Reading Plan
Introduction: The Uniqueness of Jesus
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Step 1: The Adventure
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Step 2: The Abundant Life
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What Is the Christian Life?
Appraising Your Spiritual Life
Living Abundantly
The Abiding Life
The Cleansed Life
Victorious in Spiritual Warfare
Attitude Makes the Difference
Step 3: The Holy Spirit
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Step 4: Prayer
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Step 5: The Bible
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Step 6: Obedience
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Step 7: Witnessing
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Step 8: Giving
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Step 9: Exploring the Old Testament
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Step 10: Exploring the New Testament
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Intro
Scripture
Questions

Lesson

LESSON SEVEN

Attitude Makes the Difference

Your son has just been rushed into the emergency room at the hospital. He was severely injured in a traffic accident, and is not expected to live… You’ve just discovered that your teenage daughter is pregnant… The house payment is past due; the dentist is threatening to turn your bill over to collection. Your telephone has been shut off, and you’re facing a layoff at the plant… Your husband is a hopeless alcoholic. He becomes violent when he is drunk… Crisis is part of life. We cannot escape difficulty. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). In short, life is a battleground. But it is not the crisis that creates the problem; it is how we react to it. The pain of trouble can be eased by the attitude we take toward it. When two Christians face the same tragedy, one may become depressed and defeated while the other draws closer to God. What do you think is the reason for this? Sometimes Christians believe that God has let them down when they find themselves without money, health, or prestige, or in severe straits. Such an attitude leads to coldness of heart, prayerlessness, distrust, worry, and selfish living. In this study you will learn about unrecognized blessings and how attitude makes the difference between a defeated outlook and a victorious one.

Lesson Objective: To begin looking at life consistently from God’s perspective

Handbook for Christian Maturity written by Bill Bright © 2003, 2009, 2016 Bright Media Foundation. All rights reserved. Previously©1965- 2003 Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc. Bright Media Foundation® is a registered trademark of Bright Media Foundation, Inc. Campus Crusade for Christ International® and Cru® are registered trademarks of Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except in the case of brief quotations printed in articles or reviews, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Bible Study

BIBLE STUDY

Read John 19-21

Before you consider the many verses below, be sure to read the Bible passage listed above.

If you click on the verses in the study below you can see the entire verse! If you are not on-the-go, consider opening a physical Bible and looking up the passages.

God’s People in Trouble

In Exodus 14:1–4, the Israelites experienced an unrecognized blessing. As you read, notice the human viewpoint of the people and God’s viewpoint as seen in Moses.

  1. How did the Israelites react to apparent danger (Exodus 14:10–12)?
  2. Notice how Moses reacted. Why do you think he commanded the people as he did (Exodus 14:13, 14)?
  3. What did God accomplish in their hearts and minds through this experience (Exodus 14:31)?
  4. Think back to a crisis in your life. How did those around you respond?
    How did you react?
    How could you have improved your attitude?
    List ways God has worked through difficulties in your life, and has shown these difficulties really to be blessings.

Taking the Proper Attitude

  1. List some things the Bible guarantees when you are tempted or tested (1 Corinthians 10:13).
  2. How can the Bible’s guarantee in Romans 8:28 be true that everything will work out for good to those who love God? When have you ever doubted God’s work in your life? Why?
  3. What response to tribulation does God expect from you, according to Romans 5:3–5? What are the results of tribulations? (See also James 1:3.)
  4. What is the purpose of unrecognized blessings according to:
    2 Corinthians 1:3,4
    Hebrews 12:5–11
  5. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Hebrews 13:15.
    What response does God command in all situations?
    How can you rejoice and give thanks when sorrow and tragedy come?
    Contrast this with the attitude of the Israelites in Exodus 14:1–12.

 

Application

LIFE APPLICATION

Questions

  1. Do you recognize how to begin looking at life consistently from God’s perspective?
  2. List the methods by which an attitude of trust can become a reality for you. (See Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 10:17.)
  3. With what trial in your life do you need to trust God right now?
  4. What do you think the unrecognized blessings in that trial could be?
  5. How can you receive those blessings?

 

Memory Verse: “That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 NLT)

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