'Abundance' (Day 4) We Praise God

Psalm 66, Isaiah 41:9-20, 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, Hebrews 8:10-12, 2 Corinthians 1:20

·         Where does the glory of God’s name come from?

·         Can you describe glorious praise in a few words?

·         How is God’s power a part of our place of abundance?

·         What has God done for His people in the past? What do you think it means that God “rules forever by His power, His eyes watch the nations”? How does this affect your trust in the Lord’s place of abundance for you?

 

Finish this statement: Since God turned the sea into dry land for the children of Israel, I know He can _______________________________for me.

·         How does vocalizing God’s praise enrich our experience of God’s abundance?

Our most important abundance comes from the sacrificial death and resurrections of Jesus. Without that, we would not have access to God through prayer. Without that, we would have no forgiveness or heavenly reward. Without that, the meaning of anything else we consider as ‘abundance’ becomes flat and meaningless.

“Shout with joy to God, all the earth!”

Abundance (Day 3) Hezekiah’s Praise

Read, 2 Kings 19:15-19, Psalm 66

Think about your praise ‘habits’ and mark the following statements true or fuels.

·         Those around me have to wear ear plugs.

·         I usually praise God only for the really big blessings.

·         God’s praise shines in my smile and sings in my heart.

·         I’m afraid to tell of the wonderful things God is doing.

·         Sometimes when I hear the word praise, I think, what for?

·         My praise does not show the magnitude of joy in my heart.

Hezekiah’s Prayer, 2 Kings 18:5-7, Gods response v 20-23a & 27-36 (read, Ps. 66:1-4)

What benefits are there to praising God with friends? With the whole congregations? With “all the earth”.
·         Can you share a time when God’s actions on your behalf prompted you to ask other to join you in praising God?

·         Why is it important for us to recall God’s acts of deliverance for His church today?

·         What happens to our spiritual life when we ignore or refuse to see the awesome things God does for His people? What happens to our praise? What can bring us back “on track”?

 

 Hezekiah considers God’s recue of His people a personal deliverance as well. In the remaining verses of Psalm 66, he gives his personal response to God. Read verses 13-20. What is Hezekiah looking forward to? What does he want to do?

When has someone you know gone through “fire and water” and been brought by God “to a place of abundance”?

“Let the sound of His praise be heard!”

  

'Abundance' (Day 2) Hannah Gives Back to God

          Finish the following sentences and share (if you’d like) for responses:

·         If I had a million dollars;

o   I would feel...

o   I would use it to…

  If I had one year of free time…

Read, 1 Samuel 1:11 & 1:21-28

·         What did Hannah do with the abundance she received from God?

·         What have you requested of the Lord lately?

·         How has He answered your prayers and what was your response?

Read, 1 Samuel 2:1-10

·         Does this surprise you that Hannah rejoiced as she gave Samuel back to the Lord?

·         What was the source of her joy?

Satan also likes to tempt us to believe that we have worked hard, been good, and in general have earned and deserve the abundance we have. How does modern society help foster this belief? What can this belief do to our willingness to share our abundance with others?

Read, Romans 3:10-18

·         What do we really deserve from God?

Read, Psalm 103:8-13

·         What does God give us instead? Why?

Again we see how our abundance is completely God’s doing, Again we see that our God is worthy to be praised. Our God deserves glorious praise. What are the similarities between Hannah’s prayer of praise and psalm 66?

 

'Abundance' (Day 1) Lydia’s Abundance Act 16, Psalm 66

Let us seek to recognize the many places of God’s abundance in our lives.

 

·         How would you describe abundance?

·         Mark your level of abundance in each area below from;

        GREAT ABUNDANCE to BARLEY ENOUPH

o   Material Possessions ~ Physical Health & Strength ~ Free Time ~ Talents

After reading Act 16 what do we learn about what kind of person Lydia was and what part did Paul have in helping Lydia?

What is your relationship with God? Do you just know about Him? Are you intimately acquainted with His Son, Jesus? Would you like to know Him better? What would help you do that? What part do other people have in helping you fill that need? Or, what part can you have in helping others get to know Jesus better?

·         Psalm 66:5, what did God do for all?

·         Why does God give us opportunities to share? God gave Lydia an abundance that would last eternity by opening her heart to the Gospel message. He also gave her willing eagerness to share the abundance of material possessions.

Like Lydia, we need the abundant forgiving Love of Christ before we have any strength or willingness to use other areas of abundance to serve the Lord. The good news is that God does not wait for us to come to Him or to become perfect in sharing our possessions, time, or talents. He comes to us; brings us to repentance for our selfish hoarding of His abundance; forgives us completely for the sake of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection; and makes us new!

'ABUNDANCE'

week 2 at a glance

 

Day 1   Lydia’s Abundance      Act 16, Psalm 66

Day 2   Hannah Gives Back to God     1 Samuel 1&2, Romans 3:10-13, Psalm 103:8-13

Day 3   Hezekiah’s Praise        2 Kings 19:15-19, Psalm 66

Day 4   We Praise God                        Psalm 66, Isaiah 41:9-20, 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, Hebrews 8:10-12, 2 Corinthians 1:20

'Emptiness'

As children of God, we use Psalms 63 to express our own emptiness to God honestly and openly.

We praise God for all He has done and all that He will do, being confident that He does care for us and will fill us with His Love.

Day 1     David’s Dry and Weary Time;  Read, Psalm 63 and  2 Samuel 15

Day 2     Naomi’s Times Emptiness;   read, Ruth

Day 3     Hannah, Remembered by God;  Read,  1Samuel 1:1-18 & 1 Samuel 1:19-28 and 2:18-21

Day 4           The Empty Soul Filled with God’s Love;  Take a deeper Look at Psalms 63

Day 5     The True Source of Fulfillment                      Ephesians 3:16-21

Praise and thank God in prayer and song for His deep love for you.

Pray also that God will help you to be faithful in worship and the study of His Word. 

For a in-depth study on 'Emptiness' this week please scroll down starting with Day 1. Answer the question in your journal, search His Word, and share if you feel led to.

Day 5 The True Source of Fulfillment

            How has Psalm 63 and the other scriptures we have read in this Bible study helped you            realize God as the source of all peace, hope, security, love and contentment?

·         Knowing that God is the true source of fulfillment and that He fills us though intimate fellowship with Him, why is it so important that we feed our faith through regular worship, prayer, Bible study and participation in the Lord’s Supper?

·         Psalm 63:11 reads, “But the king will rejoice in God all who swear by God’s name will praise Him.” When God has filled your emptiness, what has been your response? How do you rejoice in God? How do you praise Him?

·         Enjoy a time in fellowship with God right now as you read Ephesians 3:16-21

 

 How has this study helped you “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” for you?

Praise and thank God in prayer and song for His deep love for you.

Pray also that God will help you to be faithful in worship and the study of His Word.

Day 4 The Empty Soul Filled with God’s Love

David experienced a longing for God; he knew where to go—to the sanctuary. There he experienced God’s love. And in his deep emptiness he re-experiences God’s faithful, fulfilling love, which floods his thirsting soul.  The experience is so powerful, --- “I will praise You as long as I live.”

 

Psalms 63:2-4

 

·         How might your faith be affected if you were unable to worship in God’s house?

·         What part(s) of God’s house give you comfort and the reassurance of God’s love?

He reaches out to us in the knowledge of His love, mercy and forgiveness.

·         Share (if you’d like) a time when your experienced God’s love flooding your soul. Do times of emptiness often precede these experiences?

·         How does realizing God’s great love all over again leave a mark on your life?

      Those who put their trust in God will receive the ultimate fulfillment---heaven.  Why can you know this is true? How can focusing on your ultimate and eternal fulfillment strengthen you to make it through the dry and wear times of this life?

Day 3 Hannah, Remembered by God

Looking at God’s use of emptiness for our eternal good and for His glory. 

 

·         As you look back on your life, what has caused you to feel dry, weary, and empty?         

o   Death of a loved one.    * Illness.  *  An unfulfilled want or need

o   Comparing yourself to others. * Unsure of your niche.  * Failure. * Life changes.

o   Others__________                   Read,  1 Samuel 1:1-18

 

·         What contributed to Hannah’s emptiness? How did her husband try to console her?

·         In what ways did Hannah change? Consider what role trust and mature faith must have played.

·         Through what means does God strengthen our faith?

·         How will a poorly fed faith lead to our increase emptiness? Why?

When our schedule and habits don’t include feeding our faith through daily Bible reading, prayer, and regular participation in worship, we lose much of the peace and strength that God has for us. When we realize our loss, we humbly and sincerely repent of our sin. God gives us His full forgiveness and used His power to change us--- including our tendency to neglect His Word.

 

·         Read more of Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1:19-28 and 2:18-21. What effect do you think the Lord’s closing of Hannah’s womb for many years, and His later blessing of children, had on the faith life of Hannah, Elkanah, Eli, and maybe even Peninnah?

Day 2 'Emptiness'

Day 2     Naomi’s Times of Emptiness                                                                                                       read, Ruth

·         As a child have you ever been alone, lost, in a strange place, or with people you did not know? How did you react?

·         How does Naomi view God in her situation? How does her outlook affect her relationship with God and her sense of emptiness?                                                   Read,  Ruth 1: 13 & 20-21

 

Oftentimes when we face emptiness, our sinful nature urges us to respond in detrimental ways, but sinful responses to emptiness are merely a slippery slop to the very bottom of the pit.

·         What effect do these responses have on our emptiness?

o   Lash out

o   Lock it all inside and pretend you’re fine

o   Sigh and mope a lot

o   Reject all offers of help, concern, and compassion

o   Try to fill the emptiness by doing “stuff”

o   Reject God

o   Other:________________________________

·         Why did Naomi so persistently reject Ruth’s desire to help? Why do we reject others’ help and concern?

·         When we respond sinfully, we need but one thing—God’s merciful forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Record God’s faithfulness to Naomi in spite of her sinful responses:

o   Ruth 1:22,  2:17-20,  4:9-10,  4:13-17

·         God never quit working His wonderful plan on Naomi’s behalf. How might the words of Psalm 63 have helped Naomi to see God’s faithful love in her life?

·         Share (if you wish) a time in your life when God was faithful in spite of your unfaithfulness.

Pay attention this week at various ways you react to emptiness.  Ask God to forgive you for responding to emptiness by turning away from Him and those He has provided to help. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to what God is doing and has done to show His faithful love.

Soak yourself in God’s love through His Word. Ephesians 3:16-21; Psalm 145:13-21; Psalm 146; Psalm 33

Write the words of 2 Timothy 2:13 on a card. Tape it to your mirror as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Day 1 'Emptiness'

Day 1     David’s Dry and Weary Time                                                                                       Read, Psalm 63 and  2 Samuel 15

·         What is God’s message to you? (God can fill us with His mercy and love.)

·         Where am I now? Have you experienced physical thirst? Can you describe a dryness in your life, past or present?

·         David not only found himself in a dry and wary desert but also in a dry and weary emptiness in his life.   read,   2 Samuel 15:13-17, 23-30

·         How does David describe his longing for God?

·         Why do you think even Christians wander into the dry and weary wilderness?

·          How do you respond to the dry and weary times?

·         What scripture can you remember about God in your ‘desert time’?   read, Hebrews 6:19

As children of God, we use Psalms 63 to express our own emptiness to God honestly and openly.

We praise God for all He has done and all that He will do, being confident that He does care for us and will fill us with His Love.

Remember this is your time with Jesus. Begin with Prayer, read His Word, Listen and let the Holy Spirit guide you through these lessons. 

If all you get done this first day is read the scripture readings, Wonderful!  If you are blessed by this lesson you are welcome to share your answers and any other scripture verses you would like to share.

We are here to encourage and pray for each other.

Lets get started!

How do these scripture verses (from Jesus) speak to you and your calling?

John 15:16-17

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit---fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

Luke 11:9-10

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;  seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.