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Concluding Benedictions

Focus Text: Romans 11:33-36; Hebrews 13:20, 21; 2 Peter 3:14-18; Jude 1:24, 25
Central Truth: God provides grace for our every need.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list several evidences of God’s blessing in their lives.
Lesson Outline:
I.   A Benediction for Wisdom (Rom. 11:33-36)
II.  A Benediction to Completion (Heb. 13:20, 21)
III. A Benediction to Diligence (2 Peter 3:14-18)
IV. A Benediction for Perseverance (Jude 1:24, 25)

2018-11-19T09:00:18+00:00November 19th, 2018|Categories: Front Page, Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: , |0 Comments

A Prayer for God's Blessing

Father, I come again in prayer to ask for your blessing upon my life and my volunteer ministry within our local church. There have been many misguided teachings over the past years concerning praying for your blessing. Some have basically taught that we can confidently pray for our every whim and desire. Others have suggested that your blessing is like a bubble gum machine: insert a prayer or a tithe, and out comes a blessing. I recognize that the purpose of prayer is about aligning my will with your will, not about merely presenting you a wish list.
Yet, Lord, I do feel a deep need for your blessing upon my life. I recognize that without your enabling power I cannot be victorious spiritually or successful in ministry for you. So I humbly ask for you to pour out blessings upon my life so that I can glorify your name and be a blessing to others.
Thank you in advance for the grace you are going to provide. Amen.
2018-11-16T09:00:11+00:00November 16th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for God’s Blessing

Father, I come again in prayer to ask for your blessing upon my life and my volunteer ministry within our local church. There have been many misguided teachings over the past years concerning praying for your blessing. Some have basically taught that we can confidently pray for our every whim and desire. Others have suggested that your blessing is like a bubble gum machine: insert a prayer or a tithe, and out comes a blessing. I recognize that the purpose of prayer is about aligning my will with your will, not about merely presenting you a wish list.
Yet, Lord, I do feel a deep need for your blessing upon my life. I recognize that without your enabling power I cannot be victorious spiritually or successful in ministry for you. So I humbly ask for you to pour out blessings upon my life so that I can glorify your name and be a blessing to others.
Thank you in advance for the grace you are going to provide. Amen.
2018-11-16T09:00:11+00:00November 16th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: , , |0 Comments

The Quality of Hope

Read Romans 15:1-4
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (v. 4).
Visiting a children’s program in Indonesia, Wess Stafford was asked to say a few words. Wanting to communicate their value to God, he told the children they were special. He then picked up a little girl on the front row named Jessica. Using her as an example, he spoke tenderly of her uniqueness and that Christ loved her. Noticing tears around the room, he found out that, weeks earlier, she had been brutally raped. If anyone needed to hear that message, it was Jessica. Her healing began that day.
Some aren’t as receptive, however. Danny Velazquez was one. To many, he seemed to be on top of the world. He went about his work day wearing cashmere and sipping martinis. Living in a loft apartment, he was highly regarded by his clients. One was a Christian who frequently told him, “The day you call on the name of the Lord, He will set you free.” He politely ignored her advice. But Danny’s relationship with alcohol and drugs spiraled out of control eventually leaving him homeless.
One day, hallucinating and hearing voices, he remembered those hope-filled words. At that moment Danny cried out to God. When he later awoke in a hospital, he was a changed man. God had set him free. (Cyretha C. Horton)
You too can find new life through the hope found in God and His Word. 
2018-11-14T09:00:46+00:00November 14th, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for Spiritual Growth

Focus Text: Colossians 1:3-17
Central Truth: Spiritual growth results from complete obedience to God’s Word.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list some evidences of spiritual growth in the life of a Christian.
Lesson Outline:
I.   Testimony of Faith (Col. 1:3-8)
II.  Prayer for Christian Growth (Col. 1:9-12)
III. God's Power to Deliver (Col. 1:13-17)

2018-11-12T09:00:32+00:00November 12th, 2018|Categories: Front Page, Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for the Church

Father, I pray for my local church. I thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I praise you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us and ask for continued grace.
You know the needs of our congregation. (List specific needs here.) I pray that, according to your will, you would give healing to those who are suffering with physical needs. Encourage them, despite their pain, to live for you. I pray for those with financial needs. Supply what they lack. Provide for them, as a sign of your love and grace. I ask you also to remember those who are under heavy burdens of stress, etc. Lighten their load. Let them know that you are with them, to help them through these trials and to give grace for every hour.
Father, help our church to be a light of love and holiness to this community. May we be known as a people who love God and one another. Increase our influence for Christ in our world. Thank you for all this. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
2018-11-09T09:00:45+00:00November 9th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: , , |0 Comments

The Joy of Right Relationships

Read Psalm 51:10-13

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (v. 12).
For many years I did not notice the right relationship of the pronouns in this scripture verse. I exchanged “thy” with “my.” I wanted my joy to be based on owning my salvation and my free spirit. That’s definitely a self-centered attitude regarding relationships, especially my most precious one with God. He has greatly invested in our desire for Him by sending His only Son to the cross for my sins and for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16, 17).
I relate the joy of salvation with what Paul wrote in Romans: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (5:8). As a peer-counselor at a crisis pregnancy center, I would tell a client that she did not have to clean up her act before accepting Christ as Savior. God acted first on her behalf.
How did God demonstrate His love? He “sent his Son to be the propitiation [sacrifice, atonement, satisfaction] for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Thus, “We love him because he first loved us” (v. 19). What joy! What freedom! And it’s all provided by our great and good God. (Ann L. Coker)
God’s best wish for us is an intimate relationship with Him.
2018-11-07T09:00:33+00:00November 7th, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for God’s Family

Focus Text: Ephesians 3:7-21

Central Truth: God’s empowerment is available for all who seek it.

Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify several ways the Spirit strengthens Christians.

Lesson Outline:

I.   Appointed by God's Grace (Eph. 3:7-13)

II. Prayer for Strength (Eph. 3:14-19)

III. Prayer for Power (Eph. 3:20, 21)

2018-11-05T09:00:04+00:00November 5th, 2018|Categories: Front Page, Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for God's Family

Focus Text: Ephesians 3:7-21
Central Truth: God’s empowerment is available for all who seek it.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify several ways the Spirit strengthens Christians.
Lesson Outline:
I.   Appointed by God's Grace (Eph. 3:7-13)
II. Prayer for Strength (Eph. 3:14-19)
III. Prayer for Power (Eph. 3:20, 21)

2018-11-05T09:00:04+00:00November 5th, 2018|Categories: Front Page, Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A Prayer for the Community

Heavenly Father, I pray today for our community. All around our church live many people who do not know you as their Lord and Savior. Some may know much about you, but they have not surrendered their lives to your control. Others may actually not know much about God and the gospel. Some may hate you. But I know that you love them and want each one to trust in you as Lord and Savior.
Therefore, Lord, I pray for the good of my community. Lord, break into the routine of this community to demonstrate your love and grace. Through tragedies that may come, I ask for your abiding peace to overshadow us. Create a hunger for yourself that will not be satisfied by worldly success and pleasure.
Help our local church to provide the witness necessary to attract lost people to you. Draw them by the power of the Holy Spirit, and change them by your grace. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
2018-11-02T09:00:33+00:00November 2nd, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: , , |0 Comments
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