Student Handout. Believe. Welcome & Introduction. Session 23 Peace. Key Question: Where do I find strength to battle anxiety and fear?

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Kathlyn Parks
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1 Welcome & Introduction Key Question: Where do I find strength to battle anxiety and fear? Key Idea: I am free from anxiety because I have found peace with God, peace with others, and peace with myself. Key Verse: Philippians 4:6 7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Old Testament Story Jot down a few details or questions that popped out at you from the story, or any emotions you are feeling having just heard the story: New Testament Story Jot down a few details or questions that popped out at you from the story, or any emotions you are feeling having just watched the story: 1

2 The following story is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, and can also be found in the Believe: Student Edition Bible. OLD TESTAMENT STORY SCRIPT So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram s herders and Lot s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. So Abram said to Lot, Let s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let s part company. If you go to the left, I ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I ll go to the left. Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you. So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord. 1 1 Genesis 13:1 18 2

3 A PRAYER FOR PEACE (GUIDED PRAYER): REST SILENT PRAYER Pray silently, God, bring peace. REFLECT What areas of my life am I currently feeling stress or anxiety? (write here) BODY PRAYER Put your hands in front of you, palms down, as a symbol of letting go of any behaviors or attitudes that may be causing you anxiety. Then, turns your hands over, palms up, to symbolize being open to receive God s love and God s work in your life. BREATHE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD S PRESENCE PEACE WITH OTHERS Write down the name of anybody you can think of that you are currently in conflict with. Don t worry yet about how you ll address that conflict, simply write their name down, then see if anybody else comes to mind. 3

4 GUIDED PRAYER (CONTINUED): READ TOGETHER: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 4

5 GUIDED PRAYER (CONTINUED): BREATHE GROUP PRAYER Read the following prayer out loud, together: God, help us to find peace with those around us. Help us to love others like you do, and accept the love others give to us. Help us see the steps we can take to make peace with those we do not have it with. God, give us your peace, that we might give it to one another. PASSING THE PEACE Turn to someone around you. The first person should say, Peace be with you. Then, the other person responds, And also with you. PEACE IN THE WORLD BODY PRAYER Put your hands out in front of you, palms facing out, indicating your trust in God to bring peace into the areas of the world around us that need them. 5

6 GUIDED PRAYER (CONTINUED): PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. Amen. BREATHE THIS WEEK: Explore more stories from Chapter 23: PEACE in the Believe: Student Edition Bible that demonstrate how people throughout the Bible experienced peace with God, others, and themselves. Remember that memorizing is not about repeating but about recalling. If you recall certain words from the Key Verse, you can find the other words that fit them together. On the back of your handout write the verse down, then go back over and retrace the important words of the verse. Highlight them with your pen. Repeat this activity several times this week, to see if you can recall the entire verse from memory. 6

Faith and Generosity Genesis 13:1-18

A. Return to Canaan. 13:1-4 Faith and Generosity Genesis 13:1-18 1. Blessings. God blesses His chosen ones despite their failures. 13:2 a. {1} So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and