Personal Strength Lesson 5

intro Name Age School/Job What are your strengths?

Memory Verse “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.” Psalm 26:1 What does this verse mean to you? What does vindicate mean: (according to Google) clear someone of blame (can’t blame) or suspicion/ show or prove to be right DEFINITION OF INTEGRITY: quality of being honest and having strong moral principles “not slip” meaning no temptation

Listen and Ponder Sing or hum if you want https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDn5GX1m1lU http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hillsongyoungfree/backtolife.html To get us in the mood YAH

Personal Strength Luke 1:46-55 What is Mary’s response to her calling? How do you think she is able to do God’s calling? What qualities of personal strength does Mary show? Question 1 In Luke 1 it explains a passage about an angel appearing before Mary, telling her she will have a child named Jesus and “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Verse 32 NIV) Mary was thinking from the book it mentions what Mary was probably thinking… “I must be crazy” Read Luke 1:46-55 According to this verse: What is Mary’s response to her calling? To glorify God How do you think she is able to do this? Mary decides to trust God in His decisions for her life What qualities of personal strength does Mary show? She is confident

Mary Authentic faith She dug down deep into her soul and found the courage to believe God’s word for her life Mary was able to set aside her wishes and plans to trust in the Lord

What experiences in your life have you had to rely on personal strength to face unexpected turns on the road of life? Question 2 Mary She had doubts We are all human… its normal But in those doubts she was willing to trust God’s will Set aside her own desires rather than to ignore and live her own life She asked God to help her be strong

Do you ever feel weak in your faith? Unable to stand strong against the temptations of this world? Psalm 41:12 How does this verse reassure us in our weaknesses? Question 3 Psalms 41:12 (NIV) Because of my integrity you uphold me     and set me in your presence forever. Book version: “As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever” God gives us strength to be faithful to His word and His command. We do not have to find that strength in ourselves. Remembering we do not have to find strength in ourselves She was able to trust God in guidance of her path

Proverbs 20:7 What does it say about integrity reward for life? Question 4 What does it say about integrity reward for life? Blessings Proverbs 20:7 (AMP) “The righteous man who walks in integrity and  lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs— How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].” “his children” = we look up to each other, constantly get better - MIMI on “the virtuous wife”: “It isn’t always going to be easy, but with continuous prayer and determination we can reach the goal of being the best we can not only for our future husband, but also for the God that we serve. He ultimately deserves the best from us”

Think of your role model. People you look up to Where do you think their strength come from? Psalm 121:2 What does this say about the source of our strength? Question 5 Think of your role model. Someone you follow daily. People/Somebody you look up to (ex: parents) Where do you think their strength derives from? To work, cook dinner, drive you to school To have God => strength “May help come comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” Psalm 121:2 Mary Angel said “do not fear” it was “good news of great joy”

Ultimately when it comes to personal strength, the greatest challenge is consistency For us to let our character be marked by our integrity is the work of a lifetime. Psalm 78:72 What does Psalm 78:72 suggest we maintain integrity over a lifetime? Question 6 Ultimately when it comes to personal strength, the greatest challenge is consistency. “So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” (Psalm 78:72) We are the sheep and God is our shepherd Its easy to say what we want to do rather than actually doing the action Focus on strengths to motivate us Any of us can be kind one moment or firm another If we allow God to be our shepherd for a lifetime we will live with integrity

What the response to this verse? Do you live with the fear that you’ll be discovered – that your secret sins will be exposed and the world will know your failures? Proverbs 10:9 What the response to this verse? Question 7 “He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known” Proverbs 10:9 If we don’t have the strength to live faithful lives, we will be exposed. That should encourage us to be all diligent in our belief. Stress foundation

Job was a man of faith Yet Satan pops into Job’s life trying to see if he would abandon his faith in God What do these verses say about personal strength? Job 2:3 Job 27:5 Job 4:6 Job 31:6 Question 8 Other than Mary… another example is Job decided to trust Jesus and follow Him/God. “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause” Job 2:3 Maintain integrity “Far be it form me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me” Job 27:5 “you are right; Till I die” => complete faith in God Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope? Job 4:6 Respect God “Let me be weighted on honest scales, That God may know my integrity” Job 31:6

What did Job realize about his own integrity strength in the light of God’s strength? How is this true for all of us? Question 9 “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have utters what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes” Job 42:3-6 Job’s integrity was weak in comparison to God Though Job had been a man of integrity, God’s integrity far exceeded that of himself. God alone is holt, and even our greatest accomplishments on this earth are but waste presence of His holiness.

Journal Question/Challenge Journal: What can you do to strengthen integrity on your personal strengths? Challenge: Be open in prayer this week during quiet time. We are getting into intimate issues that are the very core of who you are. Listen to what God is telling you in that space. Don’t be afraid to follow His voice. To make it more intimate I challenge you to do your quiet time everyday