Theme:
Faith
Title:
Believing God's Promises
Desired Outcomes:
The aim of this uGroup is to help members believe God's word and His promises spoken over your lives. Even if it doesn't make sense now. Believe what God wants to do in your life.
Core Scriptures:
- Genesis 17
Welcome:
Any fun and welcoming Icebreaker that gets the members moving, on their feet, where all the members can participate in. If there are new members be careful not to create a space where they feel exposed or uncomfortable.
Word:
Introduce the message by asking the following question:
- Do you really believe that God has spoken a certain word over your life and do you really believe that His promises are true for you personally?
- People might be thinking that they're not good enough for this word, this promise is maybe for someone else, it doesn't make sense, that you don't deserve better, that you will always be depressed, that you won't make it, that nothing good can come from your situation. Motivate the members to apply the question to their own lives. Talk about it in the uGroup.
The following argument can be used to explain the seriousness of not believing in God's Promises:
How many times do we hear what God's promises are for our lives, but we decided not to believe those words? What can happen if we really start believing those promises? We hear these promises but we find reasons or excuses not to believe it, just like Abraham did. Just like Abraham, we always find a reason or excuse why God can't do the impossible in our lives. How many doors could have been opened until now, if we only believed in the promises God has for us?
From Genesis 17:
- God will always show you where to go and what to do next if you stay focused on Him,
- Don't take things into your own hands when his promises don't happen fast enough in your mind
- Wait patiently on when God makes it happen because it is God and not you. Don't follow the example of Abraham's wife.
- Read Isaiah 55:8-9 and talk about if the promise sounds higher than your understanding, it is definitely God's promises - for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
- Read Romans 5:5, and talk about when you hope for something God will never put shame on you. Have hope in what God said because you can't have hope without faith
- Read James 2:14-26 and talk about faith without action is dead. When God has given you a promise and you believe it and have hope that it will happen, start taking some action. In Abraham's story, they had to have intercourse for them to have a baby. They had to take action on what God has promised them.
Take some time to find scriptures that are counter to the falsehoods we believe about God's promises, talk about it in the uGroup. If members aren't open to talking about their issues, use examples and tell them to help you find scripture to counter the following falsehoods tabled in the introduction.
You might consider some of the following verses:
- Romans 8:37 - "more than conquerors"
- Jeremiah 29:11 - "thoughts to prosper you, to give you hope and a future"
- Luke 6:38 - "pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing"
- Matthew 19:26 - "through Him all things are possible"
- Hebrews 11:1 - "faith is confidence in what we hope for"
- Romans 10:17 - "faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God"
Consider explaining that God's plan is for you to prosper (Jeremiah 29:11), and it will not harm you.
Consider explaining that we need to hear God's word (Romans 10:17), as you hear God's word, you can have! You can’t have faith in something to don't know of.