The 2nd Half of Marriage Class

Our Prayer

Our Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You and that my sins separate me from You. I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to You for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin. I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of You. My greatest purpose in life is to follow Your example and do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Class Lesson August 31, 2014

God created everything. And it was good.

If you have looked at what the Bible says about creation and the origins of the universe, then you surely read and studied Genesis 1-2. That certainly is the place to start, but is that all there is to know? Is that all we need to know? Can we learn anything else from God’s Word about His creation – or about His work of creating it?

The Bible doesn't merely tell us what God did, but His creative work also tells us about who God is. This 2-week study will help us to see how God’s actions in creation display His character, strengthen our faith, and help us experience His love. We will look at Psalm 104 and Leviticus 25 to help us see God’s greatness, love, power, and wisdom as He created. We will discover the exciting truth that those attributes affect our daily lives. We will also discover God’s desire for us to enjoy His creation. We can use all God has given us to bless others.

Remember that we begin "The Story" series September 7, 2014.

Our second lesson is on:

OUR WORK WITH CREATION

The Point:

God has given us responsibility over His creation.

Do I have a responsibility toward the earth around me?

One group borders on nature worship, calling us to avoid doing anything that upsets or changes nature as it is now. Another group sees humans at the top of the food chain and has no problem with exploiting natural resources for their own benefit. The Bible gives us a different perspective. God has given us the earth for our benefit, but Scripture gives us principles to guide us in how we use the earth.

Most kids crave freedom while they’re growing up. They relish the chance to do things on their own. But increased freedom usually comes with increased responsibility. For example, the freedom to have a pet brings the responsibility of feeding it. The freedom of a driver’s license carries the responsibility of running errands for Mom.

With that in mind, here’s a question: have you ever thought about your responsibility to the earth? God has given us the freedom to enjoy His creation, but with that freedom comes responsibility. One debate in our culture centers on how much we should use – or not use – the earth’s resources. Some would say we are to use nothing and leave everything as it is, while others advocate using everything up until it’s all gone.

The Book of Leviticus gives us some direction on this topic based on commands God gave to the Israelites on how they were to enjoy and use the land – and how they were to do so responsibly.

Leviticus 25:1-7

25 The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you, the land will observe a Sabbath to the Lord. 3 You may sow your field for six years, and you may prune your vineyard and gather its produce for six years.

4 But there will be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land in the seventh year, a Sabbath to the Lord: you are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You are not to reap what grows by itself from your crop, or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. It must be a year of complete rest for the land.

6 Whatever the land produces during the Sabbath year can be food for you—for yourself, your male or female slave, and the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you. 7 All of its growth may serve as food for your livestock and the wild animals in your land.

Key Word: Sabbath – The word comes from the Hebrew meaning “to cease, desist, or observe an interlude.” The primary meaning is a cessation from all work, a period of rest.

The English title of the Book of Leviticus comes to us from the Latin translation of Greek. It means “that which concerns the Levites,” or by interpretation, “that which concerns the priests.” It provides guidelines for priestly responsibilities ranging from leading worship to performing ritual to instructing the people. Including among these standards are directions for both working and respecting the land God provided his people.

I. BE GOOD STEWARD – LEVITICUS 25:1-3

The Israelite's had been in slavery for generations. The land they worked in Egypt was not their own. Then Moses told them about a new place God would give them – a promised land. It must have been amazing for them to hear that they would be free to work their own fields and keep whatever they produced. Finally, they would be able to enjoy the land God had for them.

Have you ever thought about creation as something to enjoy? On a trip to the lake I was reminded once again about how amazing God’s creation truly is. Gazing at the beauty of the rolling, forested hills rising from the slightly misty water, I saw the sun rise in the distance, casting a soft, orange glow over everything. Watching, my thoughts drifted to God. I realized He had created every detail of what I saw.

It’s important to remember that our enjoyment of God’s creation should encourage us to praise Him and give Him glory. God did not create so that we would have something else to worship. Instead, all of creation points to Him and gives evidence of His greatness (Rom. 1:20).

This was true of the Israelites. They were about to obtain God’s promised land, and He wanted them to enjoy it. The enjoyment of this land – of God’s creation specifically for them – was meant to drive them to worship God and recognize His provision for them.

The same is true of us today. We have been given responsibility for the physical earth God created. We are meant to both work in God’s creation and enjoy it. All of creation points us to the greatness of God, so get out into His world and enjoy it. Allow it to fuel your worship of Him as your Creator and Provider.

Is caring for creation a political issue, a biblical issue, or a non-issue for you?

Highlight the word Sabbath.

The concept of Sabbath focused on a period of rest, or the complete cessation from work. The seventh day was declared holy to God because of His rest on that day after creation (Gen. 2:2-3). The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew meaning to cease, desist, or observe an interlude. Just as the seventh day of the week was declared a Sabbath day to cease from work and honor the Lord, every seventh year was also declared a Sabbath year for much the same purpose.

The land was to be worked for six years, and then allowed to rest for an entire year. Sowing, pruning, and harvesting the abundant land God had given was their right and privilege; obeying God and ceasing from all such labors in the seventh year was their responsibility. Although the sabbatical year institution seems to primarily have involved the cultivation of the land, it also incorporated debt forgiveness and public proclamation of God’s law (Deut. 31:10-13). In this way, the entire year would be spent focusing on the Lord and His law.

The same is true of us today. We’ve been given responsibility for the physical earth God created. We are meant to both work in God’s creation and enjoy it. All of creation points us to the greatness of God, so get out into His world and enjoy it. Allow it to fuel your worship of Him as your Creator and Provider.

Final Thoughts:

1. The Lord continually reveals Himself and His ways to His people by His Word.

2. The Word of the Lord is practical in its effects, even as it serves the Lord’s holy purposes.

3. All that we possess is to be considered a gift from the Lord; He is to be acknowledged as the true owner.

Commentary: With the giving of the law for the sabbatical and jubilee years, the Lord brings to a close His law-giving session with Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:32). The basis of the land laws God gave to Israel is His assertion that the land belongs to Him (Lev. 25:23). When God’s people conquered the Promised Land, God used the casting of lots to distribute the land among His people, not individual cunning. Since the land was a gift, not something they claimed on their own, the people could not sell their land. The land, under God, went to the people permanently. God provided for the people, but He was their landlord. They were tenants under Him and subject to the provisions and limitations He would impose. They were to remember that they were not proprietors but residents subject to the Lord.

The statement that the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai gives authority to these new customs the Israelites were to observe. It was at Mount Sinai that the people met with God and trembled at His presence (Ex. 19:16-19). It was where Moses received the Ten Commandments (20:1-17) and the people begged Moses to speak for God rather than their having to face Him themselves (20:18-19). All of the laws given by God instructed the people how to relate to God and to one another, and in the case of the sabbatical year, how to relate to God by respecting His creation.

God wanted His people to realize His goodness in giving them the land as a dwelling place under His authority, and to treat His gift accordingly. By doing this it would not only show gratitude toward God, but would preserve the land for succeeding generations.

Verses 4-5 help us gain a better understanding of what God expects from us as stewards of His creation.

II. TRUST IN GOD – LEVITICUS 25:4-5

What are some consequences you have seen of people abusing the earth?

The Lord gave the Israelites an additional instruction: don’t sow or harvest anything in the seventh year. This command wasn’t without purpose. Because the Israelites were about to receive the incredible gift of the promised land, it would have been very easy for them to begin trusting in themselves and in their own ability to sow and harvest each year – instead of trusting in the Lord as their provider.

God was teaching the Israelites a lesson that all of us need to hear. Namely, everything comes from the Lord, and the way we use what He has given us shows our level of trust in Him.

By giving the land a year to rest, the Israelites were almost totally dependent on God as their Provider. Their obedience signaled their trust that He would provide enough during the six years to carry them through the seventh.

This wasn’t a random directive with the sole purpose of testing God’s people. All God’s commands are good and for our benefit. For example, it helps the land to let it lie fallow for a season. Doing so replenishes the soil, leading to stronger crops in the years that follow.

The Israelites were constantly reminded of the truth that God continually provided for them. God desires for us to recognize the same thing today:

He has given you what you have.

He is the One taking care of you now.

He will continue to be your ultimate Provider.

What does it look like for you to trust God with your livelihood?

Final Thoughts:

1. That which comes to us from the Lord is to be cared for according to His instructions.

2. The Lord’s principle of rest is essential for revitalization and productivity for land and for people.

3. The call to obedience is a call to trust.

Commentary: Just as God declared the seventh day of the week to be a Sabbath day of rest for men and beasts, so God proclaimed that the earth itself should have its own Sabbath of rest every seventh year. That year, the land was to be set apart to the Lord. Some commentators point out that the Bible does not indicate the sabbatical year was intended for the benefit to the land, stressing instead the emphasis on the Sabbath concept. And yet, we understand that great agricultural advantages accompanied periodically allowing fields to be inactive. Such practice prevents the continual drain of nutrients from the soil, allowing a year of recovery. Though God did not explicitly state this value of His requirement, we can easily see His wisdom in its design.

The phrase Sabbath of complete rest is a combination of closely related Hebrew words. Together the repetitiveness gives an intensive picture: a rest for a rest celebration. This emphatic combination occurs only in Leviticus: here with the Sabbath year of rest, in regard to the Sabbath day (Lev. 23:3), and in discussing the Day of Atonement (v. 32). In each instance, the stress falls on the total cessation of work. This was to be a Sabbath to the Lord, a time of intermission from the normal pursuits of sowing and pruning to honor and remember the Lord.

Whatever produce grows by itself or sprouted from untended vines was to be left uncultivated. The sabbatical law was designed to test and demonstrate the people’s obedience to and trust in God. As they exercised obedience and trust in regard to the Sabbatical year restrictions, they could expect God, the One from whom the annual harvest came anyway, to continue to provide for them (Lev. 25:18-22). God anticipated the obvious question of the people concerning their manner of living if they failed to work the land. Even before their act of faith and obedience in the seventh year, God promised an abundance in the sixth year, enough to provide for that year, the fallow (unplowed) seventh year, and also the planting season of the eighth year until its harvest could be reaped. Leviticus 25:21 underscores the blessing of God’s plan for providing for His people. To accomplish the benefit of the land laying fallow (unplowed) one year, God would bless an obedient nation with abundant harvest to see them through that year.

Israel was not to take the earth for granted as if it were merely created for mankind to use and abuse as he saw fit. It remained under the Lord’s ownership and as such was holy to the Lord. Man does not exist only to survive and prosper physically. If we walk by faith and not by sight, we also may trust God to provide for our needs. In the New Testament, Jesus gave clear teaching and encouragement regarding our walk with Him by faith (Matt. 6:25-34). He knows our needs, and indeed, cares for the whole of His creation, including people. When we in faith and obedience place His priorities above our own, He promises to care for us (see v. 33).

III. CARE FOR OTHERS – LEVITICUS 25:6-7

As God provided for His people, He expected them to care for others around them. Verses 6-7 directed the Israelites to use their food to care for their servants, hired hands, foreigners, livestock, and even the wild animals in the land. God was teaching His people that, even as they were provided for, they needed to be providers. Because when we provide for others out of what God has given us, we reflect the character of God.

Sadly, we live in a culture that hoards. Look how much stuff Americans accumulate. Society pushes us to get as much as we can so that we can have more.

God commands us to use what He gives us in order to take care of ourselves and benefit others. The “others” here include those who may not have the same social status as you, foreigners, people that work for you, and even animals. Yes, taking care of God’s creation does include taking care of the animals He has given us.

Consider these questions:

If you’re an employer, how are you taking care of those who work for you?

How are you using what God has given you to benefit those less fortunate than you?

How are you using what God has given you to help people around the world?

There’s a bigger purpose at play here that goes beyond meeting a need. Namely, we have a chance to help others see God as their Provider. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves as the ones giving the handouts; rather, we draw praise to God as the ultimate Provider for all people.

Therefore, the ultimate purpose of our giving is to point people to God and His gospel. When we use what God has given us for the benefit of others, the greatest blessing of all will be more people coming to know Him for eternity.

How does this passage speak to our responsibility over God’s creation?

Is there a contradiction between verses 5-6?

At first glance in English, verses 5 and 6 appear contradictory regarding whether the land owner may eat of the voluntary produce of the land during the Sabbath. Verse 5 emphasizes that the land holder is not to undertake any formal tending or harvesting of the land. Verse 6, however, indicates that the owner, like the other groups mentioned, could gather from the fields for immediate use, but regular harvest and storage was forbidden (Lev. 25:11). The livestock and wild animals were to benefit from the excess growth as well. The volunteer crop would be available to all.

God’s intent was for His people to model His generosity by sharing His blessings with others. Succeeding generations of Israelites and the surrounding nations were to learn of Yahweh’s goodness through the example of His people. As the people walked in faith, and God blessed them, others would see and be drawn to worship the One true God.

How does this passage speak to our responsibility over God’s creation?

Our role in the world today is no different. The times may have changed, and we may live in a vastly different culture, but we are still to be God’s representatives. We are to use the earth and all its resources not only for our benefit, but for everyone. The blessings of God are not to be hoarded, but shared. We are to model God’s generosity with our own possessions, realizing that they and we both belong to Him, and we hold them only in trust.

Final Thoughts:

1. The Lord cares and provides for all people. He shows no partiality.

2. All creation is the Lord’s, and in His power and wisdom He has provided for its care.

Commentary: In the first seven verses of Leviticus 25, land is used six times in the Hebrew. The emphasis is not only on the use of the land, but also on the reasoning for its use and care. God gave His people a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Num. 13:27). His provision was abundant, but it came with stipulations. Neither the land itself nor animals nor workers were to be overworked; all needed rest. God intended the Sabbath year to provide that rest as well as allow for spiritual renewal (Deut. 31:10-13) and bless the poor as they gathered from the idle fields.

The Law God gave to Moses directed that every seventh year the land would not be tilled or planted in crops, nor would vineyards be pruned and tended. The Law allowed that whatever the land produces on its own without tillage and care could be used for food (meat or fuel). In addition to the abundance gathered in the sixth year, food would come from plants that came up on their own. This not only contributed to the fertility of the land by allowing it to lie fallow but also protected the rights of the poor. Peasants and the poor who had no land of their own were allowed to eat from the natural abundance of the untended fields. It was to be shared equally with the slave (servant), the hired hand (hireling), and with any foreigner (an alien, a non-Hebrew) who chose to dwell in the land.

Verse 25:23 The people would one day possess land in Canaan, but in God’s plan, only God’s ownership was absolute. He wanted His people to avoid greed and materialism. If you have the attitude that you are taking care of the Lord’s property, you will make what you have more available to others. This is difficult to do if you have an attitude of ownership. Think of yourself as a manager of all that is under your care, not as an owner.

Live it Out

How can you fulfill your responsibility to care for God’s creation?

1. Steward your space. You can’t fix the world, but you can make a difference where you are. Choose to take a small step by recycling, picking up trash, planting a garden, and so on.

2. Shop responsibly. Research companies that have taken positive steps toward caring for God’s creation. Reward these companies with your patronage whenever possible.

3. Serve the world. Sign up for an international mission trip so you can personally experience the joy of giving to others because of what God has given you.

People will always argue and debate over the right balance between using and preserving our natural resources on earth. But there’s no doubt that fulfilling your responsibility to care for God’s creation will produce spiritual fruit both now and throughout eternity.

All creation is sacred because it belongs to God. He was the Creator and He is its Sustainer. However, as seen in the narrative of God’s dealings with the first man and woman, the Lord endowed humankind with the responsibility to care for all that He had created. The Bible narratives and the instructions in the law shaped Israel’s understanding of the sanctity of the land and are an appropriate foundation for developing our own theology of ecology. We don’t just care for the earth and its resources for their sake alone but for God’s sake. Our treatment of what He has entrusted to us becomes an expression of the depth of our dedication to Him.

The verses in this lesson also challenge us at the point of how we are to use what we possess. We are not to be so selfish in our attitude toward what we have that we ignore or neglect those who have less. The generosity of the Lord toward us becomes our model and encouragement to be generous toward others.

In what ways are you using the earth’s natural resources or protecting them as something God has entrusted into your care?

Recall a time when you faced the prospects of being without resources you considered essential to life. What was your attitude toward the Lord during that time? How did the Lord provide for you?

How has the Lord blessed you so you are able to benefit others?

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, I desire to be a faithful steward of all Your creation and in what You have entrusted to me. Help me to be aware of how I may use what I have to care for others who have less. Amen

See you on Sunday!

David & Susan

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

New 2 Week Series Begins August 24, 2014

God created everything. And it was good.

The Bible doesn't merely tell us what God did, but His creative work also tells us about who God is. This study will help us to see how God’s actions in creation display His character, strengthen our faith, and help us experience His love.

Two lessons from Psalm 104 and Leviticus 25 will take us beyond a review of the seven days of creation to help us see God’s greatness, love, power, and wisdom as He created. We will discover the exciting truth that those attributes affect our daily lives. We will also discover God’s desire for us to enjoy His creation. We can use all God has given us to bless others.

Our first lesson is on:

GOD’S WORK OF CREATION

Psalm 104:1-23

Have you ever looked at a sunset in awe, mesmerized by the beauty of God’s creation? Have you been lucky enough to visit a place like Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon? Sometimes just looking at a brilliant blue sky makes me pause in wonder.

Reading Psalm 104 reminds me how beautiful and perfect creation is. Every animal has a purpose and a place to lay its head. The trees, grass and plants are watered by the rain. You can see creation on a grand scale of seasons and days and nights, or zero in on how the organs in the human body work together. Every aspect of our world is jaw-droppingly perfect. And our God is responsible for it all!

The same holy God who created the Earth in all of its grandeur created you, too. Psalm 139:14 tells us God fearfully and wonderfully made each of us. God doesn’t make mistakes or messes. And just like the animals and the plants and the rain have a purpose, you were made on purpose for a purpose.

In the noisiness of this world, God makes known His love and care for us through creation (Psalm 19:1-4). The beauty of a sunset, the height of a mountain or the glimpse of a shooting star all were created by God's words. In that same way, we’re reminded everyday God spoke life into us, showing His affection for us through creation (Psalm 19:7,12-13). We had no say or part in it, but out of God's goodness He reminds us that we are His sons and daughters.

Reflect for a moment:

Giving God complete control of your life is trusting the only person who holds all things together. What area in your life does God not have control of? What step can you take to give it to Him?

How do you see creation giving God glory everyday? Take time today to thank God for giving you new life.

The Bible gives us a clear picture of the One behind creation. In the pages of Scripture, we discover the all-powerful, all-wise, loving Creator God.

What have you always wanted to make but never tried?

So, what's the point of this week's lesson?

Everything in creation is the work of the God who loves us.

One of the latest trends on the internet and social media is Pinterest, a virtual pinboard where people can collect, organize, and share what they discover on the Web. The company says their mission is to “connect everyone in the world through the things they find interesting.” You might even call it a visual search engine.

Creativity is all around us – and I’m not just talking about online. We encounter God’s creation each and every day. If we pay attention, we’ll catch displays of His spectacular creativity, His breathtaking attention to detail, and His astonishing power. Even better, paying attention to creation reveals our wondrous Creator. Such reminders are important when we feel like God is distant or detached from our lives, or when we question His involvement in the world.

Psalm 104 helps is discover that God created all things through His wisdom and power – and that He is intimately involved even in the smallest details of our lives.

Psalm 104:1-5, 24-30

1 My soul, praise Yahweh! Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with majesty and splendor. 2 He wraps Himself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy, 3 laying the beams of His palace on the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind, 4 and making the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants. 5 He established the earth on its foundations; it will never be shaken.

24How countless are Your works, Lord! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. 25 Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. 26 There the ships move about, and Leviathan, which You formed to play there.

27 All of them wait for You to give them their food at the right time. 28 When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 29 When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. 30 When You send Your breath, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.

Key Word This Week: Leviathan – The Hebrew possibly describes a serpent, crocodile, whale, dinosaur, or other sea monster.

I. GOD’S CREATIVE POWER – PSALM 104:1-5

God the Creator

The psalm begins with a description of God that sets up His relationship with creation. Verse 1 provides the image of God that serves as the foundation for the rest of the passage.

1. God is great. Very great.

The writer of Psalm 104 proclaimed that God’s actions are magnificent. What God has done is so incredible it should leave us with a sense of awe. What He has done is the powerful action of speaking into existence everything we see each day – and so much more that we can’t see.

2. God is clothed with majesty and splendor.

“Majesty” means supreme greatness, authority, and sovereignty. “Splendor” means brilliance or an appearance so gorgeous that it’s overwhelming and imposing. Imagine for the next several verses that you have a front row seat to creation. Notice the ease of God’s actions – things that are so incredible for us are simple for Him to accomplish. And God’s work is no illusion; it’s reality.

The sky, which seems to go on forever and is filled with stars and clouds in ever-changing patterns, is stretched out simply as a tent or canopy.

The clouds are a way of simple transportation for God.

The wind is God’s messenger.

Fire, which can be so uncontrollable and dangerous for us, attends God like a servant.

God established the earth on its foundation, and it will never be shaken. Don’t miss that! Not only did God create out of His great power, but He also holds everything together. If He can hold together the foundation of the world – hold together all of creation – then we can have confidence He can take care of us. He can establish our foundation in Him, and we won’t be upended.

Amazingly, in all God’s magnificence, majesty, and splendor, He has chosen to love you.

What has recently inspired you to see some aspect of creation with new found wonder?

Complete the activity below:

What else can creation teach us about our Creator?

Final Thoughts:

1. God is due all praise as Creator.

2. The greatness and power of God is evident in creation.

3. God created out of His own power.

4. All creation is subservient to God and His divine purposes.

Commentary:

The psalmist began by imploring his soul to praise Yahweh, whom he declared to be the Lord my God. The psalmist declared God very great and worthy of praise due to His majesty and splendor revealed to us in the creation.

The psalmist majestically portrayed God as girding Himself in light (as in lightning or the sun). Light was the first aspect of God’s creation (Gen. 1:3), and then He proceeded to arrange its boundaries before creating heaven or earth. Scripture teaches that God dwells in light, that God is light, and that He is the Father of lights. God spread out the vast canopy (tent) of the heavens as easily as an experienced camper might pitch a pup tent. The waters above are said to bear up the beams of His palace. Living spaces created above the first story of a house provided for a retreat and solitude.

The Creator in His majesty is seen riding the clouds and the wind and directing flames of fire (lightning), not merely inhabiting His creation but utilizing the forces of nature for His purposes. God, in His might and sovereignty, keeps all the whims and idiosyncrasies of the atmosphere in subjection to Him. Whether they blow in judgment or blessing is by His grace and wisdom. God has established the earth on its foundations. He founded and “hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7) and it is immovable. It will never be shaken could also be translated, “it will never waver, tip, topple, or totter.”

God is the Creator of the universe and He has revealed Himself in it. Just as He suspended the earth over nothing, He brought all matter into being from nothing by the force of His will expressed in words. The mighty God flung the stars from His fingertips and calls them each by name! Who has not gazed at the limitless expanse of stars overhead and wondered at the God who inhabits the expanse beyond? In His essential being He is invisible, but he makes Himself and His power known in the visible order which He has made and by the control He exercises over it. Join with the psalmist and raise your praise to the mighty creator God!

Added commentary:

God wants to be intimately involved in your life. Don’t believe me? Take a minute and read Genesis 1-2. God is passionate about you and every detail about you.

Detailed Creation

Close your eyes. Wait…read this paragraph first and then close your eyes. You may even want to turn off the lights around you just to make sure it is completely dark. Now just take a moment and imagine Earth without light, without land, without seas, oceans, lakes or rivers, without sky, without birds, without trees sprouting with vegetation and fruit, without the sun, moon or stars, and without human life. Really, picture water everywhere, darkness and no existence. If you somehow can, envision the Spirit of God just peacefully hovering over the endless span of lightless H2O.

Not to interrupt your imaginative moment, but I’m going to tell you right now that there was a “big bang”. I guarantee you God’s voice is so big it made at least a bang when it began to command creation. Day one starts out with light, because who can design in the dark? God separates the light from the dark and not only gives us day and night, but dawn and dusk, sunrises and sunsets. During the second day, God makes sky. Now day three gets real crazy. I picture numerous peaks of ground rumbling to the surface of an endless ocean. There have got to be some crazy waves happening as the land forces the water to divide. Crazy thing is, God didn’t stop there. Trees are popping up on the shore everywhere with juicy coconuts and bananas. Various plants are sprouting all over the place as I’m sure the fresh scent of ripe fruit fills the extremely fresh air.

Day four is one of my favorites. God knew a day on His newborn beaches would not be the same without a sun to tan us! He also predicted our passion for teenage vampires and made a moon so there’d be some light shed for midnight bites. Imagine a romantic date without stars to gaze at! Day four has that covered. Not only did God create all the lights in the sky, but He designed them so we would have seasons. Fall, Summer, Winter and Spring. At sunrise the next morning, birds begin to take flight. Cardinals jetting across the blue sky. Goldfinches perching on green leaves. Down below the winged madness, Free Willy is getting his jump on as God fills the waters with animals. The waters need life, but on day six God also creates land animals of every kind to be named by His next creation, man.

Let’s jump to verses 24-26 and consider the way God’s purposes are demonstrated through His creation.

II. GOD’S CREATIVE WISDOM – PSALM 104:24-26

How have you seen God’s wisdom reflected in the natural world?

Ever been curious about your purpose? Ever wondered if you were created by accident? It’s as though the psalmist anticipated these common questions, and in verses 24-26, he lifted up the truth that God did not randomly create. Instead, He created according to His wise plan, with a specific purpose for everything in creation.

Pause after verse 24 and consider how many living things have been created. Make a mental list of all the living things you can think of. Needless to say, there are many and you won’t be able to name even a small percentage of them! With your list in mind, consider the psalmist’s words: “In wisdom you have made them all.” With great skill, or wisdom, God has created each living thing. Consider the complexity and wisdom that was needed to create just a single-celled organism, not to mention the intricate knowledge and wisdom it took to create the elephant, the seagull – and you. God created them all with great skill and wisdom.

Verses 25-26 give further examples. Everything has its place in creation, and there is joy when everything lives according to its purpose. Even the Leviathan, which was a large marine animal, is described as being formed to play in the sea. In His power, God created everything. In His wisdom, He created everything with a purpose – including you.

As you live according to that purpose, you will experience joy in this life. Yes, life will be difficult at times, but remember that God did not merely create and walk away. He is intimately involved in all the details of your life. He desires intimacy with you. In His wisdom, He desires to walk with you. He has designed you, created you, and placed you in this life for a purpose that will bring you joy as you walk in relationship with Him.

What hinders us from recognizing God’s continued activity in sustaining creation?

“Every creature conducts us to the knowledge of God by giving us notice of His power, wisdom, and goodness.”

- Stephen Charnock

Final Thoughts:

1. An honest inventory of the vastness, uniqueness, orderliness, and purpose of creation will lead to an eruption of praise to the Lord.

2. Creation is an expression of the wisdom of the Lord who made all things good.

We’ve seen that God is intimately involved in His creation. Verses 27-30 remind us that all of creation depends on Him.

III. GOD’S SUSTAINING LOVE – PSALM 104:27-30

Food is essential to survive, and in this passage we see an incredible picture of how God Himself provided that necessity to creation. “All of them wait for You to give them their food at the right time.” We need to look at two important ideas in this verse.

God’s creatures wait for Him. They understand that He is the One who provides food for them. He is providing what they need for life; therefore they wait for Him.
God faithfully provides. Notice the frequency of God’s provision. The psalmist explained that God provides His creation with food “at the right time.” Because of His great love for us, He desires to provide for us on a regular basis. We can understand this to mean, simply, that He provides all the time. He desires to sustain us, as He does the whole of creation.

God desires that we depend on Him, just as the rest of creation depends on Him. All creatures depend on Him for their survival and, if He were to ignore them, panic would ensue. Colossians 1:17 tells us that Christ holds all of creation together. He didn’t create and then walk away. That’s something we can be thankful for.

God sustains us out of His love for us. As we learn to live in conscious awareness of His work on our behalf, we’ll gain a greater understanding of our dependence upon Him. he will sustain us through this life.

How do we intentionally savor God as our Creator and appreciate His work?

Final Thoughts:

1. We live because the Lord gives and sustains life.

2. The Lord tenderly and graciously provides for our life needs.

3. In the Lord’s presence, we find security and peace of mind.

4. Each day we awaken is a renewal of life from the Lord.

Live it Out

How can you respond to the work of God as your Creator?

1. Enjoy God’s creation. Make it a point to get outside and enjoy different elements of God’s creation. Allow the natural world to serve as a launching point for your communication with God, your Creator.

2. Give thanks. Make a list this week of everything you’re thankful for in your life. Be sure not to skimp – make it a long list. Then spend time expressing your thanks to God.

3. Love others. Because God loves you, seek out an opportunity to reflect God’s love to someone who needs in the days to come.

The same power, wisdom, and love that fueled God’s creative work in the past are still at work today. Therefore, you and I can rest in His love, sustaining power, and grace.

Prayer of Commitment

O Lord, I praise You for the light of this day, for it is a testimony to Your power, wisdom, and love. Amen

These next two weeks of lessons will be a good lead in the "The Story" which begins September 7, 2014.

See you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Class Lesson August 17, 2014

Life can be tough.

We need a resilient faith.

This has been a great series that began with the question: How would you describe your faith? Does it come easy to you, or are you like many who struggle with trust. When difficulties knock on our door, our faith is tested, and for some of us, it's even shaken. How can we maintain a faith in God that is resilient, a faith that – no matter what happens – withstands the ups and downs of life?

Our series deals with suffering we face in life. Now, suffering has many forms: physical abuse, debilitating diseases, social ostracism, and persecution. The pain and anguish can tempt us to turn back – to surrender – and to give in. When Peter speaks of suffering – he is not talking about natural disasters or the experience of God’s punishments, but the response of an unbelieving world to people of faith. All believers face such trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. Peter knew persecution firsthand, but he also knew Christ and nothing could shake his confidence in Jesus! So, Peter wrote to give comfort and hope to other believers suffering for their faith and he urged them to continue in their loyalty to Christ.

Quick Review - Six Lessons

Focused Faith: Our faith is focused on a sure hope. 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13 Peter begins by giving thanks to God for Salvation and we should too! This should be our central focus. We have been given a living hope of eternal life. He says that our trials will actually refine our faith. We should believe in spite of our circumstances – even the prophets of old wrote about it and they didn’t understand it. But now we see and know that salvation has been revealed in Christ.
Active Faith: Live a life that is set apart for God. 1 Peter 1:14-19, 22-25 Peter discusses how we should respond to such a great Salvation, he commands us to do four things: Live holy (set apart) lives, reverently fear and trust God, be honest and loving, and to become like Christ. The New Testament describes and defines a Christian in terms of a person’s relationship to God through Jesus Christ. It involves a spiritual birth and an ongoing spiritual transformation wherein a person is set apart by faith unto the Lord to a new lifestyle.
Enduring Faith: Trust God in every circumstance. 1 Peter 2:13-23 Peter explains how we should live during these difficult times. He emphasizes three important points: 1) We should live above reproach, 2) we should imitate Christ in all our social roles – Master/Boss and Servant/Employee, Husbands and Wives, Church members and Neighbors, 3) Jesus should be our model for obedience to God in the midst of great suffering. The call Peter had heard from Jesus by the shore of Galilee many years earlier was a call to a new way of life, though not necessarily a popular or easy one. It would be a life filled with demands and challenges, but it was also a life filled with hope and promise.
Ready Faith: Suffering brings opportunities to point to Jesus. 1 Peter 3:13-16; 4:1-2 You have chosen to run the race as a follower of Jesus Christ, which means you have also chosen to experience difficult circumstances. Stay strong, keep running, and remember to use those difficult circumstances as a way to point to Christ until your race is over.
Joyful Faith: Choose joy in life's difficulties. 1 Peter 4:12-19 The message of Peter in these verses is difficult – no, not difficult to understand but difficult to apply. Who among us really wants to suffer? We tend to think people ought not to be harmed or suffer for doing good. We would claim that is unfair. Therefore, when it comes, is there really cause to rejoice, to feel blessed, and to glorify God? That is just what Peter advocated! As Christians we should not be surprised by suffering because the Bible says that it has a definite purpose in our lives - Suffering comes to test the Christian. We can rejoice in the midst of suffering because we are in fellowship with Christ who Himself suffered on our behalf. Christians can take joy in knowing their suffering is temporary in light of Jesus’ promises about the future. We will rejoice at Christ’s return in victory as we behold Him in His glory. By standing strong in suffering, the Christian is standing by faith to demonstrate that a time is coming when the wrongs will be made right. In this sense, joy is a supreme confidence Jesus will fulfill His promises and God will establish in heaven everything He promised.

Our 6th and final lesson in this series is a:

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Many people like clichés and easy answers because they don’t require much effort. But when you’re on the receiving end, such advice can feel trite. Most of us are grappling with questions that go much deeper: “will this ever end?” “Is a greater purpose behind what I’m experiencing?” “Where is God in all this?”

In the Book of 1 Peter, the apostle didn’t give us any “easy bake” answers. Instead, Peter offered us a fuller perspective – he showed us a way to deal with our difficulties that goes far beyond “just grin and bear it.”

1 Peter 5:6-11

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

Conclusion

8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen.

Lesson Point: God will strengthen and restore me.

Peter breaks these verses down into three points for us this week:

I. HUMBLE YOURSELF & GOD WILL EXALT YOU – 1 PETER 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

What’s the danger of trying to handle life on your own?

I tend to get worked up over situations I’m trying to handle myself. I’m a perfectionist, which means:

I tend to quit before I ever get started because I worry about the end result.

I won’t ask for help, because nobody does it like I can.

I know I won’t be able to do it perfectly, so I don’t do anything at all.

Those excuses may sound like worry, but they’re really a form of pride. When we worry, we are trying to fix things ourselves. We don’t trust the sovereign Creator God to deal rightly with our situation. That sounds silly when we think about it. I profess a God who can create the universe, who died on the cross for my sins, and who rose from the dead to redeem me and the whole of His creation – yet I still hesitate to trust Him. If ever a person were worthy of my trust, it certainly is God. Yet, my pride gets in the way.

What does it mean – and not mean – to humble yourself?

Verse 6 calls me to humble myself and allow God to exalt me in the proper time. God is the only One who can rightly raise me up. Why? Because He is perfect in all His ways – even in His dealings with me. If God were not perfect, He would not be worthy of my worship. But He is perfect, and He will rightly deal with all things in His perfect time.

Peter’s words in verse 7 give us great encouragement. They remind us we’re not insignificant specks in a vast universe. Remember: the Creator God cares for you right now, wherever you are in life. God invites you to throw everything on Him and trust the Perfect Caregiver to care for you.

Final Thoughts:

1. Believers are responsible for their own attitudes before God.

2. Humility can lead to exaltation, but only if the humility is not intended to attain exaltation.

3. God always can be trusted to act at the right time.

4. We express humility before the Lord when we cast our anxieties on Him.

5. God is concerned for those who come before Him in trust.

Commentary: Peter began his exhortation to the suffering Christians by asking them to humble themselves. Peter had already explained that persecution comes to faithful Christians and is sometimes a part of God’s will for them (1 Peter 3:17). He also had reminded them not to be surprised when they faced suffering, because it’s a normal part of the Christian experience (4:12). Peter explained that trials came as God’s purifying judgment in their lives, reminding them of a special future and affording them an opportunity to witness to those who did not believe in Him (4:17-19). To humble ourselves includes submission to the will of God even when that included pain and suffering.

Peter asked his readers to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Some people assign all life’s difficulties to the devil, but Peter encouraged them that difficulties can come into a Christian’s life through God’s will. The Old Testament shows the mighty hand of God in both discipline (Ex. 3:19; 6:1; Job 30:21; Ps. 32:4) and deliverance (Deut. 9:26; Ezek. 20:34). Why should Christians humble themselves and accept what comes from the hand of God? Peter gave the answer in the latter part of verse 6. Christians humble themselves so that God may exalt them at the proper time. God promised to lift up those whom others tore down because of their faith. Though trials are tough, for Christians they are also temporary. The promise of exaltation does not have a specific time assigned to it. God promised to exalt Christians, but only at the time of His choosing.

Although God may reserve His exaltation until the end, He does not wait until then to support His people as they endure difficult circumstances. Peter used an expression from the Old Testament that encouraged God’s people to cast their burdens upon Him (Ps. 55:22). The verb tense of casting reflects a one-time, decisive event. Certainly we have to continually cast our cares upon the Lord, but still we must have a pivotal moment when that happens. The word care is usually associated with apprehensions. It literally means drawn in different directions, divided, distracted. Worry, burdens, and anxiety distract us from God’s care and concern for us if we excessively focus on them. Rather than holding to our cares, we should release them to the Lord by faith.

The reason we should cast our cares upon Him is that He cares about you. This cares is different from the word we just considered. God is neither apathetic not sadistic. He doesn’t sit idly by as His people suffer. God is actively involved in removing suffering and restoring the believer to the place he or she should be as His children. Sometimes this happens instantly in the life of the sufferer, and sometimes it happens ultimately when the Christian dies and stands before God in eternity. Whether the time of God’s rescue is long or short, the Christian should have no reason to question His concern.

II. RESIST THE DEVIL & STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH – 1 PETER 5:8-9

“Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”

-1 Peter 5:8

A friend of mine, Neil, shared with me a personal story of suffering. He and his wife, Anna, lost their baby girl only nine days after she was born. A darkness came on Anna that she described as the deepest abyss she had ever known. She didn’t know how to move on. Neil began to remind her of the truths they had studied together about God and the reality of this world. One of those truths was that suffering was not unique to them. People all over the world experience the pain of death.

Eventually, Anna recognized that death, suffering, and pain will come to everyone. She began to have great compassion for those in her church who were suffering from all sorts of evils: child abuse, chronic pain, cancer, and more.

Anna’s compassion for the suffering of others helped her to move through her own time of grief. She realized, as Peter wrote, that our suffering is a fellowship that all believers share across the world – it’s not exclusive to us individually. Anna also found that, as she suffered, it helped to remind herself of the truths she had already learned. As Peter stated: “Be serious! Be alert!”

You need to have a sound mind that is ready for action. In order to handle the attacks of the evil one who seeks to devour you, develop self control that focuses on the truths of God. The evil one is not going to leave you alone because you are vulnerable; in fact, that’s when he‘s most likely to attack! So, put vulnerability at bay by remaining focused and alert.

Peter tells us what to do to resist the Devil: stand firm in the faith. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Continue to learn about God and the truths He has revealed to us, and stand on these truths of the faith. Knowing your beliefs will help you apply them when you need to stand firm against an attack.

The Devil is your adversary – how can this knowledge affect the way you live?

Final Thoughts:

1. Christians need to be on watch for that which would seek to destroy the effectiveness of their witness for Christ.

2. The devil is the adversary who is ever on the prowl against those who stand for Christ.

3. Christians can resist the devil armed with a firm faith.

4. Believers around the world are to stand together as one for Christ and to support one another during times of attack.

Commentary: Though Peter encouraged Christians to cast their cares upon the Lord, he did not imply their work was finished. He encouraged them to resist Satan and remain firm in the midst of their suffering. He began with two commands designed to wake them from any slumber they might have been experiencing. First, he told them to be serious. Most modern translations use the word sober when translating this word. It can be used for the mind that is not under the control of alcohol, but it involves more than that. It is a spiritual sobriety, remaining clear minded in the face of an impending danger.

The second word, be alert, was the word for a watchman who waited on the wall to detect the advancement of an enemy against the city. This word in the New Testament exhorted preparedness for the Jesus’ return (Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:35, 37; Rev. 3:3; 16:15) and to diligence in steering clear of moral or doctrinal lapses (Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Acts 20:31; 1 Thess. 5:6). Even if suffering Christians have cast their cares upon the Lord, they still need to remain alert and vigilant to make sure they do not fall prey to a surprise attack from the enemy.

Christians need to remain alert because they have an adversary. This is the only time the word was used in reference to Satan, and its usual meaning was an opponent in a lawsuit. This enemy was not a force or an idea but a person. Peter identified him as the devil. Peter created a word picture to demonstrate the enemy’s commitment to destroying people. He described him as a roaring lion prowling around seeking its prey. Like a lion who crouches in the weeds and pounces on its prey, the devil is looking for those whom he can devour.

Peter suggested two definite actions against the enemy. First, he pleaded for Christians to resist him. This represents active opposition. The closest usage to this passage is James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” For Christians, Satan can roar and prowl all he wants, but believers are told to resist his lies and accusations. Peter also called upon Christians to remain firm in the faith. The best chance of resisting the devil is for Christians to remain steadfast in the faith, firmly and confidently maintaining trust in God, in His sovereignty, in His power, and in His love. Christians take their stand against the devil by holding fast to God and not compromising their faith.

Peter reminded them that as they stood firm in the faith, they would share in the same suffering as other Christians throughout the world. One thing New Testament Christians had in common was suffering for the cause of Christ. The same sufferings probably do not refer to the same means of suffering but to a common plight all Christians faced by suffering in various ways. Scattered throughout the world, Christians continue to face opposition from those who do not embrace the truths of the gospel.

III. CLAIM THE VICTORY & GIVE GOD THE PRAISE – 1 PETER 5:10-11

Throughout the Book of 1 Peter, we’ve been exploring the foundation for real and sure hope that God provides through Jesus – hope for this life and the life to come. Jesus is the example of what awaits us in the resurrection. We will be restored as He was restored. The whole of creation will be made well and whole again because Jesus makes all things new. Something better is coming!

Peter reminds us that though we may be suffering – and may even suffer to the point of death – we have genuine hope in the reality of an eternal Creator. God is worthy of our trust because of who He is and what He has done. God is the possessor and giver of all grace. He has demonstrated His immeasurable grace by taking on the consequence of evil, death, and defeating it through the resurrection of Christ. This victory and hope is for each of us.

God is our foundation for sure hope.
God is the only One worthy of our trust and reverence.
God is the reason we can endure suffering and trials with resilient faith.
God is victorious.

I’m so thankful for a God who, in His righteousness, provides salvation for humanity. But He added a personal touch as well. Look at the powerful words Peter used to convey God’s love for us: “who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus.” God will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you!

God has given me real hope. It’s not a delusion. It’s not something I say to make myself feel better. It’s a real hope based in the resurrection. It’s a hope that I can access and use right now as I endure trials in this life. I can put my trust in Jesus because He is worthy of my trust. My faith is not in vain. There is something better to come. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Do the activity below.

How do we manage the tension of longing for restoration while we suffer in the present?

Final Thoughts:

1. God acts in grace through the person Jesus Christ on behalf of His children.

2. Even during suffering, God is at work to help His children.

3. God has unparalleled power that will never end.

4. God’s grace and power assure believers of victory.

Commentary: Peter brought his letter to a conclusion thematically in verse 10-11 by expressing a doxology, or a hymn of praise. The hymn began with reassurance the God of all grace would rescue His people from their suffering. Peter held tightly to the idea of God’s grace (1 Pet. 1:2, 13; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 12). He knew they deserve to suffer much more than they had, but by God’s grace and Jesus’ death on the cross they received forgiveness for the sins that separated them from God. Peter also spoke of God’s calling to eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter what Christians endure in this lifetime, we have the hope of eternity with Christ. Because heaven is certain and the end is sure, all suffering is temporal.

Peter delivered four powerful promises of what God would do for those who suffer.

1. He would personally restore them. The Greek means to make complete or to put in order. Medically, it was used for the setting of a broken bone. As a doctor would set a broken bone for healing, Peter promised God would set the world in order. Sometimes this happens in the sufferers’ lifetime, but sometimes it awaits the return of Christ.

2. God would establish them. The Greek word means to make strong in the sense of resolute, unfaltering. Jesus used this word in Luke 22:31-32 when warning Peter of his approaching denial of Jesus. He told Peter that after he was restored from that act he was to “strengthen your brothers”. Peter had firsthand experience with God’s strengthening power in his life.

3. God would strengthen them. Though this word is similar to the previous word, it is not as common. In fact, it is only used in the New Testament on this occasion. This word also indicates a strengthening in the firmness of one’s resolve. As Christians suffered, they need to remain resolute in attitude and faith.

4. The final promise is that God would support those who suffered for righteousness. This word describes the setting of a firm foundation that could support Christians in their trials. It referred to the fixing of a building upon its foundation. Since God was building His household with the living stones of the church (1 Pet. 2:5), His followers needed a solid foundation. Peter had already indicated that the foundation was Jesus Christ, the cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:5-6).

The doxology ended with an expression of praise. Peter admitted that dominion belonged to the Lord alone. The early church lived in an era of tremendous authority for the Roman Empire. However, as great as the Roman Empire was at the time, their dominion paled in comparison to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is everlasting (Dan. 4:3). His kingdom is not of the present world (John 18:36). It is a kingdom where both righteousness and peace reign (Rom. 14:17). In the face of suffering in the present life, Peter acknowledged that God still exercised dominion. And, unlike the Roman Empire, the reign of God is forever.

Conclusion: Thus we conclude these lessons from 1 Peter about a resilient faith. A resilient faith is one grounded in the person and work of Christ. Faith in anything or anyone else will prove to be unreliable both in struggles of the present and for eternity. Jesus is the best model of how believers are to stand resolutely with God even when difficulties come, opposition surfaces, and persecution bears down on us.

The American culture shows more and more signs of hostility toward Christians. How are we to respond? We are not to withdraw in fear, but to stand firm, giving a clear explanation of the hope that urges us forward. Rather than cower in the face of opposition, Christians are challenged to be a holy people, committed to a holy God. From that we must never shy away.

In the closing lesson we were once reminded that no matter what we face for Christ’s sake, God will strengthen us for the times. Yet we have a responsibility to come before Him with humility and entrust our concerns to Him. We are to resist our adversary, the devil, by remaining firm in the faith. God will sustain us through suffering, work in our lives to restore any brokenness that the suffering causes, and thereby prepare us for victory now and then.

What current situation tries your faith or creates anxiety for you that you need to cast on God?

In what area of your life does the devil challenge you the most often? What steps do you need to take to resist him?

Live it Out

How will you approach God for strength and restoration?

1. Don’t worry. Be conscious of moments when you experience worry this week. Use these moments as opportunities to express your trust in God.

2. Be prepared. Make a plan for dealing with attacks when they come your way. Identify an area of your life in which you feel vulnerable, and then focus on a truth from Scripture that will help you stand strong.

3. Plan a retreat. Take some time in the near future to get away from your daily routine and spend a significant portion of time with God – and only with God.

When you need help, don’t worry about how to “let go and let God” or any other catchy phrase. Simply remember that God is the only sure place to ground your hope, and seek Him for your next step.

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, I can say it no better than Peter did, so I too declare, “To You be the glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen

This has been a great series on a Resilient Faith! I hope you have enjoyed this in-depth study into God's Word.

In His Love,

David & Susan