THREE THINGS TO KNOW
DON’T MISS THIS
Women’s Ministry THRIVE GATHERING is February 17 at 7 PM at our East Paris Campus or online. Join other women for this special night of worship, community and teaching on the topic of Faith & Anxiety with Grand Rapids counselor and Ada Bible attender Nicole Fryling. Learn more and register at adabible.org/thrivegathering.
GROUP VALUES
This month we focus on Spiritual Practices. We are working on a 2022 Bible Memory Practice to memorize a Bible verse in Beyond the Weekend each month. Our February verse is Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Read the verse aloud as a group and discuss ways to commit it to memory.
GROW AS A LEADER
Winter Leader Huddle is coming soon. Join us for a Leader Huddle on February 20 or 27. Discuss with other leaders how to recognize, plan for and celebrate spiritual growth in your group. Register at adabible.org/leaderhuddle.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Welcome to the final week of RENEW. Today’s discussion is about Elijah and how God sends a drought to help the people move from STUCK to STARTED with him.
What is something you do to enjoy winter?
Have a couple of people read 1 Kings 18:20-46 aloud. What emotions and actions stand out to you in this epic showdown?
DROUGHT
The Israelites find themselves experiencing a drought. Read Deuteronomy 11:16-17 aloud. What warning did God give them if they didn’t obey him?
Spiritual arrogance is when we think God is obligated to bless us no matter what we do. How might we do this today?
Pastor Jeff Manion shared God provides three types of blessing—the blessings of being born, believing and behaving. Which one stands out to you, and why?
God uses the drought to get the Israelites attention and call them back to himself. What might be some “droughts” God uses to get us to move from STUCK to STARTED with him?
DECISION
Reread 1 Kings 18:20-25. What does Elijah instruct the people to do, and what result are they looking for?
The people haven’t entirely walked away from God, but they’ve added Baal to their worship mix. How do people follow God and add something else to their worship today?
Have someone read Matthew 22:36-38. Pastor Jeff said that God desires to be at the center and speak into all areas of our lives—relationships, finances, work and family. Which of these are the biggest struggle to allow God to speak into?
EXPOSURE
God uses this opportunity to expose Baal as a counterfeit, unreliable god. Baal does not answer and cannot provide. How are the false gods our culture encourages us to rely on today just as unreliable?
Read aloud 1 Kings 18:39. What moves you about the people’s response to God showing himself as the one, true God?
The people come face to face with the reality that they’ve put their hope in the wrong thing. Share about a time you recognized you put your hope and trust in something that cannot fill your bottomless pit of need and desire. How did you respond?
BLESSING
God uses the drought to bring the people back to himself, but he doesn’t leave them in the drought. Instead, he sends rain as they return to him. What does this show you about the heart of God?
Have someone read Luke 15:11-20. Jesus teaches this parable to show the heart of the Father for all who’ve run away but desire to return home to him. Share with your group a time you wandered from God and experienced the blessing of him welcoming you back when you returned to him.
Blessing often follows obedience, but it may not be a physical blessing. Instead, God’s blessings could be spiritual, relational or growing our character to be more like Jesus. What blessings have you experienced as you’ve taken steps in your walk with God?
WRAP UP
Today we discussed the drought God sent to get the people to return to trusting him alone as the one true God and the blessing he gave when they returned. What part of the story stood out to you, and what is one thing you can do to put your trust in God alone this week?