In this issue:

"Gratitude Motivators" by Dr. Jay Wolf

"When Opposition Strikes" - This week's lesson

IT IS TIME TO BE THANKFUL AND RE-CLAIM

GOD'S BLESSINGS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Gratitude Motivators

Dr. Jay Wolf

The season of THANKSGIVING is highly necessary and well timed because we all tend to be forgetful. For instance, I have a photographic memory but I keep forgetting where I put the film! So we need gratitude motivators. Let me share three that work for me.

First, God’s Word Calls us to an attitude of Gratitude. “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes. 5:18) “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him.” (Psalm 100:4) Expressing gratitude for every season and circumstance indicates we trust our gracious heavenly Father and believe He is the origin of our blessing and His power is bigger than our problem.

Secondly, our American Heritage invites us be grateful. America was founded as a Christian nation and the Pilgrims set the pace. Those brave first settlers experienced terrible adversity that took the lives of half of their group but they declared a time of thanksgiving to count their blessings instead of their losses. In 1789, as a reflection of our collective Christian faith, George Washington called our Nation to gratitude, “Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor…I recommend to the people of the United States a day of Public Thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God.”

Third, I am motivated to gratitude by my personal list of blessings. My relationship to King Jesus pardons the past, empowers the present and illumines the future. Now I am part of the beautiful Body of Christ. God has given me a fabulous wife and a wonderful life. I am enriched by a healthy, stable, Christ-following, growing and productive family. God has gifted me with abundant material resources, physical capabilities and nurturing friendships. The assets greatly outweigh the liabilities!

When we add it up, there are compelling motivations to move beyond our natural proclivity to be grumbly hateful and become humbly grateful!

This Week's Lesson

"When Opposition Strikes"

Acts 4:23-31

At one time Christians in America only knew about opposition to Christianity from what they heard was happening in other countries. No longer is that the case. Increasingly, American culture has allowed—even supported—opposition to Christian faith. How we respond to such spiritual opposition says as much about our faith as our beliefs do. However, opposition to Christianity is nothing new. From the very beginning the early church experienced opposition from the leaders of the established religion of the day—Judaism!  The response of the early church provides a model for how we, too, can stand strong for Christ during those times of persecutions we may be called upon to endure.

The news almost daily includes some story wherein Christian values and convictions are being criticized and challenged.  In some places around the world the numbers of lives lost on account of the stand of people for their Christian faith is shocking.  In the United States, the challenges to faith come primarily in the form of laws and policies that promote values and lifestyles that stand in opposition to Christian truth as taught in Scripture.  So what are believers to do?  At times we need to engage in the political processes that are available to us to elect leaders and endorse laws and policies that support our convictions.  At other times we may need to stand strong even when it means facing threats and loss.  To do so will require a boldness beyond what we can muster up for ourselves.  It comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

So, when it comes to boldness in standing for Christian principles, how do you stand?  On a scale of 1 (weak) to 10 (very bold), how would you rate the boldness you demonstrate in standing for Christian principles?  Does you boldness need the strengthening hand of the indwelling Holy Spirit applied to your boldness rating?  God’s indwelling Holy Spirit stands ready to be applied to each of our lives, when we truly want and ask for it?

Our Teaching Unit:

Game Changer: How to Impact Your World

A Study of the Book of Daniel

The Lesson for This Week

Lesson 6 

"Act Faithfully"

The Point: " God is greater than those who oppose you."

Daniel 6:6-10, 13-16, 19-22

The Way Up Is Down

Dr. James MacDonald

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14–15, ESV).

Jesus Christ, Son of God, second person of the Trinity, Lord of the universe, humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. This wasn’t a seminar on foot washing. It was an example of service. “For I have given you an example,” Jesus said, “that you also should do just as I have done to you” (13:15).

So what does that mean? Let’s not let the applications slip into something retouched and generic. Let’s be specific and consider five, necessary brands of humility—actual things we can do. What are the verbs that should be flowing out of our lives?

FIVE BRANDS OF HUMILITY

1. Choose a difficult obedience. You’ve got your run-of-the-mill obedience, things that may feel easy to you. These are everyday, entry-level actions. But there are actually some difficult obediences, choices that require sacrifice. We obey for Jesus Christ. He deserves everything, and it should cost us, it must cost us, and it will cost us. What is the difficult obedience right in front of you? Run to it, wrap your arms around it, humble yourself, and obey Jesus. It will be good for your soul.

2. Own it all to reconcile. Generally where there’s friction in relationships, there’s fault on both sides. But maybe you’re in a conflict with someone who can’t see his own fault and who won’t listen to you anymore, so you can’t reason with the person. If you want to work that out, humble yourself and own it all. Take everything you want to say, all your rightness and accuracy, and permanently file it under G for garbage. Forego any opportunity to clarify your position. Lay it all down, and humble yourself. “I’m sorry that I hurt you. I never wanted you to feel this way. I know that I have responsibility in that, and I want to own it, tell you how sorry I am, and ask you to forgive me.” Grace will rush like a river upon you. Even if the person refuses you, grace will flow into your life. God loves humility. He doesn’t like it. He loves it. With God, the way up is down. That’s how it is in the family of God.

3. Serve in total secrecy. Find ways to do things no one will know about. A few years ago, I felt an urge to serve somewhere anonymously, where no one knew my name or even recognized me. That experience was so good for my own soul. Find a way to serve in total secrecy.

4. Lay down a liberty. Too often we think the continuum runs between legalism and liberty. But legalism is a lie, so we don’t need to react against legalism by flaunting our liberty. For the followers of Jesus, the continuum is between liberty and the forgoing of our liberties. In Christ, we have freedom and liberty, but when our liberty becomes an obstacle to the gospel, we need to forgo our liberty. We lay down our liberty for the sake of Christ’s kingdom. We don’t glory in our liberties. We don’t fail to love our weaker brothers and sisters. We live in liberty, but we gladly and willingly forsake freedoms for the sake of our influence over others.

5. Refuse to be offended. It’s so easy to take things personally. I can't believe what she said about me. How dare he treat me that way! Instead of taking offense, we can simply refuse to be offended. My mom used to recite these lines from an anonymous poem:

             “I’ve asked the Lord to take from me

             the super-sensitivity

             that robs the soul of joy and peace

             and causes fellowship to cease.”

Do nothing when you’re hurt. Hurting people hurt people. If you want to break that cycle, get low. Humble yourself, and refuse to be offended.

Jesus gave us an example that we would go do for others as He’s done for us. Which brand of humility do you need to practice today?

Journal

• Review the five brands of humility. Which strikes a chord with you?
• How can you follow the example of the Master and humble yourself today?

Pray

My Lord and Teacher, You have shown me what to do, and I want to do just as You have done. How can I serve others today? Teach me to wrap my arms around a difficult obedience, to own it all to reconcile, to serve You in total secrecy, to lay down a liberty, and to refuse to be offended. “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Matthew 10:25). Make me more like Jesus—that’s enough for me. In His name, amen.

**********************************************************************************************

Lesson 5

"Confront Sin"

The Point: "Call sin what it is and point to what God says about it."

Daniel 5:17-28

**********************************************************************************

Lesson 4

"Live Humbly"

The Point: "Pride Leads to Downfall, but God Honors Humility"

Daniel 4:28-35

**********************************************************************************************

Lesson 3

"Stand Courageously"

The Point: "Be Ready and Willing to Stand for God"
Daniel 3:13-18, 26-28

**************************************************************************************

Lesson 2

"Pray Fervently"

The Point: "Our Prayers Connect Us With God's Plan"

Daniel 2:13-21, 26-28a

*************************************************************************************************

Lesson 1

"Develop Conviction"

The Point: "Live Your Life With Uncompromising Conviction"

Daniel 1:3-5,8-13,17-19

THANK YOU VETERANS!!!!

THANK YOU 

This is a wonderful video... Performed by The Goads, a brothers and sister Christian Group. 

I hope you enjoy it!

Click on the picture

REMEMBER!!!!

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Our Teaching Unit:

Game Changer: How to Impact Your World

A Study of the Book of Daniel

The Lesson for This Week

"Live Humbly"

The Point: "Pride Leads to Downfall, but God Honors Humility"

Daniel 4:28-35

 "Until Sunday, Something To Hang Your Hat On... "

The Writing in the Sand

Dr. James MacDonald

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground (John 8:6, ESV).

In John 8, a woman caught in adultery was dragged before Jesus by an angry, self-righteous mob. The woman in the story was a pawn. How awful that her very life was at stake when this wasn’t even about her. The religious leaders weren’t concerned about her sin, her life, or her heart. They were using her to test Jesus, which refers to their obvious, evil intent. But before they could trap Jesus, they first had to trap her.

Think about that..................Which is more shocking—the fact that a woman committed adultery or that the religious leaders were there to see it? 

• The woman was caught in the very act of adultery. How?
• Did the religious leaders have spies?
•  Was it like a witch hunt?
• Did someone send a group text? “Get over here now! We have a live one!”
• How many watchmen set out to find this one woman?
• How many women did they track in order to catch one in the act of adultery?
• How many windows did they peer through to make this arrest?
• How many laws in Scripture did they blindly break to find someone breaking the law?

They whipped themselves into a self-righteous frenzy and arrived at Jesus’ feet with an ultimatum. I’ve found the Lord very unresponsive to my ultimatums. The leaders thought they had Jesus cornered and demanded, “So what do you say” (8:5)?

Silence.........

Picture the scene: The Pharisees were high and mighty, towering over the broken woman. They pressed on each other’s shoulders, trying to peer over the mob to gloat over the fallen prey.

And the Son of God said nothing and got down below them all. They got high; He got low. “Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground” (8:6). 

What did He write in the sand? We don’t know. We’re not supposed to know. If God wanted us to know, He would have included it in the Bible text. Perhaps we’re not supposed to know so we can think of some possibilities.

·       Whatever He wrote, it was convicting. 

• Maybe Jesus wrote the names of the leaders who had engineered this trap and shamed this woman: “Ananias, Caiaphas, Gamaliel . . 
• Maybe Jesus drew arrows to the people standing in the crowd.
• Maybe Jesus wrote specific sins. 
• Maybe He wrote the sins the leaders were committing in order to expose this woman’s sin.
•  Maybe Jesus was just kneeling down to hide His tears and the grief that He feels for the pain that His children cause one another.

We don’t know. We aren’t meant to know. We’re meant to see that when the self-righteous got high, the Son of God got low.

Maybe instead of towering high over sinners (with the Pharisees), we should kneel beside them.

Pray

Lord God, when the religious leaders towered high, Jesus could have gotten higher. All authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him. He’s the second person of the Trinity, enthroned on high, ruling the universe. Yet He knelt before this broken woman and the angry mob. He got low. He responded to ultimatums with silence. He showed such power, such restraint, such humility, such love. Teach me to get low, and make me more like my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen. 

*********************************************************************

Lesson 3

"Stand Courageously"

The Point: "Be Ready and Willing to Stand for God"
Daniel 3:13-18, 26-28

**************************************************************************************

Lesson 2

"Pray Fervently"

The Point: "Our Prayers Connect Us With God's Plan"

Daniel 2:13-21, 26-28a

*************************************************************************************************

Lesson 1

"Develop Conviction"

The Point: "Live Your Life With Uncompromising Conviction"

Daniel 1:3-5,8-13,17-19