Teen Chat

This is Joselyn Williams (my daughter). She gives her perspective on the book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, as well as the author (since she known her all her life!). Joselyn will soon be leaving one part of her life (high school) behind and forging ahead to another one (college).

Teaching Notes

Families grow quickly. What starts out as a few, can become many. This is all because of the love of God. He grows "his" family because he wants none to perish.

Deuteronomy 10:22 (The Message)

10:22 When your ancestors entered Egypt, they numbered a mere seventy souls. And now look at you—you look more like the stars in the night skies in number. And your God did it.

Notes: God had increased the number of the children of Israel. When they first entered Egypt, the scripture says there were only seventy people but he had now increased them to so great a number, it was almost impossible to count them. This was because of God's love for them. He created more people for himself.





Question: Do you know who the seventy people were that went into Egypt.





Answer: If you remember the story about Joseph and the coat of many colors then you might also remember that his brothers were jealous and sold him into slavery. What seemed like a very unloving act, turned out to be used by a loving God to create a people he loved. When there was a famine in the Land Joseph's brothers and father came to Egypt were he had become great and they met up with him there. The stayed in the land. That is how they came to be in Egypt.





Prayer: Lord, because of your love for us you will even take the things done by others to destroy us and create something wonderful because of it. You will increase your family through the efforts that we put forth when we follow you and when we love others. Help us to love at all times.

Teaching Notes

When we treat others right, we increase their joy in the Lord's ability.

Deuteronomy 10:19-21

(The Message)

10:19-21 You must treat foreigners with the same loving care—remember, you were once foreigners in Egypt. Reverently respect God, your God, serve him, hold tight to him, back up your promises with the authority of his name. He's your praise! He's your God! He did all these tremendous, these staggering things that you saw with your own eyes.

Notes: After the people have been told about the goodness of God, then they are told they must do to others what has been done for them. God has shown them love, now he tells them to treat the foreigners with the same loving care that was given to them. They are also instructed to respect God and hold to his ways closely and trust in him.

Question: What does the scripture mean by foreigner?

Answer: A foreigner is someone that is not in the homeland, but in the home of another. Who can be a foreigner among you? It can be a true foreigner as in someone from another country and are in need of our help for them be comfortable in our land. Or a foreigner could be someone that is not of the same house, in this instance of the house of God, the people of God. This foreigner is an unsaved person that has entered into your church (your land) and is not familiar with the customs of your land. You are to be loving and patient with them.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be loving to those that do not know you. Help us not turn anyone away because of our unloving attitude or behavior. Help us to show love to others just as you showed love to us when we too were strangers to your ways.

Teen Reception

While I prepared my table, some of the women from the Langley Avenue Women of the Church of God ministry, were preparing for the young ladies to come. Newly wed, Denise Yates prepared gift bags, sister Brunetta Williams and Eva Yeo prepared the food and the beautiful room.



When we arrived at the luncheon, we prepared our display and table.

Shontavia was one of the three teens that told what was important to her from the book. She said the chapter about peer pressure was most important to her. As she explained why, she became emotional and it caused many of the women to feel the sincerity of her words.

I spoke after lunch about what motivated me to write this book. I used the illustration of our young girls being like flowers. We have to help them blossom and grow. We do that by feeding them what they need to grow. They will not grow however, if we treat them as simple weeds and cut them down.

Many of the girls that came, already had their books, but we sold a few books and I almost sold out of all my tee shirts.

My daughter helped prepare the display.

Rhea Patton as well as Micole Jenkins (you can't see me, but I was right there as well) were overcome with emotions as the young ladies spoke about the strength they gained from the pages of my book. God receives the glory.

Teaching Notes

Everything is God. Our ability to enjoy the summer and have fun, is because God created summer.

Deuteronomy 10:14-18 (The Message)

10:14-18 "Look around you: Everything you see is God's—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that's you!—out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn't play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing."





Notes: The writer ask the people to look around them and examine that everything around them belongs to God. The land, the earth, everything belongs to God. Yet, this rich God chose above all the people of Israel to be his people the ones he would give his name to.





This wonderful God did not stop there, he also opened up his family to all people that were willing to come experience his love. He opens to everyone his love by offering salvation through Jesus.





Question: What does it mean, cut away the calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded?





Answer: Callus is a hard skin. If the heart is callused it means that there is a hard covering over the heart that is keeping the people from listening and obeying God. So the call is to stop being hardheaded. Stop disobeying God when you realize that he is the great God over everything, yet he reaches down to man and makes him important to him.





Prayer: God help us by removing any callus from our hearts. Help us to soften our hearts and listen to you. Help us not to be hardheaded disobedient children that want their own way, but children that will listen and obey.

Teaching Notes

An embrace from a friend or loved one can make a big difference in your day. If you were feeling down, it helps you to be lifted up. Isn't it wonderful that God will life us up with his loving embrace? We can trust in God to show his love for us.

God's Love

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (The Message)

12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life - Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (The Message)


Notes: This is the story of the Israelites after they were disobedient to God. You know the story, Moses went up to God and received the Ten Commandments. When he returned the people were doing all kinds of sinful things. Many were destroyed that very day. We now have Moses back before God receiving the Ten Commandments again, because Moses smashed the first ones when he saw the disobedience of the people. God's mercy is being given to the people. God could have destroyed all of them, yet he does not.


Question: Moses ask them a question. What do you thing God wants from them?

Answer: God is requiring them to live a good life. That means they are obedient to him, trusting him, and walking in the way that he has provided for them. God does that for us today. He requires all of us to live a good life before him. He loved the Israelites enough not to destroy them completely because of their disobedience, and he loves us enough not to destroy us because of our bad, sinful behavior.


Prayer: God, help us today to be thankful for the love that you show to us. You show your love by giving us another chance to get this walk right. Not only do you give us another chance, but you give us what we need to do that. Thank you for loving us that much.

Teen Chat

In Your Own Voice!

This is Brenda. She wanted to give her perspective about the book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Brenda is in her 20's but felt the book was helpful to her. Listen to what she has to say.

Teaching Notes

The race is set to go, and now the spectators, the fans and the opposing fans come to watch. Did you know when you are running life's race you have these same groups watching you? There are those that come to cheer you on. You hear their voices telling you, you can make it. You have the spectators that simply come to watch you to see if you are going to mess up. And then you have the opposing side (the devil) that comes to try to distract you so that you can mess up. However, if you keep your eyes focused on the race, you can finish strong. (picture by Joselyn L. Williams)

Godly Wisdom

1 King 3:24-28 (The Message)

After a moment the king said, "Bring me a sword." They brought the sword to the king. Then he said, "Cut the living baby in two—give half to one and half to the other." The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her son and said, "Oh no, master! Give her the whole baby alive; don't kill him!" But the other one said, "If I can't have him, you can't have him—cut away!" The king gave his decision: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Nobody is going to kill this baby. She is the real mother." The word got around—everyone in Israel heard of the king's judgment. They were all in awe of the king, realizing that it was God's wisdom that enabled him to judge truly. - 1 King 3:24-28

Notes: Solomon after requesting from God wisdom, is quickly placed in a situation where he must act upon a situation with wisdom. Two women come before him and say this baby is mine. Solomon's tells them to cut the baby in two parts and give a part to each woman. One woman says, no, let her have the baby but the other one says go ahead. Solomon then makes his decision. He says the true mother was the one that did not want the baby hurt.

Question: Why do you think Solomon used that as his test?

Answer: I do not believe Solomon would truly have hurt the baby but he knew that the love of the true mother would make itself known. He used discernment (Godly wisdom) to know that the mother of the child was the one that could not hurt him. God will give to each of us the ability to know what is right and wrong in every situation we find ourselves in. He will help us to know what people are for us and which ones are against us. He will help you to know if the places you want to go are right or if they are wrong. He will help you know the truth about anything you face. And just as the people marvelled at what happened in Solomon's life because of his wisdom, the same can happen to you.

Prayer: Lord today, give me your wisdom so that I can know what is right and to do it. Help me to help others so they too can find what is right before you. Lord you are the giver of wisdom and understanding. When I come to you and call on you, you will give me what I need.

Teaching Notes

Some times when you are in a race, you can become very tired and need to take a quick rest. These runners were not out of the race, they were taking advantage of the resting time. God gives us times between our trials and tribulations to rest. We should rest so that we can be refreshed when it is our turn to get back in the race. (Picture taken by Joselyn Williams).

Godly Wisdom

1 King 3:15 (The Message)

Solomon woke up—what a dream! He returned to Jerusalem, took his place before the Chest of the Covenant of God, and worshiped by sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings. Then he laid out a banquet for everyone in his service. - 1 King 3:15


Notes: Solomon after having his dream about what he had before the Lord, went quickly to be before the Lord. He took sacrifices and offered them unto the Lord. He also gave a banquet for everyone that was in his service.



Question: When God has shown us the answer to a request, what should be our response?


Answer: We should move quickly to worshipping him. We should move quickly to offering a sacrifice to him. Our sacrifice should be of ourselves, our yielding our lives to him. When God gives you the answer to a concern of your heart, you should quickly move to worshipping him for his goodness and for his love to you. You should also quickly move because if you linger, the enemy will try to make you think that God did not tell you what he did. He will try to discourage you from trusting in what God said he can do through you.



Prayer: Lord today, thank you for answering prayers. Thank you for giving me the answers to my questions. And when you answer God, help me to move quickly to do what you show me I should do. Help me to move quickly so that I will not give the enemy those things that I need to help me.

Teaching Notes

Do you know what helps you in a race or practicing for a race? A friend to go with you. Sometimes our races are made easier when we have someone that encourages us along the way. Is there someone you can encourage today? (picture taken by Joselyn L. Williams).

Godly Wisdom
1 King 3:10-14 (The Message)

God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, I'll give you what you've asked for—I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. As a bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for—there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life." - 1 Kings 3:10-14



Notes: Solomon seeks God to help him and God delights at Solomon's request for wisdom. What God does is he grants Solomon what he ask for but so much more!

Question: Why did God grant to Solomon things he didn't even ask for?



Answer: God granted Solomon more than he asked for because he asked first for the right things. He didn't ask God to give him money, power or long life. He didn't ask for things that would have been selfish. He in fact asked God to help him do his work. He asked God to give him what he needed to fulfill his purpose in his life. When we seek God for the right things first, he adds more to us than what we ask for. He does it because he have the right motives for what we ask.



Prayer: God today, give me more understanding of your word and of your ways. Help me to know what is right and good so that I can live your way. When I do, I know you will grant to me what I request. And if it be your will increase me in other areas and help me to always give you the honor for what you do in my life.

Teaching Notes

Why do you stretch yourself before you begin a big race? You want your body to be ready for the task you are going to require it to do. God wants us to "stretch" before we begin a big race. We stretch ourselves by studying his Word so that we will be ready to handle what we need to handle when we run this race. (picture taken by Joselyn Williams)

Godly Wisdom
1 King 3:9 (The Message)

Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?"

- 1 Kings 3:9

Notes: Solomon went to God with his concerns (his fears) and ask God for specific help. He asked God to help him have the ability to know the difference between what was good and what was evil. Solomon wanted to be able to be a great leader to lead the many people of God.

Question: What makes a leader a excellent leader?

Answer: When a person is able to understand they do not have all the answers in themselves and are willing to seek God, this is the first sign of a good leader. Then the next thing that makes a person a good leader is they want to do it God's way. When you want to do things God way he will help you do what you need to do. It does not matter how old you are, God wants to develop a great leader in you. Can you be a leader to others? Can you begin now to influence others to do what is right before the Lord?

Prayer: Lord, today help me to seek your wisdom on how I should live my life. I want to live a life that is pleasing to you and that follows your directions. Help me to know the difference between what is right and wrong so that I can boldly help others know the same.

Teaching Notes

You do not just go out on the field to run, that would be foolish. You have to prepare for the race. That is what God wants us to do, prepare for this spiritual race. (Pictures by Joselyn Williams)

Godly Wisdom

1 King 3:7-8 (The Message)

"And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count. - 1 King 3:7-8




Notes: This is Solomon as he is speaking to God regarding becoming the new King in place of his father, David. Solomon realizes this job is too great for him so what does he do, he goes to God.





Question: What should you do, when you are faced with something greater than you can handle?





Answer: You need to do just as Solomon did, go to God. It is wise to go to God and ask him for help. In our world we are taught that you appear dumb if you ask questions. Yet, God wants you to come to him with your questions for everything you face. Solomon was willing to say, I think I am too young to do this great job, but he is willing to do it because he goes to God for the help. You too, are going to receive some important task in your young age. Do not believe you cannot do them, instead go to God and ask him to help you to accomplish what is at hand.





Prayer: Lord today, we ask that you would help us to seek you for the wisdom we need to face those difficult things that are before us. Help us not to believe we cannot accomplish the task. If you call us to it, you will help us to achieve it.

Teen Chat

Even though Jamie is only ten, she was able to understand the book and found it encouraging!

Teaching Notes

The tree can be so useful for many things, shade, fruit, etc. This is what God wants to do with our lives. He wants us to be useful in many ways. Sheltering others and feeding them the Word of God. Picture taken by Jamie Williams.

The Corrupt Tree VS The Good Tree
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. - Romans 12:1-2

Notes: Paul speaks to the people to tell them what is righteous (good tree) conduct. He tells them with God's help they can take their everyday life and place it before God as an offering. In other words, they can allow their going to school, their friendships, their relationships with parents and family, their jobs, etc. to be used by God to show himself. He tells them to keep their minds fix on God so that they will not be dragged down by the temptations of the world around them, always looking to corrupt you.

Questions: What Does Paul mean by when he calls for us to sacrifice our lives?

Answer: To sacrifice your life means that you will not do things because they are pleasing to you, but because they are in line with what God wants. You will sacrifice (or let go of) what you want so that you can do what God wants. The amazing thing is this. To sacrifice your life, you then gain life. You give up your life (or your idea of life) and you gain God's life for you (or his purpose of life for you). You find that you can enjoy this life and find happiness (from God) doing things God's way.

Prayer: Lord today help us to let go of our lives so that you can give us your purpose for our lives. Help us to see that when we give up or ideas for our lives, it does not mean we will be unhappy. In fact when we give up or ideas, we gain so much more. We gain your purpose, we gain your direction and we gain the joy of knowing we are obedient to you. This new life we gain is far better than the one we lay down.

Teaching Notes

The Corrupt Tree Vs. The Good Tree

Psalm 1:1-3 (The Message)

How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. - Psalm 1:1-3

Notes: The psalmist writes that God must like you because you do not visit places of sin, you do not go down dead end roads or areas that will lead you to danger. You don't smart mouth, but instead you find your voice in the Word of God. The scripture says you chew on the scripture day and night and because of it you are a like a tree with a never ending supply of fresh water and you continually bring forth good fruit.

Question: What does it mean to chew on the scripture day and night?

Answer: When you chew on something, like food, you break it down into small pieces so that it can become part of your body. Your body digest the food and the nutrients are dispersed throughout your body. That is what we should do with the word of God. We should chew on it, or meditate on it, or break it into small pieces so that it can become part of us. To break it into small pieces means we study it and think on it until we have a deep understanding of what the word means. When we have gained the understanding, it becomes the nutrient that will sustain us when we need it. It helps us to keep away from sin, and dead end places. It allows us to be pleasing to God. That is why we can have never ending fruit that God would be pleased with.

Prayer: Lord help us today to chew on your word. Help us to gain an understanding so that we do not go in the way of sin and disobedience. We want to bring forth good fruit. Good fruit brings rewards from you and this pleases you.

Teaching Notes

Like the tree that grows upward, leaning toward the "sun", we should also grow upward, leaning toward the "Son".

The Corrupt Tree VS. The Good Tree

Matthew 7:15-23 (The Message)






21-23"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'"



Notes: The message here is knowing "what" to say will not impress God. We can say all the right words but God's response will be remove yourself from me. What God require is serious obedience. A "corrupt tree" does things to make themselves feel important yet say it is to honor God. Those are the ones that God says will not inherit the kingdom of God.



Question: Why do you think God is more concerned with your obedience?



Answer: Obedience is important to God because this shows him that we truly love him. To say we love him, but refuse to obey him fully, we are only fooling ourselves. To know if you are a corrupt tree you must look at your motivations. Do you do things out of love? Or do you do things because you are going to be recognized? If you want to be different than the corrupt tree, then you can turn from that by yielding and obeying his word. Let us pray.


Prayer: Lord help us to obey you fully in everything we say and do so that we don't seek things for our own pleasure and importance. Lord help us so we don't miss the boat.

Teaching Notes

There are times when a tree needs to be pruned, the dead leaves pulled off. It is the same with us. There are sometimes "dead" things that need to be pulled off our lives so that the good leaves can continue to grow (picture by James S. Williams).

The Corrupt Tree VS. The Good Tree

Matthew 7:17-23 (The Message)



15-20 Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.



Notes: The scripture talks to us about being careful of people that are not sincere. They may have a lot of outward appearances that seem nice, but what is on the inside is they are corrupt. The may rip you off or do harm to you because they are not sincere. What does sincere mean?



Answer: A sincere person is someone that is honest, trustworthy, truthful, straight forward in what they say and do. In other words, they will not say one thing and do something else. This scripture talks about the preacher, but we can understand that it also can mean anyone that is "speaking" for God. How do we speak for God? If we say we are believers then our lives speak to others that we belong to God. But if our lives are not saying the same thing we are professing, we are not sincere. This is the actions of a corrupt "tree". The usage of tree is to reflect growth. A tree brings forth fruit. That which comes from the tree (actions) tells what kind of tree you are.



For example an apple tree when it's fruit comes, will bring forth apples. It won't bring forth watermelon! So when the scripture talks about us being trees it is so that we can understand we have fruit that comes from our lives (that fruit can be good or it can be bad). Let's ask God to help us be sincere so that our fruit can be good fruit that lines us up with what a good tree should look like.

Prayer: Lord help us to be sincere in what we say and do. Help us to be "preachers" of your goodness. Help our lives to speak to others of your goodness because that is what they see in us.

Teaching Notes

Picture taken by James S. Williams

The Corrupt Tree VS. The Good Tree

Matthew 7:17-23 (The Message)

15-20"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.

21-23"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

Notes: This warning is to help us learn what is good and acceptable before God. Jesus tells us that there are those that are "corrupt" or bad trees. There are also those that are "Righteous" or good trees. We will look at what this scripture tells us. Here are a few things we can quickly see from these verses about bad trees and good trees.

---------

GOOD TREE

*Brings forth good fruit

*Cannot bring forth bad fruit

*Nurtured to grow

*Used for meaningful purposes

*Known by their fruit (action)

---------

CORRUPT TREE

*Brings forth evil fruit

*Cannot bring forth good fruit

*Cut down

*Thrown into the fire

*Known by its fruit (action)

Question: What does a false teacher/preacher look like? And why should you be careful of them?

Answer: Here the scripture says they are full of talk. In other words, what they say and what they do are not the same. Their words may sound good, but it is their action, or character that you should look at. This is not only true for the preacher/teacher but for each of us. Do the things we say line up with what we God?

We will look more into the good tree and the bad tree this month, but for now let us pray.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be able to tell the difference between what is good and what is not. Help us not to be fooled by those things that sound good, but are not pleasing to you. Help us to be pleasing to you.

Teen Chat

Teaching Notes

Drawing by Joselyn L. Williams

TEACHING NOTES
The Message (MSG)
Psalm 139

A David Psalm

23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.

NOTES: David is asking God to investigate his life and in the process help him to guide him on the road to eternal life.

QUESTION: Why does David ask God to investigate his life? What is he asking God to investigate? What do we need God to investigate in our lives?

Answer: He wants God to investigate his life to make sure that he is living righteously before God. He is asking God to look at his ways. We need God to do the same thing for us. We need God to examine us and see if we are living righteously before him.

Prayer: Lord, examine my heart and my ways and help me to be as you want. Guide me Lord so that I can have the gift of eternal life. Move out all things that would keep me from being as you have called me to be.

Teaching Notes

As high is the sky is above us, even higher is God's ways above our ways.

TEACHING NOTES
The Message (MSG)
Psalm 139

A David Psalm

17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them! I couldn't even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers—out of here! — all the men and women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations. See how I hate those who hate you, God, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies!

NOTES: David says that God’s thoughts are way above his own. And that he hates what God hates.



QUESTION: what does David mean about God’s thoughts being above him and unable to comprehend? And what do you think it means that God’s enemies are his enemies? Is he saying that he hates people?





Answer: David means he realizes that he cannot begin to understand all the ways of God. He realized that even when things seem they should be one way in his thinking, he realizes God's way will be better. We must realize the same thing. Even when we think we know best, we do not know better than God.





Prayer: God help us to always follow after your ways. Help us to keep our minds ready to hear your thoughts and to do your will.

Teaching Notes

Our young people are like tender flowers that need to be watered, feed and given plenty of sunlight so they can grow into the fulness of what they are to become.

TEACHING NOTES
The Message (MSG)
Psalm 139 A David Psalm

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

NOTE: David reminds us that we were known by God even as we were growing inside of our mothers. In the KJV of the Bible is says, fearfully and wonderfully made. Here it says marvelously made. Because God created us he knows us inside and out. If you asked several different girls, which one of you has recieved the greatest blessing from God? What would be the answer? Would the girl with the longest hair say she has been blessed more because of the length of her hair? Or would it be the girl that is most popular, because she has the most friends? None! There would not be one girl standing that could say she was more blessed or more deserving of blessings than the next one.

QUESTION: what does it mean to be marvelously made? Or fearfully and wonderfully made? It means beautiful, excellent, stunning, fearfully – with extreme care, wonderfully – fantastical, amazing. In other words it does not matter what we look like, God says we are beautiful to him.

Prayer: Lord thank you that you see beauty in me, even when I don't see it myself. Help me to find the beauty in myself that you have placed there. Help me to know you do not make anything "junky" and then help me so that I will not live a "junky" life, but one that shows your beauty in me.

Teaching Notes

The pompom girls show what they learned from a year of VBS.

TEACHING NOTES
The Message (MSG)
Psalm 139
A David Psalm

7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute— you're already there waiting! Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light!" It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.

NOTES: David speaks in these verses and ask us a question, is there any place we can go that God’s Spirit isn’t? In fact he says if you are in a dark place or in light both are not hidden from God because he can see you in either place.

QUESTION: What would you consider a dark place? What do you consider a place of light?

Answer: A dark place can be any place where you are hurt, confused, discouraged, etc. and a place of light can be just the opposite and the meaning is that no matter where you are, God is there and we can be reassured that he is there for us. Our problems or dark places are not to great to hide us from the eye of God.

Prayer: Today, God we are thankful to you for seeing us no matter what situations we find ourselves in. You are there with us when we rejoice and you are there when we are sad. Thank you for your presence.

Teaching Notes

TEACHING NOTES
The Message (MSG)
Psalm 139
A David Psalm

1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can't take it all in!

NOTES: David tells us in these verses that God has perfect knowledge of us. We are an open book to him, and we are never out of his sight. Because we know that God is aware of us completely then we can be reassured of his presence.

QUESTION: what does it mean to be reassured?

Answer: One answer is for us to be at peace, without worry and at ease. To be reassured means you are confident. In this case you are confident in God. Is there something that has you worried? Then this scripture can help you know that God already knows all that you will face and he is before you to reassure you. How do you think this scripture can reassure you when you are worried, or when you don't see the answers clearly?

Prayer: My prayer for you today is that you would find confidence and reassurance in God. He knows you and he has the answer for your life.