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The Spirit Brings Liberty.
Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (v. 17).
He stood during the Sunday morning worship service and asked Pastor for permission to testify. The testimony went like this, “I just realized this week that I am free.” “For twenty-some years, I thought my addiction to alcohol was what I wanted, but now I know I was captive.” He went on, “but now because of Christ’s forgiveness and new life, I am free.”
For years his life had been under the authority of Satan, but some two years earlier Larry had, through the Holy Spirit’s drawing, found forgiveness and new life.
Being released from the restraint of sin is the sweet blessing of the redeemed. The Gospel liberates a person from the authority and power of the enemy of the soul. That freedom enables one to enter into a life of spiritual confidence, to live daily with the Spirit’s smile. (G. Clair Sams)
Now we are free, there's no condemnation,
Jesus provides a perfect salvation.
"Come unto Me," O hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.”
Children of God," O glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call;
Blessed salvation once for all.
Phillip Paul Bliss
Biblical liberty is to pass from the authority of Satan to the authority of Christ.
Extra Grace Required
Every teacher has them — participants that talk too much, whine too much, can’t stay focused, or are too self-focused. These people are EGRs: Extra Grace Required. What do we do with them? The answer is in the name: Extra grace is required. The reason we lose patience with people in our groups who have problems is that we are missing God’s grace. As a teacher, you must come to the realization that in these situations the person who requires extra grace is YOU! Perhaps the purpose of EGRs in your group — and who knows? You may be the EGR! — is to help you grow in grace as a teacher and servant of God. To grow in grace means to become more Christlike in the way we see people. To grow in grace means that we don’t avoid EGRs, rather, we invite them to participate, and with the grace of God we begin to transform them, and ourselves.
The Power of God
Read Psalm 29:1-11
“The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty” (v. 4).
One way the power of God is displayed in nature is through thunder. The psalmist calls it the voice of the Lord. There is no sound like it on earth. It originates in the heavens above us, and with great might, it crashes and shakes the earth. It is how we would expect God to sound if He would audibly speak to us. Let us not only be awed as God’s power is displayed in nature, but also as it is seen in the lives He saves and changes. A man attends our church who had been bound in the chains of sin for many years. He had tried on his own to break free but failed time and time again. Giving up his efforts and turning to Jesus, he was saved and has been faithfully serving the Lord. Looking back at what God has done for him, he told the writer “I didn’t know God could do what he could do.” He had found the power of God was more than just a doctrinal point or a lofty idea but a practical reality that he has experienced in his life. The power of God can change your life. (Robert C. Blankenship)
He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me. — Charles Wesley
Our greatest resource is access to God’s power.
The Greatness of God
Focus Text: Job 38:4-8, 22-29; 42:1-3
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify three attributes of God and the effects each of these has on their lives.
Central Truth: God, though omnipotent, transcendent, and Lord of all creation, is forever at work with man in all the experiences of life.
I. God's Greatness (Job 38L 1-8, 22-29)
II. Job's Humility (Job 42:1-6)
Consider the Children
What to do with children. A toddler adds energy to a group but not the kind of energy that promotes good discussion. There is no perfect answer to the kid question, although there are bad options. The worst is to expect the same person to care for children all the time; eventually, that person will resent being “stuck” with the kids, no matter how much they love Jesus. Some groups take turns, with two adults watching kids while the others meet. Other groups pay a sitter or develop lessons that encourage kids and adults to learn together through intergenerational activities. Groups can thrive with almost any solution, as long as children are safe and everyone feels like it works.
Confidence in Praying
Read Psalm 77:1-12
“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me” (v. 1).
I know from personal experience that an urgent, silent cry can be heard by Almighty God, and the answer be just as effectual. Lying on my bed in the middle of the night with my head covered with a bath towel and having my hands and feet tied, I cried unto the Lord, and He graciously responded. My predicament, posture, and presentation may not have been natural or normal, but God knew my heart. Thank God for His care and protection! We can know that our prayers are being heard any time, anywhere, and under any circumstances. (Shirley J. Gordon)
All you may need He will provide; God will take care of you. Nothing you ask will be denied; God will take care of you. — Civilla D. Martin
“I have proven Him true; what He says He will do” (W. J. Henry).