Better Friends | Feb. 13, 2022 | Endure

Who in your life has shown up really well for you? Better friends endure! Endurance is putting one foot in front of the other again and again, counting on what God will do next. Think of how you can become the type of person who endures with God and others, especially when life gets hard! Maybe, start by thinking of a story of God's faithfulness in enduring with the people in your life.

KEY VERSES

• Acts 16:22-34 NLT- “A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.”

• Romans 5:3-5 NLT- “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

• Romans 5:3-5 MSG- “There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!”

• Lamentations 3:22 NLT- 22“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

HEARING WHAT GOD IS SAYING

One of the best ways to hear what God is saying right now is to look at what He has said in the Bible with a few friends. Discovery Bible Study is an easy-to-use way to hear from God, make good changes in our lives, and share with others what God is up to. Grab some friends, pick a verse or story from above and dive in deeper to this week’s message.

Recap

+ Reconnect

To begin the study, each person answers these questions:

• What are you thankful for?
• What is causing stress for our neighbors and people around us?
• What can we as individuals or as a group do to help?
  

+ Recap

• Have someone retell the story from your previous meeting.
• Did you live out your response from last week?
• Did you tell anyone else about the story from last week?
  

Discovering What God Is Saying

+ Read and Retell the Bible Story

• One person reads the story out loud to the group.
• Someone else in the group retells the story in their own words as they remember it, and others fill in what’s missing.
  
  

+ Read and Look

• Read the passage again (different version if possible)
• What does this passage say about God, Jesus, or His plan?
  
  

+ Read and Look Again

• Have 1-2 more people retell the story as if they were telling a neighbor outside their home.
• What does this passage say about people in general?
  
  

Doing What God Is Saying

+ Consider

• What in me needs to change to better DO what God is showing me today?
• How will you respond to/obey this passage in a tangible, perhaps even costly ways in the next 48-72 hours?
• Have someone record these for prayer time, and for the beginning of the next meeting.
  
  

Sharing what God is saying

+ Praying Together

• Take prayer requests
• Pray together
  
  

+ Share

• Who in your life needs to hear this story?
• Who could you invite to study the Bible like this?
  
  

GIVING

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