REALLIFE STUDY GROUP
"Count
Up!"
ICEBREAKER:
What or how do you pray for those in authority over you?
INTRODUCTION: When it comes to counting and numbers if it
applies to us or our things, based on numbers, we Identify it, categorize it,
locate it, process it, appraise it, weigh it, define it, measure it, calculate
it, grade it, evaluate it, judge it, elect it
and classify it. Our entire lives revolve around counting and numbering
just about everything. Here are just a few examples:
·
Social Security numbers
·
Drivers License numbers
·
Passport numbers and Visa
numbers
·
License plates
·
Confirmation numbers
·
Credit card numbers
·
Street address with zip code
·
Phone numbers
·
Rewards membership numbers
·
Pass code numbers
·
Combination Lock numbers
·
Product Serial numbers
·
Model # and Make numbers
·
Product or software upgrade
numbers
·
Movie sequels: Terminator 3,
Die Hard 4, Rocky 5, Chain Saw Massacre 100
·
Price or values
·
Military name, rank and serial
number
·
Bar code
·
Food information: number of
carbs, fats, proteins, and sugars
·
Locator numbers for mailing
·
Age
·
Weight
·
Height
·
IQ
·
Time is even quantified by
counting seconds.
We teach people to:
·
Count sheep in order to sleep.
·
Count to ten before we respond
in anger.
·
Count to three to give our
children time to obey.
·
Count to three in wrestling
before we stop the match after being pinned.
·
We sometimes evaluate beauty on
a scale of one to ten.
·
We judge the performance of
gymnasts and divers on a scale of one to ten.
·
We let or kids watch a show
called Sesame Street which has a character called Count.
·
There's even a book of the
Bible called numbers.
The truth is that with all of our
counting so often we fail to focus on counting up all of our blessings!
CONFESSION: I'm counting on God! I'm counting up all His promises;
I'm calculating all the infinite possibilities! I choose to count it all joy. I
choose to take authority over my circumstances and how I react to them by
leading my mind into a lifestyle of habitual rejoicing!
DEFINITIONS:
Count:
to calculate, to render, to lead, to go before, to rule, to command, to have
authority over.
A prince, of regal power, governor,
viceroy, chief,
To consider, deem, account, think
Greek: Echo: To Count translated to
hold in the mind.
Greek: Hegeomi: Count translated to
lead before the mind
Greek: Psephizo: Count stones used for
voting
Hebrew: Count: translated to scratch,
to scrape, to polish, to inscribe letters on a stone, hence to write
To number, to enumerate, to narrate or
recount, to speak or to utter rods
OUTLINE:
HOLD IN YOUR MIND, (Count On
It!)
·
Stop focusing on what you've
lost
Start
focusing on what you have
·
Stop focusing on what could
have been
Start
focusing on what still can be
·
Stop focusing on what you
cannot change
Start
focusing on what you can change
·
Stop focusing on your weaknesses
Start
focusing on your strengths and the strength of the Lord
·
Stop focusing on your failures
Start
focusing on your successes
·
Stop focusing on your setbacks
Start
focusing on your comeback
·
Stop focusing on your
disappointments
Start
focusing on your Divine appointments
·
Stop focusing on your enemies
Start
focusing on your friends
·
Stop focusing on other people's
negative opinions of you
Start focusing
on God's positive opinion of you
·
Stop focusing on your critics
Start
focusing on your fans
TEXT:
James 1:2; James 5:11; Philippians 3:8,13; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 20:24; Psalm
139:18; Luke 14:28
STUDY
GROUP QUESTIONS:
1. Identify
a promise in God's Word that you have been counting on.
2. How
do you count it all joy when your up day has taken a downturn?
3. What
emotion would you say is attached to your most dominant thought or concern
daily right now? Share your concern too if you want.
a. Anxiety
b. Pain
c. Anger
d. Depression
e. Excitement
f. Grief
g. Happiness
h. Stress
i. ____________________
4. What
do you most need to stop focusing on and what do you most need to start focusing
on?
5. One
of the Greek definitions for the word count is translated to esteem, deem,
consider or value. 2 Thessalonians 1:11 speaks of walking or living in a way
that we are counted worthy of our calling. What does that mean to you?
6. If
you were to make your life count for something great what would you want to
accomplish?
PRAISE
REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ACTION
POINT: This week I will pray for those in
authority over me.
Father, in Jesus’ name, I pray for those
who rule over me in every arena of life, including politicians, government
officials, apostles, parents, judges, coaches, teachers, employers, ushers,
etc...
As long as he/she walks in the
ways of the Lord...
·
May he be surrounded by wise
& godly counsel
·
May he have daily encounters
with the Living God
·
May he and his family be kept
under the shadow of the protective wings of the Almighty
·
May he walk in competence,
quiet confidence, and without compromising God 's ways
·
May he choose policies that are
pleasing in the sight of the Lord
·
May he only make godly,
competent and efficient appointments
·
May his sleep be peaceful and
restful
·
May he continually bring favor,
blessing, integrity and honor to his office and calling
·
May the Lord reward him
according to his faithfulness
·
May he come to realize, though
it may feel like it at times, the weight of the world is not on his
shoulders, but rather on the one who created both his shoulders and the world.
·
May he draw strength from daily
reading and meditating on God's Word.
·
May he heed the counsel,
direction, correction and warnings of the Holy Spirit
·
May he know who are his true
friends and his true enemies.
·
May he never be tripped, trapped
or led into temptation.