Abraham had a choice to make - whether to put his faith in God's Word and promise or stay the course of his life in his country...

The Call of Abram

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Is God calling you to make a change in your life? What is it and what will you do?

So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’

Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

What is something in your life that is hard to believe? Will you trust God even when others might laugh at you?

Abraham lied twice about his wife, Sarah, telling others that she was his sister instead of his wife because he was afraid for his life. (She was his half-sister, so it was a half truth.) Take a look.  

The Second Lie - Genesis 20:1-2

Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her..

Have you ever told a lie to protect yourself? Did you get caught? Did you feel bad? What were the results?

The Father of Many Nations

"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you."

Do you know you that when you look at the stars, God wants to remind you that you are His child? His promise to Abraham include you! And He has a tremendous plan for your life. What will you do? 

Many times in life we want things that other people have or we choose the best for ourselves instead of thinking of others. Here's what Lot did. 

Lot Chose What Looked Best

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:

Do you always choose what's best for you or do you choose what's best for others? Do you think it's wrong for wanting the best? What do you think Lot could have done to make a better choice in choosing the land? 

Where Are You Going?

Because of Sarai’s pain, her servant, Hagar, experienced pain too. Forced to bear a child for an abusive mistress, Hagar’s lot looked dismal, indeed. So she took off running, searching for a better, less painful life.

In the middle of the desert God stopped her. Then he asked the question he poses to many people who try to run from pain: “Where have you come from, and where are you going?”

Did Hagar know? Did Sarai know? Do we know?

In an instant, Hagar realized the only route to hope was in Him, the One who knew her by name, the One who saw her pain, and the One who promised hope—if she would return and submit to her mistress.

Surrendering to God’s plan is not always easy. The path may be difficult and uncomfortable at times. But as He did for Hagar and Sarai, God knows the good He has planned for you if you will trust Him to take you there.

What will you do the next time you run to the desert? 

The Three Visitors

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. Genesis 18:1-2.

Abraham bowed low to the ground. He know the three visitors were heavenly, and he  was in the company of God Himself. And God had a message for him and Sarah. 

Do you believe in angels? Do you believe God can send messengers into our lives? 

Testing Abraham

Later God tested Abraham and called to him, “Abraham!”

“Yes, here I am!” he answered.

² God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.”

Read the rest of Genesis 22.

Have you ever been tested by God? How did you respond? 

What's the difference between being tested verses being tempted? 

Does God ever tempt His children?

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:24-26

Why did God destroy these cities? 

Why did Lot's wife look back?

Moses Was Hidden

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Exodus 2:1-4

God often uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him. How is God using you for His purpose? 

One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”

The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”  Exodus 2:11-14

What would you have done? 

The Burning Bush

Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father,the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:5-6

Why did God tell Moses to take off your sandals? 

Do you take off your "sandals" when you enter the presence of God?

Can you name the 10 plague of Egypt? 

What was the final plague that convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go?

Moses and Aaron Won't Back Down! 

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” Exodus 12:31-32.

Are you willing to stand firm against the evil one?

Do you ask God for guidance in challenging situations?

Crossing The Red Sea

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Exodus 14:15-18. Finish reading the chapter about the Exodus.

What do you do when someone is out to harm you? 

Who are you trusting with your life?

Miriam's Jealousy 

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. Numbers 12:1-2

As you read the story of Miriam - she and her brother rebelled against God. Jealous of Moses' leadership, Miriam and her brother, Aaron, the High Priest, smeared Moses' reputation.

Have you ever been jealous over someone's success or leadership? What did you do?

Has anyone ever been jealous of you? 

The Ten Commandments 

Can you name the Ten Commandments? 

The Brazen Serpent

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. Numbers 21:8-9

Why does Jesus compare Himself to the brazen serpent? Read John 3:14–15.

Where do you look to find direction or guide you? 

The Mighty Warrior

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:11-12

Are you a mighty warrior of God? 

What does it take to be a warrior of God?

Tearing It All Down

That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole[c] beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” Judges 6:25-26

Are you ever afraid to do what God tells you to do?

What "idols or altars" do you have in your life? What should you do to them? 

The Fleece

Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. Judges 6:36-40

Have you ever questioned or tested God? How did He answer you? 

Lapping The Water

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Judges 7:7-8

Do you ask the Lord for guidance when you are up against a battle? 

Believing God

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah  and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”  Judges 7:9-11

Why is it difficult at times to believe what you hear from God? 

What causes you to doubt?

Gideon Is Victorious

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Read Judges 7.

When God rescues you from trouble, how do you respond? 

Deborah Is Chosen

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’” Judges 4:4-7

What does Deborah teach you about others?

Barak's Request

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Judges 4:8-9

What do you think about Barak's request? 

Jael's Peg

Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera’s troops fell by the sword; not a man was left.  Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. Judges 4:16-17

Read Judges 4:16-22. What do you think of Jael? 

A Heart After God

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

What condition is your heart? 

Do you have a heart like David's? 

Saul's Disobeyed God

Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 1 Samuel 15:10-11

Have you ever disobeyed your parents? What happened? 

Have you ever disobeyed God? 

The Loyalty of Jonathan

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”  And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

Are you a loyal friend?

What does loyalty mean to you? 

Goliath Meets His Match

A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.  He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.His shield bearer went ahead of him. Read 1 Samuel 17.

Where do you get your strength? 

Does God fight your battles?

The Sword

David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.” The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.” David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” Read 1 Samuel 21.

Why did David need Goliath's sword?

What kind of spiritual weapons do you use to fight off evil? 

David Hiding In The Cave

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him. 1 Samuel 22:1-2

When you are scared, what do you do? 

Does God want you to hide? 

The Arrogance of Nabal

A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite. 1 Samuel 25:2-3

Read 1 Samuel 25. What does arrogance and pride look like to you? 

How should you avoid being arrogant? 

Dancing and Praising God

Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 2 Samuel 6:14-15

How do you praise and worship the Lord? 

David's Sin

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” 2 Samuel 11:2-5

Read 2 Samuel 11. 

Have you ever tried to cover up a sin from God? 

Does sin have consequences? 

Did God forgive David?

The Call of Elijah

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” 1 Kings 17

This was the beginning of the mighty prophet, Elijah's warning to King Ahab. 

Your current situation: You are doing something right, but everything is going wrong. Would you quit doing things right? 

They Wanted Him Killed

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

What does power mean to you? 

Raining Down Fire

Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” 1 Kings 18:22-24

Do you stand firm in the face of your enemies? 

Do you speak truth to others when they are living in sin? 

Running Ahead

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. 1 Kings 18:44-46

Who gives you strength?

Who gives you power? 

He Sees

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 1 Kings 19:9-11

Do you listen to God's gentle whispers? What is He telling you? 

The Widow of Zarephath

 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 1 Kings 17:12 

What causes you to lose hope?

The Call of Elisha

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” 1 Kings 19:19-20

Elijah's Cloak Parts The Jordan

Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 2 Kings 2:7-8

The Fiery Ride

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. 2 Kings 2:11-12

Who Will Be Next?

Instructions

The Alpha and the Omega