When Life Quakes
Teacher’s Guide Page
A. In beginning this lesson, I started looking up instances of earth quakes in God’s word. There is where I found hope. Several times the earth quaked and out of that came hope and resurrection and freedom. In the midst of the rubble and the fear, came hope and newness and life! (Matthew 27:45-54)
B. Explain how the disciples and followers of Jesus must have felt when He was crucified and all hope seemed lost because they were expecting Him to set up His Kingdom on earth at that time. Explain that they did not understand why this had happened or why God allowed it but that they could not see the purpose and plan of God. Explain the purpose and the plan of Salvation and that in times of devastation when we don’t understand why God allows things to happen, He has a greater purpose and plan and we must trust Him in all things because He is faithful and will not fail.
Paul and Silas Examples (Acts 16:6-26)
Explain what has happened in these verses and Paul and Silas’s attitude and reaction to this horrible circumstance they were in. They chose to praise in spite of how they felt. God allowed it to happen so that others could be ministered to and set free as well. Many times we will have to make a conscious choice to set our minds on Christ and focus on Him instead of our circumstances. We will have to make a conscious choice to praise Him even when we do not feel like it by faith. When we cannot change our situation we can change our attitudes to be positive in a way that will please God and free the strongholds of satan. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
C. Explain that when Life quakes, it is about us but it is not only about us. God will use it to mold us and make us if we will allow Him to and our life and experience can minister to others and they can be set free from the strongholds of satan as well. God never allows anything to touch our lives that He is not going to use for our good. (Romans 8:28)
D. Christ is our firm foundation when life is quaking. When we hold fast to Him we will not be moved When Life Quakes! (Psalm 18:2; 2 Timothy 2:19)