5. Speak, Lord!
Start with an Icebreaker Question To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question: What s the greatest success you ve ever achieved, in sports, competition, arts, or even in your business? Share with your group. Please Read What To Expect Let s get a big picture of what we ll be learning today As this series comes to a close, we ve learned so many valuable lessons about hearing God s voice. In this session, we ll look at the story of Moses as we discuss the great power that comes when God speaks! 42
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS At this time, please break into smaller groups of 2-4 for the discussion question section. Have a great discussion! 1.) The most important factor in determining success in life is not your background, education, or what others think of you. It s hearing God s voice. All throughout scripture we see countless times God speaking to his people. So why does it seem he is silent today? Why do so many of us struggle to hear him clearly? Moses was one of many people in the Bible who heard God clearly. The first time we read about it, he is 80 years old and tending sheep in the desert. He sees a bush on fire! So he goes over to investigate and hears something loud and clear. Read this short passage. When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, Moses! Moses! Here I am! Moses replied. (Exodus 3:4) Did you notice that Moses replied quickly, without hesitation, and ready to respond? Hearing God s voice starts with submission and responsiveness to God. We must pre-determine that we will do what He asks us to do if we want to hear Him speak more frequently. We cannot give Him a maybe, or ask Him to tell us the outcome, then we will decide. When we are open in our obedience to God s word, He will speak more often. Have you ever felt God ask you to do something you didn t want to do? What did you end up doing? How did you experience God because you obeyed even though you didn t want to? Share with your group. 2.) During their conversation, God asks Moses some very specific questions. Take a look at this exchange: Then the Lord asked him, What is that in your hand? A shepherd s staff, Moses replied. Throw it down on the ground, the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the Lord told him, Reach out and grab its tail. So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd s staff in his hand. (Exodus 4:2-4) What an odd story. We don t normally associate godly things with snakes. But God has given Moses a miracle to perform before his people and Pharaoh to prove he is a prophet of God. Let s think about what just happened, though. Moses was responsive to God s question, obeyed quickly, and did so when it didn t quite make sense. Can you imagine being asked to grab a live snake by the tail? The first thing that happened was the staff turned into a snake. In other words, something dead came alive. When we are submissive to God s word, He will cause things that are dead to come alive again. Is there some dream or desire that has grown cold or gone dead which you wish were alive again? Is there something in your life that needs God s resurrection power? Share with your group. 43
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 3.) Once Moses picked up the live snake, it went back to being a shepherd staff. Something destructive had become constructive. A snake is not useful for a shepherd or a leader, but a staff is. God can use your obedience to turn the destructive things in your life into constructive opportunities. Perhaps it s a struggle you ve held onto for years or a bad situation you are living through. When you apply your obedience to God s word, He can turn it around! What destructive situation are you facing now that you need God s help with? Share with your group so they can pray with you. 4.) When we are obedient to God s word, he will work amazing things in our lives. But it requires us making two confessions about God s word. First, we must believe that God cares about the details of our lives. Read the following verse. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail even numbering the hairs on your head! (Matthew 10:30) Next, we must believe that God wants to answer our questions and concerns. Here is our promise: If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6) What do you think is keeping you from believing that God cares about you and wants to answer your prayer? Share with your group. 44
WHAT WILL YOU DO? As this series comes to a close, we ve learned so much about God s voice, His Word, and how to tune in to His frequency. Together as a group, let s commit to taking the following actions steps to put into practice all that we ve learned in this series: Complete the devotional entries for this week Establish a daily habit of spending quiet alone time with God Begin a journal to keep tracks of every time you hear God speak something to you Join us for our next message and small group series at New Hope Windward! CLOSE IN PRAYER Take a few minutes to close your time together with prayer and to pray for each other s prayer requests. Below is a sample prayer to read if you choose to. You can also choose to write down each other s prayer requests to remember throughout the week. Sample Prayer: Father, thank You for all that we ve learned in this series. As this series comes to a close, help us to apply these lessons learned into our lives. Help us to live a life full of faith, obedience, and trust in You. We want Your voice to be the guiding light in our lives. We love You. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen. Group Prayer Requests: Name Request 45
DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 1 S C R I P T U R E When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (Proverbs 29:18) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 2 S C R I P T U R E But Samuel replied, What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 46
DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 3 S C R I P T U R E Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. (Matthew 24:35) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 4 S C R I P T U R E Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 47