We all know the phrase, "When someone gives you lemons, make lemonade." But do you really live your Christian faith in this way? What if you believed God was leading you in a certain direction, yet you met resistance or even downright anger? What if you shared your faith with someone and it was met with the vilest response? How would you respond? This is the focus of LifeWay's Explore The Bible Study: Accept It.

This study from Genesis 37 introduces us to Joseph as he experiences the resistance of his brothers to the fact that God was going to work through Joseph's life. He was met with the vilest and most unfathomable response from his brothers. As you guide your group, keep in mind the TARGET for this study.

God can overcome people's evil intentions, turning the effects of those intentions for His good purposes.

Use the Image Above
The image at the top of this blog post could be used as a part of the introduction to the session as you seek to get your group to LOOK UP and pay attention to what the Bible passages say. There is also a story related to the inventor of Play-Doh®. Be sure to check it out. The Explore the Bible material references the story, but Northside Baptist Church (my church) has a unique connection to the story. The inventor's family actually attends our church, so I have added a few more details that were shared with me.

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details to the story.

Two-Fold Challenge For Your Group

1. Challenge the group to guard their hearts from jealousy of those whom God is using in His service. 
2. Challenge the group to look for the long game when serving God. We know that, ultimately, even what others intend for bad, God can use for good, so that His plans can be accomplished. God can take situations that seem to be “lemons” and make lemonade, even when everything seems to be going against us.

What happens when we come against a wall, and we realize that God is directing our path elsewhere? How do we move forward with God? LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: Assurance helps us answer that question as we focus on Jacob's life in Genesis 35:1-15.

While the title of this session is "Assurance" a better title might be "Moving Forward with God" because this is what Jacob and his family experienced. There were certain things that took place as they moved forward with God. The outline below is the approach taken in the downloadable teaching ideas:

• Listen to God - Genesis 35:1
• Purify Yourself - Genesis 35:2-4
• Obey God - Genesis 35:5-8
• Remember God's Promises - Genesis 35:9-13
• Celebrate God's Work - Genesis 35:14-15

When we listen to God, purify ourselves, and obey God, He will watch over us; He will guide us; He will remind us of His promises. And, when we reach our “Bethel”  we can celebrate all God has done, is doing, and will do through our lives as we continue to follow Him!

Do you have a relative who looks like you or like one of your children? Do you have a double in this world? It's amazing how there are so many people who look alike. Just this week I discovered a person in Missouri, with my last name, and who looks just like my cousin who lives in Florida. Before science tried to explain this, before DNA testing, God showed us why this is so. In the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, God tells us that we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Among all other things God created, we humans were the only ones described as being created in His image. We are all connected. Being made in the image of God should motivate us, as this week's Explore The Bible Study title states, to "protect and serve" others.

The upcoming session is designed to focus on the sanctity of human life as a part of the nationwide emphasis on this very important subject. This day has been set aside nationally by churches and is observed by Southern Baptists in order to remind believers of the value of human life. As you remind your group today of how important human life is based upon scripture, lead them to consider how they can be proactive in helping the community value human life.

The following might help you understand why Southern Baptist Churches are so committed to this day of remembrance: Southern Baptist Resolution on Abortion

The Downloadable Teaching Ideas introduces the study with a discussion of people who look like others. The following video option could be used as a part of the discussion:


The following summary statements could be used to conclude the session:

• The Truth of God’s Word demands that we are to value every person because he/she is created in God’s image.
• The realities of our current culture demand that we are to be advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves.
• The faith in Christ that we profess demands that we are to demonstrate the value of everyone by showing respect to all people.

How easy is it for you to seek reconciliation with someone you have offended or who has offended you? Talking about reconciliation is easier than doing it. Whether out of pride or fear of confrontation or rejection, it is natural for us to avoid restoring what might have once been a healthy relationship. This is the focus of this week's Explore the Bible Study: Reconciled, from LifeWay.

Sometimes it seems easier to let relationships wither and die rather than to put forth the effort to seek reconciliation. But, as believers, we can't ignore broken relationships. Our heart for God and the reconciliation he has given us should cause us to pursue reconciling broken relationships.

Teaching Ideas
The downloadable teaching ideas offer two options for introducing the session and a review that will be helpful in setting the context. Help your group get into the minds of Esau and Jacob as they approach and respond to each other in this passage. It is a beautiful picture of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Here are some of the questions that you could use as you guide the study:

Genesis 33:1-4

• What did Jacob do after he organized his family? How does this demonstrate the transformation that has taken place in Jacob's heart?
• What did Esau do when he saw Jacob?
• What can you learn from Jacob about how to seek reconciliation from those you have wronged?
• What can you learn from Esau about receiving reconciliation from those who have wronged you?

Genesis 33:5-11

• How did Jacob describe his family? What does this indicate about Jacob's view of his entire family, not just the son given to him by Rachel?
• When have you seen an inheritance create hatred among siblings? Have you ever experienced this personally? Do you think reconciliation is possible?

Genesis 33:12-20

• Consider conflicts you have had in the past that are now reconciled. What are some ways you can protect yourself from the conflict arising again?

We see transformation everywhere we look. Consider the amazing and complicated transformation that takes place when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, when a seed becomes a plant, or when a candy maker transforms a blob of ingredients into something as good as taffy! Yet we know that each of these transformations requires a breaking and a struggle. The same is true in the life of Jacob in Genesis 32:24-32. God brings him to a point in which he is transformed from a deceiver into a man whom God uses to continue His covenant of grace with the Israelites. Perhaps we can learn something about our own transformations as we study this week's Explore the Bible Study: Transformed by LifeWay.

As you lead your group, consider using one of the two options for introducing the session. One involves displaying seeds and discussing the transformation of a seed into a plant. The following video provides an option you could use along with the discussion.
The second illustration involves purchasing and distributing taffy to your group as they arrive. Then lead a discussion on the process it takes to produce taffy. The following video could be used to prompt more discussion.
No matter the direction you take with your group, be sure to focus on the TARGET of this session which helps us understand that "God transforms people for use in His divine plan."

Jacob is a great example of this truth. Jacob was at a point in his life where he would not let go until he heard from God. He had experienced so much trouble because of his choices, yet God was still calling out to Jacob. Finally, Jacob was literally and figuratively broken so that he had no choice but to hold on to God.

Perhaps you are still in the middle of a wrestling match with God. He desires for your life to be transformed, but you must be determined to “not let go” of God. He wants you to know that He is present and desires a relationship. He will transform you if you will just hold on to Him.