Life Group - Study Guides

Much of the stress we have about money and finances comes from fear. Will I have enough? Am I a success? Am I providing for my family and giving them a great life? We need to replace fear with confidence and satisfaction. God is our help and our provider. He never meant for us to handle this pressure. He has a plan to free us from stress. In fact, He will provide all we need for a life that honors Him.

All throughout the Bible, mighty men and women of the Bible have failed, gotten up, and trusted God again. Failure is not the end: it is a wonderful teacher...if you know how to “win at failing.” God’s plan for following Him leads us back to success as we obey His directions.

Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble. He also said that He was sharing this odd bit of news with us so that “in Me you may have peace.” God loves you. He knows your pain, stress, and struggles. Jesus has overcome the world and death, yet we still suffer today. Paul gives us the strategy for releasing those anxieties and fears and focusing on God.

Most of us love being in control. A great many of us also have trust issues. Choosing to trust God instead of handling things ourselves is one way we show that we really love and believe in God. Craig Groeschel writes, “We want God to prove Himself so we can trust Him. God wants us to trust Him so He can prove Himself.”

If you knew Jesus was coming back in two weeks, would you make any changes? Would you ask yourself, “Is my life radically different in every area...because of Jesus?” Let’s evaluate ourselves this week to see if we are totally sold out to God.

Pastor and author Craig Groeschel has defined a Christian Atheist as “someone who calls themselves a Christian but lives like God doesn’t exist.” This week, we are reminded that there is a huge difference in "having it our own way" and living life in full surrender to God and His Word.

We don’t have to face a life-or-death scenario to recognize our own faith as authentic or surface level. The terms “Christian” and “Atheist” are mutually exclusive except when defined by words in one sense and actions in the other. In this series, we will explore what it means to live consistent lives that reflect our professed faith. A Christian Atheist has Christian intentions, knowledge and self-identification that don’t match up with their everyday choices and behavior.

In our movie this week, we see great courage and huge struggles. In our lives, we watch others suffer or we suffer ourselves. Let’s learn how to encourage ourselves and others while we lean on the love of Jesus.

Peter Parker’s true identity as Spider Man is revealed and he instantly becomes a polarizing figure. Some people love him and look up to him. Others view him as a vigilante who does more harm than good. But everyone judges him and everyone has an opinion of him. Peter quickly finds himself being constantly criticized, constantly analyzed, and unfairly treated by the world he has tried to protect.

This week we watched as Katherine was marginalized and looked down upon. We can often allow the actions and words of others to tear us down or distract us from our greater calling. In this week’s study, let’s look for ways to set aside our distractions and differences, and focus on coming together. Let’ not grow tired of living out the purposes God has planned for our lives.