Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK 2 - DAY 1 MEMORY VERSE: Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:5 What does the word "commitment" mean to you? The dictionary defines commitment as "an agreement or pledge to do something in the future...the state... of being obligated or emotionally impelled." SERIOUS BUSINESS Today many people do not take the matter of commitment seriously. Young couples may feel they can get a divorce if a marriage doesn't work out. A young athlete may feel he or she can quit the team when its inconvenient to practice. Commitments are easily broken. You may not be able to keep every commitment every day <<this is talking to the people that have signed commitment cards for First Place--Bible study, prayer, encouragement, exercise, filling out the food list,etc>> Commitments are easily broken. But you can do your best for God. *According to Ecclesiastes 5:4, what does God expect you to do when you make a promise to Him? *What does this verse call a person who doesn't keep promises to God? *Have you really made a serious commitment to God? The best things in life require commitment. A strong marriage, a positive relationship with family and children, a solid job and excellent health are a few of the areas that demand commitment. In fact, very few areas of your life don't demand comitment. You make commitments to develop in life. The Bible teaches you must weigh the cost of those commitments. *Read Deuteronomy 23:21. If you are reluctant to fulfill a commitment you have made to God, what will He do? Based on this verse, do you think God would simply let you off? *Why is breaking a commitment to God serious? Have you ever broken a promise you made to someone, even if unintentionally? How did it make you feel later? God is faithful. He will never break a promise or commitment He has made to us. His commitment to you is to never leave you alone and to always give you the strength to do His will. Remember from last week that nothing is impossible with God, and He will give you the power to keep your commitments to Him. However, because you are not perfect, keeping your commitments to First Place (or anything else) may not always be possible. Breaking that commitment grieves the Holy Spirit, but God is faithful and will forgive you when you don't succeed every day. Father God, I know you understand my desires and my weaknesses. I call upon your strength and power to help me succeed. AMEN! Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE-WEEK 2-DAY 2 God's Commitment to You Have you ever wondered if there was a secret plan for weight loss that would solve all of your weight problems? Every day you are bombarded by TV and newspaper ads, and magazine articles touting some new diet program or quick weight loss promise. Read the fine print and you'll find that most of them advocate a sensible diet and exercise. Even fad diets are careful to point out that you should consult your doctor first. God has a better plan for you that will take care of all areas of life. The Bible tells you to look to God for help in ANY area of need in your life. Jeremiah 33:3 explains that principle. *What does God ask you to do? *And what will He do? God's plans are described as "great and mighty". God's plans contain His wisdom, His perspective, His insights into who we are as people. His plans for your life will exceed any you could have developed alone. *What is God's promise in John 15:7? *How does this apply to your weight loss commitments? When you turn to God for answers in life, He begins to guide you. When you call on Him and seek Him, He can work in your life more readily. Psalm 32:8 describes four things God promises to do in our lives when we seek His guidance and direction. God will _____________________ you. God will _____________________ you. God will _____________________ you. God will _____________________ you. God is committed to helping you keep the commitments you have made to Him. He keeps watch over you and promises to teach and instruct you in all things. This applies to your endeavors toward weight loss and good health. Thank God for giving you the privilege of reading and studying the Bible. Thank God that He will use what you read to give you strength and guidance in your life. Thank God that the Holy spirit living in you will remind you of the truths in the Bible that you have learned. Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK 2 -DAY 3 Strength for This Day You can become so serious about your covenants and commitments that you may begin to worry. "How will I ever be able to do this?" you ask yourself. God understands your limitations. He has given you specific guidelines in the Bible about dealing with matters that concern you. One of the commitments (of First Place) is scripture memory. By hiding God's word in your heart, you will have strength for each day. *Consider Psalm 119:11. What happens when we hide God's word in our hearts? *Look up the following verses that will help you resist temptation; then write each verse in your own words: **Romans 6:14 **2 Corinthians 5:17 **James 1:12 God's word will give you strength to face each day no matter what may happen. He knows the challenges you will face and will give you the strength you need. Deuteronomy 33:25 states, "and as they days, so shall thy strength be." Most people wish God would give them all the strength they will ever need and do so right now. God knows best and gives you strength as you need it. *Write Matthew 6:34 in your own words. *What do you think Jesus meant when He said,"for the morrow shall take thought of things of itself". Or each day has enough trouble of its own? God has given us a light that we can shine in the darkness that often covers our lives. *According to Psalm 119:105, what role should God's word play in your life? He will give you His light for the path you need to take today. You cannot look down the road and see every step you will need to take in your journey to lose weight. You must look to Him with faith for each day. Jesus will give you all you need today. Tomorrow He will do the same thing again. With God all things are possible! Father God, help me to hide your word in my heart so that I may resist temptation. Lord, thank you for giving me the Bible full of your promises and love for me. Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK 2 - DAY 4 Anchored by Obedience You have learned that God has a strategy for helping you to face temptation. His strategy in part involves His promises found in the Bible and obedience on your part. What if a situation develops in which you go blank and can't draw on God's resources? Don't worry. God has a plan. When you are in the midst of temptation, God promises to help you remember His promises. *According to John 14:26, what will God do for you in the midst of temptation? God wants you to turn to Him for strength each day. A key way to discover God's direction for your life and receive His power is through the Bible. *What does Joshua 1:8 say your level of intensity should be when you seek to know God's word? *Just knowing God's word isn't enough. What else must you do? God has promised success to those who seek to know His word and obey it. Jesus told a story that illustrated the benefits that come to people who follow this plan. *In Matthew 7:24,25, to whom did Jesus compare the person who reads God's word and obeys it? *What happens when the storms of life beat upon this person's life? How would you describe the foundation of your life right now? Check the appropriate box. ____ My foundation is solid! I'm ready if the storms come. ____ I'm reinforcing my foundation right now. I'm making progress. ____ My foundation is cracked! I'm just hoping no storms come my way. Pray about your spiritual foundation. God will help you make any needed changes. Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK 2 - DAY 5 Keeping Promises When people have valuable documents such as stock certificates, deeds or wills, they often put them in a safety deposit box in a bank vault. They want to protect these documents. The person who possesses these valuable documents can use them. In the same way, the Bible is a vault filled with God's precious promises. When we know those promises and understand how they apply to our lives, we can use them. *Second Peter 1:4 describes god's promises with two keywords. How are God's promises "great" to you? How are God's promises "precious" to you? In this scripture passage, God tells you that as you learn His great and precious promises found in the Bible, you can "partake in the divine nature." *How do God's promises help you "partake in the divine nature"? When you know God's promises in the Bible, you know God's thoughts, His perspective, His wisdom. You know what God wants and discover what He has promised to do. When you read the Bible, you know things you could never have known about God if He had not chosen to tell you. What a privilege you have! As you read the bible, God tells you His secrets. *Read the following verses and explain how each promise will help you: Psalm 31:24 Psalm 37:24 God is faithful to keep His promises. Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK2-DAY 6 Reflections One emphasis this week has been to hid God's word in your heart by memorizing scripture. You have read many verses that will encourage, help and guide you everyday. After you have memorized the scripture verses, turn them into prayers that you offer each day as you prepare to face the things that will come into your life that day. You have learned that nothing is bigger or more powerful than God. You can trust His words and His promises. His words in the Bible are weapons with which you can wage spiritual warfare against the power of Satan. God is more powerful than Satan. God tells you to hide His Word in your heart because hiding requires intentional action. To hide something, you must first hold it and then place it somewhere. Hiding is a two step process. Memorizing scripture is one way to hide the word of God in your heart. The verses become yours when you can say them without looking them up. They will give you courage to stand up for your beliefs, the power to fight temptation and comfort in times of need. When you pray the scriptures, you find yourself in "intimate communication with God." Your mind is retrained, or renewed, to think His thoughts about your situation rather than your own thoughts. Remember that praying by using scripture makes the verse more personal. The more you commit to memory, the more you will have to use when you pray. Can't you just imagine how happy God is to hear His own words spoken back to Him?? Subject: EVERYDAY VICTORY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE - WEEK 2 - DAY 7 The Bible study this week emphasized how God gives you courage, power and comfort through His word. memorizing scripture and making it your own gives you what you need to resist the temptations that will come as you try to lose weight and improve your health. Remember that the weapons with which you fight are not the weapons of the world. Second corinthians 10:3-5 describes these weapons and the power behind them. Grab hold of the divine power God provides through scripture and prayer. nothing will give you more courage, comfort or power in your own life. The principle "use it or lose it" holds true in many things in life, including spiritual truths. God has committed Himself to guide you in your life, providing the power you need to live and please Him. The Bible has all the truth you need to avoid sin and do what is right. Until you discover what the Bible says, God cannot use the Bible as a tool in your life.