Lessons from David: Preparation

Outline of Service 23^rd December 2018

Lessons from David:  Preparation – 1 Chron 13:3

Hymn 105:  Our Almighty King

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 24:1-10 – The King of Glory

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     The ark of God Returns:  2 Chronicles 13:1-14; 15:1-3

·     Coming Prepared or Not!  Matthew 25:1-13

·     The Promised Messiah:  Luke 1:26-33

Hymn 109:  The King of Truth

·     David often planned and prepared for important events – he was motivated by a feeling in his heart! 

·     When David first wanted to bring the Ark of God “home” he was confronted by God’s Judgment!

·     We need to recognise God’s grace, but also prepare to meet His requirement for righteousness! 

·     The Foolish Virgins had not undertaken adequate preparation for the task they were to carry out

·     As we think of the birth of the Saviour, and see how God had planned the end from the beginning, let us recognise the importance of praising and following God in our lives 

·     If we prepare by offering a sacrifice of righteousness to God, He will give us the gift of life through His Son Jesus Christ.

Hymn 14:  Joyful Tidings

Doxology

Lessons from Dvid: Convinced and Convicted

Outline of Service 9^th December 2018

Lessons from David:  Convinced and Convicted – Psalm 146:5

Hymn 106:  A Place of Peace

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 146:1-10 – An inward commitment

Bible Readings:                                                

·     A Willing Heart:  1 Chronicles 29:1-2, 6-13, 18-20

·     A Changed Heart:  Acts 9:1-18

·     Seeking a Sign:  John 6:25-33

Hymn 23:  Designed for Greatness

·     People can sometimes be convinced that something is right, but not convicted to let that impact on their lives 

·     David was not only convinced about God’s Power and Glory, but was convicted to follow God’s direction in his life

·     The greatness of the World around us can be a sign to convince us that there must be a Great Creator, but does that also convict us to follow the lifestyle He has set out in the Scriptures? 

·     Our inward conviction of His Greatness is itself a sign to each personally that He is Lord of all 

·     Are you setting your mind on things above as you seek to follow Him, and hold the hope to be preserved in spirit and soul and body to be wholly changed when Jesus Christ returns 

Hymn 34:  A Heart to Obey

Doxology

Lessons from David: Leaving a Legacy

Outline of Service 25^th November 2018

Lessons from David:  Leaving a Legacy – Psalm 78:4

Hymn 128:  Own Your Glorious God!

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 78:1-7, 10-12, 16-19 - Passing on the Message

Bible Readings:                                                

·     The Covenant with David:  2 Samuel 7:1-16, 22-24

·     Generational Stability:  2 Timothy 1-11

·     Timeless Good Advice:  Matthew 5:1-12

Hymn 102:  From Generation to Generation

·     God made a covenant with David that there would always be one of his descendants sitting on his throne

·     Jesus Christ has fulfilled that promise in that He sits on the Throne of David and rules over all the World

·     We need to trust in God and to pass on this legacy to the next generation

·     There will be one generation alive and obediently waiting at the return of Jesus Christ – they will receive the fulfillment of the promises on behalf of those who have gone before them

·     God’s Plan will work out in His time in His way – we must trust in Him as we pass on the message of the hope of being preserved in spirit and soul and body and changed wholly from mortal to immortal beings at His return.

Hymn 81:  The Message of the Ages

Doxology

Lessons from David: The Refining Fire

Outline of Service 11^th November 2018

Lessons from David:  The Refining Fire – Luke 4:2

Hymn 16 (Tune 20):  Refined and Purified

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 51:1-6, 10-12, 16-19  A Prayer of Repentance

Bible Readings:                                                

·     The Parable of the Sheep:  2 Samuel 12:1-14, 18-2

·     The Base Cause:  Romans 7:1, 12-25

·     Tempted of the Devil:  Luke 4:1-13

Hymn 11 (Tune 13):  A Returned Heart

·     God had chosen David but that did not mean that he would be without faults

·     David was a “man after God’s own heart”, although at the same time he did many things that were wrong, as well as things that would be repugnant to us today! 

·     Like all descendants of Adam (except for Jesus) David was subject to the influence of Satan who attracts the evil within us and causes us to sin

·     David was tried by God, and sometimes failed badly, but through these trials he was refined by God as an example to give us hope 

·     Each of us will be tried in our own lives as God refines us to remove the evil from within us

·     Those faithfully waiting for Jesus Christ have the hope to be refined in spirit and soul and body and enter in life eternal at His return. 

Hymn 122 (Tune 123):  Our Own Nature - The Biggest Challenge!

Doxology

Lessons From David: Promise Fulfilled

Outline of Service 28^th October 2018

Lessons from David:  Promise Fulfilled – 

Hymn 105:  Praise God for His Greatness

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 100:1-5  The Lord is Good

Bible Readings:                                                

·     David Becomes King:  2 Samuel 2:1-7, 5:1-5; 1 Chron 11:1-3

·     Waiting and Watching:  Malachi 4:1-6

·     God’s Promised Kingdom:  Hebrews 4:1-16

Hymn 117:  God Knows

·     God had made promises to David when he was a youth – but there had been many occasions on which David could have doubted those promises

·     When David became King over Israel then they were fulfilled

·     David had maintained his faith in God and His Plan even though at times things seemed completely out of order!

·     God has a Plan for each of us - there are promises in the Scripture about how God will direct and control our lives, but sometimes we might wonder if He really is in control

·     We must each pray for God to give us strength to hold on to the promise of our relationship with Him while we look forward to the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth

·     Those faithfully waiting for Jesus Christ at His return will be changed in spirit and soul and body and enter in life eternal - as God has promised throughout the Scriptures.

·     Hymn 59:  A Vision and Hope

Doxology

Lesons from David: Trusting in the Promises

Outline of Service 14^th October 2018

Lessons from David:  Trusting in the Promises– Mark 13:33

Hymn 105:  Praise and Trust our Creator

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 91:1-6, 11-16 – God will Fulfil His Plan

Bible Readings:                                                

·     David Trusts in God under Extreme Difficulties:  1 Samuel 19;1-5; 22:1-2; 24:1-22

·     Joseph Trusts and Waits:  Genesis 39:1-3, 20-23

·     Watch and Pray:  Mark 13:1-4, 26-37

Hymn 115:  Making Trial of Truth

·     David had been publicly anointed by Samuel to be the next King of Israel

·     Saul, through jealously, was chasing David with the intent of killing him so that these promises would not be fulfilled

·     David maintained his faith in God and His Plan even though things seemed completely out of order!

·     Other Bible characters also demonstrated trusting in God for His deliverance in what seemed to be unbeatable odds

·     Today we have the promises about Jesus Christ’s return and establishment of His Kingdom upon the Earth – do we TRUST in those promises or do we doubt and think they are an unrealistic dream?

·     Let us trust in God to protect us from the power of Satan (the evils in this world), and to preserve us in spirit and soul and body to enter into His coming Kingdom.

·     Hymn 83:  Something Good and Unexpected!

Doxology

Lessons from David: SERVING - as to The Lord

Outline of Service 23^rd September 2018

Lessons from David:  Serving … as to The Lord – Col 3:23

Hymn 104:  Trusting God Day by Day

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 18:46-50 – Sing Praises unto Thy Name

Bible Readings:                                                

·     David Serves without Question:  1 Samuel 16:21-23; 17:1-2, 4, 10, 15-24, 32-37, 42-50, 56-58

·     Enjoy Life:  Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17

·     A More Abundant Life:  Matthew 10:32-42

Hymn 11 – Tune 96:  A Heart to Serve

·     David had been chosen, but continued his everyday life in the usual manner

·     Solomon tells us to enjoy the fruit of our labours – not always fulfilling magnificent dreams, but serving where ever God has placed us

·     It is in serving others that our life has meaning to ourselves

·     God has created he World and we in it – being here is by the grace of God, and accepting and enjoying where we are is a gift from God

·     Jesus spoke about a more abundant life – this refers both to feeling fulfilled here and now as well as to what is in store in the next phase of God’s Plan

·     Let our goal be to See God more clearly, Love Him more dearly and Follow Him more nearly, Day by Day, serving Him until Jesus Christ returns.

·     Hymn 92:  Serving God

Doxology

Lessons from David: Chosen by God

Outline of Service 9^th September 2018

Lessons from David:  Chosen by God – 1 Samuel 16:12

Hymn 100:  Walking With God

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 103:1, 17-22 – The Lord Ruleth Over All

Bible Readings:                                                

·     David is Chosen:  1 Samuel 16:1-13

·     God Chooses His People:  Exodus 14:8-16

·     Another Unsuspecting Choosing:  Acts 9:1-16

Hymn 64:  An Inward Choosing

·     God chose David without others even suspecting him to be fit for the job!

·     God chose Israel to be His people to show His power through human weakness

·     God chose Paul maybe because he had the right credentials, although the wrong understanding at the time

·     God draws His people to Himself, and we will not be content in this life until we are walking within God’s Will for our life

·     God has chosen some to be eye witnesses of Jesus Christ’s return to this Earth, and has placed this hope within their hearts

·     We must seek to follow God as He leads each one of us individually, and He will give us the position in His new Kingdom that He has prepared for us.

·     Hymn 90:  Called by God

Doxology

Winter: Ending and Renewal

Outline of Service 26^th August 2018

Winter:  Ending and Renewal – Song of Solomon 2:11

Hymn 102:  The Next Season

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 118:14-24  This is the Lord’s Doing

Bible Readings:                                                

·     Winter Replaced by Spring:  Song of Solomon 2:1-17

·     Deliverance from Trials:  Genesis 50:1-3, 14-22

·     A New Start:  Revelation 21:1-9, 22-27

Hymn 88:  New Clothing

·     We have seen in the Scriptures that Winter is a figure of the period of time when Satan is given permission by God to rule over the Earth and try to turn people from believing and following God

·     Solomon talks about the end of Winter, when God will give His power to overcome the evil and start to live a life of righteousness in obedience to Him

·     Strangely enough, the trials of this world help build and strengthen our faith in God

·     When Jesus Christ returns the Winter will be behind us: we can hope for that time when we will live eternally in God’s Kingdom

·     Let us hold the hope to be preserved alive in spirit and soul and body and enter the City where God and the Lamb are the light.

·     Hymn 71:  Sin Subdued for Eternity

Doxology

Winter: Power in God's Timing

Outline of Service 12^th August 2018

Winter:  Power in God’s Timing – Matt 24:20/Eccles 3:12

Hymn102:  The Day of Rest

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 46:  God is our refuge and strength

Bible Readings:                                                

·     God has a Best Time for Everything:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

·     Flee the evil of this World:  Matthew 24:1-22

·     A Godly Lifestyle:  2 Timothy 2:19-26

Hymn4:  God’s Timing

·     Solomon explained that there are times and seasons in our lives; sometimes we have to wait, sometimes we have to move, but we must look for God’s direction in all that we do

·     Jesus spoke about life under Satan’s rule, as being in the winter; He exhorts us to ask God to remove the evil from within us before Jesus Christ returns so that we can be changed and made like Him at His return

·     When Jesus Christ returns the Millennium, or the promised Sabbath Day, will commence; He exhorts us to flee the evil before that time so that we can fully enjoy the thousand years of rest with Him before entering into eternity

·     Timothy gives us some practical advice on the lifestyle that God wants us to follow, and we must ask God to give us POWER to flee the ways of the world

·     We don’t know when the winter will end, but, let us seek to God in prayer to prepare us in spirit and soul and body to be ready if it be that through His grace He chooses us to be one of those who will directly enter His Sabbath when Jesus Christ returns. 

Hymn 47:  Standing with the Saviour

Doxology

Winter: Plan and Prepare

Outline of Service 22^nd July 2018

Winter: Plan and Prepare – Acts 27:12

Hymn100:  Fed by God

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 61:  Praise the Lord as we wait                                                                                  

Bible Readings:                                                  

·     Remember Lot’s Wife – bad planning and no preparation!  Genesis 18:18-33, 19:15-17, 22-29

·     Doing What We Can:  Acts 27:1, 6-14, 18-25

·     Meanwhile, We Wait:  2 Timothy 1-5, 13-17

Hymn46:  God’s Plan for now and beyond

·     Lot living in the Sodom and Gomorrah is like us living in the evil World today; we can also liken this to living in the Winter, or the time ruled by Satan, when we need to seek diligently to find God’s Way

·     Paul knew that his ship should wait in the safe haven during winter, even though this put limitations on what could be done, but the limitations needed to be accepted until it was safe (or in accordance with God’s timing) to move

·     Living in this world (like winter) puts many restrictions on us with regards our relationship with God, but we need to rest in His Presence until He makes clear the next stage of His Plan for each of us

·     Whilst we are waiting for the winter to finish we must develop an awareness of God’s Plan and Purpose and prepare by trying to follow the lifestyle He has set out in the Scriptures

·     As we await the return of Jesus Christ, when He will “pull us out” of the winter (as the angels pulled Lot out of the City), we must remain in the safe haven without becoming over-comfortable in it, with a Plan to Prepare for God’s coming Kingdom.  

Hymn 15 – Tune 13:  Preparing God’s People

Doxology