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Page 1: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN
Page 2: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Bible Reading Plan

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Page 3: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Dear Family of Faith, I am so excited that you have committed to a daily devotion time through this Personal Study Guide. God created each one of you because He loves you and has a specific purpose for your life. I know that deep within you, there is a longing to know Him and make Him known, as well as a desire to be all that He created you to be. Spending time with Him each day in devotion and prayer will help you develop that intimate relationship you seek.

This edition of the Personal Study Guide will focus on the Book of Genesis – a book of beginnings. As you explore it, you will discover God to be Creator, Judge, Author of Grace, and Giver of Righteousness. You will also learn about the fall of man in sin, provision for covering, and a call to put your faith in God. I hope it will also provide a foundation for discussion within your small groups on Sunday.

As in the previous guides, this booklet is designed with one devotion for each day. I encourage you to use your own Bible so you can mark things to remember forever. Take advantage of the new Saturday and Sunday pages each week to reflect on what you have learned or observed in Scripture, along with the things you plan to change to be obedient to Christ in the future.

I look forward to how God will work in and through us as we go back to the beginning of His Word in Genesis. Together, we will discover where we come from and where God wants to take us as we journey with Him. It is a blessing to travel this path alongside you!

Serving Jesus with you,

Steve Clifton

Executive Pastor of Education

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Page 4: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Week of August 31, 2015

Genesis 1:1-2

God Creates

God created the universe out of nothing. MAIN IDEA

The Bible begins with the creation of the universe and the simple statement that God created everything from nothing. God is the source of all things, but He has no source. Each part of our universe owes its existence to God’s love and direct creative activity. God created everything effortlessly, speaking the universe into existence. He created in an orderly fashion, building a perfect environment for life. God’s careful design and orderly work point to the care with which He created this world. He always has been, now is, and always will be the God of all creation— the source of all that we are and all that we have. Our goal and purpose as Christians is to glorify God, and to know and love our Creator.

What do today’s verses tell you about God? What do these verses say about the Spirit of God?

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Read Colossians 1:15-16. What do these verses say about Jesus’ involvement in creation?

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Thank God for revealing Himself to you in creation. Thank Him for giving you eternal hope and a clear purpose. Ask God to help you trust in Him as your Creator and Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ.

PRAY

aug. 31

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Page 5: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Genesis 1:3-5

God created the universe by His Word.MAIN IDEA

Genesis 1:3-5 describes the first day of creation, when God created light and distinguished between day and night. The first recorded words of God in Scripture were “Let there be light,” and the darkness that had enveloped the earth was broken. God’s absolute authority was immediately effective as the light instantly separated the darkness. The theme of God separating light from darkness carries throughout Scripture and comes to symbolize the separation of Him and His people from the evil, or darkness, that later came into the world. When God evaluated what He created, He said that it was good, further establishing His authority and power as Creator God. These verses remind us that we worship a God who speaks. When we read the Bible and see that God spoke, we know it wasn’t just a past action—God speaking is a present reality. The one true God desires to be in relationship with us. God is present in our lives and continues to speak through Scripture and through the context of our lives in Christian community.

What can we learn about the character of God from the fact that He created everything by His Word and continues to speak today?

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What Scripture passages has God used to speak to you recently? ________________________________________________________

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In your prayer time today, thank God that He continues to speak to His children, and ask Him for the peace and discernment to hear His voice.

PRAY

sept. 1

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Page 6: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

God created human beings uniquely in His image.

MAIN IDEA

After the command on the first day that light appear and divide the darkness, the things God created increased in significance until the creation of humans on the sixth day. Everything He created provided the perfect setting for the introduction of humans, the pinnacle of His creation. The description of humanity’s creation is more intimate and detailed than the rest of the creation account, and Scripture clearly states that humans were made in God’s image or likeness. God did not create a hierarchy of humans, some of whom are in His image while others are not. All humans are unique from other living creatures because they alone are in God’s image and share the privilege and responsibility of managing God’s creation. In part, being made in God’s image means that we have the responsibility to rule the earth’s living creatures under God’s authority.

What stands out to you about the description of God’s creation of humans in Genesis 1:26-27?

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How should knowing that you are made in God’s image affect your relationship with God and with other people?

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During your prayer time, reflect on some of the ways you see God’s image reflected to you through the relationships you have, and pray that you would reflect His image to others, too.

PRAY

Genesis 1:26-27sept. 2

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Page 7: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

God gave humans His authority to populate the earth and steward its resources.

MAIN IDEA

After creating the first man and woman, God blessed them and gave them two assignments. First, He commanded them to procreate. Caring adequately for all the earth required more than a small number of people. Second, God commanded humans to subdue the earth and rule its living creatures. God created humans, in some sense, to represent Him to the world by having dominion over all of creation. Today, we subdue and rule under God’s authority, maintaining His creation to glorify Him, rather than to merely satisfy our selfish desires. Just as God reigns over all of His creation, He intends for the people He created to rule all of the other living creatures. In the same way that He cares for His world, He wants human beings to care for the creatures He has placed within it. We carry out God’s creation mandate.

What are some specific things you do that show whether or not you take seriously God’s creation mandate? Where is there immediate room for improvement?

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Since we see that God made provision for every living thing in these verses, how have you seen God’s provision for you this week?

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Pray that you would continually be reminded of your responsibility to be a good steward of all that God has entrusted to you.

PRAY

Genesis 1:28-30sept. 3

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Page 8: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

God’s completed creation was perfect in every way.

MAIN IDEA

Following His creation of human beings, God declared His completed creation to be very good. Nothing further needed to be made. His creation was exactly what He planned, including continual care for His creation. The completed creation reflected God’s glory greater than any of its individual parts. God expressed delight over what He had made and then He rested. Day seven of creation is unique from all the others because God didn’t create a thing. Instead, He set that day apart as unique, blessed, holy—the day of Sabbath rest. With this day, God gives us a model for how we serve and worship Him. When we don’t rest, life can feel like an endless cycle—constantly running, but never really getting anywhere. To truly rest, we must understand that rest isn’t always about sleep; it’s more about completion. That’s why God rested in creation. It wasn’t because He was tired; it’s because His work was finished and He could enjoy it. If we want to truly rest in God and everything He does in and through us, we also must set aside that time and honor it as holy.

What example does God’s Sabbath rest in creation give you for your life? ________________________________________________________

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Do you struggle to rest in God physically, mentally, or emotionally? What does an inability to practice Sabbath rest say about your trust in God?

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Thank God for His finished work that enables you to walk with Him in rest. Pray that you would be intentional about drawing boundaries for rest.

PRAY

Genesis 1:31–2:3sept. 4

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Page 9: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is God Creates from Genesis 1:1-5, 26-31; 2:1-3. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

sept. 5

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Page 10: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

sept. 6

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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GOD CREATES

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Page 11: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Week of September 7, 2015

Genesis 2:4-9

God’s provisions show how much He values and cares for His children.MAIN IDEA

Genesis 1 captures the wide-angle lens of God’s creation. Genesis 2 entails a close-up view of humankind and provides a focused view of God and human beings in relationship. People are God’s finest creation. God’s command to the first man included both permission and prohibition. God formed the man from the earth’s dust and placed him in the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden. There He met the man’s needs with trees that provided adequate food as well as a beautiful landscape. These verses remind us that God is our provider, and He enjoys meeting our needs and caring for us. As our provider, God does not promise to give us everything we want, but He does promise to give us everything we need. The ultimate demonstration of God’s provision comes through the gospel, when God sacrificed His own Son to provide us the only way to experience salvation from our sins. As He continues to provide for us, His provisions help us grow in confidence of His desire and ability to care for us mentally and spiritually, as well as physically. As we recognize His provision and demonstrate confidence in God keeping His promises, we will further grow in our devotion to Him.

What is one way you have been amazed by God’s provision lately? ________________________________________________________

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In what area of your life do you struggle most in trusting God to provide? What steps can you take toward surrender and trust in that area of your life this week?

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As you pray, thank God for His provisions in your life. Ask that, as the gospel overwhelms all lesser concerns, joy and abundant life would grow increasingly apparent and compelling in you.

PRAY

sept. 7

Made in His Image

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Page 12: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Genesis 2:15-17

God’s prohibitions remind us of the need to be dependent on and obedient to Him alone.

MAIN IDEA

In the Garden of Eden, man enjoyed security and fulfillment in God’s presence, working and watching over creation (Genesis 1:27-31). Work was first established, not as a consequence of sin, but as a gift of God to enable us to fulfill our responsibility of caring for creation. God’s provisions came with one prohibition. Man could enjoy the fruit of every tree in the garden except for one. Created in God’s image and living in God’s world, we must recognize God as Lord and live in obedience to Him. His commandments exist to help us experience fulfillment in life through knowing and serving Him, not to make life miserable. In the garden, God provided abundantly for Adam and Eve, so they had no need to disobey God’s one command. God continues to provide for our needs today by sustaining the earth and through our stewardship and sharing of it. We have no need to act selfishly or immorally to take what we desire. Instead, we need to exercise good stewardship and lead others to know God through Christ, so they also can experience abundant life.

What do these verses teach you about God’s relationship with man? ________________________________________________________

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What, if any, prohibitions has God put in our lives today? What do these teach you about God? ________________________________________________________

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Praise God for both the provisions and prohibitions He puts in your life to remind you of your need for Him and to teach you about obedience.

PRAY

sept. 8

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Page 13: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

It is not good that man should be alone. The need for community was birthed in us at creation

MAIN IDEA

The creation of the man left creation incomplete. The man was alone, which was not good. He needed someone to whom he could relate and with whom he could fulfill God’s will, so God created the woman as a helper for the man. While the woman would be like him, she also would be different. The man did not need another person exactly like himself. The woman’s strengths complemented the man’s and allowed them to accomplish God’s commands together. This passage also formed the model for marriage, as both Jesus and Paul pointed out. Marriage joins one man and one woman in a covenant relationship that deepens and matures throughout the couple’s lifelong commitment to each other. A man’s and woman’s commitment to God and to each other forms the basis for a godly marriage as couples model God’s love and grace to each other. This part of the creation story shows that loneliness is not a part of God’s plan. God desires for His children to connect with other Christians in deep, vulnerable relationships. Without Christian community, believers would be joyless and ineffective, and the Church’s mission would stall. Community is essential to your life and the life of our church here at FBC JAX because we were all created for community.

What does today’s reading reveal about why relationships are so important in the kingdom of God?

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Think about your strongest and closest relationship—with your spouse, another family member, or your best friend. Does this relationship glorify God and help others see His love and grace? What is one way it falls short of God’s ideal as described in Genesis 2?

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As you pray, praise God for the positive ways we see His image reflected in one another. Pray that we would more quickly accept His call to be the biblical men and women He created us to be and to live in loving community with one another.

PRAY

Genesis 2:18-25sept. 9

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Page 14: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

God created us for community because He is a communal God.

MAIN IDEA

An important reason for being in a small group at FBC JAX is so that you can help others grow in their relationship with Jesus and allow others to invest in your life. Through our church, we are able to follow Jesus by loving God and loving others, resulting in the growth of God’s kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the imagery of a body to describe the importance of Christian community and connection to one another. When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence inside you. That means that the Church is literally the body of Christ because His Spirit lives inside of us. But just as with our physical bodies, the body of Christ has a tendency to give more importance to some parts of the body over others. Part of the job of the Church is to help its members come to understand the importance of unity in community and the value each individual brings to the Church. When we fully embrace this community, we live as the relational people God has created us to be.

Based on these verses, what is the importance of connecting with other believers?

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What is one thing God has taught you about Him recently through your relationship with another person at FBC JAX?

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Thank God for the body of Christ, and ask Him to help you see areas in which you need to strengthen your investment in this community.

PRAY

1 Corinthians 12:12-19 sept. 10

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Page 15: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

God designed marriage to reflect the sacrificial and submissive nature of the gospel to the world.

MAIN IDEA

In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul reveals that God established marriage as a representation of His relationship with His followers—He is our groom, and we, as the Church, are His bride. Whether or not we are married, God’s design teaches us how we are to relate to one another in relationships centered around mutual submission and sacrifice. Submission doesn’t imply losing our sense of worth or self. It is a voluntary and loving choice to follow in a way that displays how Christians follow Jesus. A wife should see herself as her husband’s partner and receive from him sacrificial love. A husband is to view his leadership as a responsibility and commitment to sacrifice everything for his wife. Just as Christ nourishes and nurtures each of us as members of His body, a husband is to humble himself to seek his wife’s best interests, provide unselfishly for her welfare, and give priority to their relationship above all other human relationships. Paul summarized the relationship between the husband and wife by calling them to love and respect each other, and he was quick to point back to God’s commands for marriage in Genesis 2. This one-flesh relationship involves all areas of life: physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional. The mystery of how two individuals join together to fulfill their roles in marriage parallels the relationship between Christ and His Church.

What does this passage teach as the main goal of marriage? ________________________________________________________

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How does a proper view of marriage affect our relationship with God? How does it affect your life if you are single?

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Spend some time praying for your marriage and the marriages of FBC JAX. Pray that our marriages would reflect the submissiveness and sacrificial love God desires for spouses to show each other.

PRAY

Ephesians 5:22-33sept. 11

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Page 16: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Made in His Image from Genesis 2:4-9, 15-18. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

sept. 12

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Page 17: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MADE IN HIS IMAGEsept. 13

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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Page 18: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Week of September 14, 2015

Genesis 3:1-7

Sin entered the world through Satan’s tempting lure. MAIN IDEA

Paradise did not last long in the Garden of Eden. Though God provided everything the man and woman needed, they fell prey to the serpent’s (Satan’s) temptation to want more. After dialoguing with the serpent, the woman broke God’s one prohibition by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The man quickly followed his wife’s action. Realizing their nakedness, the man and woman fashioned crude coverings from fig leaves and hid from God when He came to walk with them in the garden. The perfect bond of unity they had with one another and with God was shattered when sin entered the picture. At the heart of Satan’s deception was an attempt to cast doubt on the goodness and truthfulness of God’s Word. Satan still tries to twist God’s Word and character to tempt us (James 1:13-17). We want more for ourselves than He offers, not realizing that all He offers is good, so we ignore God’s guidance and commands to get what we desire instead. We sometimes feel God is against us or withholding something we need or deserve, so we ignore His instruction to get what we want. While we cannot become perfect and avoid all sin, with God’s help we can withstand temptation by trusting and obeying Him. Although what took place in the garden that day was tragic, it set in motion God’s plan of redemption which led to the coming of our Savior Jesus.

What picture did the serpent try to paint of God in Genesis 3:1-7? How does that compare with who God really is?

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What is one ongoing temptation with which you struggle? What lies about God are behind that temptation?

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Take some time to write out a prayer of confession to God about the sin in your life and the lies you have chosen to believe about Him recently. Thank Him for the truth that, even when we fall, He continues to show His love and grace to us through Jesus.

PRAY

sept. 14

Humanity’s Fall

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Page 19: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Genesis 3:8-13

Sin alienates us from God, but God continues to seek after His children always.

MAIN IDEA

The man’s and woman’s selfish quest for knowledge and status damaged their relationship with God and with each other. Thus, they covered themselves before each other and hid from God, symbolizing their broken relationship with Him. Genesis often describes the close relationship God desires with individuals as a “walk” with Him. Even today, we often speak of our personal relationship with God as “our walk with God.” The relationship that, for the first humans, had been an enjoyable daily communion with God became something to be avoided. Hearing God approach, they retreated among the trees of the Garden, hoping to escape His presence. The shame they felt before God mirrored the shame they felt before each other. God called out asking the man where he was. He could see them and knew exactly where the man and woman were, but He invited them to reveal themselves and admit their sin. Everyone has sinned and experienced alienation from God. Fearing God’s reprimand, we have tried hiding from Him or ignoring Him, hoping He would not notice (or would forget) our disobedience. Our reluctance to confess our sin to Him produces greater alienation and guilt. Sometimes our sin also alienates us from others. Reconciliation is only possible through our confession of sin and faith in Christ as we allow God to bridge the gap separating us and to give us a good relationship with Him and a healthy one with others.

Read 1 John 1:9. What does this verse tell you about the importance of confession?

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How has sin made you feel alienated from God and others? What have you learned about God’s love and grace through that pain?

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Thank God for taking the cost of forgiveness onto Himself and redeeming you. Pray that you will not dishonor the sacrifice of Jesus by refusing to believe in God’s forgiveness. At the same time, pray you will be quick to confess your sin and repent in order to experience the grace and forgiveness of God.

PRAY

sept. 15

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Page 20: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

As we continue to feel the effects of God’s curses in the Garden, we are reminded of our sinful natures and our need for God in return.

MAIN IDEA

Sin represents falling short of the glory of God and creates a divide between humanity and Himself, which means it carries with it harsh consequences. When sin first entered the world, God punished all three offending parties with curses unique to their natures—curses that continue to be carried out even today. Even though the woman had been deceived into eating the forbidden fruit, she was still held accountable for her act. Two penalties were imposed and both struck at the heart of a woman’s role in life. Childbearing became painful after the Fall. Though the woman’s desire would be for her husband, sin would mar God’s plan for marriage, and the union and selfless community they had would be no more. Since Adam listened to and followed his wife into sin, a curse struck at the heart of a fundamental relationship in his life as well. Adam’s relationship with the ground would now be forever damaged by sin. All the days of his life, he would experience painful labor as he worked to bring forth the fruit of the earth. Even today, we continue to feel the effects of the Fall. Childbirth is not a pleasant experience, shame and selfishness are inevitable parts of our relationships, and work can be burdensome and painstaking. All of these things remind us that sin is ingrained in our very nature, which further reminds us of our desperate need for the grace and mercy of God.

What do these curses from God teach you about the severity of sin? ________________________________________________________

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How have you experienced the effects of God’s curses against Adam’s and Eve’s sin in your own life?

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Before you pray, take some time to reflect on this passage and how God’s approach to sin compares with your own approach to it. Then let what you learn in that time of reflection inform the content of your prayer.

PRAY

Genesis 3:16-19sept. 16

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Page 21: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Sin’s devastating consequences were not without hope because God also promised redemption through Christ.

MAIN IDEA

Although sin brought with it devastating consequences for Adam and Eve, God’s curse against the serpent provided humanity with a glimpse of hope. Although hostility in the form of a life-and-death struggle would continue between the serpent and the woman’s descendants, God declared that the serpent’s life expectancy was limited and that his end would be a violent one. The woman’s offspring would deliver a mortal blow to the serpent’s head, while the serpent would only be able to strike the heel of the woman’s offspring. This verse is the first foretelling of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one referred to as the woman’s offspring and through His death and resurrection as a sacrifice for sinful humanity, God would defeat Satan and conquer death once and for all. The truth in these verses reveals God’s compassionate love and mercy toward His children, even though we are innately sinful and rebellious against Him.

What do these verses reveal about the relationship between God and Satan?

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How has your life been changed by the good news foreshadowed in the serpent’s curse?

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Worship is the appropriate response to the good news of these verses. Take some time to worship God today for the hope of the gospel and for how knowing Jesus has changed your life.

PRAY

Genesis 3:14-15sept. 17

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Page 22: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

Jesus saves us from the curse of sin by taking the curse on Himself.

MAIN IDEA

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul quoted the Old Testament to remind his readers (and all people today) that they were cursed. Due to sin, we deserve eternal death. Our cursed nature is evident in the brokenness of this world and our inability to keep God’s entire law. However, Paul went on to point out that those who believe in Jesus through faith have been redeemed or “purchased” by Him, and thus delivered from the curse that our sins deserve. The Greek word translated “redeemed” literally means “to set free by paying a price.” Christ paid the price to free us from the penalty of sin. In describing the redemption Christ made available by His death on the cross, Paul referred to Deuteronomy 21:23. Although Christ was without sin, both the fact and manner of His death brought Him under the curse of the Law. When we are saved, we are made right before God, not because of how strong our faith is, but because Christ willingly became a curse for us.

What evidence do you see in yourself of your cursed nature? What evidence do you see in the world of its cursed nature as a whole?

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What effect does Jesus’ work on the cross have on your life? Do you think it’s possible for it to have a greater effect? Why or why not?

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Make today’s prayer a time of thanksgiving. Thank God for sending Christ on your behalf, freeing you from bondage to the Law. Thank God for the Holy Spirit’s daily presence in your life to guide, convict, and comfort you as you seek to live by faith.

PRAY

Galatians 3:10-14 sept. 18

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Humanity’s Fall from Genesis 3:1-7, 14-19. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

sept. 19

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

sept. 20

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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HUMANITY’S FALL

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Week of september 21, 2015

Genesis 4:1-7

God Saves

When we allow sin’s desire to take root in our lives, we further alienate ourselves from God and others.MAIN IDEA

After they were banished from the Garden, Adam and Eve settled elsewhere and became the parents of two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain became a farmer like Adam, while Abel became a shepherd. When Cain and Abel worshiped God, God accepted Abel and his offering of firstborn animals, but not Cain and his offering of produce. It appears that Cain’s offering came from a sense of obligation. It seems that he felt he had to obey, to check it off of his list and his religious spirit lacked a true appreciation for God. Abel gave the best that he had—the firstborn. When Cain became angry, God warned Cain not to fall prey to sin. God immediately expressed concern for the sinner. He initiated conversation with Cain and tried to get him to confess his sin. The Lord described the situation using the imagery of sin as a beast crouching at Cain’s door, waiting to pounce on its prey. Therefore, the Lord warned Cain to resist temptation and do what was right. God’s warning to Cain shows us that sin is an ever-present temptation and that Satan’s greatest desire is to use sin to draw us away from God. The only way we avoid sin is by turning our focus off of ourselves and our selfish desires and onto God Himself instead.

Read 1 Peter 5:8. What do God’s words to Cain and the warning in 1 Peter tell you about sin?

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God gave Cain a chance to confess his sin and repent, but his wrath boiled over instead. How do you typically react when someone holds you accountable for your sin? What does this show you about the condition of your heart?

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God’s words to Cain help us see the power and severity of Satan. Spend time today in prayer, asking God for the strength to withstand sin’s desire and to not let it take root in your life.

PRAY

sept. 21

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Genesis 4:8-16

When we sin, God deals with us justly and graciously.

MAIN IDEA

Tragically, Cain did not heed God’s admonition. Instead, he stubbornly refused to acknowledge his need to master sin. As a result of his refusal to deal rightly with his sin, his anger erupted in a violent demonstration of unrestrained, evil behavior, ending in murder. Not only was Cain’s relationship to his brother broken, but his relationships with God and with God’s creation also were affected. Cain would no longer be able to successfully farm the fields from which he formerly had harvested crops. The Lord previously had rejected Cain’s gift of fruit from the soil. Now the Lord rejected Cain from growing fruit in the soil. God punished Cain, but He also responded graciously to Cain’s helpless condition. He tempered His judgment with His mercy by promising to protect Cain, even though he would still be banished from the land. God’s gracious action protected Cain and allowed him to continue living. He has taken these same gracious actions with us through the death of Jesus. In the story of Cain and Abel, the blood of a man was shed by sin. In the story of Jesus, however, the blood of a Man was shed for sin. God’s justice has to punish sin, which He did once and for all through the cross. Yet, in His grace, that cross is also our protection—our means to an eternal relationship with Him.

How do you see the balance between God’s justice and mercy evident in the story of Cain and Abel? What about in your own life?

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How and why does the truth of God’s mercy and justice, displayed for you in the Gospel, set you free from the shame and guilt of sin?

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Ask God to help you better appreciate the grace and mercy He has extended to you through Christ.

PRAY

sept. 22

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Our sin grieves the very heart of God.MAIN IDEA

Despite the rapid growth of human sin, God allowed humans to reproduce and enjoy the blessings of life and His presence. Unfortunately, that did not slow the spread of sin and its impact on God’s creation. At the start of Genesis 6, we read that God took note of how great man’s wickedness was and it brought Him grief. The devastating consequences of the Fall continued to snowball. God’s response to human sin moved Him to take a new course of action. God essentially wiped the slate clean and started again with Noah. Whereas the rest of the world’s inhabitants caught God’s attention because of their wickedness, God “eyed” Noah with favor. God looked graciously on Noah as a good and righteous man in an exceedingly wicked world. He chose Noah to be His instrument of preserving human and animal life during the flood. It’s important for us to understand that our sins also pain God. Oftentimes we think our sins are insignificant, or, even worse, we don’t pay attention to them at all; but every sin—no matter the severity—grieves God’s heart every time we commit it. This truth is a humbling reminder of how much God loves us and how much our obedience means to Him.

How is our culture similar to Noah’s? How is it different? Do you think our culture is more corrupt than it used to be? Why or why not?

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Even though our sin grieves God’s heart, He doesn’t identify us by our sinfulness. Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. What do you find most striking in the realization that, because of Christ, you are the righteousness of God? How does this impact your relationship with Him?

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Ask God to draw your attention to the sins you commit today. Ask Him to help you understand why they cause Him grief in the hopes that this will increase the weight of your acknowledgment of sin and your desire to pursue righteousness.

PRAY

Genesis 6:1-8sept. 23

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The story of Noah shows us God’s commitment to justice and His desire to show grace.

MAIN IDEA

Noah was not sinless, yet he stood out as someone who had not abandoned the Creator God. The Bible describes Noah’s faithfulness in three ways: First, Noah was a righteous man. Righteousness involves doing what is right for the right reasons. Second, Noah was blameless among the people of his time. Noah was a great example of integrity and truth in a society made dark with sin. Third, Noah walked with God, which indicates a close, intimate relationship. Noah chose to walk with God and found favor in God’s sight, being faithful and obedient to Him. Although God chose to destroy the world by a flood because of its corruption and violence, He also determined to use Noah to preserve life. God announced to Noah His intentions as well as the role Noah would play in carrying them out. God instructed Noah to build an ark, or a giant boat, and gave Noah specific directions for the dimensions and design of it. Afterward, God would use Noah’s family to repopulate the earth. Like Noah, we too are the recipients of God’s undeserved grace and favor, which He has shown us through Jesus Christ, who took God’s punishment for our sin on Himself.

What is one change that needs to take place in your life in order to ensure that you are listening to God and doing what He says?

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Is there a way God’s work in your own life could help another understand the unsurpassed goodness and grace in the fulfillment of salvation?

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Ask God for clear opportunities to share about His justice and grace in the gospel and for others’ responsiveness to what you have to say.

PRAY

Genesis 6:9-18sept. 24

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Sin brings inevitable judgment, but God offers a path of salvation to those who trust and believe in Him.MAIN IDEA

God fulfilled the plan to extend judgment upon the world just as He told Noah He would. For 40 days and 40 nights, waters gushed up and poured down in a deluge until the flood covered the whole earth. All humans and land animals not on the ark drowned. Time and again throughout Scripture, we see that persistent sin brings inevitable judgment, but God offers mercy and hope to those who trust in Him. For Noah, every moment was a continued decision of trusting God as he waited for the receding of the waters. Noah and his family faithfully obeyed God, and God faithfully protected them from His judgment. Although God judged sinful humanity through the flood, He preserved Noah and his family. We find in this account a foreshadowing of the person of Christ. Through Christ, the only perfectly righteous One, there is deliverance from the deserved judgment of our sin for all who place their faith in Him.

Read Romans 3:23-26. What similarities do you see between how God protected and provided for Noah and his family in the ark to how God provides for and protects us in Christ?

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________________________________________________________ How has God’s working in your life been similar to or different from the

account of the flood and the character of Noah? ________________________________________________________

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Just as God worked through Noah in a fallen world, He can also use you if you follow Him in obedience. Thank God for His grace and mercy and His desire to walk with His children.

PRAY

Genesis 7:11-14sept. 25

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Page 30: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is God Saves from Genesis 6:11-18; 7:11-14. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

sept. 26

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

sept. 27

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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GOD SAVES

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Week of september 28, 2015

Genesis 8:15-19

A Fresh Start

We see God’s grace displayed through the new start He gave His creation after the flood.MAIN IDEA

Throughout the time of the flood, God spoke only to Noah. When the waters had receded and the ground had dried, God spoke again to Noah with instructions for a new start in the world. Noah built the ark as God had instructed, and God—in His grace and mercy—saved a representation of humanity and animals, so they could begin again in the world. In a sense, Noah left the ark as a new “Adam,” and from him all people would trace their ancestry. As Noah had previously and consistently obeyed God, he continued to do so. Having preserved the animals, God instructed Noah to let the animals disembark, so they could spread throughout the earth and reproduce. God’s desire to sustain life on earth, even in His judgment, shows His compassionate care for His creation, which includes you.

Make a list of some of the characteristics of God that come to mind when you read these verses about the new start He gave His creation.

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Now think about your own life. When did God give you a new start and what difference has that made?

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Spend some time in prayer, thanking God that even during the time of the flood He had a plan to redeem His people.

PRAY

sept. 28

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Genesis 8:20-22

After the flood, God promised not to judge the world in the same manner He had with the flood. That promise holds true for us until Jesus returns.

MAIN IDEA

After leaving the ark, Noah’s immediate response was one of worship. His sacrifices expressed gratitude to God for saving him, his family, and the animals from the flood and for allowing them to begin again. In response to Noah’s worship, God promised to never again curse the ground due to human sin. God knew human nature had not changed and never would. Though humans would continue to respond to God in disobedience, God determined to respond in grace. The flood had completely disrupted the seasons of the year and made agriculture impossible. God also promised the world would return to its normal patterns. Seasonal changes in temperature and length of daylight hours would return to their God-given rhythm. God’s promise of regulating seasons extends to the end of the earth. Earth will not exist in its sinful form forever. God will maintain the cycles of the seasons until He decides to remake the world.

What was the first response of Noah to God as they came off the ark on to dry land? Why is this act significant?

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Why did God decide to never curse the ground or strike down every living thing again? What does this reveal about the nature of God and His disposition towards man?

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As you spend time in prayer today, reflect on the example of Noah and what he teaches you about worshiping and obeying a gracious God. Pray that worship will become a more natural response you have to revelations of who God is and ways He works in your life.

PRAY

sept. 29

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God began again with creation after the flood, but the harmony of God’s original creation continued to deteriorate as a result of human sin.

MAIN IDEA

Noah received a blessing similar to the blessing God had given Adam at the initial creation of humankind. God instructed Noah and his sons to reproduce and restore the human population. Noah’s sons obeyed God’s command and from them came the earth’s peoples and nations. God’s original creation mandate had included a command to subdue and rule over the animal kingdom. Following the flood, God still commanded humans to rule over animals, but the relationship between humans and animals had significantly changed. When God granted humans permission to kill animals for food, there is no doubt tension and fear entered the relationship between humans and animals. The killing of animals for food did not mean a cheapening of life. God instructed humans to treat life as sacred. New beginnings typically mean coping with changes and accepting new responsibilities. After the flood, Noah, his family, and the animals had to cope with a new reality. Noah and his family had to accept new permissions and restrictions. Like Noah, we also face changes and new opportunities when God gives us new beginnings. We need to rejoice at God’s grace in giving us a new start and commit to serving Him.

Underline the commands God gave Noah in these verses, and circle the promises and commitments God made to him.

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What do the various commands and commitments in Genesis 9:1-7 reveal about God’s expectations for His people following the flood?

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As God’s people, He expects us to be faithful stewards of His creation and to carry on the work He has assigned to us even today. Ask God to help you be committed to serving Him in all you do, and ask Him to give you awareness of areas you are failing to live up to His expectations in this regard.

PRAY

Genesis 9:1-7 sept. 30

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God’s covenant with Noah reminds us we can trust that God will always fulfill His promises.

MAIN IDEA

God not only planned to save Noah and his family—He also promised to establish His covenant with Noah as a result of His own faithfulness to His people and Noah’s faithfulness to Him. Even in a broken world that God had just wiped clean, He still planned to continually renew His people even though He knew they would choose to sin again. The covenant with Noah would ultimately be fulfilled in the new covenant through Christ. God has been writing His story of redeeming His creation from the beginning of time, continually pointing to the coming of Christ—the completion of that work. God did not promise Noah that He would never again judge sin but that He would never destroy all the earth again with a flood. God placed a rainbow in the sky so that we would have a visual reminder of the covenant He made with Noah. God’s promise to provide a way for forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ is the completion of His redemptive work in creation. Our faith is in a God who is always faithful to us.

Read Romans 3:21-26. How is Noah’s faith comparable to the faith we are called to place in Christ?

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How is God’s faithfulness demonstrated in both of the passages today? ________________________________________________________

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Thank God for giving you the example of Noah as what was to come in Jesus and for always fulfilling His promises. Ask God for a greater awareness of how pivotal it is that He has provided a way for your sins to be covered and for you to be brought into a right relationship with Him.

PRAY

Genesis 9:8-17 Oct.1

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Noah’s salvation in the ark pointed forward to the salvation God would offer to all people through the sacrifice of Jesus.

MAIN IDEA

In his first letter, Peter helps readers see the connection between the ark of salvation God provided Noah and the ark of salvation God provides us through Christ. Peter stressed that Christ willingly suffered and died to make possible atonement—an overcoming of the sin barrier between people and God—and thus opened the way of grace into a right relationship with Him by faith. By entering the ark and remaining in it, Noah and his family were saved. Baptism is the symbol of spiritual cleansing and of the new life people receive when they place their faith in Christ. Baptism alone doesn’t save a person from his or her sins, but it does symbolize that God’s saving power has acted in a person’s life and serves as a testimony to the obedience of a person in relationship to God. Only the power that raised Jesus to life can give sinners new life, and our salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus.

What did Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection accomplish for you? ________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________ How would you explain the importance and purpose of baptism to a non-

Christian using 1 Peter 3:18-22 as a guide? ________________________________________________________

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Spend time thanking God today for Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and the implications for your life and the lives of people you know and love.

PRAY

1 Peter 3:18-22 Oct.2

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Page 37: Bible Reading Plan - WordPress.com · 2015-09-15 · Bible Reading Plan 2. ... Savior and show those who do not trust in God their need for Christ. PRAY aug. 31 4. Genesis 1:3-5 MAIN

As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayer? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is A Fresh Start from Genesis 8:15-22; 9:1,11-16. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

Oct.3

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.4

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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A FRESH START

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Week of October 5, 2015

Genesis 11:1-4

Scattered!

The sin of pride reveals a lack of trust in God and His good purposes.MAIN IDEA

After the flood ended, Noah’s family began to grow and repopulate the earth just as God had commanded. At that time humanity was united by a common language and settled together in the same land, but in doing so they lived in disobedience to God. God’s command to Noah’s sons to multiply and fill the earth encouraged the development of different cultures and languages that make our world a richer place. The people intended to establish a permanent settlement by building a city that had a tower with its top in the sky. This revealed two selfish purposes—to make a name for themselves and to prevent their being scattered over the earth. Pride and arrogance also prevent us from organizing our life around God’s purposes. Believing we know what is best for us, we do not seek God’s guidance or we intentionally resist His purposes. When we substitute our purposes for God’s, we miss out on the blessing of serving Him and we go in directions harmful to ourselves and others. We need to set aside our selfish pride and seek God’s purposes.

Conceptually, have you ever built a tower or structure for yourself, only to have it shattered by God? What happened?

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What is one way you have acted this week that showed you trust in yourself rather than in God?

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Pray that you would choose to follow God’s plans for your life and experience the blessings that result from obedience rather than trusting in yourself and living in pride.

PRAY

oct. 5

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Genesis 1:28-31

The pride displayed through the Tower of Babel revealed direct disobedience to God’s original creation mandate.

MAIN IDEA

Not only were the people in Shinar disobedient to God’s instructions to Noah, they were disobedient to God’s original instructions to humanity, the creation mandate He issued to Adam and Eve in the garden. Soon after creating the man and the woman, God told them to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. The fact that God created male and female revealed His intention that the man and the woman, equally important before God, complement each other in fulfilling His purpose for the procreation of the human race. God’s plan for humankind also included spreading out across the earth and bringing all He created into subjection. From the beginning, God desired that human beings be accountable to Him in their responsibility to care for and respect His creation in a way that honors Him. Pride kept the post-flood people from living in obedience to this command; but as tomorrow’s reading will show, nothing we do can thwart the plans of God.

What are some ways you inadvertently live in disobedience to God’s command like the people of Shinar did?

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What responsibilities has God given you related to filling the earth with the good news of the gospel? How are you being faithful to those responsibilities?

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In your prayer time today, ask God to stir in your heart compassion for a particular people group or part of the world that you can help reach through service, prayer, or financial means.

PRAY

oct. 6

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Nothing you do can interfere with God’s plan for you or His world.MAIN IDEA

God watched as the people rebelled against Him by building their tower. Because He is a just God, He could not let their sin go unpunished. God decided to confuse their language, making communication by the people impossible. God also scattered them across the earth, thus accomplishing His purpose of humanity multiplying and filling the earth. God has chosen to work through people to accomplish His purposes. Sometimes people cooperate with God and receive the blessing of participating with Him in His work. At other times, people choose not to cooperate with God and even resist His purposes. Our resistance to God is as puny and pitiful as the city and tower the people tried to build. Whether we work with God or not, He will accomplish His purposes. We can choose to cooperate with Him and experience the joy of being in His will, or we can choose to resist Him and experience the consequences of our disobedience.

What do these verses remind you of regarding the nature and character of God?

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How have you seen God’s justice and mercy on display in your life recently? ________________________________________________________

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As you spend time in prayer today, contemplate the following question in light of how you have been living lately: Will you choose to cooperate with God and experience the joy of being in His will, or will you choose to resist Him and experience the consequences of your disobedience?

PRAY

Genesis 11:5-9 oct. 7

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With the Tower of Babel incident, God acted in judgment against sin by confusing the people’s languages. The story of Pentecost in Acts 2 shows us how for the sake of the gospel, God temporarily reversed that judgment. When the Holy Spirit came on the disciples at Pentecost as Jesus had promised, one of the effects was that the disciples began to speak in other tongues or other languages. Because of the popularity of Pentecost, Jews had come to Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and the work of the Spirit enabled them to understand the gospel message in their own languages. The Spirit enabled these disciples at Pentecost to do exactly what Jesus had commanded in Acts 1:8 when He told them to take the gospel to the nations. This event reminds us that God goes to great lengths to make His glory known, and He wants us to be a part of that effort on a global scale.

What does Pentecost show you about the heart of God? What were the two basic reactions of the residents of Jerusalem to the phenomenon of tongues listed in verses 12 and 13?

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What does this tell you about the responses you can expect as you share the gospel with others? How does that make you feel about your task?

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Pray that God would help you to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit as you share the gospel with others.

PRAY

Acts 2:1-13 Oct.8

At Pentecost, God temporarily united the languages He had confused at Babel in order to preach the forgiveness of sin.

MAIN IDEA

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Because God scattered people around the globe, He will one day receive glory from every corner and every nation of the earth.

MAIN IDEA

The scene of worship John described in Revelation 5 shows the global impact of Jesus’ work of redemption. Jesus’ death has universal implications, for it provides salvation for people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. The elders’ song did not promise that everyone would be saved. The Bible consistently calls people to receive salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus. This does not reverse those passages. The meaning is that people from every place eventually will place their faith in Jesus and be reunited as one people committed to worshiping and serving God. The original readers of Revelation needed hope. That hope came in the form of understanding their destiny as believers. The first glimpse of heaven is a throne room where God receives endless amounts of glory and worship, the same worship we are to show Him today with our very lives. The global scope of redemption should encourage us to stand firm in our faith and continue to live out the gospel mission God has given us.

How is your faith encouraged by the scene in Revelation 5? ________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________ What are your biggest obstacles to building relationships and sharing the

gospel with people of different races or cultures? Practically speaking, how can you fight those obstacles?

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Ask God to give you an increased passion to pursue His glory and embrace His love for the nations. Ask God to show you any prejudice you are harboring and remind you of His plans for His people.

PRAY

Revelation 5:1-11 Oct.9

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Scattered from Genesis 11:1-9. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

Oct.10

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.11

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCATTERED

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Week of October 12, 2015

Genesis 12:1-3

When God Calls

God’s promises are evidence of His goodness and love.MAIN IDEA

God’s initial call of Abram came in Genesis 12 when God told him to leave his land, his relatives, and his father’s house to go to a land chosen by God—the promised land. If Abram was obedient, God promised to bless him. First, God promised to make Abram into a great nation, representing an entire line of people. Then He promised to give Abram a great name and a new land. Finally, God told Abram that all the people on the earth were going to be blessed through him. When we talk of God blessing us, we usually mean that we want God to help us succeed at something or give us the thing that we most desire. While such things are not necessarily excluded by God’s promise to “bless” Abram, they do not get to the heart of what it means to be blessed by God. God’s promise to bless Abram meant He intended to do good to him. Even more, Abram would be a person through whom God would do good to others. The greatest blessing, though, was beyond Abram’s expectation and sight: eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abram (see Matt. 1:1). God’s promise to bless all the families of the earth would ultimately be fulfilled through the preaching of the gospel to all nations by Christians like us.

According to verse 2, why did God promise to bless Abram and make his name great?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How might considering God’s blessing and choice of Abram help you overcome feelings of inadequacy when it comes to serving God?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank God for sending Jesus to save you from your sins and giving you new life. Pray that God would help you see yourself as the recipient of His great promises in Christ.

PRAY

oct. 12

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Genesis 12:4-6

We can always follow God’s lead and trust that He has us right where He wants us.MAIN IDEA

The Bible records Abram’s response to God’s call in a simple, profound manner. Abram went as the Lord had told him. God had made wonderful promises to Abram, but leaving his family and moving into the unknown still would have been a difficult decision. Regardless, Abram obeyed. In the same way, we are to respond with faith and obedience to God when He calls us. Abram’s decision to obey God has provided an inspiring, challenging example of obedience through the centuries. Even though Abram would live another 100 years after he obeyed God’s call, few in his generation (or ours) would have wanted to leave the familiar and start a new life at the age of 75. Obedience is not just for the young. No matter what age we are, God calls us to obey so we can experience a life of fellowship with Him.

Who else was affected by the call God gave Abram? How were they affected? What did they give up in choosing faith and obedience?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Faithful obedience led Abram and his family to a pagan land. Where might faithful obedience to God take you? How will it affect you and those that follow you?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you spend time in prayer today, ask God to help you be open to listening and following when He speaks. Pray that you would be driven by your relationship with Him.

PRAY

oct. 13

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In the same way Abram inherited God’s Promised Land, we inherit His promised grace through Christ.MAIN IDEA

God confirmed His promise of the land but stated Abram’s descendants would possess it rather than Abram. When Abram died, he owned only a field with a cave and had only a few descendants. Later under Joshua, God kept His promise enabling Abram’s numerous descendants to possess the land. Abram responded to God’s confirmation of His promise by building an altar and worshiping Him. Although the fulfillment of the promise lay in the future, Abram gave thanks to God in the present. He trusted God to guide him and fulfill His promises. Abram consistently found times and places to worship God. As believers we also are to worship God regularly. Just as we choose whether or not to attend a worship service or have private worship times at home, we also choose whether we will genuinely worship. As worship blessed and strengthened Abram, so corporate and private worship helps us thank and praise God and mature in our faith.

What do you learn about worship from Abram’s example? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Today’s reading reveals the inheritance God promised Abram. In Christ, we too are the recipients of a great inheritance—communion with God now and for eternity. How does this inheritance impact who you are and how you live today?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set aside some time to worship God today for the promised inheritance that is yours because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

PRAY

Genesis 12:7-9 oct. 14

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Psalm 72, written by King Solomon, recalls the glory of the Davidic kingdom. In the psalm, Solomon describes a ruler who is greater than any other on earth and one through whom God will bless all the nations. Other rulers will bow down to the son of David, and through him the Lord will bless all nations. While Solomon had an earthly ruler in mind, the psalm looks forward to Jesus, the One who will rule righteously and justly. He is a champion for the afflicted and the needy, and He has pity on the weak and the poor. Because of Jesus, we look forward to a day when the promises of God’s blessing will be fully realized, when we will be united with Him forever in a world without sorrow or need. In the meantime, we serve as Jesus’ representatives in this broken world. God expects us to share His heart for the needy and the helpless, and to pursue justice in His name. One day the whole earth will be filled with God’s glory, yet we are to give the world a shining glimpse of it today.

What did Jesus do in His earthly ministry to show that He is a champion for the afflicted and needy, and to show compassion to the weak and poor?

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In what sense is the kingdom of Jesus present today? In what sense is it coming?

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Pray that God would make you and the church a shining example of His kingdom at work until He comes again to establish His kingdom forever.

PRAY

Psalm 72:5-17Oct.15

Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, and one day His rule will be complete.

MAIN IDEA

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Like Abram, we become Christians and inherit God’s promises through faith in Jesus alone.

MAIN IDEA

In Galatians 3, Paul gave his argument for the centrality of faith in the life of the Christian as being more important than observance of the law. He was confronting false teaching that said new Christians had to also convert to Judaism through the ritual observances of the Jewish faith. Paul used Abram as a reminder that even for the Jews faith was central to their relationship with God. Abram believed God—he trusted in and committed himself to God. Before God gave the law and before Abram was circumcised, he was made right with God through faith. When we become Christians, we receive the blessing God promised Abram that countless multitudes have also enjoyed. This blessing is available to non-Christians through faith in Christ. When we as believers talk with others about becoming Christians, we give them the opportunity to participate in fulfilling the Scriptures and receive the blessing God promised Abram’s descendants.

Are you ever tempted to think that you are a child of God based on some thing other than faith, such as your good works or morality?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________ If asked to explain to someone the difference between being right with

God by faith and attempting to be right with God by works, how would you frame the discussion?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Take some time to pray for specific people in your life who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus. Pray that the Holy Spirit would begin even today to move them to faith in Him.

PRAY

Galatians 3:7-9 Oct.16

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is When God Calls from Genesis 12:1-9. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

Oct.17

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.18

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WHEN GOD CALLS

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Week of October 19, 2015

Genesis 14:17-24

Waiting for the Promise

Everything we have is a gift from God and a reminder of His faithfulness to us.MAIN IDEA

The events of Genesis 14 give a glimpse of what was going on in Abram’s life in between his revelations and promises from God. A coalition of four kings attacked and defeated the area of Sodom. When Sodom later rebelled, the four kings returned with their armies, defeated the Sodomite army, and captured Lot. Abram gathered his men, pursued the four kings’ armies into northern Canaan, and rescued Lot and his possessions. As Abram returned, Melchizedek, king of Salem, fed and blessed him. As an act of worship, Abram gave a tenth of the spoils of victory to God through Melchizedek. Claiming nothing for himself, Abram gave the remaining spoils to the king of Sodom. Doing so was a way for Abram to show that God, not man, was behind Abram’s victory. This is yet another example of faith from Abram, and it also gives us the first biblical picture of tithing as a faith response of gratitude to God for what He has given us.

What do you learn from Abram’s example of faithfulness in this part of his story?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your typical attitude and motive for tithing? How does that line up with the biblical mandate?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you spend time in prayer today, focus on the gifts God has given you and how He wants you to use them to bring Him glory.

PRAY

oct. 19

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Genesis 15:1-6

We are the recipients of God’s promises through faith.MAIN IDEA

Many years had passed, but Abram was still without a son—the one blessing from God he and Sarai wanted most. It seems Abram may have begun to lose hope that God would actually fulfill His promises. Fear and worry were starting to creep into his heart. Into this doubt and hesitancy, God again spoke to Abram, this time assuring Abram that they would not only have a son, but a host of descendants as numerous as the stars. Abram trusted in God and knew He had the power to bring His promises into existence. This kind of faith takes on the character of obedience. By this faith, God made Abram righteous and restored a right relationship with him. Abram did not earn righteousness through his behavior; God gave it to him through faith. The same thing is true for us. We obtain righteousness, not by what we do, but by what Jesus did. When we trust in Christ, His righteousness is exchanged for our sin.

How would you expect God to respond to Abram as he struggled to believe and lamented his circumstances? What does God’s kind response tell us about His character and grace?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some ways that your heart is like Abram’s heart? In what ways are you struggling to believe God’s promises in the midst of trying circumstances?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray that regardless of your circumstances you would have the faith to trust in God’s promises.

PRAY

oct. 20

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God’s covenant with Abram finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.MAIN IDEA

Saving faith is not always perfect faith. Abram cried out to God a couple of verses later, immediately after God had just reminded him of the promise He would keep. After everything, Abram’s heart was still saying, “Yes, I believe You, but how will I know that You are going to come through?” God credits our faith in Him to us as righteousness, but we still have fears, doubts, and struggles. This is why it is crucial that our faith is rooted in our never-changing, always faithful God. God addressed Abram’s questions and doubts by making a covenant with him, a covenant rooted in God’s own character. God answered Abram’s questions by assuming the full risk of the covenant. In essence, God was letting Abram know that nothing would stand in the way of His faithfulness to him. The sacrifice of Jesus gives us the same assurance today. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we know that nothing can come between God’s promises and us.

What does verse 8 tell you about Abram’s faith? Is that encouraging or discouraging to you? Why?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does it look like to trust in God’s promises? How is such trust essential to our spiritual growth?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spend some time thanking God for His promises and His faithfulness to always uphold His end of the covenant, even when you are unfaithful. Thank God for sending Jesus and declaring you His righteous child.

PRAY

Genesis 15:7-11 oct. 21

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Here the Lord revealed to Abram an outline of the events of Genesis 46 through Exodus 13. Like Abram himself, his promised offspring would live as foreigners. The land that did not belong to them was Egypt, where they would be enslaved and oppressed for approximately 400 years. God would judge the nation they served through a series of ten miraculous plagues, after which they would go out with many possessions. Though Abram would not live to see these events, he would die a peaceful death. Abram’s descendants would eventually return to the promised land. Smoke and fire are symbols in the Old Testament of God’s presence. God met Moses in a burning bush (Ex. 3:2), and God led Israel out of Egypt in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21-22). In verse 17, God Himself passes between the pieces of the animals. By doing this, God was promising to bear the consequences of His own covenant. As the lesser person in the covenant, Abram should have passed between the pieces. Instead, God passes through the pieces, giving us sure hope that He would fulfill His promises to Abram—and to us—as the covenant God made with Abram has been extended to us through Christ.

How does this story remind you of the gospel of Jesus Christ? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does knowing that God has taken on the burden of the covenant help you through seasons when your faith is weak?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you pray, confess doubts and areas of unfaithfulness that come to mind. Ask God to help you surrender those to Him and choose to trust Him in faith.

PRAY

Genesis 15:12-18 Oct.22

God has done the work of our salvation for us.MAIN IDEA

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Faith means trusting that God can and will do what He promises, even when we cannot see how.

MAIN IDEA

Paul’s letter to the Romans helps us see how Abram’s example of faith through obedience relates to our lives as believers in Jesus Christ. Abram was convinced of God’s ability to do as He promised. Paul stated that Abram put his faith in God, who gives life to the dead and calls all things into existence. This is the essence of faith—trusting that God can and will do what He promises even when we cannot see how and knowing we could never accomplish the promise ourselves. When everything in his experience told Abram that his childbearing days were over, still he believed that God could command a great miracle and give him a son through whom the promise would be fully realized. In the face of doubt and difficulty, Abram’s faith grew stronger and even made him right with God. Just as Abram’s faith in God was credited to him as righteousness, so all who put their faith in Jesus Christ receive right standing with God and the forgiveness of sins. Because of the miracle God worked through Christ, we are assured of our salvation when we place our faith in Him.

According to this passage, what has God promised us? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________ How would you sum up the gospel from these verses? ________________________________________________________

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As a part of your time alone with God today, write out the gospel message in your own words. Reflect on who God is and how He has revealed Himself to you.

PRAY

Romans 4:18-25Oct.23

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Waiting on the Promise from Genesis 15:1-7, 13-16. Read these verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

Oct.24

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.25

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WAITING ON THE PROMISE

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Week of October 26, 2015

Genesis 17:1-8

A New Name

God promised Abram that he would be the father of a special nation through which other nations would come to know God.

MAIN IDEA

Thirteen years had passed since the birth of Ishmael. Abram was 99 years old, Sarai was 89, and still they had no son. God appeared again to Abram identifying Himself as God Almighty, or El Shaddai. The point of this appearance was to remind Abram that God’s promises still held true even though they were not yet fulfilled, and God desired to renew their covenant once more. God wanted Abram to live each day aware of His presence and to look to Him for guidance and strength. Not only would Abram have a son, but he would be a “father of many nations,” meaning God intended to do great things through Abram’s promised son. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many,” which emphasized God’s intention to fulfill His promise. Ultimately, God’s commitment to Abraham and his descendants was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. Paul explained this truth when he wrote, “Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you’” (Gal. 3:7-8).

What do you think is the most important part of this covenant: that God would be God to Abraham and his children, or the blessing of land and descendants for Abraham and his offspring? Why?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are there any blessings that God has given you that you may treasure more than God Himself? If so, repent and ask the Lord to restore Himself as your first love.

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Thank God for His faithfulness to His promises and for Abram’s obedience, which made a way for you to be a part of God’s people. Pray that God would be your chief delight over and above all of the many blessings associated with being His child.

PRAY

oct. 26

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Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus gave His church the responsibility to fulfill God’s promise to the nations by taking the gospel around the world.

MAIN IDEA

In this familiar passage, known as the Great Commission, Jesus tells His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, which leads to the fulfillment of God’s promise to the nations through Abraham. Each and every church, and thus each and every member of those churches, shares in the responsibility of taking the good news of Jesus to the world. The Great Commission reminds us that we truly can take the gospel to the nations. To have that worldwide impact, we must first acknowledge the world needs to know who Jesus is and commit to sharing the redemption found in Jesus. Jesus gave us—His church—the responsibility to make those truths known. God could have chosen to work in the world independently of His people, yet He chose to engage us in accomplishing His will. As the church, we represent God to people who need to know and understand Him. The potential impact of obedience to that responsibility is world-changing.

What do you learn about God’s vision for the world from Matthew 28:18-20?

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What part is God calling you to play in His mission right now? ________________________________________________________

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In your prayer time, acknowledge the burden of responsibility that comes with knowing the Great Commission. Pray that you will be a person and a family who takes this charge seriously and sees it as a vital role you have in being Jesus’ disciples.

PRAY

oct. 27

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God has set us apart as His people, which means our lives must look different from the world’s.MAIN IDEA

Circumcision, the permanent removal of the foreskin, would be the outward sign to the world that God had set apart Abraham and his descendants. No special concessions were made for any adult who refused to undergo the custom; the severe threat of expulsion motivated any squeamish offender to reconsider (v. 14). Such excommunication symbolized the person’s death in the eyes of the community. Breach of this custom was more than a repudiation of the community, for the culprit in doing so rejected the Lord Himself. But an outward sign was no promise of an inward reality. “For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That man’s praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:28-29).

What outward signs in your life signify to the world that you have been set apart by God?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you practice those because your heart has been circumcised to the praise of God or to earn the praise of men?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you pray, thank God that He has called you to be set apart by and for His glory. Pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit you would have a greater understanding of the weight of this calling and the holy living it demands. Confess sins of disobedience to God, committing to an increased attention to obedience this week.

PRAY

Genesis 17:9-14 oct. 28

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On Monday, you read how God changed Abram’s name to Abraham to confirm His covenant promise that Abraham would be the father of many nations. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, which means “princess.” This name change let Sarah know that she was not left out of God’s promises and that she would be the woman through whom Abraham’s promised heir and the many nations would come. Through Sarah’s conception, God demonstrated His power over nature, and through her womb came a brand-new nation, God’s chosen people. God’s promise was so hard to believe that Abraham laughed in response, but God fulfilled His covenant promise in such a way that only He would receive the glory for it. There would be no question that God was behind the miracle of Isaac’s birth. God would be the one to bless them. God would be the one to give them the promised son, Isaac, and make their descendants as numerous as the stars. God would be the one to receive all the glory. God’s faithfulness and ability to do what He says overcomes all of our flaws and uncertainties.

What stands out to you about Abraham’s response to God’s promise of a son?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We have all experienced doubts about God’s working in lives. In the midst of those doubts, how did you find renewed hope?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for a better understanding of God’s faithfulness. Thank God for the ultimate fulfillment of His promises—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Also pray that the Holy Spirit will help you learn to trust God’s promises and stand in amazement at what He does.

PRAY

Genesis 17:15-17 Oct.29

God is in the business of delivering on the God-sized promises that only He has the power to fulfill.

MAIN IDEA

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Even when God’s promises are hard to believe, He expects us to respond in trust and obedience.

MAIN IDEA

In his struggle to believe God’s promise of a son, Abraham suggested God fulfill His promise through the son Abraham already had—Ishmael. God promised to bless Ishmael and make him into a great nation, but God would confirm His covenant with and fulfill His promises to Abraham through the son born to him and Sarah. God instructed Abraham to name his son Isaac, meaning “he laughs.” In a year, Abraham’s laugh at the seeming impossibility of having a son with Sarah would become a laugh of wondrous joy when he held his son in his arms. God called Abraham to a journey of faith. We cannot always see how God plans on fulfilling His promises. From our human standpoint, His promises sometimes seem incapable of being fulfilled. While we cannot see or understand from His divine standpoint, we can trust Him to be faithful to His Word and to His promises. God acts according to His wisdom and character, which means we must commit to trusting and obeying Him each day.

What qualities of God have you observed in Genesis 17? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________ How do these qualities help you trust and believe His promises? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As part of your prayer time today, thank God for each of His qualities that you listed from Genesis 17. Ask Him to help you reflect on who He is as a way of strengthening your faith in Him.

PRAY

Genesis 17:18-22 Oct.30

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is A New Name from Genesis 17:1-8, 15-22. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

Oct.31

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

nov.1

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A NEW GAME

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Week of november 2, 2015

Genesis 18:9-15

Where Wickedness Rules

If God promises it, doubt says more about us than Him.MAIN IDEA

Last week, you read about God’s promises to Abraham—the promise of a son who would lead Abraham to being the father of many nations and God’s chosen people. Abraham laughed at the absurdity of this promise, but he continued to choose belief. Sometime later, the Lord again visited Abraham and gave him a timeframe for the birth of his long-awaited son. While God was talking to Abraham, verse 10 tells us that Sarah was listening and she also couldn’t help but laugh at what God had revealed. When God confronted her about the laugh, she lied about it. Laughter revealed the disbelief in both Abraham’s and Sarah’s hearts. Neither could imagine how they would have a son at their old age, something for which both of them had longed for decades. Today’s reading reminds us of the importance of trusting the promises of God, no matter how impossible they might seem.

What is the takeaway for you from Sarah’s response to God’s promise? ________________________________________________________

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Read Genesis 18:14 again. In what area of your life do you need to believe that nothing is too hard for God? What hinders you from believing His promises?

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As part of your prayer time today, ask God to strengthen your faith and your courage to obey Him, even when the future is hard to imagine.

PRAY

nov. 2

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Genesis 18:16-21

The reality of God’s justice motivates us to pray for others and share the gospel with them.MAIN IDEA

The reminder of God’s promises was not the only reason Abraham was visited by God’s messengers that day. The messengers also brought word of God’s pending judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Before the flood, sin had reached an intolerable level. A similar level of sin existed in Sodom and Gomorrah. God told Abraham He intended to visit the cities to determine the gravity of the problem. God already knew the rampant sin in Sodom and Gomorrah, but He would visit the cities to demonstrate the lengths to which He would go to avoid destructive judgment. God prefers to save rather than destroy. He wanted Abraham to know He would not destroy without having investigated thoroughly and considered His options carefully and completely. Justice is one of the innate character traits of God, which means He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. He revealed the depths of His love and mercy by sending Jesus, but a person must believe in Him through faith to avoid God’s judgment against sin. This is why it is so important for us to pray for those who have not trusted Christ. Their separation from God has drastic consequences.

How do you see God’s justice on display in today’s passage? ________________________________________________________

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For whom are you praying to receive salvation? How are you helping them find and accept Christ as Savior?

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Spend time in prayer for the people who came to mind when you read the previous question. Pray for recognition of God’s love and grace that is being extended to them. Ask God to use you to reach that person with His love.

PRAY

nov. 3

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Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah reveals the depths of God’s mercy and love.MAIN IDEA

Abraham was moved by compassion for the people in Sodom and Gomorrah, so he used his time in the presence of the Lord’s messenger to intercede on their behalf. Abraham did not excuse the sin of those in the cities. Instead, knowing God’s character, Abraham appealed to His mercy and justice. He asked if God would really destroy the entire city, killing the righteous who sought to obey God along with the many wicked who rejected God’s ways. Abraham believed God’s justice and love would seek a way to save the righteous from perishing with the wicked. He first asked for God to spare the cities if 50 righteous people were found; then he moved to only 10. God’s willingness to spare Sodom if only 10 righteous people could be found in it indicates to us the depth and breadth of God’s love. Abraham’s example also reminds us that we need to intercede for the lost and broken around us.

Read Genesis 18:26 and 18:28-32. What do God’s responses to Abraham in each of these verses tell you about Him?

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Knowing that God hears and responds to your prayers, what needs to change in the way you approach God in prayer?

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Put your response to the previous question into action during your prayer time today. Remember that God is listening to your prayers and that He will answer in the way that best fits with His plan and advances His glory.

PRAY

Genesis 18:22-26 nov. 4

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When the two angels arrived in Sodom, it became quickly evident how corrupt the city had become. They sought out Lot, Abraham’s nephew, in order to rescue him and his family before God destroyed the cities. What they saw confirmed that the outcry God heard was valid. Judgment had to fall upon the city. No other alternative existed. At daybreak, Lot took his wife and two daughters and ran from the city. God could not find 10 righteous people in Sodom, so He destroyed the cities. While Abraham’s intercession could not save Sodom and Gomorrah, God answered his prayers by saving his relatives. God brought Lot and his family out because of His mercy, not because of their obedience or righteousness. Not every prayer we pray for others receives the answer we desire, but God always responds according to His merciful and gracious character.

Read verse 16 again. What does it mean that God is merciful? ________________________________________________________

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How have you seen God’s mercy at work in your life lately? ________________________________________________________

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Praise God for His mercy. Thank Him for His tenderhearted compassion and pray that you would be a vessel this week for the extension of that mercy.

PRAY

Genesis 19:12-16 nov. 5

God’s rescue of Lot shows that grace and mercy are at the heart of His character.

MAIN IDEA

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We become agents of God’s justice and mercy when we share the gospel in word and action.

MAIN IDEA

Mercy has always been a key characteristic of God, and Jesus embodied this trait throughout His earthly ministry. As a direct result of seeing the urgency of the needs around Him, Jesus named His disciples and sent out these 12. They had been with Jesus long enough to hear the basics of His teaching and to understand His ministry. Now it was their turn to act. They, too, were to minister to others by meeting their physical and spiritual needs. The goal of Christian discipleship is not simply to enlighten our souls. Our ultimate goal is not to spend hours in study isolated from the people who need the good news. We learn in order to share. We are saved to serve, and one expression of service is the making of disciples here and around the world. As followers of Jesus today, we are called to be part of Christ’s compassionate ministry throughout the world—engaging with and caring for the lives and needs of those around us at all times, just like Jesus did while on earth.

Though the disciples were promised an abundant harvest (Matthew 9:35-38), what types of experiences and scenarios did Jesus anticipate they would have?

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________________________________________________________ Is your faithfulness to the ministry God has called you dependent upon how

well you are received by those you seek to help? How does this passage speak to that scenario?

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Thank God for the opportunity He gives you to be a part of His mission. Pray that He will open your eyes to the physical and spiritual needs of the people around you.

PRAY

Matthew 10:5-15 nov. 6

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Where Wickedness Rules from Genesis 18:20-25; 19:12-16. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

nov. 7

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

nov. 8

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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WHEN WICKEDNESS RULES

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Genesis 21:1-7

Week of november 9, 2015

Genesis 21:1-7

Keeping His Promise

The birth of Isaac reveals the faithfulness of God to keep His promises.MAIN IDEA

God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah and through their inability to conceive He did exactly what He had promised. Their son would be the first of many “stars” (Gen. 15:5), shining as a testimony of God’s faithful work. Abraham named his son Isaac, which means, “he laughs.” Isaac’s name was a reminder of the impossibility of his birth and the faithfulness of God. Truly, nothing is too hard for God. When Sarah laughed at God’s promise during the visit from the angels, she revealed her doubt in His power and her lack of faith in Him. But now that God had made good on His promise, Sarah’s laughter revealed her awe and amazement at what He accomplished through her. Finally she arrived at a place of trust and gratitude. God’s faithfulness can handle both our worries and our weaknesses. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). We can’t be sure about everything, but we can be sure about one thing—God stands behind His promises.

What are we saying to God when we prefer our plans over His? ________________________________________________________

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What should be your reaction when God answers your prayer or fulfills a promise? How can this be a witness to others?

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Think about something for which you have been praying for a while. Praise God for His faithfulness and commit to trusting Him with that specific need or request.

PRAY

nov. 9

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Genesis 21:8-14

God’s faithfulness is rooted in who He is, not what we do.MAIN IDEA

The Bible is a story of the faithfulness of God. One of the truths that quickly surfaces is that God’s faithfulness to His people is not contingent on their faithfulness to Him. We see this clearly in the story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael. Abraham had been unfaithful to God’s covenant by having a child with Hagar, but God did not turn his back on Abraham or his child. In Genesis 21:13, we read that God would make Ishmael the father of a nation, too, even though he was not the promised child. This meant that God would protect Hagar and Ishmael no matter how they were treated. God’s faithfulness was not limited to Abraham, Sarah, and their promised son Isaac; but instead it extended to everyone in this story. What a great reminder for us of God’s faithfulness in spite of our unfaithfulness. We haven’t done anything to earn God’s love, and yet He has shown us just how much He loves us through His Son, Jesus, the ultimate example of His faithfulness to us.

What stands out to you about God from this part of Abraham’s story? ________________________________________________________

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How does it make you feel to know that God’s faithfulness to you is not contingent on your faithfulness to Him? What impact does this truth have on your relationship with Him?

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Spend time in prayer reflecting on the display of God’s faithful love seen in Genesis 21. Thank God for the implications His faithfulness has in your life, and ask Him to help you live in faithfulness to Him, too.

PRAY

nov. 10

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God’s grace is ever present in the lives of His children.MAIN IDEA

After Hagar and Ishmael were banished from their home, they wandered in the Wilderness of Beer-sheba. When Hagar and Ishmael ran out of water, Ishmael almost died. Overwhelmed with grief, Hagar placed him in the shadow of one of the bushes and then went just far enough away to avoid hearing his voice as he lay dying. However, nothing could interfere with God’s grace and the plans He had for Ishmael. When everything seemed hopeless, God met Hagar where she was and reminded her of His grace and faithfulness. God comforted and encouraged Hagar, and He opened her eyes to the fact that a well of water was nearby. God had providentially directed her wanderings and given her a demonstration of His faithfulness. Honoring His promises to Abraham and Hagar, God protected Ishmael even though he wasn’t the promised child. Like it was for Hagar, evidence of God’s grace and faithfulness is all around us all the time. Recognizing that grace, though, requires opening our eyes to who God is and how He is at work in our lives.

God continued to show kindness to Hagar in the face of Sarah’s actions (vv. 15-21). What does this teach us about Him?

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What would it look like for you not only to acknowledge God’s grace, but also savor it this week?

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As you spend time in prayer today, reflect on ways you have seen God’s grace in your life in recent days. Praise God for His grace and ask Him to open your eyes wider to His presence in your life.

PRAY

Genesis 21:15-21 nov. 11

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In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul used an allegory about Hagar and Sarah to emphasize that believers are freed from bondage to the law in order to live for God. In today’s passage, Isaac was born of the free woman, Sarah, and represents God’s free gift of grace. Ishmael was born of the slave woman, Hagar, and represents the law. The birth of Ishmael was an ordinary birth to Abraham and his slave. The birth of Isaac was a supernatural birth because Abraham and Sarah were very old. As there was conflict between Isaac and Ishmael, so there is conflict between grace and legalism. As Hagar brought forth a slave, so the law also produces slaves, which is a point Paul makes repeatedly in Galatians. In the same manner, Sarah’s child was free. As Sarah brought forth a free son, grace brings forth free children. Christians today fall in the same category as Sarah, which means we have received eternal life and freedom from our sins through God’s grace by faith in Jesus.

In Paul’s allegory, the child of the slave woman (Hagar) and the child of the free woman (Sarah) represent whom? Why is this important to understand?

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In what area of your life are you living by rules rather than by grace? Will you commit to living under grace in that area this week?

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Take some time to pray, thanking God for the mercy He has shown in giving you the gift of salvation. Surrender to Him any areas where you struggle to give Him control and trust in His sovereignty.

PRAY

Galatians 4:21-26nov. 12

God’s spiritual children have received eternal life through God’s grace by faith in Jesus.

MAIN IDEA

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Salvation is based on God’s grace and mercy, not on anything we do or don’t do.

MAIN IDEA

In today’s reading, Paul continued his allegorical illustration of Hagar and Sarah. Paul also compared the two women to two Jerusalems. Hagar stands for Mount Sinai and represents the first-century city of Jerusalem, the Jewish capital city whose inhabitants were still enslaved to the law. Sarah represents new Jerusalem, the heavenly city of God, where all departed believers go (Heb. 12:22). Paul’s point is that only grace, represented by Sarah, leads to eternal life. Paul challenged the Galatians to choose Christ (grace) and be a part of what God was doing in their day. As Christians today, we are children of the promise, recipients of God’s free gift of grace through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In choosing to bestow His spiritual blessings upon Christians individually, God is exercising His freedom of sovereignty. The only appropriate response to this recognition of God’s grace in our lives is to humble ourselves before God and serve Him obediently and gratefully.

What do you learn about law and grace from Paul’s teaching in Galatians 4:27-31? Why do you think Paul put such an emphasis on understanding these two things properly?

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________________________________________________________ Why do you think it is tempting to human beings to find their salvation by

earning God’s approval through keeping the law in our own power? Why is grace so much better?

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Pray for the people you know who have not given control of their lives over to God in salvation. Pray that they would come to know the one true God of the universe and would receive the gift of eternal life with Him.

PRAY

Galatians 4:27-31nov. 13

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is Keeping His Promise from Genesis 21:1-8. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

nov. 14

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

nov. 15

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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KEEPING HIS PROMISE

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Genesis 21:1-7

Week of november 16, 2015

Genesis 22:1-3

The Faith Test

Based upon God’s character, He desires that we trust Him fully and obey Him completely. MAIN IDEA

Abraham faced many tests of his faith throughout his life, beginning with the test to leave his home and comfortable life behind to follow God. Perhaps the greatest test of Abraham’s faith came when God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac, the very fulfillment of God’s promise to him. God wanted Abraham to trust Him unconditionally, and He wants the same from us today. God tests the hearts of His people, not for His own knowledge, but for ours. Testing builds greater trust in the Lord. God wants His people to be ready to surrender all to Him—even when it’s hard. This is why daily obedience to Him is the best indicator of true faith, believing He could never ask us to give up anything worth keeping. When we see the faith of Abraham, willing to surrender even his son, we remember how God has done the same—giving His own Son, Jesus, for our redemption. If God has given everything to us, whom He loves, there is nothing we can justifiably hold back when He commands it of us. He deserves from us true faith that leads to daily obedience of Him.

What do you learn about obedience to God from Abraham’s example in Genesis 22:1-3?

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Think about your day yesterday. Did you live in obedience to God in the small things? What is one step toward obedience you need to take today?

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Spend some time thinking about the sacrifices God has called you to make in order to serve Him well. As you reflect on what God has called you to sacrifice, pray for the faithfulness and strength to live in obedience to Him.

PRAY

nov. 16

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Genesis 22:4-8

Living a life of sacrifice means trusting God will provide.MAIN IDEA

God’s test of Abraham highlights a very important aspect of faith, God made clear what the test would be, “Take your son … and offer him there as a burnt offering,” but gave no clue as to how He would provide. Isaac asked the obvious question, wondering where the lamb was for the offering. Instead of responding “You are,” Abraham’s reply, “God Himself will provide,” underscored his trust in God’s promise. He did not know how God would provide, but trusted that He would. Alone with his son, Abraham built the altar, arranged the wood, and even bound his son Isaac and took the knife to slay him. The test was real and hard. Faith requires us to go beyond our limits of trust into the arena of uncertainty where we do not know the specifics and cannot guess the ultimate provision. It is in that place that we realize our relationship with God is ultimately what matters and it brings the certainty of God’s presence and providence.

What spiritual lesson did Isaac learn from Abraham’s example? ________________________________________________________

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How have you seen a time of testing cause you to trust God more? ________________________________________________________

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Confess to God any ways you are struggling to trust Him to provide for you. Ask Him to strengthen your trust in Him.

PRAY

nov. 17

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Just as God provided a ram to spare Isaac, He provided His own Son to spare us.MAIN IDEA

Abraham arrived at the place God had chosen and built an altar. The mention of Abraham placing his son Isaac on the altar emphasizes the costliness of obeying God’s command. Isaac did not resist. Even knowing his father planned to sacrifice him, Isaac obeyed his father just as Abraham obeyed God. With that final act of obedience, God ended the test and reaffirmed His promises to Abraham. Abraham was committed to obeying God. Filled with joy, Abraham looked and saw a ram with its horns entangled in a thicket. Earlier Isaac had asked his father where the lamb was for the sacrifice. Abraham had told him God would provide and God did just that. Abraham, who had intended to obey God by sacrificing his son, then sacrificed a ram instead. As a result of God’s provision, Abraham named the place “The LORD Will Provide.” God had provided the ram as a result of Abraham’s faith and obedience. As Abraham had demonstrated his obedience, God demonstrated His faithfulness.

What do you learn about Abraham’s faith in this passage? What do you learn about God?

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What events can you recall in your life that have caused you to struggle and wonder if God would come through? How does the fact God provided for you strengthen and deepen your faith? Can you point to a place you could have named “The Lord Will Provide”?

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Thank God for the example of Abraham and this picture of God’s own extravagant love in sacrificing His Son to save you. Pray that God would give you the faith to believe that He is faithful to provide.

PRAY

Genesis 22:9-14 nov. 18

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In yesterday’s reading, you read how God provided a ram in response to Abraham’s faithful obedience. This provision from God demonstrates His faithfulness to Abraham, but it also points forward to the way He has proven His faithfulness to us, too. Just as God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac, He provided His own Son as a sacrifice in our place. John the Baptist referred to Jesus as “the Lamb of God,” a title that points to His role as our sacrifice. The concept of a lamb as a sacrificial atonement for forgiveness of sin was embedded in the Jewish faith. The sacrificial lamb represented God’s forgiveness for His people. As the Lamb of God who sacrificed Himself, Jesus makes possible the forgiveness of sin once and for all, and He reminds us of God’s provision and grace. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death, we are freed from the eternal death we deserve because of sin. “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

What does the title “Lamb of God” teach you about Jesus’ identity and mission?

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How does this truth about Jesus deepen your relationship with Him? ________________________________________________________

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Ask God to help you better appreciate Jesus’ act of sacrifice on your behalf, and ask Him to give you the courage to share that good news with others this week.

PRAY

John 1:24-29 nov. 19

Just as God provided a ram to spare Isaac, He provided His own Son to spare us.

MAIN IDEA

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When we are tested, we demonstrate our faith by continuing to trust God even if doing so seems foolish.

MAIN IDEA

The writer of Hebrews described faith as assurance that God’s promised blessings are real and the events He has announced will occur (11:1-3). The writer then presented a catalog of people in Hebrew history to illustrate real faith. Naturally, Abraham is among those mentioned. In fact more verses are dedicated to his example of faith than to any other individual. Verses 17-19 focus on God’s testing of Abraham. Faith’s reasoning led Abraham to conclude God was able to raise someone from the dead. After all, God had brought Isaac from the deadness of Sarah’s womb. That same creative power could give Isaac life again. God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, but Abraham’s willingness to obey is what demonstrated his faith. Abraham’s example of faith teaches us that true faith leads to obedience to God in all circumstances. When we are tested, we demonstrate our faith by continuing to trust God even if doing so seems foolish.

What does Abraham’s example teach you about the relationship between faith in God and obedience to Him?

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________________________________________________________ In what area of your life is God calling you to exercise faith? What does

obedience look like in that area? ________________________________________________________

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Spend time praying over the specific circumstance that came to mind with the previous question. Ask God to help you be the kind of person who is characterized by obedient faith more than anything else.

PRAY

Hebrews 11:17-19nov. 20

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is The Faith Test from Genesis 22:1-14. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

nov. 21

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

nov. 22

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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THE FAITH TEST

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Genesis 21:1-7

Week of november 23, 2015

Genesis 24:1-9

God Provides

Our faith in God should inspire others to greater levels of faith.MAIN IDEA

With Genesis 24, the story of God’s people shifts from Abraham to his son Isaac, but the theme of God’s faithfulness to His covenant people continues. Realizing he was getting old, Abraham planned for Isaac’s future. Determined that Isaac would not marry a Canaanite woman, Abraham summoned a servant and sent him to Abraham’s old homeland to find a wife for Isaac from among his relatives. The servant asked what to do if the woman refused to come to Canaan. Abraham told the servant that God’s angel would help him accomplish his task and instructed him never to allow Isaac to move to the old homeland. Abraham knew that without offspring, none of God’s promises to him could be fulfilled. Abraham’s faith mirrored God’s promises in attitude and in action, and now he asked his servant to have the same level of faith and trust in God. Like Abraham, we should have a level of faith and trust in God that bears witness to Him for all who are watching us.

As Abraham modeled faith in God for the servant, who has modeled faith in God’s promises for you?

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Think about people who might be watching your life. What does your example teach them, either positively or negatively, about faith and trust in God?

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As you spend time in prayer today, ask God to open your eyes to ways you can make your life a better testimony of His goodness and faithfulness.

PRAY

nov. 23

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Genesis 24:10-14

Faith in God transforms the way we pray.MAIN IDEA

Abraham’s servant journeyed to the town of Abraham’s brother Nahor, arriving just as some women came to draw water. The servant prayed for God to help him find the one He had chosen to marry Isaac. In this demonstration of his faith, the servant prayed simply for success “today.” There was no time for waiting; both Abraham and Isaac were at home looking for his return. The servant prayed selflessly that God would show kindness to his master Abraham. His selfless prayer demonstrates childlike trust in God. He would keep his heart and mind open for God’s movement and direction. Prayer takes God’s promises and turns them into practical directions. The servant’s example of faith reminds us we can pray about the things affecting us and our family. We can trust that God is listening and will respond in His time.

What do you notice about the servant’s prayer? What was his posture? For what did he ask God?

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What elements of the servant’s prayer can you apply to your own prayer life or the prayer life of your family?

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For your prayer time today, reflect on the servant’s faithful prayer. Apply the principles you learn from his example to your own prayer life.

PRAY

nov. 24

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God displays His faithfulness in big and little ways.MAIN IDEA

Abraham’s servant went in faithful obedience to both God and Abraham in search of a wife for Isaac. While the servant still prayed, he looked up to see Rebekah, Nahor’s granddaughter. When the servant asked Rebekah for a drink, she responded in accordance with His prayer. With that response, the servant knew God had answered his prayers and he had found Isaac’s future wife. Rebekah passed the servant’s test. The servant, meanwhile, sat back and watched to make sure this was the woman God had picked for Isaac. We see here the servant’s understanding of just how important it was for the heir of promise to have the right wife and for that marriage to come about according to God’s direction. The truth we learn today is that God has a plan and He is always faithful to His plan. Not only was God faithful to provide the right wife for Isaac, the promised child who would carry on God’s covenant with Abraham, but God was also faithful to direct the servant’s path in very specific ways. God cares about the big and seemingly insignificant aspects of our lives, and He is always at work to bring about His plans through us.

What stands out to you about this part of Isaac’s story? ________________________________________________________

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What is one way you have seen God’s faithfulness through the little details of your life lately?

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Thank God that He cares about the big and little aspects of your life. As you pray, reflect on a way you have seen His faithfulness in your life lately, and use that example as encouragement and motivation to seek His will today.

PRAY

Genesis 24:15-21 nov. 25

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Today’s reading continues the account of Abraham’s servant and his interaction with Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife. Rebekah was the daughter of Abraham’s nephew Bethuel. She shared that the servant with his men and their camels could spend the night with her family. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the servant bowed down, worshiped the Lord, and praised Him for His acts of kindness and faithfulness. Rebekah ran home to tell her family what had happened. Every day yields evidence of God’s faithfulness to us and His plans for our lives. When we catch glimpses or reminders of God’s faithfulness, our natural response should be one of worship and praise like that of Abraham’s servant.

How do you see God’s hand guiding the servant in this story? ________________________________________________________

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What evidence of God’s faithfulness have you seen in your life this week? ________________________________________________________

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Write out a prayer of praise and worship to God for His promise-keeping nature and His countless examples of faithfulness to you.

PRAY

Genesis 24:22-28 nov. 26

Worship is the appropriate response to God’s faithfulness to us.

MAIN IDEA

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When we are tested, we demonstrate our faith by continuing to trust God even if doing so seems foolish.

MAIN IDEA

God’s faithfulness is the theme of Psalm 105, specifically His faithfulness to His people Israel. In this psalm, David describes God’s grace and mercy toward Israel. This psalm encourages readers to follow God faithfully and warns them of the dangers of unfaithfulness. David called God’s people to praise the Lord and proclaim His amazing works. He honored His covenant with Israel’s ancestors even as they journeyed in Canaan. Jacob’s family traveled to Egypt where they encountered centuries of bondage, but in God’s perfect timing He freed His people and humbled Egypt. God sustained them in the wilderness and gave them the promised land to fulfill the promise He made to Abraham. The Bible tells us God fulfilled all His words to Israel when He helped the people conquer Canaan. The Bible also assures us He will fulfill all His promises to us: “For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Him (Jesus). Therefore, the “Amen” is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory” (2 Cor. 1:20).

Underline all of the examples of God’s faithfulness to Israel that you see in Psalm 105. What can you conclude from these examples?

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________________________________________________________ When are you most aware of God’s faithfulness? ________________________________________________________

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Read through Psalm 105 again as a prayer of worship and praise to God.

PRAY

Psalm 105nov. 27

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As you reflect through this week’s quiet time, what truths has God revealed to you or reminded you of?

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Looking back through your questions and answers this week, were there any you left unanswered that you’d like to answer today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Reflect on your daily prayer times this week. How have you seen God answer prayers? In your prayer time today, please pray for our pastor and staff, your Sunday School teacher, and our family of faith as we fellowship and worship together tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lesson is God Provides from Genesis 24:1-17. Read those verses and consider again your responses to the questions.

PRAY

nov. 28

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP NOTES _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

nov. 29

How do you plan to put the truths you’ve observed in your quiet time and the group time this week into practice?

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GOD PROVIDES

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