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Lesson Highlight: "Priorities"

Priorities
In "Doctrinal Discussion", Dr Gayle Woods writes:

The purpose of priorities is to help us set things straight in our thinking. The most important item on a list of priorities is number one. Items of lesser importance come later in the list. In making our list of priorities, we have to make choices. Some of these choices determine our direction and destiny. Some may not be conscious choices, but are made instinctively based on our personal worldview.

Discussion: If you were to compile a list of priorities for your life, what would it look like?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 62.

2015-11-04T06:00:31+00:00November 4th, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Christ's Example

Read Philippians 2:3-10
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (v. 7).
There is an account told about the Civil War general, George B. McClellan. He fancied himself to be a great military leader and enjoyed hearing the people call him “a young Napoleon.” However, his performance was less than sensational. President Lincoln commissioned him General-in-Chief, hoping this would get some action, but still he procrastinated. One evening, Lincoln and two of his staff members went to visit McClellan, only to learn that he was at a wedding. The three men sat down to wait, and an hour later the general arrived home. Without paying attention to the President, McClellan went upstairs and did not return. Half an hour later, Lincoln sent the servant to tell McClellan that the men were waiting. The servant came back to report McClellan had gone to bed!
His associates angry, Lincoln merely got up and led the way home. “This is no time to be making points of etiquette and personal dignity,” the President explained. “I would hold McClellan’s horse if he will only bring us success.” This attitude of humility and willing service helped to make Lincoln a great man and a great President. It is that same attitude which made Christ our perfect example. (Marshall Mosley)

Would you rather have a great reputation or a great reward in heaven?

This devotional is the Sunday, November 8, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

2015-11-03T06:00:14+00:00November 3rd, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments

Living Selflessly

Lesson 10 - November 8, 2015
Focus Text: Esther 4:7-17

Central Truth: The Christian family willingly sacrifices their own interests for Christ’s sake.

Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways Christ is calling them to give of themselves for His kingdom.
Lesson Outline:

  1. The Death Threat to the Jews (Esther 4:7-9)
  2. The Danger of Intervention (Esther 4:10-11)
  3. The Duty to Serve (Esther 4:12-14)
2015-11-02T06:00:32+00:00November 2nd, 2015|Categories: Weekly Lesson Summaries|0 Comments

Biblical Principles of Stewardship

responsibility-stewardship
In "Doctrinal Discussion", Dr. Gayle Woods writes:

Stewardship is a broad subject that essentially means the oversight and preservation of resources. When people speak of stewardship, they may be speaking about global warming, the stewardship of natural resources, the stewardship of time, the stewardship of the assets in a business, the stewardship of finances, and so on.
Biblical guidance touches all aspects of stewardship. In looking to the Word of God we discover a number of principles that govern the Christian’s endeavor to be a good steward.

Five principles are then listed...

  1. God owns everything.
  2. We are in charge of God's stuff.
  3. With the responsibility of stewardship comes accountability.
  4. We must be committed to others.
  5. Our stewardship has eternal consequences.

Discussion: Which of these principles of stewardship do you think need reinforced most today?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page, 56.

2015-10-30T09:00:42+00:00October 30th, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Lesson Highlight: "vessel"

vessel
In "Word Focus" Dr. Glenn McClure writes:

Stewardship is the necessary discipline of every human being if life is to have order and meaning. There are two elements in our lesson that help us to see the concept of being faithful stewards. The first is found in the word vessel (vs. 3-6) and, although it does not refer directly to a person here, its meaning symbolizes perfectly the idea of a good steward. The root idea of the Hebrew word vessel (keeliym) is “to bring a process to completion,” that is, a process carried out in full. The word is used of armor, clothing, jewels, instruments, tools, weapons, sacks, furniture, and carriages. It is something prepared to accomplish a particular end. This is how believers should consider themselves — vessels filled or prepared to fulfill a designed purpose.

Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 52.

2015-10-29T09:00:11+00:00October 29th, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Stewardship of Our Time

Stewardship of Our Time
Read Ephesians 5:14-21
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (v. 16).
“She looks so young. She can’t possibly be a grandmother!” I thought as I chatted with one of my former high school students. What a shock to learn how many grandchildren she had!
I am often taken aback to realize just how old I am. Perhaps it is because I had no children of my own whose growth would have marked the passing of the years. I don’t like to admit remembering events that happened more than a half century ago. I cringe when I read a news item about an “elderly person” who is younger than I. Elderly? Me? Yes, the majority of my lifespan has come and gone. I am definitely a senior citizen!
Young person or senior, we occasionally need to remember we have been allotted a finite number of days to live on this earth. Let us pray with the psalmist, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (90:12). (Joyce Cooper)

Another day begun!
Lord, grant us grace that we,
Before the setting of the sun,
Redeem the time for Thee.
Another day of toil!
To Thee we yield our powers;
Keep Thou our souls from guilty soil
Through all the passing hours. — John Ellerton

“Be careful to make a good improvement of precious time” (David Brainerd).

This devotional is the Saturday, October 31, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

2015-10-28T09:00:19+00:00October 28th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments

Practicing Careful Stewardship

Lesson 9 - November 1, 2015
Focus Text: 2 Kings 4:1-17
Central Truth: The Christian family views life as a stewardship entrusted by God.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list several ways they can be better stewards of the resources with which God has entrusted them.
Lesson Outline:

  1. Confidence in Trusting God's Heart (2 Kings 4:1-7)
  2. Concern for Enabling God's Ministry (2 Kings 4:8-10)
  3. Contentedness in Receiving God's Blessing (2 Kings 4:11-17)
2015-10-27T10:02:19+00:00October 27th, 2015|Categories: Weekly Lesson Summaries|0 Comments

Lesson Highlight: "fear of the Lord"

The Fear of the Lord - Proverbs 1:7
In "Biblical Perspective", Dr. Gordon Snider writes:

What is meant by the fear of the LORD? Certainly not a cowing fear that anticipates pain and punishment for any perceived violation. This is the fear of a son for a loving father, rather than the fear of a slave before his austere master. It is a fear to offend our benefactor and companion. It is an attitude that leads to obedience to the spirit of the law, and not just the letter of the law.

Discussion: How would you describe the fear of the Lord?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 48.

2015-10-24T09:00:48+00:00October 24th, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Lesson Highlight: "a wise man"

A Wise Man - Proverbs 1:5
In "Biblical Perspective", Dr. Gordon Snider writes:

If they heed the proverbs, they will become a wise man, which is defined as someone who will listen. The proverb writer amplified the point in 9:9, where he observed that if a wise man is given instruction, he will become yet wiser. Thus learning is both for the naïve and the accomplished. Again the writer seemed to be using a synonymous parallelism, where a wise man and a man of understanding are repetitive phrases. Wise counsels is a navigation word, suggesting the ability to steer the ship correctly. Listening and learning always leaves the learner in a better position to deal with the storms and rapids of life.

Discussion: Why is listening and wisdom so closely connected?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 48.

2015-10-23T09:00:13+00:00October 23rd, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|0 Comments

Listening to the Man of God

Read 2 Kings 5:8-14
“And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (v. 13)
Our world abounds with advice. Self-help books clog shelves, pop psychologists abound on the airwaves, and the internet offers help for whatever problems persist in our lives. People called “Life Coaches” are now paid ridiculous amounts of money to guide people into finding purpose in their lives. While these sources may offer some actual help to people, rarely do they address the core problems that people face.
I imagine that the world in which Naaman lived was much the same. Since he was the second most powerful man in the Kingdom of Aram, people were lined up with ways to make his life better. Some of them might have provided a temporary easing of Naaman’s suffering, but none of them could solve the core problem of leprosy.
Then two lowly servants pointed him in the right direction. A young Jewish girl pointed him to the Prophet Elisha, who at this time spoke for God. When Naaman didn’t like what the prophet had to say, another servant reminded him of the importance of obedience. How desperately we need to hear and obey God’s Word today. That is the only path to true wisdom. (Randy Joe Bland)
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Where will you go to find answers to the problems of life?

This devotional is the Monday, October 19, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

2015-10-22T09:00:23+00:00October 22nd, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments
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