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January 3, 2010
BETRAYAL – THE PIT
GETTING TO KNOW YOU….
1. We’ve just gotten through the Christmas Holidays, what was your favorite blessing/memory of the holiday season?
2. The holidays can also be a painful time for people. Sometimes it’s the pain of past memories… Sometimes it’s the pain of certain relationships… and Sometimes it’s the pain of certain emotions, such as loneliness. Was there some part of this holiday season that was particularly painful to you?
DIGGING DEEPER….
1. As Pastor Dave Began his message, he told an illustration of how he had felt betrayed a number of years ago when pasturing his 1st church by a staff member who left the church under one pretense, only to return to the city a short time later, planning to start a church in the immediate area. Have you ever felt Betrayed? Would you be willing to share that within the safety of those in your group….
Scriptures To Ponder:
‘Even my best friend, the one I always told everything—he ate meals at my house all the time! has bitten my hand.’ Psalm 41:9 (Message)
‘This isn’t the neighborhood bully mocking me—I could take that. This isn’t a foreign devil spitting invective—I could tune that out. It’s you! We grew up together! You! My best friend! Those long hours of leisure as we walked arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.’ Psalm 55:12-14 (Message)
‘Don’t trust your neighbor, don’t confide in your friend. Watch your words, even with your spouse. Neighborhoods and families are falling to pieces. The closer they are—sons, daughters, in-laws—The worse they can be. Your own family is the enemy.’ Micah 7:5-6 (Message)
2. As we began to look at the story of Joseph on Sunday, we learned a number of things about Jacob, the father of Joseph and his brothers:
: Gen.25… ‘Embezzled’ The Birthright From Esau for a mess of pottage…
Gen.27…”Stole’ the Blessing Intended For Esau from issac
Gen.30…’Connived’ and ‘Contrived’ to Steal Laban’s Cattle and Goats..
Gen.37… ‘Ill-Advisedly He Openly Favored Joseph and Made Him An Overseer Before Making Him A Servant…
*The Bible Says, ‘Train up a child in the way in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ Prov.22:6 What Impact do you see in the passage in Genesis 37 that Jacob’s life had on the future behavior of his Sons? What does that teach us about the impact we have on our children?
3. Betrayal Is Fueled By Jealousy and Envy. We saw that in the Story Of Joseph and his brothers and Pastor Dave Also Illustrated with what happened with King Saul and David when David Slew Goliath and was given accolades by the people (I Sam.18:6-9).
a. Can you think of instances in your life and/or the lives of others where you have seen Jealousy and Envy take over… ?
b. What can/should we do to guard against jealousy and envy in our lives?
4. Breakdown and Breakthrough Are Necessary Parts Of Betrayal. Breakdown is what happens when we’ve been ‘broken’ by betrayal. It has a way of working on our arrogance and pride.
- Joseph needed a breakdown… He was prideful and boastful over his position of being his father’s favorite and the special gifting of dreams that God had given to him… revealing God’s future plans for him.
Breakthrough is what needs to happen once we’ve been in the pit… We need to begin to ask ‘What Next’ instead of ‘Why Me?’…
1. Can you see where God has used a time of Betrayal in your life to give you a time of ‘Breakdown’… a time to refine you?
2. What about ‘Breakthrough’? What did God have for you next, once you opened your eyes and began to look at Him through eyes of faith?
‘And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.’ ‘Romans 8:28 (KJV)
‘He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.’ Psalm 40:2 (NIV)
TAKING IT HOME
‘Betrayal’… The truth is, we’ve all been there. We’ve been down in the pit.. alone, angry and bitter. However, we always have a choice. We can either chose to continue to look at self, feeling angry and bitter. Or, we can choose to look up, through the eyes of faith, trusting God and asking Him… ‘WHAT NEXT!?’
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