4WF Week 1: 13:13 - HOPE
4WF Week 2: 13:13 - HOPE
February 8th-14th
*Have index cards or pieces of paper ready for everyone in your life group*
Open with Prayer: Invite the Holy Spirit to be present, illuminate the Scriptures, and have Jesus’ will done today in the group. Pray for God to work through your life group in these remaining three weeks.
Talk Together: (10+ minutes) Start by asking everyone how this last week’s practice (on faith) went and then ask this one question:
How have you understood HOPE throughout your life?
Read this Overview Aloud to the Group:
I truly hope that your discussions on faith last week were very life-giving and beneficial. I believe that faith and hope really go hand in hand with each other. I’m sure many of us have heard the story of Abraham. Now Abraham had great faith in God and what God had planned for him. But one thing about Abraham I admire that I don’t think is mentioned quite often is the HOPE he had. God promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, He would make his name great, and He will bless those who bless him. God also promised Abraham that he and his wife Sarah would bare a son. God gave Abraham this promise, and it took God 25 years to fulfill this promise. 25 YEARS! Abraham was holding out hope for 25 years. Most of us aren’t even 25 years old yet!
At long last, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac in their old age. This demonstrates that God always carries through on the promises he has for us, even when it doesn’t look or appear that He is. Paul, when he is writing to the Romans, emphasizes not only the faith that Abraham had but also the hope that came along with his faith as well.
Romans 4:17-21 says, “As it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. IN HOPE he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be. “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
Maybe you hear this and there is something that you are hoping for today. Have HOPE that God always comes through on His promises, even if we don’t see or understand it yet. We have hope because God is FAITHFUL.
Talk Together: (15+ minutes): In group ask the following questions:
Do you think Abraham wrestled with God about the things he was holding out hope for?
Maybe you are in a similar spot right now. Is there a need, promise, or desire in your life that you are currently holding out hope for God to answer?
How can you surrender to Jesus today and practice putting your trust in the Lord?
Dive In (5-10 minutes): *If possible, put on some instrumental worship music in the background*
Whatever it is you are currently holding out hope for to see in your life, take these next few moments to be quiet before God and surrender that to the Lord.
Next, take a few minutes to write down whatever that thing is on a sticky note or a piece of paper and if comfortable, share with the group.
This Week’s Practice:
After sharing that need with the group put that sticky note/piece of paper somewhere where you are going to see it and commit to giving that to the Lord in prayer all week. Use this practice to deepen your trust in the Lord and the plans that he has for you.
Close Your Time in Prayer.