Winter Quarter Sunday School 2010

FALL QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2010 THEME: OUR AWESOME GOD! Unit 2: “Our Awesome God Revered” (A study of selected Psalms)

“GOD’S AWESOME PRESENCE BRINGS CONTENTMENT IN SPITE OF CIRCUMSTANCES”

Sunday School Lesson No. IX, October 31, 2010 Rev. Frank A. Davis, III – Pastor-Teacher Lesson Text: Psalm 63:1-11 Motto Text: Psalm 63:1 (NLT), “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” Required Reading: Psalm 63:1-11; I Samuel 23; II Samuel 15; Psalms of Israel’s Redemption, 61 – 72 Reliable Resources: Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Standard Lesson Commentary; Precepts for Living (UMI Publishing); Notes and Outlines on the Psalms (Thru the Bible Commentary) by Dr. J. Vernon McGee; Libronix Digital Library System; God, I Need Some Answers (Dr. David Jeremiah) INTRODUCTION As we turn our Bibles to Psalm 63, we note that it is a part of the Psalms of Israel’s Redemption according to Dr. J. Vernon McGee. This specific Psalm follows the life of David and his wilderness experiences while fleeing his enemies and waiting upon the deliverance of Jehovah in a desert solitary wilderness. Some theologians tell us that the background of this Psalm is I Samuel 23 and others, II Samuel 15. In I Samuel 23 it is early in David’s life and he fled from King Saul in the wilderness of Ziph and Maon, with God giving him special attention. In II Samuel 15, David is a much older man and sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. This passage speaks of how David’s son Absalom stole the hearts of the people and led a rebellion against David, declaring himself to be king. After things looked very disheartening, David left the kingdom’s throne and with several loyal followers, fled to the wilderness and, though being on the run, God gave him the Contentment of His Awesome Presence in Spite of Circumstances. Now let us note my Anticipated Power Points for this week.  Presence and Power. Psalm 63:1-2  Praise and Prayer. Psalm 63:3-5  Peace and Purpose. Psalm 63:6-8  Props and Protects. Psalm 63:9-11 LESSON OUTLINE EXPOSITION

I. Presence and Power. Psalm 63:1-2 David in this Psalm is definitely in a place of barrenness. I believe it was both of body and soul that he felt this barrenness for the fellowship of God! He declares to Jehovah, “I earnestly search for you.” (63:1 NLT) Beloved, this is the right attitude. No matter what life’s disposition we face, like David, there should always be a yearning for the presence of the Lord. In the wilderness of life, while we walk through a world that denies God’s presence, let us seek the Lord while he may be found. Psalm 42:1-2, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Beloved, come hell or high water, let us do as David; in good times or difficult we will seek the presence, knowledge and peace of the Lord! Why? Because as David says in verse 2, he had intimate knowledge of God in the past and this carried him through times of difficulty. (Read Psalm 27:4). We can have confidence in the worst of times and situations because of God’s awesome presence and power! II. Praise and Prayer. Psalm 63:3-5 Though David was literally traveling in a wilderness land and having a very dry and difficult season in his journey, he had reason to praise God and pray! Verse 3: He could praise God and pray because of God’s “unfailing love.” (Read Jeremiah 31:3). This is the “unconditional love of God.” Verse 4: David declares the position of prayer in the Hebrew’s life; with hands lifted up to God sending up his petition and receiving God’s answer to his prayer with a heart of thanksgiving and praise. (Read Psalm 145:3-4). Beloved, it’s time to lift our hands towards our Awesome God in prayerful petition and powerful praise! (Read I Kings 8:22; Psalm 28:2; Psalm 119:48; Habakkuk 3:10). Verse 5: David’s very soul found satisfaction or all sufficiency in the Person of God. Beloved, even while in a wilderness land and experience, David found contentment more than a banquet in praising the Person of the Lord. Beloved, who or what are you looking to for satisfaction? “My soul thirstiest for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:2a III. Peace and Purpose. Psalm 63:6-8 While David slept in many unsecure places, in caves, under the night skies, etc., he closed his eyes and rested in peace and with purpose. How? Because the Lord was his meditation at all times. During any of the three night watches of Israel (6- 10 pm, 10pm-2am or 2am-6am) David sang or slept in total confidence. Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Beloved, when we face the uncertainty of a storm-laden sky or the darkness of night, remember the words of the prophet in II Chronicles 16:9a, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him...” IV. Props and Protects. Psalm 63:9-11 As David reflects upon his adversary, whether it was Saul or Absalom, he was more than confident that all who plotted his destruction would meet their own end. (I Samuel 30:4; II Samuel 18:14). God would prop him up and protect him from all evil; God would preserve his soul, as we see in Psalm 121:7-8, “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Thus beloved, we close this Psalm knowing that God’s Awesome Presence Brings Contentment in Spite of Life’s Circumstances. Psalm 23:4-6, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

CLOSING “Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely And long for heav’n and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.” *************************************************************************************************************************** THE STUDY HOUR Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, La 70179-0768 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 504-486-7876 Website: www.thestudyhour.com TV Broadcasts: WHNO TV 20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. Radio Broadcast: WLNO AM1060, Saturday, 8:30 a.m.

LOOKING AHEAD: November 7, 2010 Psalm 66:1-12

Dear Study Hour Students,

Did you know that for the cost of one cup of coffee per WEEK, you can assure that this ministry will remain in the homes and hearts of our television and radio audiences? You can be a tremendous blessing to teachers, students, new Christians, the unsaved, and countless others by committing to supporting this ministry with only $12.00 per month.

Please contact us at 504-486-7876 to learn more about this unique way to spread God’s weekly Sunday School lessons. If the Lord has already made it possible for you to bless others in this way, please send your contribution to: The Study Hour Post Office Box 19768 New Orleans, LA 70179

Make checks or money orders payable to The Study Hour. $12.00 per month will help us to remain in your homes, hospital rooms, cars, work places, and anywhere God’s people may gather to hear from Him.

Thank you and may you receive richly of the Lord for your timely response to this urgent plea.

THE STUDY HOUR

Rev. Frank A. Davis, III

Rev. Frank A. Davis, III Pastor-Teacher www.thestudyhour.com