Touching Our Lives
Session #8
• Principles
What principles were strongly impressed on you today? Circle the most significant ones.
 The cause of extreme anxiety essentially stems from the combination of anxiety with fear.
- Unbelief, doubt and distrust keep us from trusting God and finding His peace.
- God's design for us is to trust Him and experience His peace. This is Level #1.
- When we believe in Christ, our guilt is wiped away allowing us to approach God (Rom 5:1-2).
- The most dangerous thing about trusting our self is that we might never be shaken until Judgment Day.
- The secular heart uses and trusts God's things without sensing any dependence upon God Himself.
- The extreme worrier loses complete confidence in some aspect of life.
- Trust and confidence are normal, but when trust deteriorates, worry and anxiety increase.
- People will not stay in positions of extreme worry for long. No one can stand hopelessness.
- When we trust in things beside God we are essentially saying they can provide better than God.
- People's sins of doubt, unbelief and fears shield out the love and graciousness of God.
- By declaring the truths of God we are allowing His thoughts to become our own thoughts.
• Applications
What clear decisions, plans, or confessions do I need to make because of what God spoke to me during this session?
- Assignment: Study the book of Numbers and see how their lack of trust brought a host of problems to their lives. Did they have reason to doubt God? What about your life?
- Do you have reason to doubt God's love and care for you in any area of your life? Have you given Him total control in every area of life? Why or why not?
- What level of trust do you live by? What areas do you need to on in order to reach Level #1? If God would help you out by testing you, how will you respond? What could He take away that would really make you feel helpless? What are your most vulnerable spots?
- List the three steps to deal with anxiety. Apply this to a circumstance in your life right now.
• Testimony
What one or two special lessons, stories, illustrations, warnings, etc. can I share with others that might encourage their faith?
- I like the illustration of holding on to the steering wheel and taking responsibility. There were several big decisions I wondered if I should even get involved in. But as I kept firm to the decision He wanted me to make and trusted Him, He wonderfully took care of all my needs. For example, I sensed God wanted to train me for ministry. Although well cared for in a university, I gave up all the scholarships to go to a school without scholarships. It seemed crazy, but God provided for me all the way (including through lots of hard work!)
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