They say "absence makes the heart grow fonder." So it isn't ironic that being separated from God's people has made many of us appreciate the gathering of God's people more than ever before. David was a man of God who could relate. When separated from the city Jerusalem he longed to return to worship God again. Psalm 122 tells us his story and it has become our story too because it affirms why we gather with God's people.
In times of trouble, we need to hold fast to a faithful view of God. Not only does the book of Psalms show us God, but Psalm 103:2 cautions us to not forget God's benefits. As a result, Psalm 103 is really the gushing praise of David as he remembers what God has done for him. Literally everything that is good comes from God, but David mentions many specific blessings that all who fear God should never forget!
Tired of the expression "shelter in place?" This lesson seeks to put a twist on our unfortunate situation. As we continue our "Serenity from the Psalms" series, we are reminded that Psalm 91 teaches us we can "Shelter in Grace!" We are not the first generation that needed help during times of pestilence. This comforting Psalm reminds us why God is the place of shelter for his people during difficult times.
Most people probably think the story of Jesus is more of a New Testament focus. But this story is first told in the Old Testament Scriptures. In this lesson, we'll specifically center our attention on the Psalms. It's powerful to imagine that his story was told in prophecy long before Jesus was incarnate. All the significant parts of the story are there, but we'll highlight the parts that matter the most for our future and hope!
The news today is depressing. Things are going to get worse before they get better. But Psalms 16 has a different message: "Things are going to get better!" In this lesson, we learn how David found the benefits and hope of being in a covenant relationship with God. Christians can have this too! These blessings are both here and in the hereafter!
In this lesson, we dig into how David felt about this terrible event and what he did in response in Psalms 3. This is a message for our times when life turns upside down!
How we deal with problems begins with our attitude. Any problem, including this pandemic, can be a challenge but the Bible actually show us how to approach any problem with a renewed attitude if we are a Christian. When Paul wrote Philippians he was in jail, but if you didn't know that it would be hard to detect based on his great attitude. In this lesson, we focus on five things from Phil. 4:4-9 that Paul reminds us we can do to make the best of this difficult situation.
Matthew is the first book in the N.T. for good reason. The goal of the book is to present Jesus as a continuation and fulfillment of the O.T. Matthew is a Gospel account written by a Jew, to Jews about a Jew. So it's perfectly within the focus of this book for Jesus to be presented as Messiah, Teacher and Emmanuel.
Malachi was a prophet that challenged God's people who were a part of the remnant who returned from captivity. Despite God's love and goodness, they questioned their relationship with him. Having drifted into spiritual and moral decline, Malachi answers their questions and, in a hint of what is to come, teaches God has a plan for the future.
If you are a Christian, you have a story to tell. While the heart of evangelism is telling the story of Jesus, it also involves each of us who are Christians too. Paul understood this principle and used his story to help build a bridge to Jesus for others. This lesson considers three ways he did this in Acts 22:1-16.
