Mid-Week Bible Study Lessons – Growing by Knowing with Pastor DeWayne Cason

This week’s lesson focuses on the disciplined practice of praying, it’s process and purpose. Pastor Cason helps us understand and know what prayer is through the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was called, master, Rabboni, teacher among many other things. His followers or disciples asked him to teach them to pray. Our lessons text takes us to Luke 11:1-4 where Pastor Cason begins Learning from the Lord’s Model Prayer

There is a technical side to prayer in which we communicate with the Lord our God in the prescribed method as was just shared by Jesus to his disciples. And then there is a practical side of prayer where we can apply regarding our personal relationship with our God

Mid-Week Study – Lesson on Growing Up In Christ

You the members of New Berean are our first concern and we want to make sure you are being looked out for. We are constantly exploring ways to minister to the people of God. And the Lord has been gracious to us as we are using the online platforms to keep you informed, encouraged and aware. We are also asking you to keep us informed and aware of the things that are important to you through the Deacon ministry and your ministry Leaders. The Prayer Warriors are always communicating to us encouraging and uplifting daily message. With so much being said and to say, let be said in prayer and with words bathed in love and intended to edify (Eph. 4:1-4)

God is In Control – In a world of so many uncertainties, we all can be left in a fog of confusion and be overwhelmed. These events can have us so captivated we lose focus. In a recent message by Pastor Ricks, he reminded us that no matter we are experiencing, the God of the bible whom we love and more so loves us is still in control as he always has and always will.

We all need to be encouraged in these times. So many of us have been impacted (either directly or indirectly) by the ills of this viral pandemic. Our encouragement to you today and everyday is to:

• Trust The Lord (Proverbs 3:5) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding”. No matter the circumstance, the Lord our God wants us to place our complete trust in Him, and his ability, to sustain, rescue deliver and help us. In trusting him, he will give us a peace that completely overcomes our human comprehension.
• Be Found Faithful (I Cor. 4:2) – “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful”. The principle applies to every aspect of our lives. From serving to giving, from treating others, praying, worshiping and ministering to following the following and obeying magistrates and those in authority we are expected to be faithful (Tit. 3:1).
• Remain Committed to The Commission of Christ Pointing Others to Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20) With all of heaven’s authority, we have been mandated to share and take the gospel to the world. We are being asked to explore and use the means of communication to tell of the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Sins of the People (verses 1-4)

Sin in its simplest form is the act of violating the established law. Israel’s history and heritage had been formed and shape by the divine wisdom of the Lord Jehovah (Ex. 13:3). God established himself early in their existence and reminded them often of who he was and their responsibility to him. For many reasons they were both prone to and susceptible to violating God’s law. In this week’s lesson, we find them in the same situation again but in his loving and character of compassion, the Lord shares with them through his prophet Isaiah, that he will redeem them.

Yet even in their rebellion against God and his word, he remained gracious and kind towards them. He reminds them that no matter how far they would stray away or how deep into the darkness of their sins, they are never too far from his reach (v 1-2). He too hears their cries even though it seems he’s not listening. . He is not willing for any of them to perish, but in his longsuffering way waits in anticipation. God explains to them the reason for the calamity (v 3). He wants them to judge themselves and return again unto himself (v 4) but no one does. If they would judge themselves, then he would not have to judge them (cf. I Cor. 11:31).

Redemptive Work of God (verses 15-21)

The love of the Lord towards his people is great. He is willing to go to great lengths to demonstrate his love. He even allows them to use his standards of righteousness to judge themselves before he exerts his own authority to judge (v 16, 17). But there was no one who would intercede and plead for them, so he becomes Zion’s Redeemer (v 16, 17). He clothes himself with all of the attributes of the righteous judge with righteousness, zeal, vengeance and salvation.

God declares what he will do to their enemies equaled to the acts or crimes committed (v 18) and the subsequent results of falling into the hands of the living God (v 19). Fear is used here in both forms of respect and terror. There times when fearing the Lord is to respect him and then there are times when terror is the proper response. But none the less, the God is to be feared by all at all times.

God promises to be the redeemer of Zion (his holy place in Israel, v 20, 21). The condition is for them to turn away from their sin and towards the holiest of their Lord. This is repentance in its truest form. And the Lord God seals his word with this covenant with his Spirit upon them and his words in their mouths.