Wisdom from the Bible Wisdom and Holy Living Psalm 119:1-16

March 30, 2014 Prayer Requests Dan Dvorak & Family – Bereavement Dan Dvorak & Family – Bereavement Lucy McKinney -- Health Lucy McKinney -- Health Peggy & Danny -- Health Peggy & Danny -- Health Ruth Gawith -- Health Ruth Gawith -- Health Ginnie Jellison – Health Ginnie Jellison – Health Donnie Meeks -- Health Donnie Meeks -- Health Keith McNew – Salvation Keith McNew – Salvation James Alexander -- Salvation James Alexander -- Salvation

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SandraGreat Britain DavidMexico Saurabh Bangladesh, Angola, Namibia RuthIndia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand Keith & Ruth Switzerland SarahSwaziland WayneAfrica Sofia church’s new space lends to community outreach For the first time since its inception in the early 1990s, the Sofia Church of the Nazarene is meeting in a space that is available to church activities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In November, the church signed a rental agreement on a 170-square meter storefront off the main boulevard, about 400 meters away from the land the church owns, and began worship services there. It’s located in the Lyulin neighborhood of Sofia, a lower to middle class community of about 300,000 people, primarily families who are striving to make ends meet. Now that they have a space they don’t share with any other church or business, the building is available for mid-week groups, outreach activities and Bible studies.

Praying for the US & Canada Alexanders: CA, OK, GA, QC Vanderpool: NM (SE ABQ) Jellisons: UT, TX, AK Shultzs: CA, DC, MA, BC Moores: AZ, NM, DC, CA, YT, QC Abby Nielson: MA, OH, VT, QC Aliece Nielson: NM, VT, PEI L. Kilgore: VA, MI T. & P. Brown: IL, HW, PA, DC Nielsons: OH, PEI, VT, MA, RI Griffins: VT, OH, (Northeast) C. Yazzie: NM, AZ, & Navajo Nation Adams: NM, CA, MA B. Brown: GA, OR, ON B. Vito: NY,ID Michigan District to celebrate 100 years The Michigan District will celebrate its 100th anniversary this July… By order of General Superintendent P. F. Bresee, J. W. Lawrence called to order the first assembly of the Michigan District on December 10, A. H. Kauffman was elected district superintendent. There were 11 churches in the district with a total membership of 472 at that time…. Today, the Michigan District consists of 75 churches.

Background -- 1 Leviticus 19:The L ORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the L ORD your God, am holy. 3 “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the L ORD your God. 4 “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the L ORD your God. 5 “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the L ORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. 6 It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up. 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted. 8 Whoever eats it will be held responsible because they have desecrated what is holy to the L ORD ; they must be cut off from their people.

Background “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the L ORD your God. 11 “‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another. 12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the L ORD. 13 “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. 14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the L ORD. 15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

Background -- 1 “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the L ORD. 17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the L ORD. 19 “‘Keep my decrees. “‘Do not mate different kinds of animals. “‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. “‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. 20 “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 21 The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the L ORD. 22 With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the L ORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.

Background “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the L ORD. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the L ORD your God. 26 “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. “‘Do not practice divination or seek omens. 27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. 28 “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the L ORD. 29 “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness. 30 “‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the L ORD. 31 “‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the L ORD your God.

Background “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the L ORD. 32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the L ORD. 33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the L ORD your God. 33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the L ORD your God. 35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the L ORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. 35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the L ORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. 37 “‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the L ORD.’” 37 “‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the L ORD.’”

Background John 2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father— Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

Psalm 119 – An Acrostic 22 Segments – one for each letter in the Hebrew alphabet 22 Segments – one for each letter in the Hebrew alphabet Each segment has 8 lines Each segment has 8 lines The first word of each line in a segment begins with the same Hebrew letter The first word of each line in a segment begins with the same Hebrew letter The theme of the Psalm is obedience to God’s teaching (torah) The theme of the Psalm is obedience to God’s teaching (torah)

Psalm 119 (NIV) א Aleph 1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the L ORD. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— 3 they do no wrong but follow his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

A Blessing for Those Who Obey God What is God’s intention for our lives? How do we fulfill God’s intention for our lives? Do we expect to fulfill God’s intention for our lives? What, if anything, is holding us back?

Psalm 119 (NIV) ב Beth ב Beth 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, L ORD ; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, L ORD ; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

The Joy of Obedience Have we failed to emphasize the importance of obedience (i.e. “living according to your word”)? How can we emphasize the importance of obedience? What is the relationship of this Psalm to the Wesleyan teaching of Entire Sanctification?

Wisdom from the Bible Next lesson Perspective & Purpose Under the Sun Ecclesiastes 1:4-14; 9:7-10; 12:13-14

Wisdom Wisdom is the ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, knowledgeexperience understandingunderstanding, common sense, and insight 1common senseinsight 1 Corinthians 1:301 Corinthians 1:30 It is because of him [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 28 Feb Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 28 Feb

Proverbs The biblical proverbs are neither laws nor promises. They provide examples of how biblical faith ought to affect the lives of God’s people.