Teaching Notes

Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites." - Acts 2:38-39

MONDAY

In this scripture from Acts, what transpires before this is the disciples are in the upper room and they have received the Holy Spirit. There were many standing around and they heard and understood in their own language. Peter in this scripture is talking those standing and encouraging them to accept the gift of salvation. The first thing is, "Change your life".

What does this mean? It means that you must make a choice. You are standing in the place change. This is a new year and with it comes some new choices and the opportunity to make a change. The call today is to change your life.

1. What kind of things do you think God is requiring you to change in your life today?

2. How do you think you can change these things in your life?

3. How do you think these things will benefit you if you make these changes?

Prayer: God help us to make the changes you call for us to make. That first one being to accept your Son as the avenue to you through repentance of my sins. Help me to make the changes your want me to do in my life.

TUESDAY

The next call from Peter is to "turn to God". Did you know you cannot make the changes you need to without turning to God? In fact, you cannot truly know what you need to change until you turn to God.

What do you think it means to turn to God? It calls for us to shift our focus from ourselves and other things to focus completely on God.

1. What things must you do to turn to God in your life?

2. It is to first accept Christ as your savior (if you haven't done that) or is it for you to commit to follow him better than you have before?

3. What do you think this is important to turn to God for your life?

Prayer: Lord you ask us to turn to you and it is in that turning that we are better able to know what you require for our lives. Help us to learn your way and to follow it completely. Amen.

WEDNESDAY

The third thing Peter tells the people is to "be baptized". This cannot happen until the first step of turning to God is done. This also means to repent. Repent means to be sorry for your sins and to turn from them to God (that is the turning to God mentioned yesterday). Understand the salvation is not in the being baptized but it is the outward activity of what has happened spiritually inside.

1. Why do you think it is important to be baptized?

2. What does this represent for you and to God?

3. What does this represent to the community of believers?

Prayer: Lord help us to turn from anything that is contrary to you so that we can walk with you and in your ways. Help us today to do as you command so that we can live for you. Amen

THURSDAY

This next statement is "each of you". This is a reminder that this call is not to some but for all mankind. The call is to change and give your life over to God so that he can have his way.

1. If the call is for everyone, does this mean that Jesus is the way God chose for salvation for all or only for some?

2. Does this mean there are more than one way to God other than the way he designed?

3. What is the call for each of us to do?

Prayer: Lord you have called all mankind to yourself because you want none to perish. We have the choice of listening and heeding or rejecting your way. Help us today to accept that choice so that we can live in your presence. Amen.

FRIDAY

The next point is when you do all that has gone before you can be saved. And then you can "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". This promise is not one that is only given to a few but to all, all that God invites to receive it. From every nation and people God is calling for repentance. He does not stop at salvation though. He calls us from being saved to receiving his gift of his Spirit so that we can be empowered to live this life you have called us to.

1. Why do we need God's Spirit?

2. What is the benefits of having God's Spirit?

3. How does the Spirit help us grow up in Christ?

Prayer: Lord we are thankful to you for your gift of salvation and your gift of the Holy Spirit. You give us your Spirit so that we can obey you and live as you call us to. We thank you for salvation that saves us from sins punishment and that you love us enough to provide your way before us and to equip us to follow it. Thank you for your love. Amen.

Teaching Notes

Then Moses summoned Joshua. He said to him with all Israel watching, "Be strong. Take courage. You will enter the land with this people, this land that God promised their ancestors that he'd give them. You will make them the proud possessors of it. God is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you. Don't be intimidated. Don't worry." - Deuteronomy 31:7-7 (The Message)

Why Worry? God's in control.

Moses was not going to go into the promised land with the children of Israel and Joshua was going to be the new leader after Moses. Moses brought Joshua to him with all the people watching and encouraged him in front of them.

I believe this was also done to dispel any doubt who the new leader was going to be. His words to him is be strong and take courage. Why could Joshua take courage and in what?

Joshua could be strong because God was going to be his strength. He could take courage because God was with him and so that courage would be vested in God. Moses tells Joshua that God will give to him the new land and that he will not leave him. He tells Joshua you do not have to be worried or intimated by those that you will face as you go into possess this land.

What is this scripture trying to tell us today? As an adult I could easily say, your young, you do not have any worries, but that would not be true. Everyone has something they are facing whether they are young or old. So this scripture is valuable for the young as well as the old. The scripture is to encourage us that we have God with us as we go in and possess (take ownership) of those things he has for us. Joshua was going to be met with resistance because what he was given, somebody else was already living in.

In your life, sometimes it seems that if God has promises you something it shouldn't be so hard, it should come easily but it doesn't. This scripture should remind you to have courage and continue to trust God. He will help you fight whatever battle or forces that try to stand in the way of you becoming what God wants you to become. He will fight the battles against your enemies that want to keep you from possessing your land. That greatest enemy is Satan, the enemy of your soul. He doesn't want you to be what God wants you to be.

Yet, we can take this encouragement that Moses gave to Joshua. We can be encouraged because God is in control. If you have ever read the story about Joshua, you see he won many battles. The only ones that he lost were the ones that he did not listen or follow God. We can win the battles in our lives if we trust God and listen to his direction.

How do you hear his direction? The first way is to read his word. The word of God helps the believer to know what is the will of God. Prayer is also important on this journey to possess the place God has for you. You cannot make it to that place without prayer and the word of God. Never believe that being "good" is all it takes to win this battle.

This week as you read this scripture answer a few question for yourself:

1. Why do you think Joshua needed to be encouraged? (For that matter why do we need to be encouraged)

2. What do you think it means, God is striding ahead of you?

3. Has God ever let you down?

4. How does it make you feel to know that God is with you all the time?

5. If God is with you and you do not have to worry, why do you think we become afraid at times?

Prayer: Lord help us this week to see that you have given us the victory in our lives and we must solely trust in you. Help us to let go of any worry and when it comes against us, help us to release it back to you. This is our prayer this week, to trust more in your promises.

(Next week, I'll answer the questions).

Teaching Notes

I took another walk around the neighborhood and realized that on this earth as it is—The race is not always to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor satisfaction to the wise, Nor riches to the smart, Nor grace to the learned. Sooner or later bad luck hits us all. No one can predict misfortune. Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds in a trap, So men and women are caught By accidents evil and sudden. - Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 (The Message)

Whose in charge of the race?

MONDAY

Background - If you read this scripture along with the rest of Ecclesiastes, you would think the writer was depressed or had no hope. Today we will look at some of the background on this book before we go into explaining this scripture (which we will start tomorrow). There is debate regarding who wrote this book, even though the traditional view is Solomon. Some of the reason for this view is in 1:1 - states son of Davie, king in Jerusalem, 1:12 - king over Israel in Jerusalem, 2:4-9 - Solomon riches and accomplishments as king.

The word found in scripture as the writer is "Qoheleth", which is sometimes translated as preacher in some versions. This writer states as the overarching theme of this book that all is vanity (or meaningless). This word is used 38 times. The writer also talks about "life under the sun" (used 29 times). This view is there is a limited perspective of line in the present world. As I stated earlier, it would seem the writer is painting a depressing picture about life. However, this book along with Job balances out the Psalms and the Proverbs. When you read the Psalms and Proverbs you come away with the understanding that if you are good or righteous, good things follow you, if you are wicked, back or wicked things follow you.

This is true, however where does the person fit that is good or righteous but bad things happen? Job and this book helps to explain that bad does sometimes happen even to those that are righteous. The writer looks at three 3 principles about life under the sun. He recognizes that even the best things in life sometimes have a bad side. he also realizes you must enjoy life but do not expect too much from it. And finally he realizes that the ultimate good is to fear God and keep his commandments. While we do not encourage you to take this dim view, there is truth in what the writer gives us. As difficult as you may or may not find life, the ultimate encouragement is to fear God and keep his commandments.

Prayer: Lord as we take a look this week at the writing of Ecclesiastes, help us to see your message of truth. Help us to understand you are in charge of all, even those things that seem to be out of control to us, you already know and are in control of. Help us this week to have total faith in you. Amen.

TUESDAY

We discussed yesterday some of the background of the writer of this book. Now today we look at the scripture itself. The writer states that he took a look around. What he is stating is in his everyday life he has been making some observations. We all make observations in our lives. We watch people and based on what we see we come to some conclusions. The writer did the same thing. After years of observing things he gives his conclusion on those matters. The first conclusion he makes is that the race is not always given to the swift.

We would tend to think this could not be a true statement. We've seen races in the Olympics and track meets. The one that would win the race is always the fastest one, right? Not so. I saw the Olympics over the summer and everyone was talking about the African runner that was extremely fast. However when he had to do a long distance run he not only didn't win, he lost positioning as the race went along. Why would this happen you may thing? This was not his type of race. He was use to the quick races that started quickly and ended quickly. He was not trained or use to the long distance racing and it was apparent in his showing in the race.

This is true for us today as we look at our spiritual lives. There are some people that you think may be quick and because of it they are surely going to win this race. However they are sprinters. They run quick and run out of steam if asked to go for long distances. The ones that may not be so quick or fast but are good at the long distance are more equipped for the longer races and are able to win because they could stay the course. That is what God can do for you. If you ask him to help you be a long distance runner instead of a sprinter in life, he will help by taking over your race. He will become your trainer and help you to finish strong. Do you want to finish strong?

Prayer: Lord the writer said he observed that it wasn't always the quick that won the race. Lord I do not want to come out the gate strong, but tire along the way. Help me to stay strong and even if I am not the fastest runner, help me to endure the race. Amen.

WEDNESDAY

The writer said he observed something else. He observed that the battle is not always given to the strongest. Surely this has to be a wrong observation? Not so. Think even about some of the battles that the children of Israel fought? They were not the biggest army, they did not have the most men yet God would use their small amounts and strange battle techniques to win the battle. This observation lets us know that human strength, though good, is not stronger than God. We can determine in ourselves to do something by our own strength but that is not a promise that we will be victorious in those battles. The only way we can know we will be victorious in battle is when we yield ourselves to God and let him fight our battle. It is in this instance we learn that the laying down of human strength and accepting human limitations places us in the position to see godly strength and God's unlimited power. God is the one that is truly in charge of the race. Are you letting him win your battles or are you trying in your own power and failing?

Prayer: Lord I no longer want to try and do things by my own power. I want to release myself into your hands and allow your strength to win the battle, for the battle is yours. Help me to understand that even more this year as I trust in you. Amen.

THURSDAY

The third thing our writer observes is that riches are not always given to the smart or satisfaction to the wise. In our world this seem contradictory. We are told the rich have all the power and those that are wise are satisfied in themselves. That may be true on the surface of our understanding, but not in the spiritual sense. Did you realize that no matter how smart you are you cannot obtain the riches of God? Nor can you be satisfied in Jesus because of your wisdom and understanding? Did you know the things of God are hard to understand by this worlds wisdom? The things of God are spiritually understood and that only comes from ones relationship with God. The writer reminds us that there are somethings that we simply cannot control because of the things we have. We cannot make ourselves rich (spiritually or even physically) simply because we believe we have control. If God does not grants us the provisions for this to happen, it will not. God still is in charge of all, even if we do not see it.

Prayer: Lord I want to be rich in your glory, your provisions and you. Help me also to be satisfied with you even if everything else seems not to satisfy. The writer says all things are meaningless and they are, if we do not seek you first. Help me this year to have a greater focus on you so that I can see you and you alone. Amen.

FRIDAY

The last observation the writer talks about is that misfortune hits everybody sooner or later. While this seems down or depressing it should actually be viewed differently. When difficulty comes our way we should think back on these words and understand that in to every life comes some good and some bad. Are we to be exempt because we are children of God? That is not found anywhere in scripture. However what we have that is different from others is that we, believers know who is in charge of our race. We do not have to be distracted because of road blocks. Instead our God will show us when to venture of the course we are on to the next course that will lead us to the finish line. All is vanity or meaningless as the writer states. It is meaningless without a relationship with God. He also reminds us from the three points of Monday that there will be bad times, however continue to enjoy life as you have it. Enjoy what God has given you. Do not allow situations or circumstances to take the joy from your life. And he states that ultimately the only true good is our relationship with God. That is what we must seek first if we want to win this race. Whose in charge of your race?

Prayer: Lord today help me to find the joy in my life even if I find myself in difficult situations. Help me to hold onto that joy and be thankful to you for what I do have. Help me not to grow weary or tired on this race. I want you to be the one in charge of my race. Amen.