Sunday
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Prayer
Hymn: Micah 6:7-8/Majesty
Memory Verse: Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Lesson: Life Lessons
Character: Leah
Pastor remarks and intro of first principle
First Principle: What seems like a
surprise to us is often a plan to God.
Scripture Reference: Genesis 29:25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold,
it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done
to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
We
don’t always know the plan of God nor do we always understand the way God leads
us.
God’s
ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.
God
is not obligated to first seek our permission before He upsets our plans.
Question: Have you ever been
surprised about something that worked out to your benefit later?
Follow Up Question: What should we do when life
takes an unexpected turn?
Conclusion: Even though man may
ponder his path and plan his future, God is the one who directs our steps. When
life surprises us, we should rest secure in the fact that we will never catch
God unprepared for whatever comes our way. If we will but acknowledge Him, He
will direct our path.
Pastor remarks and intro of second principle
Second Principle: Life should be a
script that only God can write.
Scripture Reference: James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will
go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas
you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes
away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we
shall live and do this or that.”
Neither
Leah nor Jacob were masters of their own destiny.
Only
God sees the end from the beginning and we should pray not my will but thine be
done.
The
greatest adventure known to man is to realize that your name has been written
into God’s plan.
Question: Discuss this principle
and what it means to you.
Follow Up Question: Share an example from your
life experiences.
Conclusion: Our lives follow
predictable patterns which only God can predict. The Bible says that God is
both the author and finisher of our faith. We are not in control, nor should we
be. God has a plan, He will succeed, and all along the way God gives us chances
to participate. Don’t be surprised when God surprises you.
Pastor remarks and intro of third principle
Third Principle: It may not always
be all about you.
Scripture Reference: Genesis 35:23 the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s
firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun;
Although Leah was not loved by Jacob nor
appreciated by her sister Rachel, and perhaps not even valued by her family,
nonetheless she was God’s choice for Jacob.
Leah is the mother of Judah and therefore
she, not Rachael, is the great grandmother of Jesus.
Leah’s life was filled with hardship, hurt,
disappointment, and pain yet she fulfilled God’s will.
Evidently it was not all about her!
Question: What should we do
when we realize something is adversely effecting us but is probably not all
about us?
Follow Up Question: Name some other things that
could fall into this category.
Conclusion: Just because
something effects us does not mean it is all about us. Our Christian maturity
demands that we yield ourselves to the will of God and allow Him to use us to
the benefit of others.
Pastor closing remarks
·
Connect Cards;
Offering and Prayer
·
Memory Verse
·
Pre-Praise &
Worship Prayer
will be hosted in the Sanctuary Studio. Worship will begin in just a few
minutes.
