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Lesson OneDisappointment With God5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoDistraction5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeDangerous Relationships5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourUnchanged Tendencies5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveSelf-Reliance5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixPrayerlessness5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SevenCarelessness5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson EightAn Unexamined Heart5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson NineAn Unseen Enemy5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TenA Lack Of Accountability5 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 139
Discussion Questions
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List three of the more memorable people in the Old or New Testaments who became disappointed with God because He didn’t respond to them the way they thought He should have responded.
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Peter, Job and Moses
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1. David
2. Moses
3. Cain
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Peter told Jesus that he would never go the cross and Jesus rebuked him and told him he was not thinking of the things of God. Sarah, in the old testament, wanted a baby and God was not allowing it in the the timeframe she wanted. Sarah then took matters into her own hands and gave her husband to her maid servant. King Saul wasn’t hearing clearly from God like he wanted to. Saul went to a medium and had her summons the prophet Samuel from the dead. Samuel proceeded to tell him his life would be required of him the following day.
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* Naomi (Ruth 1). Naomi was a Hebrew woman who had to leave her home in Bethlehem with her husband and two sons because of a famine. Her husband and sons died in Moab, leaving her alone and childless. She was understandably disappointed with God for allowing these tragedies to happen. However, she eventually found hope and redemption through her daughter-in-law Ruth.
* Saul (1 Samuel 13-15). Saul was the first king of Israel. He was chosen by God to lead His people, but he often made poor choices and disobeyed God. As a result, God rejected Saul as king. Saul was understandably disappointed with God for this, and he eventually committed suicide.
* Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 27-28). Jesus’ disciples were expecting Him to overthrow the Roman government and establish His kingdom on earth. However, Jesus was crucified by the Romans. His disciples were understandably disappointed with this, but they eventually came to understand that Jesus’ death was necessary for the salvation of the world. -
Abraham was disappointed because God did not give him an heir of his own in his time frame. This led him to try and do it in his own strength, which resulted in a child that caused division for the people of God to this day.
David became angry with God when he was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel, and one of the men carrying it reached out to keep it from falling out of the wagon as the ox stumbled. This man immediately was killed by God because he touched the Ark. David was very angry that God allowed this to happen.
Elijah was angry with God because the prophets of baal would not listen to him and was disappointed with God that his work he gave him was not being successful. He went into the desert and asked God to just kill him because he thought he was the only man of God at that time.
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Sometimes people say they are Christians but act as if they are mad at God. What are some things you have observed that have caused you to be mad at God?
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After my precious Christian husband went home to be with Jesus, many folks and especially Christians asked me if I was angry at God? I found the question ridiculous. I told them that I was perplexed and sad but could I be angry at God for taking him out of his severe pain and increasing weakness to take him to a place where he would be strong and whole again?
I can’t say I have never been mad at God, but I have tried during my entire Christian life to put the blame on my misfortunes where they lie – on me. I have seen people angry at God for everything from a broken fingernail to the loss of someone close. Being angry with God “avails nothing.” His Will will always be done eventually. -
Before and during my divorce, when I had financial struggles, when my life didn’t end up the way I wanted it to.
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I’m not sure I’ve ever been mad at God. I’ve often wondered where God was or why he allowed something to happen. I can look back now on these circumstances and see that God was there the whole time.
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I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed in God. I have always been disappointed in myself. I’ve read Gods Word , and believed that I ought to be able to do certain things but have always disappointed myself.
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For me, loss has been an area that causes me to become angry with God. I remember reading a devotional following the loss of a family member that stated that it is okay to express those emotions as God created you and already knows how you feel. Essentially, He can take it and wants to help you carry that burden. I believe the danger comes when the anger consumes you and damages your relationship with a good and just God.
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What are some of the more important or noticeable reasons why people who say they’re Christians don’t act like it?
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I think that pride has to lead out the list because almost everything comes back to it.
We are disappointed because we think God should do things our way.
We are grumpy and angry because God doesn’t give us exactly what we want in material goods.
We don’t like to be corrected, disciplined, made to endure trials for His Names sake because we’re just “too important to God for that.” -
Perhaps they aren’t really in the Word, they don’t have the Holy Spirit who convicts them, they are focused only on the things of the earth, and like the speaker said,they are mad at God.
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Like one of the speakers in the video said, they are quite possibly mad at God. God didn’t hold up His end of the bargain like they thought He would. Or they went through a terrible trial that they thought God would save them from. People could get the mentality of “if you’re not going to be the God I want you to be, then I’m not going to live for you”.
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I have usually thought that they don’t know what God has said in His Word. They often act as if Gods love means they can just carry on – without checking the ‘rule’ book, so they are oblivious to the fact that their behaviours don’t match what is written.
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I believe the primary reason is a lack of knowledge and “living out” of the Word. God clearly defines for us what it truly means to be a Christian throughout scripture. When individuals use scripture in their own context to fit their purposes, beliefs, and lifestyles, it adds to the confusion of those who are non-believers of what Christians really believe and develops skepticism regarding the Christian faith.