MEMORY VERSE: “So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship. Do not change y ourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.” Rom 12 :1-2 NCV
GETTING STARTED
Time IS A sacred trust and how we use it determines the quality and impact of our lives. Time well invested brings a great kingdom reward while time wasted leads to poverty, ruin, lost opportunity and minimized kingdom influence flowing through you.
Today’s youth face huge life pressures from their parents, school, coaches and the seemingly excessive activity that affords them.
READ Proverbs 3:1-10
1. What are some key values or principles from this passage?
2. What are the promises form this passage?
3. How does verses 9-10 tie into last weeks memory verse? (Luke 6:38)
READ Romans 12:1-2
Discuss how we are not to be squeezed into the pattern of the world.
· How is the world squeezing in on you?
· Who is the most Godly influential leader you know and how do they use their time?
READ I Timothy 4:7-8 NCV “But do not follow foolish stories that disagree with God’s truth, but train yourself to serve God, training your body helps you in some ways, but serving God helps you in every way by bringing you blessings in this life, and in the future life too.”
1. Discuss the importance of being physically and academically fit
2. What is one thing in your life that you may need to adjust toward valuing spiritual training more than physical or academic?
READ Ephesians 5:15-20
Make the most of every opportunity. Know what time it is.
1. What does it mean to be wise?
2. What are some ways that you can be wise?
3. What are some things that we should avoid?
4. What are some things that passage says that we should do?
MAKING IT REAL
The ‘Jesus Pattern’ of time management
Read Luke 5:12-16
1. How busy was Jesus getting to be?
2. Have your ever been that busy?
3. What does Jesus do that allows Him to remain effective in His ministry?
4. How can you better follow the ‘Jesus Pattern’?
Being busy does not wear us out. In fact if we are doing what we are ‘wired to do’ it charges us up. We almost can’t get enough. Being busy wears us out when we are not taking action on what matter most to us or fits God’s design in our lives. We can do superhuman things when what matters most to us fits God’s plan or agenda for our lives.
· When you compare the way you manage your time, how do you stack up to the ‘Jesus Pattern’?
· Where are you similar?
· Where are you way off the mark?
· What is one thing you can begin to do right now to better follow the ‘Jesus Pattern’?