Hebrews 3 starts with “Therefore,” meaning that a conclusion will be made upon the evidence that has been given in chapter 2 or even chapter 1, so spend a little time in review – Thinking about His attributes, His supremacy, majesty, glory, and power. Take time to worship and praise Him; ask for His help and guidance as you study His Word!
Review this Week’s MEMORY VERSE (Heb 3:1). Hide the Word of God in your heart; Review; Meditate! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “The Church Belongs to Jesus?” Meditate upon (Heb 3:1-6) using 2PROAPT (on the back or at the bottom if online). Be still before Him and think about what you have just read. In your own words, summarize what the writer is saying.
Pray that God will not only help you fix your eyes upon Him, but that you would completely trust Him. ****************************************************************************************************************************************************** Intimacy with God: Your Quiet Time –2PROAPT Two key elements in having intimacy with God are prayer and the Word. We come to the Word of God not just to read it, but to understand what He is saying to us and to determine how He wants us to apply it to our lives; asking Him for the strength and will to apply it. Finally, writing it down and sharing it with another so that they might also learn. Study a short passage (couple of paragraphs) using an acrostic called: 2PROAPT.
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Our Perfect Help
(Source – IVP daily Bible Study) Spend a few moments reviewing (Heb 2:1-4) then focus upon the danger of drifting based upon what you have learned and experienced of the supremacy of Christ – His attributes, majesty, glory, and power. Take time to worship and praise Him; ask for His help and guidance as you study His Word! Review this Week’s MEMORY VERSE (Heb 2:10). Hide the Word of God in your heart; Review; Meditate! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Jesus, The Perfect Help For Humanity?” Meditate upon (Heb 2:5-18) using 2PROAPT (on the back or at the bottom if online). Dwell upon the reasons for not “drifting away” and what help you have available to you.
Pray that God, who made you holy, will give you clean hands and a pure heart (Ps 24:4). ***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Intimacy with God: Your Quiet Time –2PROAPT Two key elements in having intimacy with God are prayer and the Word. We come to the Word of God not just to read it, but to understand what He is saying to us and to determine how He wants us to apply it to our lives; asking Him for the strength and will to apply it. Finally, writing it down and sharing it with another so that they might also learn. Study a short passage (couple of paragraphs) using an acrostic called: 2PROAPT.
“The Danger of Drifting”
(Source – IVP daily Bible Study) Spend a few moments reviewing (Heb 1) then focus upon what you have learned and experienced of the supremacy of Christ – His attributes, majesty, glory, and power. Take time to worship and praise Him for who He is and what He has done for you and the world! Take time to think about how much He loves you (Rom 5:5) Review this Week’s MEMORY VERSE (Heb 2:1). Hide the Word of God in your heart; Review; Meditate! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “The Danger of Drifting?” Meditate upon (Heb 2:1-4) using 2PROAPT (on the back or at the bottom if online). What might cause you to “drift away” or let “such a great salvation” slip away?
Pray that God will keep your eyes focused on Jesus when you are tempted to “drift”. ***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Intimacy with God: Your Quiet Time –2PROAPT Two key elements in having intimacy with God are prayer and the Word. We come to the Word of God not just to read it, but to understand what He is saying to us and to determine how He wants us to apply it to our lives; asking Him for the strength and will to apply it. Finally, writing it down and sharing it with another so that they might also learn. Study a short passage (couple of paragraphs) using an acrostic called: 2PROAPT.
“The Superiority of Christ Over Angels”
(Source – IVP daily Bible Study) Spend a few moments reviewing last week’s study of (Heb 1:1-4) then focus upon what you have learned and experienced of the supremacy of Christ – His attributes, majesty, glory, and power. Take time to praise Him for who He is and what He has done for you and the world! Review this Week’s MEMORY VERSE (Heb 1:8). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE; REVIEW! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “The Superiority of Christ?” Meditate upon (Heb 1:4-14) using 2PROAPT (on the back or at the bottom if online). These verses contain seven quotations from the Old Testament; if you have a study Bible, try to find and read the source of each.
Pray that your life will reflect your knowledge of Jesus so that others may see Him in you. ***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Intimacy with God: Your Quiet Time –2PROAPT Two key elements in having intimacy with God are prayer and the Word. We come to the Word of God not just to read it, but to understand what He is saying to us and to determine how He wants us to apply it to our lives; asking Him for the strength and will to apply it. Finally, writing it down and sharing it with another so that they might also learn. Study a short passage (couple of paragraphs) using an acrostic called: 2PROAPT.
Memory Verse: Hebrews: God speaks about His Son
“The fundamental truth set forth in Hebrews is that Christ Himself, the Son of God, is God’s message, His voice to us.” (W.R. Newell) In the next few weeks God will lift before you the wonderful Christ in all His radiance so that you will truly know Him. Set aside time this week to read the book in one sitting – takes about an hour – but time well spent! Review the MEMORY VERSE (Heb 1:3). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “The Superiority of Christ?” Meditate upon (Heb 1:1-4) using 2PROAPT that you learned recently. “God spoke”; let Him speak to you through this scripture. Look for the seven wonderful statements that He makes about His Son in verses ( 2-3).
Pray that your life will reflect your knowledge of Jesus. Memory Verse: Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes
Baptism is such an important part of discipleship that Jesus included it in the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19). A person’s sins are forgiven based on faith in Christ alone, but baptism is an important symbol of death to our old life and way of living and a new beginning in Jesus Christ. Review the MEMORY VERSE (Mt 4:4). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Basic Steps to Christian Growth?” Meditate upon (Acts 8:25-40) using 2PROAPT that you learned last week. What prompted Philip to take the road to Gaza (v. 26)? Who or what prompted Philip to join the chariot (v. 29)? How did Philip get into sharing the Gospel (v. 30-31)? Is God revealing anything to you about His nature, His will, and His ways through this passage? What did the Ethiopian want to do after Philip shared the scriptures with him (v. 36-38)? Verse 37 is not included in some of the older manuscripts, but is consistent with New Testament teaching that belief comes first, then baptism. Why do you think the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing?” Application: Phillip used the Jewish Scriptures to explain the Gospel to the Ethiopian.
Two key elements in having intimacy with God are prayer and the Word. We come to the Word of God not just to read it, but to understand what He is saying to us and to determine how He wants us to apply it to our lives; asking Him for the strength and will to apply it. Finally, writing it down and sharing it with another so that they might also learn.
This Week: Study (Ephesians 5:21-33) using an acrostic called: 2PROAPT.
Remember to have a plan, a place, a purpose (to meet with Him), and finally – PERSEVERE, even when you don’t feel like it or think you don’t have time; early mornings can be wonderful in His presence! Based upon Dr. Stanley’s “How to Listen to God.”
To cultivate a daily walk with Christ – to know Him more intimately, we need to come to Him focused upon Him. We should have a plan when we come to Him that includes meditating upon the Word. Start in one of the Gospels like John or an epistle like Philippians, read a chapter a day. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you read. A good discipline is to use a prayer journal to write down what you say to Him and what He says to you. Here are some factors to consider when you pray, read, and meditate: 1. Time - Set aside a certain time of the day, I like early mornings to start my day with Him (Psalm 5:3), but the time of day is not as important as consistency. Listen to Him, allow His Spirit to fill you and equip you for the day ahead! 2. Stillness – If you’re going to meditate upon the Lord, stillness is vital (Psalm 46:10; Psalm 62:5). Fix your thoughts upon Him; be sensitive to His presence, His goodness, and His Grace. 3. Seclusion – Sometimes God wants your absolute, undivided attention; He wants a private time with you. Even Jesus needed time alone with the Father and so do you (Mark 1:35). His private workings are often the most precious. 4. Silence – If we are quiet before The Lord, He can interject His thoughts into our minds and hearts. Silence and seclusion allow our hearts to clearly perceive what the Lord is saying to us (Isaiah 30:15). He may give you a passage of scripture, reveal a truth, or give you peace. 5. Self-control – As we begin to meditate, we may have to labor a little mentally to focus our attention on God; a psalm can help center our thoughts. Begin to think just about Him, become lost in His Majesty! (Proverbs 8:34) 6. Submission – We must humble ourselves and submit to the Lord (James 4:10). If we are rebellious in our hearts, we won’t meditate. Yielding ourselves to Him is vital in listening to His voice. So mediate upon the Lord – His majestic glory, faithfulness, goodness and wonderful promises. Meditate on who He is, the Great I AM, and you will come to know His character and presence in a deep fresh way!e to edit. Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes
God’s twofold purpose in pursuing an intimate relationship with you is to reveal Himself to you and to accomplish His work through you. He wants you to have a life that is meaningful (Mt 5:14-16), joyful (Jn 15:11), and fruitful (Jn 15:5). Review the MEMORY VERSE (Jn 1:14). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “God among us: do we notice?” Read (Ps 63:1-8). The Holy Spirit living in you gives you the ability to develop a real and personal friendship with Christ. How does this Psalm of David indicate that he had a deep relationship with God? How thirsty; how longing was David? Some requirements for intimacy: 1. Trust; you cannot obey someone you do not trust. 2. Love; the more you love Him, the more you want to obey Him (Jn 15:14). 3. Openness and transparency; confess specific sins, open your heart and be honest with Him (1 Jn 1:9). 4. Two-way communication; when you pray, take time to listen; let Him reveal Himself (Jn 14:21). Do you believe that He will reveal Himself? 5. Time and effort; devote yourself to getting to know Him, the reward is worth it (Ps 16:11). Some barriers to intimacy with God: 1. Pride; is an abomination to God (Pr 16:5); it shifts our focus from God to ourselves. 2. Rebellion; is often an outgrowth of pride. Anything that is rebellious to God is sin. 3. Unforgiveness; (Mt 6:12,14). 4. Lack of Time; the key to an intimate relationship is our time alone with God – spend time with Him today! Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes
When the storms of life come, you and I can respond in anger and resist the spiritual lessons He has for us, or we can learn to respond in faith, trusting Him to provide our needs in spite of adversity. In this fallen world, we can expect to face trouble and difficulty (John 16:33). Review the MEMORY VERSE (Mat 1:21). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “A Marriage That Welcomes the Mystery of God?” What Causes storms? Some adversities we bring on ourselves. Other people can cause difficulties and Satan can bring hardships. In some cases, The Lord causes adversity; whether the storm is from Him or not, He will always use it for our good (Ro 8:28). What are some of God’s goals in the storm? 1. To reveal something about Himself (Jn 9:1-3; Jn 11:4). 2. Move His plans forward (Is 46:9-11; Jer 29:11). 3. Grow us personally (James 1:2-4; Phil 2:13). How does the Bible anchor us in times of storm? 1. It comforts us (Ps 57:1-3). 2. It reminds us of God’s promises (Mat 11:28; Josh 1:8-9). It is a compass for our lives (Pr 3:5-6). It teaches us how the Father works (1 Cor 10:1-13). Regardless of the storms that come, you can weather them with confidence, anchored to the Word of God and the solid Rock of Jesus Christ our Lord! Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes
Do you struggle with fully trusting the Lord? Even the disciples occasionally doubted Him. Our faith begins to wane when our prayers seem to go unanswered or adversity strikes. But trusting God means looking beyond what you can see to what He sees! Review the MEMORY VERSE (Lk 1:37). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Trusting in Spite of Disappointment?” Read: (1 Sam 17:20-51). How did David demonstrate his trust in God? Goliath was an imposing figure, but David focused on the spiritual (v 26). He declared victory before he picked up the 1st stone (46-47). What was the key to David’s victory? David realized that they were mocking God and he saw the picture of Goliath’s death – he knew the Lord would give the victory! How can you know if you are fully trusting God? You no longer fret. Worry reveals that you are no longer trusting God. When you rely completely on Him, you will stop pleading with Him and start thanking Him for answering your prayer (Phil 4:6-7). Requirements for life changing faith: 1. A Clean Heart; are there impurities in your life? Confess all known sin; they hinder your fellowship with Him (1 Jn 1:9). 2. Pure Motives; is your objective righteous? Or is your request selfish? What is His will for the situation? 3. Focus on Him; we dwell on our emotions, the facts, and the opinions of others – STOP, keep your eyes on Jesus, “For nothing is impossible with God.” The Lord doesn’t play favorites; He will work powerfully in any believer’s life, including yours!! Light in the Darkness
Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes Is your Life making an impact? Our impact on others should be as significant as the effect light has on darkness. People should see something compelling in us; as we abide in Jesus, He shines through to impact those around us. Review the MEMORY VERSE (Is 9:2). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Light in the Darkness?” Read: (Mt 5:14-16). Light comes from Jesus. Jesus was talking to His disciples (& you); what special qualifications did they have to be the light of the world? Were they learned men, educated and well qualified? But, they changed the world forever. Light points the way. As a flashlight illuminates the path and a lighthouse guides ships, God can use you to show His way to those who haven’t been enlightened. Ask Him for opportunities to point the way. (Dan 12:3) Light reveals. The light from one match or a small candle can be seen at a distance; likewise, God doing His work through you can shed light on those around you. Discuss ways that He wants to shine through you. (Is 58:10) Lights can go dim: You must trim the wick in a lantern or the wick will get too long and create soot that makes the light shine less brightly. That’s what happens when we tolerate sin in our lives; His light is kept from shining brightly! Apply (1Jn 1:9) and let your light shine this week! Thankfulness
Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes The Bible has a lot to say about the heart, so we certainly want it to be healthy. We need to keep our hearts pure, loving, unselfish and kind. One way the Bible teaches us to do this is through thankfulness and praise. So let’s have a heart checkup. Review the MEMORY VERSE (Ps 107:1). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “The Recipe for Thanksgiving” and having an attitude of gratitude, especially at this time of the year? Read: (Psalms 100). Talk about some of the reasons that you have that motivate you to be thankful (see verses 3 & 5). We can be thankful that He loves us unconditionally; we cannot do anything to lose it (Jer 31:3). With such a wonderful God to be thankful for, how can we train our hearts to Praise Him? Our prayers - Phil 4:6; our Singing – Ps 100:2; our spiritual battles – 1 Cor 15:57; our giving – 2 Cor 9:12; and our daily lives – Col 2:6-7. THIS WEEK: God asks us to be grateful for our own good; when thankfulness flows from your heart it will impact your life and those around you in a positive way. A thankful heart begins with understanding what it cost The Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and a have real personal relationship with you. When you accept His death on the cross as payment for your sins and receive Him as your personal savior you become a child of God. He enables you to become everything He created you to be! Now “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes 5:18 Experiencing God: You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you.
Based upon the Workbook by Henry Blackaby We have studied that God is always at work around us (John 5:17, 19-20) and pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal (Romans 3:10-12). We learned that when God reveals what He is doing, it is an invitation for us to join Him in His work (Exodus 3:1-14), and we looked at how God speaks (Genesis 22:1-18), we saw how responding to God by faith leads to God-sized tasks that attracts the world to Him (Joshua 6:1-16, 20-21), and how major adjustments in our lives are necessary in order to obey God (1Kings 19:15-21 & Luke 18:18-27). This week we conclude with: we come to know God by experience when we obey Him and He accomplishes His work through us; (John 14:15,24; Mat 7:24-27, 21:28-31a). As a family, reread these verses and review the sermon notes. Review the MEMORY VERSE (John 14:15). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart! MEDITATE: what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review verses: John 15:5, John 8:47, Heb 11:6, & Luke 14:33 Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about how obedience leads to an experience with God? How are Love and Obedience related? After reviewing the Scriptures above, discuss how you feel, relate to, agree or disagree with the following statements. 1. God is love, His will is always best. 2. God is all knowing, His directions are always right. 3. God is all powerful, He can enable you to do His will. 4. If you love God, you will obey Him. Has your relationship with God has changed because of this study? Finish your time with The Lord and your family in prayer asking Him for the type of relationship that you desire with Him and your family – Then wait expecting Him to answer (Ps 5:3)! Spend some time alone with Him this week! Experiencing God: You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing
Based upon the Workbook by Henry Blackaby We have studied that God is always at work around us (John 5:17, 19-20) and pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal (Romans 3:10-12). We learned that when God reveals what He is doing, it is an invitation for us to join Him in His work (Exodus 3:1-14), and we looked at how God speaks (Genesis 22:1-18), we saw how responding to God by faith leads to God-sized tasks that attracts the world to Him (Joshua 6:1-16, 20-21); Now we will study how major adjustments in our lives are necessary in order to obey God (1Kings 19:15-21 & Luke 18:18-27). As a family, reread these verses and review the sermon notes. Review the MEMORY VERSE (Luke 14:33). Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart! MEDITATE; what does the verse say to you? Pray for understanding. Review verses: John 15:5 , John 8:47, & Heb. 11:6 Review, Review, Review! DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about experiencing God through a crisis of belief that requires faith and action? After having reviewed the Scriptures above, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the intimacy and quality of your walk with God? Allow time for family members to respond. What, if any, adjustments do you think God wants you to make to renew a consistent, right relationship with Him? Read Matt 7:7-8; discuss how these verses might help you make any needed adjustments that God has revealed to you. Finish your time with The Lord and your family in prayer asking Him for the type of relationship that you desire with Him and your family – Then wait expecting Him to answer (Ps 5:3)! Spend some time alone with Him this week! |
Riverview Family Devotion GuidesFamily devotion guides are provided to help reinforce the "Big Idea" that is studied in Sunday School and presented in the Pastor's message each week. Archives
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