6-30-13 Climate Change (4) – Storm Clouds (Rom 5:2-5)

Last Tuesday night was a historical night.  It was our first ever prayer meeting held at the new building.  We had no insulation, no light, no furniture, yet the enthusiasm of the prayers by all those that came was apparent.  As we offer our prayers and thanksgiving to God I sincerely believe that God began to put a burden in our hearts for the ones that have not known him.  I want to encourage you to continue to pray, not only for the design and the construction process, but for God to continue to birth visions for us to use the building.  Thank you for being part of this building process, all of you, thank you for your prayers, offering, support, encouragement.  Let’s continue to build this church together!

We have been talking about relationships and we said that the climate dictates the forecast.  Are you aware of your own climate?  Are you aware of the relational climate that perhaps needs a climate change?  Today we are going to conclude our series Climate Change by introducing Storm Clouds.  What are storm clouds?  We all have expectations in life.  When our expectations come face-to-face with real-life challenges, it can batter our dreams.  Storm clouds of bitterness, anger, and cynicism form in our lives…and we forfeit hope.  But God is attempting to build hope in your life.  Fighting for hope isn’t about denying reality; it’s about embracing reality.  Where there’s hope, there’s a healthy heart.  Where there’s a healthy heart, there’s a healthy emotional climate.

Moving Forward

When your dreams meet reality, choose hope.

If you’re in a season of suffering, declare your trust in God.  Persevere by doing the next right thing even  if you don’t know where the next right thing leads.  God will show up and build his character in you…and that leads to hope.  When your life is based on hope in God, you’ll have a healthy emotional climate.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you tend to see the glass as half empty or half full? Explain.

2. Talk about a time when you realized a dream, large or small. How did that affect your emotional climate?

3. Have you ever had to let go of a dream, large or small? If so, what did you do to comes to grips with that reality?

4. Think about a time in your life when you felt close to God. Were your circumstances good or bad? If they were bad, why did you feel close to God?

5. What do you find challenging about the idea that God uses suffering to increase our trust in him? What’s comforting about that idea?
6. In what area of your life do you need to declare your trust in God? What’s the next right thing for you to do in that area?