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Do You Hunger after God?
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." (Psalm 42:1)
In "God's Word for Today" David Woods writes:
Psalms 42 and 43 are all about a passion to worship God. This is seen powerfully in the word picture found in these verses. Yet the modern reader can easily mistake what the psalmist was saying. “Brooks” here does not refer to a bubbling stream perpetually flowing from some spring. Rather, this is “the translation of a Hebrew word used for channels which sometimes flow with water, but which are only ravines in the arid season. The deer, who has come to this wadi for a drink, has found only dust.”
Discussion: Have you ever experienced a "dry" season of life spiritually? How did you find satisfaction for your soul?
Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 41.
The Persistence of Faith
Read Matthew 15:21-28
"But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us." (v. 23).
The story was told of a great Christian statesman of a previous generation. As a youth, he attended a Christian school, but his rebellious attitude kept him in trouble. Time and again he was brought to school authorities and was often on the verge of expulsion. A teacher in that Christian school had taken this young man to his heart. As often as the boy was in trouble, the teacher interceded to the administration on the boy’s behalf. Eventually, the boy was saved and went on to become a missionary statesman who served his generation well.
Many years later, the missionary statesman preached in a camp meeting I attended. At the close of the service, I responded to the invitation, telling God I would do whatever He wanted me to do. During those minutes at the altar, God called me to preach.
What if they had sent that young man away? My life and many others lives might have been very different. What if we send people away from Jesus? Instead, let us do everything we can to point people to Jesus. He can and will make a difference in their lives. Our faith and theirs will make a difference. (Mark Avery)
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring them in from the fields of sin;
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring the wand’ring ones to Jesus.
Alexcenah Thomas (Public Domain)
Don’t send people away from Jesus; bring them to Him.
This devotional is the Thursday, October 6, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
The Barrier of Irrelevant Teaching
So what?
This question is both the most scary and important a teacher can be asked at the end of the lesson. If we don't have a good answer - why was what we taught so important to our lives - it is good cause for embarrassment. Yet this question is essential because it cuts through the veneer of style and personality and lays bare the substance of what has been taught. Has everything that has been said fluff - impressive quotes, interesting facts, intriguing statistics, etc. - but nothing that speaks to any real life change I must make as a result of this lesson?
It is not enough to understand the cultural and historical background of the scripture, even though this is important. It is not enough to understand the roots of various Hebrew or Greek words, although this could shed light on the text. Simply, without a bridge made from the ancient text to our contemporary situation, the teacher's work is incomplete.
Uplook for the Downcast
Lesson 7 - October 16, 2016
Focus Text: Psalms 42:1-11; 43:1-5
Central Truth: Hope in God gives us victory over discouragement.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list at least three ways to express hope in God.
Lesson Outline:
- The Desire of the Heart (Psalm 42:1, 2)
- The Dilemma of the Soul (Psalm 42:3-7)
- The Determination of the Will (Psalm 42:8-43:5)
Prayer – Lesson 6, How to Deal with Worry
Heavenly Father, help our classes today as they discuss the ever-present problem of worry to learn how cope with such fear and stress by trusting in You. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.
Can you count God's blessings?
In "Biblical Perspective" Gordon Snider writes:
We must not forget that what God has done for us is just a small part of the big picture of God's activity. The history of Israel abounded with the redemptive works of God, and from then until now the list continues to grow. The very fact that God considers man at all is amazing. God not only thinks about us, but makes plans for our good. The thought of the psalmist turned to considering a proper response to what God had done. The magnitude of mercies is so great as to be impossible to arrange them in order of greatness or even to count them.
Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 35.