Teaching Notes

Like a beautiful garden, each one of us can receive what we need from God to draw closer to him and grow.  What a beautiful sight it is to see the diversity of God's people as they grow together. Like God's Garden!

How To Draw Closer To God

Luke 10:26-28 (The Message)

He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?" He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself." "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."

Notes: One of the vital things in our relationship to God is our love for him and his people.  What we say about our relationship with God is important but even more so is what we "show" in the world we live in.

Question: If we say we love God, how does it show itself?  What is Jesus' response to us when we do that?

Answer: If we say we love God then we should love others as well as we do ourselves.  This then is pleasing to Jesus.  He says, it is good and when we do so we will live.  This means we will live a life that is pleasing to God.  God is please that we show our love for him in what we do.  It does not matter if we say that we love God but are not kind, loving or charitable to others.  And who are those that we should be loving to?  The scripture says our neighbors.  A neighbor is anyone next to you.  That does not just mean the people that live on your block or in your neighborhood.  That means anyone you find yourself next to.  Next to in class, or work or any activities.  God wants us to show our love for him to others.  This is evidence that his love is alive in us and working through us.

Prayer: Lord help us to draw closer to you. We want to show our love for you to those that we find ourselves close to.  Help us to trust you, obey you and show forth your love to this world. Help us to pray for wisdom and understanding so that we can discern your truth.  Help us Lord this day, because we want to draw closer to you.

Teaching Notes

Prayer, is it only for the preacher?  Is it only for the pastor or the older people?  No prayer is for all God's children.  Prayer is what draws each of us closer to our Father.  It is having a conversation with our heavenly Father so that he can tell us his will.  It is just like the preacher.  He or she helps you understand God's word.  Prayer helps us to understand God's will.

How to Draw Closer To God

Ezra 8:23 (The Message)

23 So we fasted and prayed about these concerns. And he listened.

Notes: This small verse speaks a very important message about how we can draw closer to God.  It has to do with our relationship with God.

Question: What did they do and what was God's response?

Answer: The scripture says that they fasted and prayed about "these concerns".  And when they did, God's response was to listen to them.  This speaks to a relationship.  When God's people bring concerns to him to seek his answers, he will listen to them.  Not only will he listen, but he will answer.  God's people were willing to take this time of bringing concerns to him seriously.  This is one way of drawing closer to God.  When you take your prayer life seriously, God will listen to you.  When you pray you draw closer to his will.  This is done because you are asking him what is his will regarding the concerns you have.  Not simply asking him to fix something your way, but also asking him, what do you want me to do in this situation.  Prayer draws us closer to God because it helps us to understand better the will of the Father.

Prayer: Lord help us to trust you as we obey you will and your way.  And for those things that we do not know, help us to bring them to you in prayer because you will hear our concerns.  You listen to your children.  You have an answer for your children. Thank you, Amen.

Teaching Notes

Do you know why a rose is so beautiful, yet has thorns? We do not know even the simpliest things at time, yet we sometimes want to refuse to trust God when he tells us to trust him. Help us Lord.  We do not always understand things, help us to trust your wisdom and give us understanding.

How to Draw Closer to God

Deuteronomy 9:23 (The Message)

The most recent was when God sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, ordering you: "Go. Possess the land that I'm giving you." And what did you do? You rebelled. Rebelled against the clear orders of God, your God. Refused to trust him. Wouldn't obey him. You've been rebels against God from the first day I knew you.

Notes: There is something interesting in this verse of scripture. It is the message the children of Israel are receiving before the cross over the Jordan.  This is a reminder to them about their disobedience to God.  What is interesting in this verse is it ties "trust" and "obedience" together.

Question: What does it say about trust and obeying?

Answer: The scripture says that children rebelled and because of that, they did not trust God.  When they did not trust God they did not obey him.  Trust and obedience is something that goes together.  Is we say we trust God, then we will obey what he instrusts to do.  The same is true on the opposite.  If we do not trust God we will disobey him.  When we do not trust God's word to be true, we do not obey it.  When we do not trust that God will do what he says, we disobey him. Even our fears can make us lose trust.  If we do not trust that God will take care of us, then we will disobey and trust ourselves and not God.  To trust and obey goes hand in hand.  This is one way of growing your relationship with God. When you trust him and believe what he says, then you will want to obey his word.

Prayer: Lord help us to trust you so that we willingly obey your word.  Help us to obey even when we do not understand why we must do it a certain way.  Help us trust your word is true and obey because you call us to. Amen.

Teaching Notes

It's easy to tell what this is, it is a traffic signal.  When it's working and we are watching it, it let's us know when to go, when to stop and when the light is about the change.  That is what God's directions does for us when we are watching.  He tells us when to go, when to stop and when things are shifting and we must stand still.  Help us to be able to discern your signals.

How To Draw Closer to God

Proverbs 3:5 (The Message)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.

Notes: Have you ever wonder about people that seem to have such a love for God, how they got that way?  Have you ever wondered what you needed to do, to have the same kind of close relationship?  Well there is something you can do to obtain a closer relationship with God.  Let us look at that this week to help you in your walk with God.

Question: What does the writer encourage you to do?

Answer: He says trust. To trust in God means you put your belief or faith in him.  The writer also encourages you to understand you do not have to figure everything out by yourself.  The writer says that if you trust God you will let him direct you, and even if it is difficult where you will have to go, you will still obey him.  If he corrects you, you will not become discouraged but continue to trust him.  This is one of the key steps in how to build your relationship with God.  You may not know all the reasons you are going through the things you are, but trust God and seek his answers for the direction of your life.  Ask him to help you understand and he will.  Trust him for everything in your life and do not depend on your own smarts, or ideas, but on his way.

Prayer: Today God help me to learn to trust you even more than I do right now. Help me through those things that I really do not understand.  Help me to trust when it is difficult.  Help me to trust when I am lonely.  Help me to trust when I am confused or upset.  Help me to trust you in all things and through all things. I will trust you more. Amen.