12 SESSION 1
1 THE HIGH COST OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM 13
INTRODUCTION 2 MINUTES WELCOME TO THE WALKING TALL SERIES Look around at your group. We hope you enjoy the company God has put you with on this journey. You will find that we are all very much alike when it comes to facing negative voices of inner self-doubt and insecurity. Many of the heroes of our faith mentioned in the Scriptures have experienced the same struggles. When God called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt, Moses said, Lord I can t lead or speak please find someone else and when God called Solomon to be king, Solomon said, Lord I m only a child. I don t know how to lead your people. The Israelites struggled throughout history to hear God & obey, much like us. They often let self-doubt and fears determine their future, even though God had the Promised Land ready for them to occupy. They saw themselves as grasshoppers in their own eyes, and we looked the same to them (the people who occupied the land). Fear kept the Israelites from encountering all that God had planned for them. In this session, we will look at the high cost of low self-esteem and how we can overcome self-doubt and develop a healthy regard for oneself. Additional information on the Israelites found on page 24. L LEADER NOTES If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I d spend six sharpening my axe. Abraham Lincoln Group leaders can learn from this quote. Before your first group gathering, be sure to prepare by completing the following: View Leader Lifter training videos: My Turn to Lead and Don t Panic (5 minutes each) Review the following sections of this study guide: Introduction, Session One, Appendices, and Small Group Leaders Preview Walking Tall: Session One video lesson (20 minutes) 14
CATCHING UP 30 MINUTES 1 2 3 4 Let s get to know each other: Introduce yourself and share something that you accomplished from your years in school. It can be anything. Remember that stories about your life will help others get to know you better and will grow relationships closer. Share one thing that you never did in school that you wish you would ve done. WHO S IN THE GROUP? It s great to hear the stories of your group members. This will help you to connect and grow. Taking time to make a Small Group Roster will also help you to connect outside of the group. Stop now and pass around a copy of the Small Group Roster (page 114) or fill out group contact information on a sheet of paper. Ask someone to make copies, type it up, or take a picture and text or email it to everyone. WHOM CAN YOU INVITE? It s not too late to invite others to participate in this small group. Each of us has a sphere of influence that we need to pray for and step out to invite into a deeper relationship with God. Take a look at the diagram below and write the names of 2 3 people you know who need to go deeper with Christ. Commit to praying and inviting them to join your group next week. FAMILY (IMMEDIATE OR EXTENDED) FAMILIAR (NEIGHBORS, KIDS, SPORTS TEAMS, SCHOOL, AND SO FORTH) FRIENDS FUN (GYM, HOBBIES, HANGOUTS) FIRM (WORK) 15
5 MORE GROUP GUIDANCE. Whether your group is new or ongoing, it s always important to reflect on and review how the group will function in a healthy, balanced manner. Please take time now with your group to review and complete the Small Group Calendar and Roles (page 116) and the Small Group Agreement (page 117). Any group will move from a gathering to a thriving small group by understanding the group goals and sharing in a small role in the group like host home, hospitality, leader, admin, and prayer. In addition to the pages you ve already completed, quickly go through the rest of the materials in the Appendices. This material has been included because it is beneficial for the entire group. Look together at FAQ s, Prayer & Praise, Prayer Partner Check-in, Bible Study Methods, Six Ways to Pray, and Scripture Memory (pages 110 127). 16
PRAYER & WORSHIP Prepare your hearts for receiving what God wants to teach you during this session through an opening prayer and worship. Choose someone to read the prayer below out loud. Thank you God for bringing us to this group and for preparing what we will experience during the next six weeks. Please help our entire group to discover more about you and how we can be confident because of you. Bless our time together with friendship and with your presence. In Jesus Name, Amen. Praise God as a group through worship. Play a worship song or video. 17
PRESS PLAY 20 MINUTES WATCH VIDEO LESSON: SESSION ONE View the teaching video for this session now. We have provided notes space below. Record any key thoughts, questions, and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video, be sure to take turns asking and discussing the questions provided in this study guide. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Philippians 4:13 I John 4:4 Numbers 13:33 Numbers 1:46 Hebrews 11:6 18
DIG DEEPER 18 MINUTES This part of each session is about digging deeper into the teaching and God s Word. Some of us will come away with a very different observations from what Pastor Cal shared. Sharing all of our observations will give us a better understanding and grow our hearts together as a group. Let s dig deeper! 1 In this first session, Pastor Cal asked us to do an honest self-assessment to determine if we ourselves are in the grip of a grasshopper mentality. Close your eyes, get quiet, and take a moment to ask the Lord to search your heart. Lord, is there any place in my life today, where I m limiting my chances of success because of my fear of failure? Is there any place in my life today where I am allowing a grasshopper mentality to rob me of pursuing a dream you have put in my heart? Lord, over which situation(s) in my life do I need to come into agreement with your promise of Philippians 4:13 that I can do all things through Him who gives me the strength. Write anything down that comes to mind. 2 Discuss with your group anything that you might want to share from reflecting on those questions. Share any places where a grasshopper mentality might have prevented you from pursuing a dream. 19
TAKE ACTION 25 MINUTES These sessions are meant to challenge us. We know that as God stretches us, we will grow in our walk with Him. We invite you to take a risk and share you thoughts with your group. We never want you to feel forced to share, but we encourage you to step out in faith! 20
1 2 Let s think back to the Israelites and their perspective when they faced the giants (Numbers 13:33). They dreamed of the Promised Land, yet they pictured themselves as grasshoppers. This changed how they took action. What if they would have pictured Father God, Creator of the universe, standing next to them as they approached the giants? How would that have changed their perspective? Share a dream that you have in your heart. It may be one that God has promised to you. 21
3 4 Take time to get quiet. Picture in your mind Father God right by your side. He is the God of the universe All-powerful, All-Knowing, Loving God standing next to YOU! Then, think of the limitations, obstacles, and fears that are holding you back from the dream God put in your heart. Did that image in your mind shift your perspective? Explain. Verbally come into agreement with God s perspective. Fill in the blank below with the dream from your heart and read it out loud to group. I can through Him who gives me strength. LISTENING FOR GOD Before we pray together, let s pause for silent reflection and listening. Get quiet for just one minute, close your eyes, and clear your mind. Ask God, What s on your heart today, Lord? Write down any thoughts, impressions, pictures, or feelings you might have. If you want to share what you received with the group, feel free! PRAY TOGETHER God, thank you that I don t have to think of myself as small. Please help me with those areas that I feel like a grasshopper. Help me walk tall because of my relationship with you. Give me insight during the next few weeks on how I can grow in my God confidence. Please bless this group with your peace, presence and wisdom. In Jesus Name, Amen. L LEADER NOTES Some of the group members may have personal prayer requests that they want to share. Allow each person one minute to share a personal prayer request. As the group members share, write down their requests in your study guide on the Prayer and Praise Report (page 118) or have one person write them and share with a group text or email. 22
WHAT S NEXT? Don t let this teaching go to waste. Take what you ve learned and spend some time putting it into practice. Choose one or more of the following activities to further your spiritual growth and connect with your group in a richer way. Don t feel you have to complete all of these. Decide what you can commit to and get started. Reflect Daily. Commit to a daily connection with God and His Word. See suggestions on how to do that in the Daily Reflections found on the next few pages. If you find yourself in need of a new method for personal study time, take a look at the F.E.A.S.T. method in the Appendices (pages 122 123) as you explore God s Word on your own. Practice again. Practice declaring God s truth as circumstances arise over your life this week. I can through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) Pray for each other this week. You can use the Prayer and Praise Report (page 118) gathered earlier in this meeting to support your group in prayer. As often as you pray to God, be sure to include the prayer requests from your group. Maybe even encourage them through a text or email to tell them you are praying for them. Renew your mind. Do you have to write things down to help you remember them? God knows that we can t remember His Word without being reminded of it often. This is one reason why He tells us to renew our minds in the Scriptures daily. Go to page 126 and give memorizing Scripture a try. Take personal notes during the weekend service. Note taking helps us to actively engage our minds while we re listening. Share the highlights at your next group meeting. 23
CHARACTER SKETCH The Israelites The Israelites stood at the threshold of an amazing land of promise, a new home God wanted to give them. Instead of enjoying that land, they spent 40 years wandering around in a desert, all because of a grasshopper mentality that wouldn t allow them to believe that they could possibly overcome the giants and possess the land. ORIGIN Jacob wrestled with God and God renamed him Israel. (Genesis 32:22-32) Israelites are the descendants of Israel (Jacob) and his 12 sons, who later became the 12 tribes of Israel. Israel lived in Egypt with his family. After his death, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. They lived in slavery for 450 years until Moses led them to the Promised Land of Canaan. STRENGTHS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS They were God s chosen people. They were open to God s leading. Built an ornate temple to honor God. LIFE LESSONS Be careful to not forget God s faithfulness God is always drawing us back to Him God disciplines His children but never abandons them KEY CHARACTERS Jacob (Israel) Moses Joshua Samuel David Solomon Daniel 24
KEY VERSE I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. Exodus 6:7 25
DAILY REFLECTIONS FFOCUS OPEN IN PRAYER. WHILE READING THIS PASSAGE, FOCUS YOUR HEART ON GOD. EENGAGE SUMMARIZE THE SCRIPTURES AS YOU READ. DAY 1 EXODUS 16:1 6 DAY 2 EXODUS 17:1 7 DAY 3 EXODUS 32:1 14 DAY 4 NUMBERS 13:1 3, 30 33 DAY 5 NUMBERS 21:4 9 DAY 6 USE THIS SPACE TO SUMMARIZE THE THOUGHTS GOD HAS PUT ON YOUR HEART DURING YOUR STUDY OF THE ISRAELITES. 26
Throughout the Walking Tall study we will be surveying all God has to say to us. Every day, read the selected verses and give prayerful consideration to what you learn about God, His Spirit, and His place in your life. Listen to God and record your personal applications, thoughts, insights, or prayers in the Daily Reflections section next to the verses you read. On the sixth day, record a summary of what you have learned over the entire week through the study. AASSESS FIND THE MAIN IDEA AND ITS MEANING TO THE ORIGINAL AUDIENCE. SSPARK HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE APPLY TO MY LIFE TODAY? TTURN TURN YOUR HEART TOWARD GOD IN WORSHIP. CONSIDER LISTENING TO A WORSHIP SONG. DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 USE THIS SPACE TO SUMMARIZE THE THOUGHTS GOD HAS PUT ON YOUR HEART DURING YOUR STUDY OF THE ISRAELITES. 27