6/2 Life Group

​In the Valley (Bless the Lord)
CityAlight
 
When the path that I feared
Is the way He has set
And I long to give in and retreat
Still to Jesus I hold
As I face every step
For the Lord He will give me His peace
 
Bless the Lord! He will give me His peace
Bless the Lord! He will give me His peace
And if I should remain in the valley today
Bless the Lord, He will give mе His peace
 
When thе road that I tread
Fills my heart with despair
And it seems that my grief has no end
Still to Jesus I hold
Who will walk with me there
And the Lord He will give me His strength
 
Bless the Lord! He will give me his strength
Bless the Lord! He will give me his strength
And if I should remain in the valley today
Bless the Lord, He will give me His strength
 
On the road that You walked
With the weight of the cross
All my pain and my sorrow You held
So to you I shall hold
You redeem every loss
For my Lord, You have given Yourself
 
Bless the Lord! For He gives me Himself
Bless the Lord! For He gives me Himself
And if I should remain in the valley today
Bless the Lord! For He gives me Himself
 
 

​Grace
CityAlight
 
Your grace that leads this sinner home
From death to life forever
And sings the song of righteousness
By blood and not by merit
 
Your grace that reaches far and wide
To every tribe and nation
Has called my heart to enter in
The joy of Your salvation
 
By grace, I am redeemed
By grace, I am restored
And now I freely walk
Into the arms of Christ my Lord
 
Your grace that I cannot explain
Not by my earthly wisdom
The prince of life, without a stain
Was traded for this sinner
 
Let praise rise up and overflow
My song resound forever
For grace will see me welcomed home
To walk beside my Saviour
 
 

*6/2/2023* Young Adult (COLLEGE-POSTGRAD) Life Group guide

EAT.                SHARE.           PRAY.
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Life-Sharing

1. What has God been teaching you through last week’s message – “Fifteen More Years to Thank You” – from ISAIAH 38:1-22? Read the texts once more and discern what the holy Spirit is desiring to say through it.

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1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city. 7 “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: 8 Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.

1. [v.1-8] What did King Hezekiah do after hearing from the Lord that he would not recover, but rather die, from his sickness? Because God remembered His promise to David (to give his offspring a house, kingdom, and throne established forever – 2 Samuel 7), how does God show His grace to King Hezekiah?
2. *The biblical principle – When we measure life in years left over years lived, we too will turn our face to the wall and pray to the LORD. How many years do you have left (according to Psalm 90:10)? How does this change the focus of life and focus of prayer?

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9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness: 10 I said, In the middle of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years. 11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living; I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world. 12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd's tent; like a weaver I have rolled up my life; he cuts me off from the loom; from day to night you bring me to an end; 13 I calmed myself until morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones; from day to night you bring me to an end. 14 Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. 15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it. I walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.

1. [v.9-15] Initially, King Hezekiah thought it was unfair for God to end his life at a young age – “in the middle of his days.” Because he was so focused on extending his temporal life, what filled King Hezekiah’s soul against God?

 

1. *The biblical principle – When we are so focused on prolonging this temporal life, we will not see the LORD over death and life. In what ways is the focus of your life on the temporal matters? How do they cloud us from seeing the LORD who exists in eternity?  

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16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live! 17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. 18 For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. 19 The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness. 20 The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord. 21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”

1. [v.16-22] King Hezekiah’s bitter prayer begins to change into thankful praise. What was more concerning to God than the health of his physical body was the sins of his bitter heart. What does King Hezekiah declare about his sins?
2. *The biblical principle – The problem with death is not in failing health but wretched sins, keeping us from being thankful in God who casts all our sins behind His back. What can you *not* be thankful to God for today? What keeps you from being thankful for it? How can giving thanks to the Lord be the power to heal and save you today?

 
The central truth of this word was – As given to King Hezekiah, we too have fifteen more years that we shouldn’t have had. Will you live like the owner or the borrower of this grace? When we measure life in how many years we have left over how many we have lived, we too will turn our face to the wall and pray to the LORD. Prolonging this temporal life will not be the focus of life. We will see the LORD over death and life. Failing health will not be the ultimate cause of death, but our wretched sins, keeping us from being thankful in God, who carries us through death into eternal life with Christ. While still on earth, give thanks and live, as we will eternally in heaven! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this?
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Life-Praying
Pray for one another.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18)
…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7)