Bible Reading1 Peter 5:8-10 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
[05:06]Psalm 23:1-6 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
[54:25]Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
[43:50]Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'”
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”
Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Hebrews 12:5-6 “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.'”
Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”
James 1:2-3 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
[07:35]Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
[50:01]Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Observation questions- In 1 Peter 5:8-10, what are believers told to do when the devil is seeking someone to devour, and what four things does God promise to do after they have suffered a while? [05:06]
- What different sources of suffering are named in these passages and in the message: human choices, the devil, a fallen world, and God’s loving correction? [41:06]
- According to Psalm 119:105, what two pictures are used to describe God’s word, and what does each picture show a person? [43:58]
- In Psalm 23, what does the Shepherd do for his people in the middle of danger, weariness, and enemies? [54:25]
Interpretation questions- Peter says the devil is “seeking someone to devour,” not simply devouring everyone. What does that suggest about the need for soberness, vigilance, and resistance in the Christian life? [27:19]
- Genesis says mankind was given dominion. How does that help explain why some suffering comes from real human choices and not from God acting like a puppet master? [10:55]
- Hebrews 12 and Proverbs 3 describe God’s discipline as love. How is loving correction different from angry punishment, and why does that distinction matter when someone is walking through something painful? [38:53]
- Romans 8:28 says God works all things together for good, not that all things are good. How does that protect people from calling evil good while still holding onto hope? [50:01]
Application questions- Is there a painful situation right now that has been labeled too quickly? What might change if that situation were brought before God more honestly and asked, “What is really going on here?” [42:37]
- Where might pride be making it hard to see clearly? Is there any place where blame has been put on the devil, on other people, or even on God, when humility and repentance may be needed first? [24:31]
- Are there any open doors that need to be closed right now? What habits, compromises, or repeated patterns might be giving the enemy room to steal, kill, and destroy? [29:21]
- If God’s word is a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, what part of Scripture needs to be opened again in this season? What would it look like to let the Word show both where a person is standing and what the next faithful step is? [43:17]
- Has there been an area where God’s correction has felt painful, but deep down it may actually be fatherly love? What would it look like to be trained by that correction instead of resisting it? [39:54]
- Where is soul restoration needed right now? In what part of life is there a need for the Shepherd to restore, lead beside still waters, or bring peace in the middle of the valley? [57:43]
- What would it look like this week to focus more on what is known about God than on what is still not understood—his faithfulness, goodness, and desire to deliver? [56:11]
