Leader Guide

Objective
Students will learn to face the future without fear knowing Who is leading us into it!

Warm Up
Ask for a volunteer who would like to become smarter. Have them sit down on a chair with you standing behind them. Explain that you have just watched a video on increasing intelligence neurologically. Ask them if they are ready to get smarter.
Get out a portable drill and rev it as you say, “Great! Hold still as I drill a hole into your head so I can insert the implant.”

At this point either they will leave quickly, or students will react. Once things settle down a bit ask:

• Why they were so nervous about you drilling a hole in their head?

Obviously, you have no clue or expertise in this idea. They had every right to be nervous and want out!

Transition
Now let’s think about how tough it has been since COVID hit.

• How much fear and anger do you see in our world?
• When will this ever end?
• Do we want out?

The Video
Jonathan Cain seems to understand the time we are living in and gives us an answer to escaping it. Let’s see if his answer can really work for us today. Play the music video for “O Lord Lead Us” by Jonathan Cain.

Bible Study
Read Isaiah 40:30

• How many of us can feel tired, weary, and faint at times?
• The Scripture says those who HOPE in the Lord renew their strength. What does it mean to hope?
• One translation says, “wait.” How does that make sense to us today?

The core word means to “become intertwined.” Think about a kite string and a one-inch thick rope. We are like the kite string. Only good for certain small uses. But life has many overwhelming things in it.

• Could the string pull out a person drowning in the water?
• Could the string hold a heavy bundle of wood together to make it easier to carry? (Of course, the answer is no to both.)
• What would happen if that string became intertwined with the inch-thick rope?
• Now, could you save the person or bundle the wood? (Yes.)
• So how do we intertwine with, hope in, and wait on the Lord?

Read Romans 12:2

• What does it mean to have a renewed mind?

A renewed mind is like a downloaded upgrade in the computer world. Renewing our minds means having enough Scripture in our heads and hearts so we can see things the way they really are. Let’s look at a great example from the Old Testament.

Read 2 Kings 6:8-17

• When Elisha saw the King’s army with horses and chariots, why was he able to remain so calm?

Elisha saw what was really going on while the servant of God only saw the easily seen. We all find ourselves in that situation at some point in life. Elisha wasn’t afraid or worried. His mind was renewed.

Read Psalm 119:105

• Have you ever walked around in the dark and wished your flashlight could shed light on your feet and the path in front of you? (Fortunately for us, God’s Word does that for our daily and the future steps we take in life.)

Read Matthew 5:23-24

• According to these verses, what should we prioritize over our worship? (reconciliation, peace)

We need to clean up our messes with people… now! That is a light for our feet, but it also clears the path for our future. Without skeletons in the closet, you don’t have to fear the future.

Wrap Up
If we are being led by the Lord, we don’t have to fear the world we live in. Our challenge is to learn how to follow. That act of following will require us to have a plan in place to renew our minds and see the world we live in the way He does.
Have a handout of scripture that would be good to memorize to begin the process of renewing the mind. Make it short and realistic. Provide download options or online resources as well. Don’t just tell someone to do it, make sure they have a coach in their corner to actually do it.

Playlist
This song is featured on “The Linc: Confidence In Christ” Spotify playlist – which is the perfect way to remind your students what you’ve taught them in this session. To share it with them, click the live link on the web version of this study.