The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Personal Books

  • Lesson 2 (Lesson 41): Psalms 1-41: Book 1

    Key Verse

    “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16

     

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  After reading the verse with your students use the following definitions to help them understand it a little better.

    word of Christ:  refers to the revelation which Jesus brought into the world which is undiscoverable except by God and the Scriptures

    wisdom:  practical wisdom; sound judgment; good sense

    teaching:  to advise, or put in mind – as a tutor would do

    admonishing:  to caution or reprove gently; to warn

    hymns: a song sung in praise to God

    Use this discussion to prepare your students to understand the importance of the Psalms as we begin our study of them.  We see in our memory verse that the Psalms are songs sung as praises to God, but they are also to instill wisdom and good judgment in our hearts and minds to teach us how to live.

    Summary:  Today we continue with the second of the Personal books, Psalms. Psalms is known as the Israelites’ songbook.  David is often accredited to as its author.  Although he probably wrote almost half of them (about 73), there were other authors, known and unknown.  Many of the Psalms were written when different men approached God in prayer because of circumstances surrounding them.  You can see instances of great sorrow, admitted sin, repentance, hope and trust in God, faith, and a great love for God.  Throughout Psalms, man’s prayers from the heart turn to singing in that prayer – ending with man praising God, revealing that the Psalms are not only prayers from the heart, but songs as well.  Some were written in praise and adoration of who God is vs. who man is. So, many of these hymns are rich in Israel’s history.  If we know the history, we will better understand the circumstances surrounding many of these songs.

    In the book of Psalms, we find God is infinite – sovereign; yet despite man’s failings, God still communicates with man, and allows man to communicate with him.

    We will especially see how the Psalms, broken into five books, parallel to the first 5 books of the Bible (the Law).  Many believe the 5 books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are God’s words to His people, whereas the 5 books of the Psalms are God’s people’s words (prayers and songs) back to God.  Each of these five divisions ends with its own doxology (a hymn of praise to God).  We begin today with the first book of the Psalms (chapters 1-41) revealing man and God’s dealings with man as compared to the book of Genesis.  Remember in Genesis, we saw sin enter into the world, causing separation from God.  We also found God actively involved in men’s lives.  You may want to review that in Genesis there were 4 main events (the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel) and 4 main people (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph).

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  All of God’s Word is important – converting the soul and making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7).

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 41 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 41 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet 1

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below).  For today’s lesson we took an outline of a sheep and filled it with cotton balls to make a fluffy sheep.  That was one way to remember that David (who we learned was a shepherd boy) wrote many of the Psalms.  You could choose to do a craft that reminds your students of one of the 4 Main Events in Genesis (Creation, Fall, Flood, and Tower of Babel) as we compare them to Book 1 of Psalms.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.

    By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives.  Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural.  Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

  • Lesson 1 (Lesson 40): Job: The Test

    Key Verse

    “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”  I Peter 1:7

     

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Explain that gold is purified with fire.  When it is hot enough to become liquid, the impurities can be skimmed off.  When we have trials (a time of testing), it is to purify us – making us better Christians.  Even though we don’t like trying times, they are to help us become better Christians as we wait for Jesus’ return.

    Summary:  Today we begin studying the first of the five Personal Books, Job.  We will continue with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon in the following weeks of this quarter.  They are all books written as poems.  They each deal with individuals’ very personal experiences with God.  We will see how they specifically deal with the individual’s heart issues as they seek to know and understand God better.

    The book of Job opens with a behind the scenes event that Job never knew about (a very important fact for us to consider!)  Satan presented himself before God’s throne after walking to and fro over the face of the earth.  God (knowing all) asked if he had set his heart upon God’s servant, Job.  God then gave Satan permission to afflict Job.  The rest of the book records the events that transpired.  Today in our lesson we will see both sides, heavenly and earthly, of the afflictions of this upright man Job.  A most important thing to note:  through the events that take place in this book, a man God described as a “perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth (turns away from) evil” (Job 1:8), Job still grew in his knowledge of God – Job 42:5-6:  “5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

    Many believe the book of Job takes place about the same time as Abraham, but most all agree that this is the oldest book written.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  Even though we may have been in Sunday School or church for most of our lives, and think we know “enough”, we can still grow in our knowledge of God’s Word.  We should never lose that desire to learn more about God.  Job didn’t!

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 40 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 40 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below).  For today’s lesson I had a list of some people in our church who were sick (or some of our shut-ins that no longer are able to physically attend church).  We made and colored cards to send to them.  It is important to minister to others when they are sick or afflicted.  We may not understand what is going on in their lives (much like Job’s friends had no idea what was really going on in his life), but it is a blessing to be kind to them.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.

    By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives.  Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural.  Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

  • Lesson 7: Five Personal Books: Job – Song of Solomon

    Key Verse

    “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” Job 42:5

    Has anyone ever “heard” of God?  Has anyone seen God?  (Moses saw the back of God as He passed by – that’s all we know of.)  What does it really mean when someone says they’ve “seen” God?  (Explain that the person has seen God move in their life through events.)

    In this lesson, we are going to begin looking at some men in the Bible who wanted to know God better.  These men wanted to communicate with God, and wanted to know Him better.  Their words collectively are the five Personal books, each book written as poems and some as songs.  The five Personal books are called such because they deal very personally with man.  Each book deals with different individual’s experiences with God:  Job, the men who wrote the Psalms (David, Moses, Asaph – who led the music, and others), King Solomon – as he recorded wise words in the Proverbs, when he wrote about the vanity of life apart from God in Ecclesiastes, and as he wrote of the beauty of a perfect love in marriage in Song of Solomon.  They mainly deal with the individual’s heart issues as they seek to know and understand God better.  We often set some these poems to music and sing them.  We will emphasize and mention all five books.

    In this lesson it is important to recognize that “seeing” God is when someone sees God move in their life through events.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 7 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 7 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

    Ideas for children:

    In any lesson, you may want to work on your coloring timeline – especially when it relates to the lesson.

    Review the 3×5 cards if you made them, practicing the divisions.  Focus on putting the Personal books in order for today’s lesson.

    Display the poster of the books of the Old Testament (may be downloaded from the Lesson 4 Blog). Review the five Personal Books (showing them on the poster).  You may have them write or draw a picture of their favorite event from the Personal books.

    It would be good to have a special time set aside each week for prayer. Encourage your students to discuss any prayer requests they may have.  Help them understand the importance of prayer.  If they do not know how to pray, help them learn and become comfortable praying aloud.  You may want to begin by learning The Lord’s Prayer together.  This is an example of prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples.  Not only will they learn the basics of praying, but they will become more comfortable speaking prayers aloud.

    “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.”            Matthew 6:9-13

    If you close with the Lord’s Prayer each session, it will implant it in their hearts for a lifetime!

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.  For this week, have them each add the picture, news article, poem they have written, picture they may have drawn, etc. of something they believe is relevant to the lessons we have been studying.  Encourage everyone to participate.  Watch as it grows weekly, as they express what God is revealing to them through our study of how the Bible fits into His plan to help us become more like Him.

    Today, ask them to open their Bibles to Proverbs.  Ask:  Have any of your parents sent you to your room to read Proverbs, or have they quoted you verses from the book of Proverbs?  Have them read their favorite verse from Proverbs.  If they don’t have one, assign one (or more) of the following (or another one of your favorites) for them to look up (choose your favorites before class):

    Proverbs 3:1-2       Proverbs 3:5-6       Proverbs 3:7          Proverbs 3:12        Proverbs 3:27        Proverbs 3:30        Proverbs 4:23   Proverbs 6:20       Proverbs 7:2          Proverbs 13:3        Proverbs 13:20      Proverbs 14:12       Proverbs 15:3        Proverbs 15:5        Proverbs 16:3        Proverbs 16:7       Proverbs 16:18        Proverbs 16:25      Proverbs 17:13      Proverbs 17:17      Proverbs 17:28      Proverbs 18:24      Proverbs 20:11      Proverbs 23:7a          Proverbs 23:17      Proverbs 26:22      Proverbs 30:5

    Have them decorate a piece (or pieces) of cardstock or construction paper with the verse.  (Only one verse per sheet.)  Then have the students add them to your mural.  Encourage them to “hide these words in their hearts” (Psalm 119:11.)

    Personal Books Picture