Teaching Notes

(Cedar of Lebanon)

My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. - Psalm 92:11-13

Grow Strong! The writer of this psalm states that his eyes has seen his enemies defeated and he has heard the uprise of his enemies against him. Yet, the psalmist confirms that the righteous will flourish.

The writer is encourager his reader that his has seen and he has heard of the defeat of the enemy.  He has also seen the Lord take care of those that belong to him. God will continue to give to those that belong to him what they need. He promises that you will flourish (you will grow).

Why will you grow? You and I are promises that we will grow because of where we are planted. This tree is planted in the house of God, in the courts or the presence of God. In other words you and I grow when we are planted in the right place. That right place is with God. If we allow God to water us, nuture us and even prune us when we need it, he promises to grow us up and to keep us from going the way of the wicked.

Today I encourage you to allow God to grow you strong. Let him have your life so that he can plant you in his presence and you can grow. Do not become like the wicked that are soon cut off.

Prayer: Lord we want to grow. We want to grow strong so that we can withstand the tricks of the enemy. We want to be able to see and know like the psalmist that you will care for your children. Help us today to have faith in your hand. Amen.

Teaching Notes

I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work. - Nehemiah 2:18

Get started. The scripture is during the time when the children of Israel have been in captivity and the city and the walls have fallen in disrepair. Nehemiah here speaks about the instruction that God has given him. The instruction is to rebuild the wall. So when the people receive the instruction they state, "let us start rebuilding".

This is something that is important for us to understand. God has a plan that requires each of us to come on board and get to work. We could stand around and say, "boy is this wall bad" or "if so-in-so had done their job this wall wouldn't be in need or repair". In other words, we could stand around and talk about all that those before us did wrong or we could hear the instruction of the Lord and get started doing what he calls us to do.

This is a call to the young people (all people actually). You can no longer sit back and point a finger at what the "old" people did not do right or how they do not understand things of today. Do you know that may be all true, however when God calls you he is not going to ask you what the "older saints" did or did not do. He is going to ask you, did you follow the instructions I gave you to handle the need in your time?

What's the need of your time? Just like Nehemiah tells the people their needs to be a rebuilding of the wall to protect the city, today we need to shore up our walls to protect the city. Not physical walls, but spiritual walls. We need you today to use your strength and ability to build up spiritual walls that will protect others around you. God needs you to get started with the work he has for you.

What post are you on? God assigns each of us a specific job that is only for us. He does not ask you to do my job and he does not ask me to do yours. Not only does he give you a post to stand on building this wall, but he will equip you for the work.

Today, are you ready to take up your post on the wall that needs to be rebuilt? Are you ready to begin the work of restoring God's wall to protect his people? I pray today that you will get started to do what God has uniquely designed you to do. May he give you the courage to do what he has called you today. I pray that you do not wait until tomorrow, but set your mind to doing God's work today. Amen.

Teaching Notes

The Rewards of Obedience

Then the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. - Exodus 34:10-12

We live in a world that says do what "feels right to you". You are the captain of your own ship, the determining factor of your destiny and other such sayings. What in fact the hidden message is, is that you do not have to follow any rules expect what feels good to you.

The Lord is speaking in this scripture and is making a covenant with the children of Israel. A covenant is more that a simply promise. God is making a agreement of what he will do for his people. Let's look at what God promises.

1. He will do wonders never seen before. - God promises his people that he will do such wonders among them that no one else has ever seen before. God is not simply doing this so that the people will look good, but he is mainly doing it to show others around them his wonders. Did you know that simply because you are God's people he will bless you so that he can show others who he is through his interactions with you? What wonders do you need to see done in your life that have not been seen before? As a young person, do you need to see some wonders in your life that you have only heard about from others? Why not take a chance today and ask God to show you himself, you might be surprised what he shows you.

2. He will drive out the "nations" before you. - You read the list of nations that God said he would move out of the way of the children of Israel. These nations were possessing the land that God had promised the Israelites. So how where they to take what someone else was living on? They wouldn't do it, God would. Did you know that the things you seek from God to do in your life that seem impossible to possess because of obstacles that stand in the way can be had because God promises that he will move those obstacles out of the way. Why would he do that? Because he made an agreement with his people to give them the land. While God has not promised to give us an actual land, he has promises to us provisions that we can obtain because of the covenant we have with him. Do you need God to move out the "nations" the obstacles that are standing in your way so that you can obtain the promises he has for you? The next question then is how do you obtain these rewards?

3. Obey and receive. - It is simply through your obedience to God. That is our part of the covenant with God. God promises to show himself in us so that others will be amazed at his work and he promises to move out obstacles that would try to keep us from obtaining what he has for us. But this can only happen when we obey his commandments. Otherwise, we forfeit the reward. The final think is we must heed the warnings. The children were told do not go into the land that God has for you and make an agreement with the people there, otherwise it will become a snare to you.

This is true for us today. If we make an agreement with the "nations" that which is contrary to God we create a snare for ourselves and we are not able to see the fullness of what God wants to do in our lives. What this means is I cannot try to do what the world says and try to live for God as well, I cannot do both and in my trying more than likely I will create a problem for myself and become unable to do the things that are pleasing to God.

This week I pray that you would seek God to direct you in how to obey him more completely. I challenge you this week. Do you want to see God do some wonderful things in your life? Then obey him fully. What is he telling you to do? Are you doing it? Are you reading your word, praying and yielding yourself to him? Obey him and receive the rewards of the obedient.

Teaching Notes

The Choice is Yours

Written by Minister James S. Williams, Jr.

Meditation: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; - Proverb 3:5

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. - Ephesians 5:15-17

The choice is yours, life or death, good or evil, right or wrong - which will you choose?


Each day when we arise and all throughout the day we make choices between competing options. Our friends, classmates, family, acquaintances all want to influence our choices, but what is the true and correct way to choose? Some say follow your heart some say your head, others say just go with the flow, be easy and just chill, but are these the best ways to govern your life and entrust your soul?


Let's examine them. Your heart (emotions) is variable and can change based on things over which you have no control, should that control you? Your head is just a compilation of knowledge that you have gained in your life, but I am reminded of how my father said, "What you don't know could make another world?" If I know so little should I follow my own intuition and knowledge exclusively? The flow, being easy or just chillin’ like a villain, these are all very popular and can garner you a following of cool (or not so cool) people who think that you are the bomb. But is popularity the goal and will being popular with lots of associates, colleagues or friends (some of them flaky) provide the answer to leading your life?


If these models are insufficient to entrust your entire being, your life and your soul, then what or who is? The what is faith, the who is God. Start and end your day with the Lord and let His spirit lead you through your decisions, actions and motivation. To put anything else first or to fill your day with actions, talk and thoughts where God is not primary (1st) is to waste the wonderful opportunity.


Meditate on the devotional verse Proverbs 3:5 and take to heart the encouragement of Ephesians 5:15 - 18 throughout your week and see what God has in store for you!

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),

16 - Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

17 - Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.

18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.

Remember

Hebrews 6:11-14

(Contemporary English Version)

We wish that each of you would always be eager to show how strong and lasting your hope really is. Then you would never be lazy. You would be following the example of those who had faith and were patient until God kept his promise to them.

God's Promise Is Sure

No one is greater than God. So he made a promise in his own name when he said to Abraham, "I, the Lord, will bless you with many descendants!"

The choice is Yours Be Blessed or...........

Teaching Notes

WORSHIP INSTRUCTIONS

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, - 1 Timothy 2:1-3

There is much debate about worship and worship styles. Some do not like the traditional hymns and some do not like contemporary music. However, worship is more than the music we listen to. Paul gives Timothy clear instruction on what worship must contained, those things that are not to be changed. Music styles can change and be blended but there are some things that need to be consistent.

Paul's instruction is that first requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving should be made for everyone. What does this mean? Prayer has to be a vital part of a worship service. Also a time of thanksgiving or praise to God has to be an important part of our worship services.

What is also important about prayer is that we must pray for our leaders, both in our government but also within our churches. Our prayer is so that we can have peace and live a holy life before God.

How does this relate to you? It is important to understand that God requires certain things from all his children. It does not matter if you perfer to listen to a certain kind of music during your personal time, but what is more important is do you take time to pray? Do you take time to thank God for what he has done for you?  Do you pray not only for yourself but for others? These are the things that are important to God (both in our time of worship with others as well as our personal worship time). Today I encourage you to spend time worshipping God his way.

Prayer: Lord help us not to become so concerned with things that are not as important to you, but help us to see the importance of worship your way. Help me to pray, to give thanks, and to pray for others. Help me to spend time worshipping you in a way that is pleasing to you, Amen.