Bible Study June 7, 2012

Seven Days in Utopia 

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Last week we looked at how we build a lasting foundation of a Legacy and Stephen Covey's quote is right on target: "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." The main thing in our legacy is to put God first in all things! 

This week's lesson says that hope is essential to a right legacy, but our hope must be in God. When Luke came to Utopia last week all his hope in life was in a game. His understanding of success, achievement and performance were based on the lie that his life would be measured by how well he played the game and he thought his career was over. He was truly at a moment in life of desperation and hopelessness.

  


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“I had come here desperate for hope, and it had been given. I had been desperate for answers to golf’s most baffling challenges, and I found them. I had been in need of a mentor, and he showed up.” - Luke Chisolm

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Obermeister - "Masterpiece"

Have you ever been in a situation that all you could do is pray?

 

I. HOPE IN TIMES OF HOPELESSNESS – 1 SAMUEL 1:10-20

10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. 11 Making a vow, she pleaded, “LORD of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.” 12 While she continued praying in the LORD’s presence, Eli watched her lips. 13 Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the LORD. 16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.” 17 Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.” 18 “May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent. 19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. 20 After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the LORD.”


How did Johnny end up in Utopia? Why is a Johnny Crawford important in our lives? 

• Johnny had a desperation story too – Utopia was his salvation and he chose to stay and pass on what he had learned. All of a sudden he understood the significance of a relationship with Christ.
• They give us hope. We should pass it on. Barnabas – Paul – Timothy

What did the river have to do with golf? How about with life?

• Rhythm, balance and patience that what you need to stay in your game. Same with fly-fishing. It takes a calm mindset, a focus on the feel, rather than the outcome, it takes emotional control.
• What did he mean by this? Why would this be important in life?
• Rhythm – Order to life, Balance – Perspective in life, Patience – Stay calm and trust God to work things out.
• It takes emotional control to with stand the temptations in life and to stay focus on God.
• What again is my game? - Life
• My foundation in life: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. – Rhythm, balance, patience.

What was the fish’s downfall? What made him fall into that trap? How can a loss of control hurt your golf game? How can loss of control hurt you in life?

• He was mad – took that fish out of his game today.
• To stay in balance in your golf swing you have to control your emotions. (bad hole can affect the next hole too)
• The Bible says that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Emotional balance is as important as physical balance.
• People will try to take you out of your game in life – self-control is needed to stay calm and respond in the right way. Don’t let anger be your response to anything – it will only hurt.
• Lucas Glover – US Open win – no one thought he had a chance. Emotional Control...

What made Hannah’s situation in life seem hopeless?

• Her inability to conceive a child. In Old Testament times, a childless woman was considered a failure. Her barrenness was an embarrassment to her husband.
• Her jeers from Peninnah made her feel hopeless, depressed and would erode her self-confidence

What made Luke’s situation in life seem so hopeless?

• His meltdown at the tournament with his Dad on the bag. It was an embarrassment to his Dad.
• Going back and playing again. Reconciling with his Dad.

How should we cope with situations in life that cause us to feel hopeless and desperate? What does Hannah teach us to do during the desperate times in life?

• Instead of giving up hope - take your burdens to the Lord and pray. Be honest in confessing your heartbreak and desperation. God hears and answers prayer.
• Pray and trust God!
• God can bring good out of every situation if we will trust Him. Jesus Calling (May 7th) If you learn to trust Me – really trust Me – with your whole being, then nothing can separate you from My peace. Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me. This is how you foil the works of evil, growing in grace through the very adversity that was meant to harm you. Joseph was a prime example of this divine reversal, declaring to his brothers: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way. Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done. Relax in My sovereignty, remembering that I go before you, as well as with you, into each day. Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will encounter. Genesis 50:20
• Power of Prayer

When was the last time that you heard someone say, “Well, I guess all I can do is pray?”

• The real message in such a statement is that only after every other resource has been exhausted for addressing the problem, all to no avail, prayer finally gets a chance, but mind you, only as a last resort. Such a position seems natural for someone who doesn’t believe in the power of prayer. However, this sentiment is usually expressed by those who profess to be in a vital relationship with God. Why would anyone who professes to believe in prayer turn to it only when all else has failed? Could it be that many professed Christians don’t possess an accurate understanding of what prayer is really all about? I believe the problem is heavily associated with a limited understanding of the power and purpose that prayer is to play in the lives of believers. Sadly, for many, prayer is often relegated to being a last resort instead of the daily, life-giving communion with God that it was meant to be.
• “Prayer is inviting God, who happens to be the most powerful force in the universe, to intervene in the affairs of my life, knowing that He has my best interest at heart.”
• If I truly believe that whenever I pray I am granting the most powerful force in the universe permission to intervene in every aspect of my life, knowing that He will do only what’s in my best interest, then why in the world would I ever use prayer merely as a last resort? This is a question that should be answered by all believers. Why would one wait to use such a powerful means that is dispensable 24 hours each day as a last resort? For a Christian, prayer should be the first response to absolutely every situation in life. The apostle Paul puts it this way in Philippians 4:6,7 (NKJV)*: “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.” One of the likely reasons there is so much stress and tension in the daily lives of professed Christians is because answers to life’s challenges are sought from just about every direction but God’s. His Word makes it clear that we are to bring every care, every challenge, every hope, and every dream to Him first. And the emphasis is on the word “first.” In a sense, prayer for God’s children should be as spontaneous as reflex responses. It should just be the natural thing to do in time of need. And when we do this, the promise is that God will grant us a peace that will be difficult to comprehend.

What if we pray and things still don’t turn out the way we wanted?

• Praying calls for faith to believe that God can answer your prayer and trust that He will answer according to His wisdom and love. Prayer is not for wish-granting; it’s for learning what to do and how to do it.

How does painting a picture of your golf shot help you execute the shot? What does this have to do with life?

• Golf is an art – play the game out in front of the golf ball.
• All golf shots start with a blank canvass. We paint the shot with our eyes first so our bodies can reproduce the shot accurately. Don’t think – see!
• Painting a picture – seeing the shot gets the mind off all the negative things and all the things that could go wrong, and focuses them on what is it that you are trying to accomplish.
• What does this have to do with life? See the big picture, what’s most important in life – a relationship with God.

During his stay in Utopia, Luke learns about life and golf through activities such as painting, fly fishing, and cowboy poker. While these adventures improve Luke’s game, they also take Luke on a faith journey designed to do more than lower his handicap. They lead directly to the biggest question of all: is winning the ultimate goal? What do you think?



Is winning the ultimate goal in life? What should we know and teach about winning?

• Luke thought so – Girl asks Luke, There’s more to life than winning right? Luke says, “Like what?” Family, Friendship, Faith, Love…those things.
• Luke learns that becoming who you were meant to be has nothing to do with winning and everything to do with how you approach the game or the truth of life.
• Tim Tebow, Bubba Watson win at the Masters – Can’t take this green jacket into eternity.
• Give thanks to God for all of your successes in life and realize that your gift is to be passed on.

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, help me to see and to model a legacy of hope to those in desperate need. Amen 

I want to thank each of you for participating in our Bible study series last week and we hope to see you back next week. Johnny begins to peel back the layers of lies that Luke has been taught and he starts teaching Luke to "See it" from a different perspective. 

Hope to see you back in Utopia next week! 

In His Love, 

David