Life Group - Study Guides

The time between the last book of the Old Testament and the New Testament is referred to as “the 400 years of silence.” Just from the time that Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth as a sign of the coming Messiah until the birth of Jesus was approximately 700 years. In contemplating this timeline, we find reassurance and hope in the consistency of God's character and His promises. He is steadfast in being who He claims to be and fulfilling what He declares. This week, let's fix our gaze on Jesus and allow the power of His peace to govern our hearts and minds.

At The Cove Church, we value authenticity—keeping it real. Sometimes, folks misunderstand this as a license to say anything without filters. However, “keeping it real” does not mean criticism, condemnation, or gossip. It means being genuine and sincere in our words and opinions, without hypocrisy. Similarly, claiming “Only God can judge me” can be a way to justify and deny our own issues. This week, we'll explore the problems with this mindset and discover ways to live – and even judge, when necessary –with a more compassionate and understanding outlook towards others.

This week, we will explore a few common misconceptions about this idea that “God will never give you more than you can handle.” In this life, we will still have temptations and struggles. God doesn’t promise that there won’t be a fight or that it will be an easy road. He just might give you more than you can handle—alone! But don’t despair; His plan is that you will overcome temptation when you look to Him for the way out and for His strength to take that escape. We will also look at how we can get through the hardships of this life, like illness, death, and loss.

Every religion claims to be the truth, so how do we know if belief in Jesus as the resurrected Savior of the world really is the Truth? This week, we learned about the only Way to God and how we can experience Him. We can find comfort and answers to our concerns in the compassionate Truth found in the Bible.

World peace is a dream for many of us. Yet when we look at the news, we see chaos, disunity, and violence all around us. World peace was the dream God had for us, yet when Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation changed. This week, we will discuss what God’s Word says about peace and how we should respond.