vat.

· Why does God react? He delights in you.

· Psalm 18:19b - he rescued me because he delighted in me.

· PIX – Sally Field

· “The Father of Jesus is very fond of me.”

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: Tell about a time in your life when you feel like God rescued you

Dig Deeper:

1. Read Psalm 18:7-8

2. In your opinion, how would it feel for God to angry on your behalf?

3. Read Psalm 18:9-13

4. In this passage, how many different ways is the movement of God described? What does this tell you about God?

5. What would you say to someone who feels like God is not reacting or moving towards them?

6. Read Psalm 18:14-15

7. Notice the military imagery of these two verses. What does mean to you that God would “scatter arrows” on your behalf?

8. Read Psalm 18:16-19

9. Notice God’s rescue is personal – he does not detail this to an angel. What does tell you about God?

· Who do you go to for hope?

· King of Hope.

· “Where is the one born King of the Jews? We saw his star and have come to worship him.”

· David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him for the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. – 2 Samuel 22:1

· Cry out to the one who can help you.

· First element: Know who you are talking to

· I love you, Lord

· my strength

· 2 The Lord is my rock

· my fortress

· and my deliverer

· my God is my rock

· in whom I take refuge

· my shield

· PIX – shield.

· and the horn of my salvation

· my stronghold

· 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I have been saved from my enemies.

· When has God come through for you?

· Do you know God well enough to trust he will come through for you?

· Second element: Spell out the situation.

· 4 The cords of death entangled me;

· PIX -Tied up Cowboy

· Are you real with God about how you feel

· 6 In my distress I called to the Lord;

· Where in your life do you need to ask for God’s help?

· From his temple he heard my voice;

· Third element: God hears you.

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: Would you please share a time in your life when you felt helpless?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read Psalm 18:1-3

2. In your opinion, what would be like to have compassion for God? How would you express this in prayer?

3. What do the descriptors in Vv. 1-2 tell you about God?

4. Read Psalm 18:4-6a

5. Note the description of hopelessness. There is a sense of being entangled and drowning. What does tell us about how to pray?

6. Reading Vv. 4-6a, how should we respond when someone tells us they feel hopeless?

7. Read 18:6b.

8. What does it signify to you that God hears your voice when you cry for help?

· 1 Samuel 2:1-10…

· 1 And Hannah prayed and said,“My heart exults in the Lord;

· 2 “There is none holy like the Lord:

· 4 The bows of the mighty are broken,

· 9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

· The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: share about a time where you found Joy because you surrendered your life to the Lord.

Dig Deeper:

1. Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10

2. In your opinion, what does hannah’s story teach us about God’s love?

3. How does this passage compare to Mary’s prayer in Luke 1:46-55?

4. Read Luke 1:46-55

5. Notice Hannah’s surrender: “If you give me a son, I will give him to you.” What might be something you need to let go of for God to answer your prayers? What is something we know we need to let go in order to find Joy through surrendering?

6. How does surrending and Worshipping the father lead to Joy?

7. Is our worship focused on Us and what we need or the father? Talk about the idea of loving the giver more than the gift. Jesus gifted Hannah with the child but she still loved the giver more.

8. What is something the Lord has given us that we can be Thankful for and worship Him?

· Slide for the number to text for prayer.

· What do you do when God answers your prayers?

· 1 Samuel 1:21-23 21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.

· 1 Samuel 1:24-28 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

· Model the gospel so that they may know and love it too.

· Everything you have you have for a reason

· All we have is not ours || All we have is a gift from God || We honor him with all we have!

· What are you doing with your answered prayer?

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Starter: When is a time you struggled with God’s answer to your prayer?

Dig Deeper:

1. Read 1 Samuel 1:21-23

2. What are your first thoughts about Elkanah and Hannah when you first read this?

3. When has it been hard to continue to go the direction that God has pointed you to go in? How hard would it have been for you if Samuel was your child?

4. Elkanah and Hannah’s security was in God, where does your security tend to rest? What needs to change?

5. Read 1 Samuel 1:24-28

6. What do you think it means to Model the Gospel so that others may know and love it?

7. Hannah’s life was a living sacrifice on display for her son. What do you think this means? How can your life be more of a living sacrifice in light of Romans 12:1-2

8. Knowing that everything you have is a gift from God, how do you live in light of that? With your finances? Your success? Your Family/Friends/Relationships? Your daily routine with the breath and heartbeat of a new day?

9. What has he answered that you are doing nothing with?