WHO ARE YOU RELYING ON

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MEETING AGENDA

  1. OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
  2. GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
  3. ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
  4. TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
  5. GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
  6. CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.

GROWTH QUESTION #1

Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?

GROWTH QUESTION #2

What did you learn from this week’s sermon?

GROWTH QUESTION #3

What was your most important accomplishment this week?

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

2 Corinthians 1:8-16 (NLT) 8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. 

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What did you learn from what we just read?

TRUTH #1

WE WILL ALL FACE TROUBLE!

  • Every person will come to the end of their strength and resources at some point, and the Apostle Paul was no exception to this rule.
  • Jesus also warned us that we would face trouble.

John 16:33 (NIV) - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

  • Jesus assured us that we would face trouble, but He also assured us that we would not have to face it alone.
  • When we face trouble, we have a choice to make. Will we rely on ourselves? Or will we rely on God?

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What are some areas of your life are you facing trouble right now? Have you been relying on yourself or relying on God in those areas?

TRUTH #2

RELYING ON YOURSELF CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR!

  • Paul recognized that the trouble he was facing was far beyond his own ability (v. 8).
  • When he came to the end of his abilities, he learned that God is able to do exceedingly more than we can ever ask, think or imagine!

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) - Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

  • If we rely solely on ourselves, we will never learn to rely on God.
  • When we learn to rely on God, we will find that He always comes through!
  • When we rely on God, we have access to His wisdom, favor and unlimited resources.
  • When we rely only on our own strength, we only have access to our limited resources.

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

Has there ever been a time in your life when you reached the end of your own strength and had to rely on God’s strength? What was the outcome?

TRUTH #3

GOD ALWAYS RESPONDS WHEN WE DEPEND ON HIM!

  • Paul learned to rely on God in one of his life’s most difficult moments (v. 8-9), but he also regularly depended on God to help him disciple others (v. 12-13).
  • Paul did not rely on his own wisdom, but intentionally chose to rely on God’s grace and wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2:4 (NLT) - And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

  • We need to learn to rely on God’s wisdom in our ministry to others too!
  • When we put our faith and trust in God, He will respond generously and show us exactly what we need to do!

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What areas of your life do you think you could learn to trust and rely on God more?

CLOSING QUESTION

What is one thing you have learned from today’s lesson?

GIVING

A tenth of all your earn (a tithe) belongs to the Lord and must be set apart for Him.

Leviticus 27:30 (NLT)
One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.

Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.

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PRAY

QUESTION #1

Who are you praying for to be saved?

QUESTION #2

Who can you invite to the next meeting?

QUESTION #3

What are your prayer requests?