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Lesson Highlight: "rejoice"
"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)
In "God's Word for Today", David Woods writes:
We understand the joy that God gives the Christian is not a surface emotion like happiness. Still, to instruct the Christian to rejoice “alway,” in every situation, might seem unrealistic. As Paul wrote this, do you think he recognized how many might see this instruction as a bit unrealistic?
Teachers, how should you plan to answer students who might see this instruction as unrealistic?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 76.
Relieving Anxiety
Read Luke 12:22-27
“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (v. 27).
“Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God” declares A. W. Tozer. Could we not further affirm that Christianity is like an admiring and obedient child smiling into the face of a fully trustworthy father?
A child who has encountered a miserable bully or some baffling dilemma simply and honestly declares that when his daddy gets home, he will take care of this problem. This may be an exaggerated confidence in his father’s ability; however, that child’s assurance rises out of his loving devotion and his father’s proven faithfulness.
In the dilemmas of life, Jesus calls us to gaze into His face and live at rest. He knows our needs and our problems. He has not forgotten us. He is absolutely capable and absolutely trustworthy. And thus, in contrast to an anxious and contagious negative outlook, the believer is urged to live in the quiet assurance, “My Daddy is home! He will take care of this.” (Blake Jones)
Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
— Katharina von Schlegel
Today I will cultivate the gaze of my soul into the trustworthy face of my Heavenly Father.
This devotional is the Thursday, November 26, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Lesson 13: Cultivating a Positive Attitude
Lesson 13 - November 29, 2015
Focus Text: Philippians 4:4-13
Central Truth: The Christian family should be marked by its positivity.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list several ways they can demonstrate a positive attitude in life.
Lesson Outline:
- The Expression of Positivity (Philippians 4:4-7)
- The Encouragement of Positivity (Philippians 4:8-9)
- The Example of Positivity (Philippians 4:10-13)
Lesson Highlight: "living sacrifice"
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)
In Doctrinal Discussion, Dr. Gayle Woods writes:
Offering your life for God’s service is your reasonable, or logical, act of worship. Contrary to popular belief, worship does not begin at 9:45 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. on Sunday. A “living-sacrifice Christian” worships God all week long. You worship God by allowing Him to be the operator in your life. He sits in the driver’s seat. When we call the shots, we misuse and sometimes abuse our lives. We make poor decisions. We tend to wander aimlessly through our day. We concentrate on the mundane duties of today, forgetting to focus on the importance of eternity and the imperative of our God-given mission. So God says, “Bring your body to me and I will use it rightly. I will use it to bring peace to hearts. I will use it to bring joy to spirits. I will use it to bring healing to relationships. I will use it in my infinite wisdom.”
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 74.
Lesson Highlight: The Kindness of God
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. (2 Samuel 9:3)
In "Biblical Perspective" for this lesson, Dr. Gordon Snider writes:
The kindness of God could be translated “the greatest kindness possible.” A similar expression is found in Psalm 65:9 where, in order to describe the great size of a river, the river is called “the river of God.”
Discussion: How does this comparison amplify our understanding of the "kindness of God"?
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 72.
Lesson Highlight: "The LORD be between me and thee"
"The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever." (1 Samuel 20:42)
In "Word Focus" for this week's lesson, Dr. Glenn McClure writes:
At this point in our lesson, David knew two important facts: First, God’s purpose was unfolding as the life of His “anointed” was being preserved, for Samuel had chosen him in the name of God. Second, he and Jonathan had made a sacred oath. Loyalty to each other was not by the force of this oath, but the oath was only proof of their loyalty. David had respect for God’s timing and still saw Jonathan as a “prince,” thus, he “bowed himself three times” to Jonathan. Further proof of his loyalty is seen in the latter part of our lesson (2 Sam. 9:1-7). Yet Jonathan’s loyalty is to be admired, for he recognized God’s hand upon David. He had the power to take David’s life, but his love for David and the Lord superseded any desire for an earthly throne. Both of these men maintained a loyalty to God’s will. As a result they were able to be loyal to each other in the working out of His will.
Source: Biblical Family Values, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 70.