Deliverance from Life’s Downward Pull

Four factors that exponentially increase a person’s upward life potential.

• Start with God !

| Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 | Psalm 71:17-18 | 1 Timothy 4:12 | 2 Timothy 3:14-17 |(MULTILINE)

• Handle issues of and the with great .

| Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 | Psalm 119:105 | Ezra 7:10 | Acts 17:11 | Colossians 3:16 | 2 Timothy 2:15 |(MULTILINE)

• Stay close to people who will ‘’ you toward and things.

| Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 | Proverbs 11:14, 13:20, 24:6, 27:17 | Acts 26:14 | 1 Corinthians 15:33 |(MULTILINE)

• God and His .

| Ecclesiastes 12:8 | Psalm 112:1 | Proverbs 1:7 | John 14:15, 21 | 1 John 5:3 | Revelation 14:12 |(MULTILINE)

Small Group Questions

What do you think?

Re-read the sermon points out loud to refresh our collective memory. What particular point from Sunday’s message stood out to you, challenged you, or got you to think?(MULTILINE)

The story of your life.

1. On Sunday, Pastor Kyle talked about the constant downward pull of life. What are some things that help lift you up when you’re feeling down?(MULTILINE)
2. What has been your biggest “takeaway” from the Book of Ecclesiastes?(MULTILINE)

Digging deeper in God’s Word.

1. God can work powerfully in someone’s life regardless of their age. At the same time, we saw on Sunday how spiritually advantageous it is when someone begins walking with God young. The Apostle Paul once openly discipled a young Pastor Timothy in the form of two letters that are part of Scripture today. Read 1st Timothy 4:6-16 and respond to the following prompts and questions.
   1. What advice does Paul give to Timothy specifically? What crosses over into anyone today?(MULTILINE)
   2. How might these words encourage young people? Or folks of any age?(MULTILINE)
   3. What does this tell us about God? People? Ourselves?(MULTILINE)
2. One of the greatest stories in the Old Testament of a young person whose faith expanded exponentially because he started young is found in 1 Samuel 3. To provide context, God had rejected the prophet Eli’s children from succeeding him due to their disobedience. Then God sends little Samuel into the mix. Read 1 Samuel 3:1-21 and respond to the following prompts and questions.
   1. Have a few members of the group recap the story using their own words.(MULTILINE)
   2. In what ways did this experience grow Samuel’s faith and obedience?(MULTILINE)
   3. In what ways did this experience grow Eli’s faith and obedience?(MULTILINE)
   4. What does this story tell us about God? People? Ourselves?(MULTILINE)
3. On Sunday, we saw that the greatest way to fight the downward pull of life is to obey God and keep His commandments. Jesus once spoke about this in John 14:15-26. Read it together and respond to the following prompts and questions.
   1. Have a few members of the group recap the main tenets of the passage.(MULTILINE)
   2. What does this passage tell us about God? People? Ourselves?(MULTILINE)
   3. In light of all this, is there anything you need to do differently?(MULTILINE)

Personal Reflection and Application.

1. Have everyone share one thing someone else said in this discussion that struck a chord with you.(MULTILINE)
2. Break up into smaller groups and pray for one another (preferably men with men and women with women).(MULTILINE)