Lesson 1 - God's Guidance in Daily Living
Jesus summarized the Law simply and beautifully—love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. He taught us to let God’s love lead us in our daily lives. He taught us to be motivated by our love for the Lord rather than by our desire to do the “right” thing. When our motivation is to love and please Him, it is easier to make right choices, and our lives follow the right path—His path.
What motivates your behaviour? Are you most driven by the expectations of your church? Your family? Your community? Yourself? Then embrace the example of Jesus, who was the fulfilment of the Law. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. When the love of the Lord is the foundation of your life, you will begin to see the world as He sees it. You will become more like Him—and His love will lead you.
LESSON TIME
1. Connecting: Do an activity about choices.
Welcome your students warmly. As they arrive, ask them to share stories about the hardest choices they have ever made. Allow 1–2 students with particularly meaningful stories to briefly share with the whole group.
- What are some choices you make each day? Each month? Each year?
- Which of those choices are difficult to make? Which ones are easy?
When He created us, God gave us choices. Sometimes we make choices without even realizing it—such as whether to take the path to school or to cut across the field. Sometimes we make choices that are so difficult that we do not know how we will ever decide. Let’s think about some of those choices.
Have the students line up in the middle of your meeting space. You will stand on 1 side of the space, and all the students should face you. You will ask the following questions. If a student would choose the first option, she should take a large step forward. If she would choose the second option, she should take a large step backward. Repeat this for each of the questions.
- Would you rather walk slowly or walk quickly?
- Would you rather eat beans or rice?
- Would you rather read or play football?
- Would you rather be happy or be sad?
- Would you rather have lots of friends or 1 good friend?
- Would you rather run or ride a bicycle?
- Would you rather read the Bible or go to church?
- Would you rather share or keep what you have for yourself?
Now find a partner. I will ask some more questions, but this time you and your partner will decide together what to choose.
Read the following questions aloud. Pause for a few seconds after each question for the students to discuss their choices with their partners.
- Would you rather talk to others or sit quietly by yourself?
- Would you rather have fun or be angry?
- Would you rather fear people or trust people?
- Would you rather trust God or not think about Him?
- In which situations were you surprised that there was a choice to make?
Students may share that it was surprising to realize that they can make choices about the things they think and feel, such as fearing people or trusting God.
- What are some things that can help you make good choices or even understand what a good choice is?
Students may say seeking advice from trusted adults, trying to find an answer in the Bible, asking friends for help, or praying about their decisions.
You have more choices in life than you realize. God created you to have choices—including whether or not you want to love and follow Him. But how do you make wise ones? Let’s learn about some guidelines you can use to make wise choices in your life.
2. Teaching: Learn about finding God’s guidance in daily life (Proverbs 3:5–6; 11:14; 18:13; 22:1; John 15:4–5; 9).
When we make choices in life, we want to make wise ones. When we make unwise choices, we may miss opportunities or face consequences that cause us to regret our decisions. But making wise choices is not always easy—and sometimes it is hard to know the best choice to make in a difficult situation.
When you are faced with a difficult choice, there are steps you can take to help you to make a wise decision. There are questions you can ask yourself. The first one is: do I have all the facts?
- How might having all the facts help you to make a wise decision?
Listen to this verse about why this is important.
Have a student read each of the following verses aloud from the Bible.
To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.
Proverbs 18:13
If you respond before hearing everything, you make an uninformed decision, which is usually not wise. Doing this is foolish and may even bring you shame or embarrassment. Try to gather as much information as you can to help you with your decision-making. Ask questions, and listen carefully to the answers.
The next question to ask yourself is: what choice will cause others to respect me?
- How might considering whether your choice will cause others to respect you help you to make a wise decision?
Listen to what the Bible says about this:
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs 22:1
Having respect for someone is different than liking them. Unwise decisions may cause others to like you, but they will not cause others to respect you. For example, if you choose to steal cigarettes for your friends, they may like you, but you did not make a wise decision. If you choose not to steal even when your friends are pressuring you, they may not like you, but they will respect the fact that you stood by your principles. That is a wise decision. Wise decisions should cause others to see and respect your principles and values.
Another question to ask yourself is: what do others think I should do?
- How might asking others for advice help you to make a wise decision?
Listen to what Proverbs says about this:
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Proverbs 11:14
Talking with trusted adults or friends can help you to make wise decisions. They may have faced similar situations or know people who have. They may have ideas that you never thought of. They may help you to realize that the choice you wanted to make is not the wisest one. They may also remind you of another time in your life when you made a wise or unwise choice, and that may help you to make a wise decision this time.
The next question to ask yourself is: will my choice bring glory to God?
- How might considering whether or not a choice will bring glory and honour to God help you to make a wise decision?
Listen to what Proverbs says about this:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5–6
God loves you and wants what is best for you. He can guide you to make good choices every day. When you make choices that bring glory to Him, you are following His path for your life, which is always the best path.
It may seem difficult to figure out where God is leading you. He does not usually speak with words that you can hear. It can be difficult to know what God is guiding you to do.
Share with your students a time you were guided by the Lord to make a wise decision. Tell the teens how you heard from God and how you knew you were following His leading.
Sometimes God speaks through other Christians. They may give reliable guidance through the wisdom they share. They can pray for you, share Bible verses with you, or give you wise counsel based on their experiences. All of these things can help you to make wise decisions.
Often, God speaks to us through Bible stories and Bible verses. God has revealed much of His wisdom through His Word. Remembering verses you have memorized or reading the Bible allows you to discover and understand His wisdom. Gaining knowledge from God’s Word will always help you to make wise decisions.
Teacher Tip: Your students may not have access to Bibles at home, but remind them that the verses they learn in this class can give them knowledge and wisdom to understand God’s character and follow His guidance.
Often God speaks to us through prayer. When we have a difficult decision to make, it is important to ask God for His help. Until we ask, we may not hear what He has to say! When we spend time with God, He may reveal other facts or give us more information. He may remind us of a Bible verse or some wise advice we received. If we trust Him with our choices, He will give us wisdom to make wise decisions.
The Bible gives us very good advice to follow in our daily living. If we follow it, we are sure to make good choices. The Bible is more than a list of things to do and not to do, however. It is much more! It helps us to know the Person of God! Prayer and spending time with God and getting to know Him can help us to recognize His guidance. Listen to what Jesus says about spending time with Him.
Show the Memory Verse poster, if you are using it.
Memory Verse
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.... As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
John 15:4–5, 9
Reminder: All resources are available for download at the end of this lesson.
- What do you think it means to “remain in Jesus”?
Guide students to understand that remaining in Jesus means that we obey and worship Him. We talk with Him and listen to Him. We think about Him and try to honour Him in our lives.
- How do you think remaining in Jesus might help you make wise choices?
Guide students to understand that staying connected to Jesus and including Him throughout the day means that we grow closer to Him over time. That helps us recognize His guidance.
Each day we need God’s guidance. As we spend time with God and grow closer to Him, we see His guidance in our daily lives. We know that He is kind, so we try to be kind. We know that He is patient, so we try to be patient. We know that He is good, so we strive for goodness. We understand what He wants for us and begin to make choices that reflect His will for our lives. These things can grow in us when we remain in Jesus and His love. Being close to Him helps us to make wise and God-honouring choices. It also helps us to make the most of each day in a more purposeful and joyful way.
No matter how you discover God’s leading in your life, remember this: He is always good, loving, and faithful, and He will never guide you to do something that is not good, loving, and faithful. So if you are unsure if the guidance you are receiving is from God, you can ask the question: does this idea agree with what I know about God from the Bible?
3. Responding: Examine daily choices and invite God’s guidance in decisions.
In a large, open space, have the teens create a living vine with their bodies. Students can stand or lie on the floor and make a long vine with as many “living” branches as possible. They can stretch out as much as they are able, but in order to “stay alive,” they need to touch another class member in at least 1 place, such as touching fingertips. Be sure the students understand that all touching should be on appropriate areas, and students should not be pressured to participate if they are uncomfortable. Help them to understand that we need to be in contact with God at all times in order to live a growing, fruitful life that is guided by Him.
God is always with us. He hears our prayers. He wants to guide us in making good decisions every day. Do you have choices to make in your life? Do you need to ask for His guidance? Then remain in Him!
Optional: Pass out 2–3 sheets of paper and a pencil to each teen. Have the teens fold their stacks of paper in half like a book. If you have a stapler, they can staple their books to keep the pages together. These books will be the teens’ prayer journals. Give your students 3–5 minutes to answer the questions below in their journals. They can write or draw their thoughts. Tell your teens that you will collect the journals to use again next time.
If you are using the Student Pages, the teens can record their thoughts on these pages.
Reminder: All resources are available for download at the end of this lesson.
Ask the teens the following questions. Allow 1 minute of silence after each question for the students to think, pray, and listen for God’s guidance.
- What difficult choice do you face?
- Do you have all the facts?
- What choice will cause others to respect you?
- What do others think you should do?
- Will your choice bring glory to God?
- What is the wisest, most God-honouring choice?
If God has shown you what choice to make, thank Him for guiding you and ask for His help to do what you have chosen. If you are still not sure what choice to make, you can ask Him to show you. Believe that He desires to guide you toward good choices!
If you are not sure that you believe in God or that you want His guidance, think about this: How does it make you feel that God loves you and wants what is best for you? Would it be easier to make wise choices if you received wise and loving advice meant just for you? God can help you to make wise choices if you remain in Him.
Close with a blessing over the students based on John 15:4–5, 9.
Blessing: May you discover what it means to remain in Jesus, being in His presence throughout the day. May you begin to show the fruits of His love as you spend time with Him. Trust that He loves you. Trust that He will guide you toward His goodness and wisdom.
Family Connection: Encourage your students to ask their family members, “What kinds of choices do you make every day? How do you decide what choices are best?”The teens can also share the questions to consider when making wise choices and how remaining in God can help us to make wise choices.
Reminder: All resources are available for download at the end of this lesson.
Lead the teens in singing this quarter’s song if possible.
“Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury: https://youtu.be/Sc6SSHuZvQE