Do You Control It All?

Introduction:

How to Make Sense of Suffering: Four Questions You Must Answer (Job 40:1-42:6):

1. Have I Humbled myself? (Job 40:1-5)
2. Do I think I can do Better than God? (Job 40:6-14)
3. Do I have any Power over evil? (Job 40:15-41:34)
4. Will my suffering draw me Closer to God? (Job 42:1-6)

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Small Group Discussion
Covering Job 40-42:6

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Read Job 40:33-34. Why do these verses seem to indicate that God isn’t just talking about an animal? What is Leviathan a symbol of?
   

3. What exactly was God’s point in describing Behemoth and Leviathan as He did? How is this an answer for Job’s questions?
   

4. What exactly from God’s Behemoth and Leviathan descriptions made Job repent? How would you paraphrase this lesson to teach someone who is suffering?

Breakout:
Pray for one another.

Be More THAT Guy

Introduction:

How to Help Sufferers Who Are in a Bad Place (Job 32-37):

1. Deal in Truth . (Job 32-33)
   1. Deal in God's Word, not Man's .
   2. Deal with what is Said , not what you Suppose.
2. Address their Conduct . (Job 34)
   1. Point out Worldy behavior.
   2. Point the way Forward .
3. Ask about their Walk with God. (Job 35)
   1. Are you Maturely responding to suffering?
   2. Are you crying About God or crying To God?
4. Leave room for Mystery . (Job 36-37)
   1. We must be okay with not knowing Everything .
   2. We must Act on what we do know.

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Small Group Discussion
Covering Job 32-37

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Read Job 32:1-5. Why was Elihu so angry? What was the root cause of his anger?
   

3. Read Job 32:21-22. How do people show partiality and use flattery when they counsel? Why did Elihu refuse to do this?
   

4. Read Job 34:7-9. How can you point out someone’s sinful behavior in a straightforward, but tactful, way?
   

5. Read Job 36:26, 37:5, and 37:23. How would you communicate the truth that “we can’t understand everything God is doing” in an effective way to someone who is hurting?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Everything Comes from God

Introduction:

How Can I Not Blame God for My Suffering?
3 Things to Remind Yourself When You Suffer: (Job 2:10):

1. Foolish people blame God. (Job 2:10a)
2. Everything comes from God. (Job 2:10b)
3. Not blaming God is a matter of Choice . (Job 2:10c)

   Luke 22:31-32 - Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

   Hebrews 7:25 - Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Job 2:1-10

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Why did Satan say that physical suffering will turn a man against God, when losing wealth wouldn’t (Job 2:4-5)? Do you think there’s truth in that? Why or why not?
   

3. Note the last sentence in Job 2:3. What did God mean that Satan “incited God against Job to destroy Job without reason”? What does this say about Satan’s motives?
   

4. Job’s reason for not cursing God is given in the question Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? (Job 2:10) How is this a reasonable explanation to not curse God in your suffering? What does it mean that God “gives evil”?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

What Do We See Behind the Curtain?

Introduction:

What Do We See Behind the Curtain? (Job 1):

1. Heaven takes note of your Conduct .
2. Your Motive is what really Matters .
3. Satan does Nothing without God's say so.

You WILL Worship While You Suffer:

1. If you are a worshiper Before you Suffer . (Job 1:5)
2. If you remember that you're Leaving Earth with what you Brought . (Job 1:21)
3. If you believe that God has a Purpose for literally Everything . (Job 1:22)

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Small Group Discussion
Read Job 1

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Have you ever suffered a terrible trial and struggled with the question “Why, God?” As much as you’re comfortable, share your story with the group.
   

3. What was Satan’s accusation against Job (see Job 1:9-11)? Why do you think Satan made this accusation?
   

4. How would you respond to someone who says, “As soon as I started going to church, everything in my life got so much harder.”?
   

5. Walk us through Job 1:21. Why was this Job’s reasoning for blessing the Lord? How can we get there now to prepare us for when we suffer?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

How to Worship Through Giving

Introduction:

How to Make Giving an Act of Worship (2 Corinthians 9:7):

1. Give Intentionally . (2 Cor 9:7a)

   Intentional Giving Means:

   1. When I'm paid, I give to God First - every time.
   2. I love God enough to put serious Thought into it.
   3. I give Proportionately to what God's given me.
2. Give Willingly . (2 Cor 9:7b)
3. Give Cheerfully . (2 Cor 9:7c)

   John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He Gave His Only Son!

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Small Group Discussion
Read (2 Corinthians 9:7)

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Explain the principle of “firstfruits”. How does that principle apply to financially giving to the church? Why is it important?
   

3. Should Christians tithe, if tithing isn’t explicitly commanded in the New Testament? Why or why not?
   

4. How do you know that you are giving from the heart, and not merely giving to avoid feeling guilty for not giving?
   

5. What does it mean that “God loves a cheerful giver”? What IS a cheerful giver?

Breakout
Pray for one another.