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Last week’s topic was benefits of prayer. Today we’ll talk about how to apply prayer to identifying and setting Godly goals. Let me mention that the topics we cover in class are ALSO to spark interest in you to read your Bibles on your own, to make time for, to assign value to the riches hidden in God’s Word for you.
A nugget for today, but not from the Bible: ‘A closed Bible is like an un-cashed check.’
First, a question:
When you read God’s Word, what do you think of?
Let’s go over some Scriptures:
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Here’s an example of an action that was required:
Exodus 26:
1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.
14 “And you shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of porpoise skins above.
Where in the desert of the Middle East do you get a porpoise skin?
Proverbs 20:
11 It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.
1 Samuel 17:
1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
Where where the Philistines gathered? _____________. That land belongs to who? ___________.
What are we looking at here? ______________________________.
What if the military tanks and guns and planes and infantrymen of Canada made their way into the state of Montana and set up camp?? What would that also be called? _______________________.
So, doesn’t this mean the Philistines _____________________ ________________?
1 Samuel 17:
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines.
Have you ever been challenged to a fight? Meet behind the school at 3 o’clock on Friday? Imagine what that feels like before the fight? The men of Israel ‘drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines’.
3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
Keep in mind, one cubit is normally from elbow to fingertip, about 18 inches, or, 1.5 feet. 1.5x6 = __.
7 And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed 600 shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
Per this site: http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/units/weight/weight.bibshekel.en.html
One shekel weighs 11.33 grams, or 0.025 pounds.
Therefore, 600 shekels weighs 6798 grams, or 15 pounds.
Jump ahead in chapter 17 to David who asks what’s going on, and then David’s pledge.
32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33 Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
Now, here’s the part that came to my mind when I thought and prayed about this lesson – thank You, Holy Spirit!
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,
35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
36 ‘Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.”
37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
Can any of you imagine going up to President Obama and telling him these things?
One, NOT if you hadn’t done them.
Two, even if you HAD done them, would you be willing to do it again?
Again,
Proverbs 20:
11 It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.
Let’s add two more proverbs to that:
Proverbs 19:
21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord, it will stand.
22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
Let me come back to the plans part, but now, what is the opposite of kindness? _______________.
How do people demonstrate _______________? ________________________________________.
Let’s review the mental attitude:
1 Peter 5:
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.
Now, what kinds of deeds do we think Jesus would approve of?
Let’s read a newsletter from a member of this church.
What were her deeds of love?
.1. Acknowledgment of error – “I have these selfish moments when I just don’t want to be there for others…”
.2. Repent and turn in opposite direction – “ But because God has demonstrated His love for me in Christ Jesus, I want to learn to love others well so that they may also come to know this love.”
.3. Actions in faith to follow up on that repentance – let’s read the next 5 paragraphs.
Recap:
Last week’s topic was benefits of prayer. Today we’ll talk about how to apply prayer to identifying and setting Godly goals. Let me mention that the topics we cover in class are ALSO to spark interest in you to read your Bibles on your own, to make time for, to assign value to the riches hidden in God’s Word for you.