Sermon Based Small Group Lessons

Decisions That Impact Our Future

2008 March 9

Dr. Les Hughes, Senior Pastor

Meeting Schedule

1. Fellowship time & snacks

2. Share prayer requests

3. Pray (taking turns with short sentence prayers is good if group members are comfortable).

4. Begin the lesson.

a. Share the title (above)

b. Ask the Ice Breaker Question

c. Follow the guide, reading the Scripture and asking the questions.

Ice Breaker Questions

What is one of your hopes and dreams for the future?

(New groups: Share your name and….question above)

Focus Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Ask people to open their Bibles as you read the verse (important to next activity).

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

--Jer. 29:11, NIV

Digging for Truth

1. What part of the verse gives you the most hope?

2. Today we’ll learn that big doors turn on small decisions. Tell about one of these times in your life, like when you met your spouse or best friend, or got that life-changing job.

3. The question of the day is “What is the wisest course of action considering my future hopes and dreams?” If you could know God’s mind regarding one future decision you’ll have to make, what decision would you get His direct advice on?

4. You don’ t have to answer this out loud, but on a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it to you that your decisions and God’s will are the same? What does it matter?

5. Why do you think people make unwise decisions? (allow time to answer… maybe we think of now and not the future)

Some of Pastor Les’ answers included: Because we listen to lies like the following:

No one will find out

I’m not hurting anyone

I’m not breaking any laws

God wants me to be happy

People do this all the time

6. Has God put someone in your life to help you make wise decisions? Who do you go to now? Who should you go to for advice?

7. Look up these verses and see what truth we can learn.

Prov. 14:22

Prov. 20:18

Isaiah 32:8

Isaiah 25:1

8. Life-Changing Lesson 1: Even God Makes Decisions Today in Light of What He Desires For The Future. Can you think of any examples of God’s decision making?

Question: Pastor Les talked about David facing a lion and a bear to give him the courage to fight Goliath. That was an example of God working upstream. Can you think of an example of God working upstream in your life?

9. Life-Changing Lesson 2: Decisions I Make Today are the Hinges that Open the Doors of Tomorrow.

What doors do I want open tomorrow and what should I be doing today to allow that to happen?

10. Life-Changing Lesson: It’s Not Too Late to Start Making Decisions Today in Light of Tomorrow

What will you do this week to start on the right track to a bright tomorrow?

11. Remember the question of the day is “What is the wisest course of action considering my future hopes and dreams?” Close in prayer asking God to help us make wise decisions based on His plan for our lives.