FOCUS TEXT: Acts 19:1-12, 18-20
CENTRAL TRUTH: The preaching of the Word of God in faith and power leads to repentance, regeneration, and revival.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list the basic elements of revival.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. Receiving the Spirit (Acts 19:1-7)
II. Experiencing Revival (Acts 19:8-12)
III. Demonstrating Repentance (Acts 19:13-20)
Read Jonah 2:1-10.
Focus Verse: “And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land” (v. 10).
Have you ever had a bad day? Maybe two of three in a row? After three days and nights in the belly of a great fish, the prophet Jonah had probably never been so glad to see dry land in all of his life even though it meant lying in a puddle of whale vomit! Although the rest of his story raises some serious questions about his continuing attitude towards the job that God had given him, he clearly experienced a miraculous deliverance. This began when his affliction made him remember the Lord and cry out to him. He knew the only source where he could find salvation and made his petition, which was followed by God’s answer to his prayer.
Hopefully, none of us find ourself in this type of situation, brought on by our own refusal to obey God’s clearly revealed will. But if we do, like Jonah, we will discover that our only hope for salvation is to cry out to the one who can control the great fish of our lives with just a word. (Stephen Smith)
“Before Thy throne, O God, we kneel;
Give us a conscience quick to feel,
A ready mind to understand
The meaning of Thy chastening hand;
Whate’er the pain and shame may be,
Bring us, O Father, nearer Thee.” (William B. Carpenter)
Focus Text: Daniel 9:3-6, 11-19
Central Truth: God’s grace is extended to those who confess their need to Him.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify some areas of need in their lives which require God’s help.
Lesson Outline:
I. The Burden (Dan. 9:3-10)
II. The Confession (Dan. 9:11-15)
III. The Request (Dan. 9:16-19)
Read Psalm 51:1-10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (v. 10).
My mom loved planting trees. Sometimes the trees she ordered arrived looking like lifeless twigs. With proper care in planting and nourishment, however,we would soon have a foliage-filled tree bearing beautiful, delicious fruit. God has a desire for every human being ever conceived to live such a wholesome life with a guilt-free, purified, and loyal heart toward Him.
Why would we remain a "lifeless twig" when we can have an abundant life? This doesn'tmean our lives will always be easy, with no sorrow, health concerns, or broken relationships. Those are often the tools of cultivation and means of nourishment that produce the sweetest fruit. With God's plan of growth through repentance and forgiveness, we can prevail through all this world's storms of sin. We can have a victorious, peaceful, and bountiful life, knowing we have a whiter-than-snow heart, a home in heaven, and a Savior, who has it all under control. (Wanda Skeen)
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
- James Nicholson (Public Domain)
Forsake sin and live free and clean.
This devotional is the Sunday, October 23, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund writes:
Evangelist “Big Ray” Smith used to point out that repentance involves three actions — one that is almost wholly the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, another that is partly the responsibility of the seeker and partly the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, and a third that is almost wholly dependent upon the individual. First, it is within the office of the Holy Spirit to make the sinner aware of sin, and that an undebatable consent to and a yielding to evil has occurred. Second, repentance involves a change in attitude toward sin which is partly the work of the pleading sinner and partly the work of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the element of repentance that is dependent upon the individual is that of turning from sin. Big sins, little sins, and all others must come to an abrupt halt in the new Christian's life, rather than just tapering down slowly.
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 19.
Read Revelation 2:12-17
“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (v. 16).
“By order of the circuit court of Johnson County, Kansas, you are hereby summoned to appear for jury service on the date and time of the court indicated below.” Perhaps you have received a letter similar to this in your mailbox. Somewhere in the letter, you may run across the inspiring words, “It is your civic duty.” As if they sense your civic duty is running on fumes, a stern warning also appears. “Failure to obey this summons may be punishable by a fine.” The implication is simple. Show up, or else…
Most humans do not respond well to such enforcement tactics. We want to be free to make our own decisions without aide or coercion. We want options, but not right and wrong. We want choices, but not consequences. God’s reality does not allow for such relativism. With a sense of urgency, God warns the church at Pergamum to repent. Their compromise is leading them toward certain judgment. Such a warning is an act of grace, not harshness. In fact, all of the “or else” messages throughout Scripture reveal the lovingkindness of God. He is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”(2 Peter 3:9). (Jason Dodson)
God is a wooing Savior before He is a righteous judge.
This devotional is the Saturday, June 18, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Lesson 3 - June 19, 2016
Focus Text: Revelation 2:12-20
Central Truth: God tolerates no competition to His lordship of our lives.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain what is involved in repentance, and identify when this action is appropriate for Christians.
Lesson Outline:
