DELIGHT...NOT DUTY!

ALLYSON’S SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH

SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2013

She wants me to teach about “Prayer being a Delight, not a Duty”!  She learned this at Nana’s Camp.  Her S.S. class has made this their motto.

Her S.S. Teacher, Caleb emailed me their lesson that is on Nehemiah building the walls to Jerusalem.  It is to be a character study.  I’ve asked the Lord to show me how to incorporate the two themes…and to have a visual aid to reinforce and remember.

This was my teaching outline:

BEGIN WITH PRAYER ~ wear red covering

Read Chapter one of Nehemiah and see the primary character of his life was prayer. 

Chapter 2:1-6  note prayer

Chapter 4:4-6; 9; 15; 20 note prayer

Wall completed in 52 days…they celebrate to the Lord…

Chapter 8 Ezra reads the Word of God and the people’s hearts are broken and they weep and repent, then Nehemiah says in verse 10 to rejoice…

Chapter 9 confession of sins; repentance and prayer.

Their memory verse is Isaiah 41:10

  So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

New Testament version:  Hebrews 13:5-6

For He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   

So that we may boldly say:

   “The Lord is my helper;
   I will not fear what man
   shall do unto me.”

Point out Nehemiah’s relationship with God…and the evidence.

Our relationship with God and the evidence.

How was God with Nehemiah and Isaiah in the Old Testament?

How is God with us today?

Relationship produces confidence in God!

How did God speak in Nehemiah’s day?

How does God speak today?

Visual Aid and Remembrance:  According to today’s memory verse, God says He will hold us with His righteous right hand!  If He is using His right hand to hold our hand; which hand of ours is He holding?  The left! 

Before medical science discovered how the circulatory system functioned, people believed that a vein of blood ran directly from the third finger on the left hand to the heart. Because of the hand-heart connection, they chose to call this the vein of love. Based upon this name, their contemporaries, purported experts in the field of matrimonial etiquette, wrote that it would only be fitting that the wedding ring be worn on this finger. By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other.

My point isn’t about the wedding ring but about the left hand.  In Isaiah 41:10 and Hebrews 13:6 The Lord says not to fear because He will be our Helper.  What is a helper?  One who helps me to do what I can’t do by myself. 

Illustrate using hand without thumb.  The thumb is vital to the hand.  Something else interesting about the thumb…No one else in the whole world has my thumb or your thumb.  It identifies who we are…and God etched it especially on each one of us.  We are you-nique!  One of a kind.  And, made with purpose!  And equipped with the power of God by His Spirit to live out our purpose to His glory.

But The Holy Spirit only works by our asking…this would be prayer!  As we delight in spending time talking to Him and reading His Word, He will give us direction and more…the desires of our heart.

So, I have the idea to remind us to delight in Him in prayer and witness by painting my left thumb white to designate the Presence of the Holy Spirit of God…my Helper…and delight in Him!

GIFTS OF GOD

“We have received…the spirit which is of God;

 that we might know the things

 that are freely given to us of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:12

HE MUST BE LORD!

“We have received…the Spirit of God” ~ He must be Lord!  We have received as a result of believing Jesus is our Redeemer,  having paid our sin debt.

Not…we have read or heard about Jesus and what He has done and know/believe it in my mind.   That is just the beginning!  We MUST turn from our sinful life which He paid our debt for; and…receive our new righteous life of The Spirit of God living in ME!

“so that, we may know.” ~ so that we may know He IS Real and what He did is Real and that we really know we are a new creation with ALL things new!

We have been freed from SIN so that we can freely receive ALL the gifts God has for our new life!  This is called GRACE!  Grace is receiving something we don’t deserve and do nothing to receive it!  These are NEW gifts we’ve NEVER known before! 

Here’s a few listed in Galatians 5:

LOVE

JOY

PEACE

PATIENCE

KINDNESS

GOODNESS

FAITHFULNESS *in word and deed

GENTLENESS

SELF CONTROL

(*It also lists all the things that are replaced and put to death because of the Blood of Jesus paid for them.)

IMMORALITY

IMPURITY

SENSUALITY

IDOLATRY

SORCERY *Drugs & magical potions

ENMITIES

STRIFE

JEALOUSY

OUTBURSTS OF ANGER

DISPUTES

DISSENSIONS

FACTIONS

ENVYING

DRUNKENNESS

CAROUSING

AND THINGS LIKE THESE

(Those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.)

Lord, I know that You have lavishly given everything and  especially the Greatest Gift of Your Spirit.  Every day is a another gift and new opportunity for the delight of walking and working with You.  I am so blessed – help me to give them back to You.

WITHOUT GOD...I AM NOTHING!

“Being justified freely by His grace.”

Romans 3:24

Without God, I am destitute…I am NOTHING!

John 15:5

We cannot earn or win anything from GOD…we MUST receive it as a Gift or do without it!

Nothing in my hands I bring;

Solely to the Cross I cling…

Freely ~ it is a gift of Love & Grace, unmerited!

“…Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh;

And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

John 3:5-6

WOW!

“The gift of the essential nature of God is made effectual in us by the Holy Spirit, He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, which puts “the beyond” within, and immediately “the beyond” has come within, it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the domain where Jesus lives.”  ~Oswald Chambers

“My Kingdom is not of this world…it is within you.”

John 18:36; Luke 17:21

“…and raised us up with Him, and sealed us with Him

in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:6

2017 

Lord, how slow I am to grasp the reality and full blessing of knowing You.  I desire to experience the full joy of all the benefits of Your Holy Spirit within me, and raising me up to the heavenly places where You are…interceding for me.

I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened so that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of Your Power toward us who believe...brought about in Christ when He was raised from the dead and seated at the Right Hand of The Father.

2018

Wow Lord!  I am blown away at the Reality of YOU living in me!  That which was beyond me attaining; and lifted me up to where You are, and covers me in Your grace and undeserving Love.  Be glorified!

PURPOSE & PASSION

“Go therefore, and teach (disciple) all nations.”

Matthew 28:19

PURPOSE & PASSION

Is our purpose and passion one in the same?

Our created purpose is to be a Child of God!

Our mission purpose is to finish what Jesus began with redeeming the world 

by us telling the world!

Our Passion should be about our relationship with God, and because of it, to be passionate about obeying His Co-Mission to tell and show the world His Love through His Spirit.

Going and telling without His Power is effortless regardless of Passion.

Jesus said:

“All power is within Me…therefore, go and teach…in that power!”  Matthew 28:18

“You shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you;

 and you shall be My Witnesses…”

Acts 1:8

QUESTIONS that need to be answered:

Do I know my Risen Lord?

Do I know the power of His Indwelling Spirit?

Am I wise enough in God’s sight, and foolish enough according to the world, to bank on what Jesus Christ has said?

Or, do I have my own ideas about how I want to go into the world and tell;  to make converts to our point of view?

Do I have boundless confidence  in Jesus Christ that “all Power is within Him…therefore,  go” in that Power?

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Lord, thank You for making Your Power in me more real.  Thank You for over 30 years of teaching Your Word verse by verse; and for Your Spirit bringing to my remembrance and teaching me so that my artillery is full and I can be ready to join You in Your work anywhere You lead.  I am so graciously blessed. ~Betty

WHAT IS A MISSIONARY?

October 26, 2017

“As My Father has sent Me, even so send I you.”

John 20:21

(See Jesus last prayer in John 17:18-26)

WHAT IS A MISSIONARY?

A missionary is one sent by Jesus Christ

as He was sent by GOD!

…to carry out His business of Redemption.

The one great reason is NOT the people, it is obedience to the command of Jesus Christ:

“Go therefore… and teach all nations.”

Beware of giving credit to human wisdom. 

It is the Mind of God and His Divine guidance through childlike people who were foolish enough to trust God’s wisdom and supernatural equipping

by His Holy Spirit.

John 15:5  Jesus said:  “I am the Vine, you are the branches: 

He that abides in Me and I in him,

 the same brings forth much fruit:

 for without Me you can do NOTHING

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I hear You, Lord:  we are sent as You were sent so that the world would know that The Father sent You to redeem us from the bondage of sin, and so that they would know that You Love them as You Love us so that we can live Forever with You ~ 

ALL of us!

PRAYER IS THE KEY TO POWER

October 16, 2018

"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,

that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.”

Matthew 9:38

PRAYER IS THE KEY TO POWER

Our Lord calls to no special work…He calls to Himself; and that is PRAYER.  

“Come unto Me…” 

PRAYER ~ COMMUNICATION PLUGGED INTO THE SOURCE OF POWER!

My Prayer Today:  Lord, help me to have a renewing of my mind

 generated by Your Spirit so that every breath and thought and word

 is in conversation and fellowship consciously and unconsciously with You.

 Cause my heart to beat in rhythm 

with Your Love at all times and situations – this is the Prayer I desire!

 Become the “Wow” in my life for Your Glory! ~Betty

Additional Notes:

Laborers qualified to harvest for The Lord must be prepared, trained in the knowledge of God and His Ways and His Word.

 Lord,

I have felt for many years that You called me to prepare the laborers…and I have had few to teach; but they are prepared. 

I am now praying that You will send them out. 

What a shock that will be because they are satisfied learning but not eager to solo with You. 

With a smile of delight, I pray that You will overwhelm them as You have me so many times, and learn to trust You to do the work in them!

There’s a world waiting to be brought in….

THE AUTHORITY ~ THE POWER

October 14, 2018

“All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore and teach all nations…”

Matthew 28:18-19

 (This word is given to those who abide in Him,

and His Word abides in them! – a living experience)

Abide means LIVE!

GO means: As you go about living!

Live in His Word means experiential knowledge - epygnosis

THE AUTHORITY ~ THE POWER

Jesus said:  ALL Power is His!  He is The Authority

giving His Word to “go and teach…”

He also gives His Presence - Hebrews 13:5-6

“I will never leave you, nor forsake you;

so that you can say, The Lord is my Helper…”

The Holy Spirit & Prayer

He also gives those He gives His Word power – Acts 1:8

“You shall receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon you,

 and you shall be My witnesses…”

Power in me comes from Prayer - John 15:7

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,

You shall ask what you will and it shall be done…”

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Lord Jesus,

My life is Yours!  You have made me, bought me, raised and prepared me from before I was born.  You have been HEBREWS 13:5 all my conscious life!

You have brought me to the Finish Line of my life…and I want to finish well for Your Glory and in accordance to your Plans written in my Book of Life ~ A New Thing!

Strengthen my faith and keep me holding Your Hand.  Create in me Your Heart of LOVE.  Renew my mind to be in sync with Your Mind.  Be The Author of my thoughts and words…so that I can bring You Glory and Delight us both! ~Betty