DEVELOPING A FAITH THAT WORKS YOUNG ADULT CELLS OCTOBER 2006

HOW TO PROFIT FROM YOUR PROBLEMS

Leader’s Notes

IMPT NOTE:
The important thing in this lesson is the encourage members to see Objective:
At the end of this lesson, you
their problems from God’s perspective and make a choice today to
will be able to:
respond to them by applying God’s word in their lives. We cannot 1. Know the four facts about
control the problems in our lives but we can control how we want to the problems we face in
respond. life.
2. Identify the 3 values of
Tell members that God has a purpose even in our problems in life. His problems.
ultimate aim is to build the character of Christ into our lives. God will
help us through our problems.
3. Take home 3 practical
steps to handle life’s
problems in a biblical
HOOK (5 Mins) manner.
Ask the two questions in the introduction.
1) Allow people to share and disagree. Humanly speaking it is
impossible to be happy when facing problem. Nobody can do that
including pastors. But we can be happy if we have the mind of
Christ and know that the problems will result in some good in our
life.
2) Not comparing yourself with others but comparing yourself with
God’s Words. Share with members that James is a manual on how
we can grow and become spiritually mature. It does so by pointing 2Consider it pure joy, my
out the marks of spiritual growth which we can measure ourselves brothers, whenever you face
against. trials of many kinds, 3because
you know that the testing of
your faith develops
II. Four Facts of Life You Need to Know perseverance.
Jas 1:2-3
It is quite impossible for the members to guess the blanks. Just read
out the answers a) inevitable, b) unpredictable, c) variable and d)
purposeful.

1) We know that every Christian will face problems. You are not alone.
You have problems not because you have sinned though sometimes it
may be a natural consequence of bad decisions you have made. It
doesn’t matter whether we are more spiritual or less spiritual.
Therefore, it is important to know that God has a purpose in our lives
and problems and to learn godly responses to our problems to benefit
from them.

2) Affirm member’s sharing of the different types of trials they’ve

observed in their own lives. Encourage them to share also how the Lord
helped them through those times or a Bible verse which God has given
them so that it can also encourage other members.
3because you know that the
3) Encourage members to share how God had shaped their character or testing of your faith develops
attitude through those times if they haven’t done so in 3). If they did, perseverance. 4Perseverance
must finish its work so that
skip this question.
you may be mature and
complete, not lacking
III. Three Values of Problems anything.
Jas 1:3-4
1) Again, it is quite impossible for members to guess the blanks. You
can try asking if you want, but you may just read out the answers.
a) Problems purify my faith.
b) Problems fortify my patience.

c) Problems sanctify my character.

2) It is easy for anyone to profess their faith in good times. It is in the

bad times that we know the authenticity of our faith. The testing of our
faith is likened to the testing of gold and silver in the Bible. When
Member’s Notes
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DEVELOPING A FAITH THAT WORKS YOUNG ADULT CELLS OCTOBER 2006

placed through the fire like our trials, impurities will drop off for the
gold to come out pure. Likewise, trials reveal our true character, what’s
really inside of us so that God can refine our character and strengthen
our faith through it. God wants us to become stronger through our trials
because only genuine, pure faith can take us through the different trials
in our lives.

3) Explain to members that God wants us to develop patience because

it is the fruit of the Spirit. It is not passive patience but staying power.
In Greek, perseverance means the ability to stay under pressure. We
often do everything to run away from pressure e.g. watch TV, sleep and
some take pills etc. The best way to develop perseverance in our lives is
to Not have everything going our way e.g. in traffic jam, grocery queue,
and “waiting room in our lives” etc.

4) God’s ultimate purpose for our lives is to build the character of Christ
into our lives. The word “sanctify” means to help us grow to become 16Be joyful always; 17pray
more like Jesus. James encourages us to grow to become mature and continually; 18give thanks in
complete in Christ. God uses 2 ways: trials in our lives and His Word to all circumstances, for this is
fulfill His agenda in our lives. He allow us to go through different trials God's will for you in Christ
Jesus.
just as Jesus did where He was tempted to disappointment,
1 Thess 5:16-18
discouragement, prideful to develop our character so that we will
become more like Him. He also help us grow and mature through His
Word. Read Jn 17:17. 5If any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God, who gives
IV. How to Handle Your Problems generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be
given to him.
The 3 blanks are a) rejoice, b) wisdom and c) relax. Jas 1:5

1) We do not thank God for evil and suffering but we thank God
because we know (underline these 3 words in v3) that trials have a
purpose in our lives. Review the 3 values of problems. So we thank God
in the situation not for the situation! We know that God uses even the
bad situations to build character in us to help us mature and become
more like Jesus.

2) We pray for wisdom so that we can learn the lessons God intended
through our trials. We don’t want to miss the opportunity to grow and
mature to be more like Christ. It is important to see trials from God’s
perspective. The right question to ask is not “why is this happening?”
but rather “what do You want me to learn?” Sometimes God has to help
us learn a lesson again when we don’t learn it the first time. Let’s take
heart and learn the lessons so that we do not have to be like the
Israelites going through the wilderness in 40 years.

3) This will allow you to understand your members and their struggles
better. Affirm their sharing, encourage them or pray for them
accordingly.

V. Conclusion
1) Allow members to share their personal experience and how have
their problems helped them in life.
Ask if they know of any of their friends facing the same issues and
how they can play a part to help these friends. (both Christians and
non-Christians)

2) Encourage members to memorize. Next week test. Haha.

3) Pair up members to pray for one another as they share their

struggles. Close this time with prayer.
0.

Member’s Notes
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