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November 9, 2023: Help for God’s People
Read Psalm 107:33-43.
“He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly;
and suffereth not their cattle to decrease” (v. 38).
God never forsakes the righteous. They may appear to be neglected, abused, and mistreated, but God never allows more oppression than His people can handle with His help. When God’s people walk closely to Him, He may allow Satan to test them to prove their commitment to God.
Take Job, for example. He lost all his possessions, his political position, his children, his health, and finally, the support of his wife. Through all that, Job stayed true to God, and when his trial was over, God doubled his possessions and the size of his family. God stayed with Job while he was enduring his “friends” and misfortune and was right there when it was over. God is always right there by our side if we are serving Him. (Harold Carpenter)
“O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last and our eternal home.”
--– Isaac Watts
Never fear; God is here.
November 12: 2023: The Goodness of God
FOCUS TEXT: Psalm 91:1-16
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Psalm 31:20; Proverbs 18:10; I Peter 5:7
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 124:1-8
KEY VERSE: I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Psalm 91:2).
CENTRAL TRUTH: The Lord protects those who trust in Him.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain how to reconcile God's promise of help with the occurrence of difficulties in life.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Lord Is Our Helper (Psalm 91:1-4)
II. The Deliverance From Fear (Psalm 91:5-8)
III. The Protection From Evil (Psalm 91:9-16)
November 2, 2023: The Need for God’s Help
Read Psalm 124;1-5.
“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, . . .” (v. 1)..
“If it hadn’t been for . . .” We hear that phrase, and our ears perk up. Will we hear something good or something bad? Did someone make a wrong decision that ruined another person’s day? Did someone arrive in the nick of time to stave off trouble?
David points out several bad things that would have happened in this psalm “if it had not been the LORD who was on our side.” If it had been someone else siding with them, wicked men would have swallowed up the children of Israel; waters would have overwhelmed them, and they would have been ensnared. But the Lord WAS with them!
How many times can we look back and say things like: If it had not been for the prayers of the church . . . . If it had not been for the timely sermon from our pastor . . . . If it had not been for my parents’ wise advice . . . . If it had not been for that doctor who “happened to be in the emergency room . . . .”
We do not believe in chance or luck or simple coincidence. We believe that God is on our side, and we know that we need His help each day. What might happen to us if He weren’t nearby? (Steven Hight))
Whether for physical or spiritual protection, God is near!
November 5, 2023: Help in Time of Trouble
FOCUS TEXT: Psalm 91:1-16
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Psalm 31:20; Proverbs 18:10; I Peter 5:7
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 124:1-8
KEY VERSE: I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Psalm 91:2).
CENTRAL TRUTH: The Lord protects those who trust in Him.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain how to reconcile God's promise of help with the occurrence of difficulties in life.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Lord Is Our Helper (Psalm 91:1-4)
II. The Deliverance From Fear (Psalm 91:5-8)
III. The Protection From Evil (Psalm 91:9-16)
Oct. 26, 2023: Worship – When
Read Acts 2:38-47.
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (v. 46).
Worship is a lifestyle. The Christians in the Early Church understood this. The idea of “continuing daily” is that they were constantly diligent in their worship. Whether they went to the Temple every day- which seems very likely- or found a place or attitude of worship every day, those Christians knew the concept and practice of lifestyle worship.
I knew a man who has since gone to Heaven, who seemed to live in the presence of God. He talked about God, he lived like Jesus, and when he prayed, he had an open line to the throne of grace.
While none of us may be exactly like the man to whom I refer, the reality is all of us have the privilege of worship, not just on Sunday and not just in a church building, but we have the privilege of worship wherever we go. (MDA)
Take the name of Jesus ever,
As a shield from ev’ry snare.
If temptations round you gather,
breathe that holy name in prayer.
O the precious name of Jesus!
How it thrills our souls with joy,
When His loving arms receive us,
and His songs our tongues employ!
--- Lydia Baxter
October 29, 2023: Worshiping the Lord
FOCUS TEXT: Psalm 86:1-15
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: 1 Chronicles 22:1-16; 2 Chronicles 6:1-42; Matthew 21:12-16
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 95:1-6
KEY VERSE: O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker (Psalm 95:6).
CENTRAL TRUTH: Our worship should seek to give God His rightful glory.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list new ways to worship God in their lives.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. Petition in Worship (Psalm 86:1-6)
II. Humility in Worship (Psalm 86:7-10)
III. Praise in Worship (Psalm 86:11-15)