Sunday School | A People for His Name

Sunday School Bible Reading Report Fall 2023

December 10, 2023

Today, I finished teaching my part of the second half of an adult Sunday School series, “Written for Our Admonition: A Survey of the Old Testament.” Reading books of the Bible repeatedly was a key part of my preparation for teaching that series.

The following table shows how many times I read each of the books that I covered in the series and the dates when I finished reading them.

1 Chronicles	6/19; 11/4	2
2 Chronicles	7/6; 11/5	2
Ezra	8/19; 11/10	2
Nehemiah	8/21; 11/24; 11/28; 12/1	4
Esther	8/24; 11/22; 11/25; 11/26	4

Isaiah	4/17; 9/19; 9/23	3
Jeremiah	5/25; 10/14	2
Lamentations	6/3; 10/14	2
Ezekiel	8/6; 10/20	2
Daniel	8/10; 10/26; 10/28; 10/29	4

Joel	7/31 (2x); 8/20; 8/24; 8/25; 8/28; 8/31; 9/1; 9/2 (2x); 9/3; 9/4; 9/7; 9/8; 9/10	15
Obadiah	8/9; 8/24; 9/4; 9/7; 9/10	5
Jonah	8/12; 8/24; 9/5; 9/7; 9/11; 9/15 (2x)	7
Micah	8/12; 9/25; 9/26; 9/29; 9/30 (3x); 10/1	8
Nahum	8/13; 8/24; 9/5; 9/7; 9/11; 9/15 (2x)	7
Habakkuk	8/13; 9/25; 10/2; 10/3; 10/4; 10/5; 10/6; 10/7; 10/8	9
Zephaniah	8/13; 9/25; 10/2; 10/3; 10/4; 10/5; 10/6; 10/7; 10/8	9
Haggai	8/13; 11/10; 11/12	3
Zechariah	8/14; 11/17; 11/18 (2x)	4
Malachi	8/15; 11/25; 11/29; 12/2; 12/3; 12/4; 12/7; 12/8; 12/9; 12/10	10

This fall has been the most concentrated time that I have ever had in reading the Minor Prophets. I found this intense time of reading these books to be very profitable and highly recommend using such an approach to studying them.

In Bible reading, Ministry, Sunday School

12 Keys to Profiting Fully from What Is Written in Scripture

September 2, 2023

Scripture teaches us that all that is written in it has been written for our learning:

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Here are 12 keys to profiting fully from what is written in Scripture for our learning.

1. Read the book repeatedly.

Deuteronomy 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Concerning the importance of reading a book of Scripture repeatedly, I have read the book of Psalms 100 times because God has burdened me to saturate my mind with His own thoughts about music.

2. Prize it supremely and expect to work hard in studying it diligently.

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

3. Pray fervently for illumination.

Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Proverbs 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

4. Mark your Bible and take notes.

Consider, for example, how marking certain key statements in 1 Samuel 12 helps in understanding how what is written has been divinely structured:

Marking your Bible and taking notes is crucial for fully understanding what God has said:

5. Keep in mind that the whole book is the context of anything that is in the book.

When God originally inspired the books of the Bible, there were no chapter breaks or verse divisions in them. The context of anything that is in a book of Scripture therefore is the whole book itself and not just some smaller part of it.

6. Note the beginning and the ending of the book.

How God has chosen to begin and to end each book displays His infinite and perfect wisdom. We must pay special attention to what He has inspired to be written at the beginning and at the ending of each book of Scripture.

7. Note the names of God and the truths about God found in the book.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

8. Look especially for commands.

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

9. Note repetition, connect ideas, and do cross referencing.

Concerning repetition, consider, for example, the vast number of times “the LORD” occurs in 1 Samuel 12:

As an example of connecting ideas, note how Paul does so concerning what Scripture says in different books of Scripture:

1 Timothy 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

10. Think about what you have read, believe it, and memorize what God specially brings to your attention.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

11. Praise Him for what He has inspired to be written and pray about the instruction that He has given in the book.

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

12. Do what is written in the book and teach others.

Ezra 7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

In Bible reading, Discipleship, Sunday School

A People for His Name: Ministry Summary for 2016

December 31, 2016

My ministry this year was greatly blessed by my beginning this year by reading the entire Bible in 59 days! I also made it through the NT this year a second time and read much of the Bible in Spanish.

This year was an especially fruitful year for me in ministering the Bible because I had two new teaching opportunities. I also had many other opportunities to minister, especially in teaching, music ministry, and writing on my blog.

Preaching, Teaching, and Scripture Reading

I had two preaching opportunities this year: prayer meeting at my church, Mount Calvary Baptist in Greenville, SC, and a Sunday morning service in a church in Georgia. Although I had already preached both these messages before elsewhere, preaching them again allowed me to improve both messages substantially.

Two new opportunities to minister were given to me this year in teaching at my church: teaching a combined adult Sunday school class and teaching a 16-week adult Sunday school class in the fall. In addition, I taught Sunday school once at a church in Georgia.

I did the Scripture reading for two morning services at my church. For the first time, I also read Scripture for a morning service in my church’s Spanish ministry.

Music Ministry

I ministered with other instrumentalists in one opener for a service and in two offertories. I accompanied various people singing specials in our Spanish ministry four times this year.

Online, I was able to teach guitar to a developing guitarist overseas who has made encouraging progress in preparing himself for using the guitar for ministry. My teaching guitar this year also included instructing a few students personally.

I also sang with a group of men for a special in our Spanish ministry. I wrote one new Spanish hymn for children this year, “Dios es siempre bueno!”

Other Ministry

Regular participation in neighborhood evangelism this summer and in Spanish evangelism at various times throughout the year afforded me many opportunities to minister Scripture to both believers and unbelievers. I also worked in registration for our annual Neighborhood Bible School.

In our Spanish ministry, I prayed for and took the offering several times. For our Men’s Ministry, I wrote one article for the manual and attended all of our prayer breakfasts.

Tutoring a Seminary student in New Testament Greek for several months this summer provided me with a good opportunity to teach elementary Greek again. By regular participation in two discussion groups on Facebook, I was able to give God’s truths numerous times to lost people and saved people.

I gave a brief devotional at the beginning of the workday nearly every Tuesday this year. I also frequently shared Scriptural truths with my coworkers.

I posted on my blog 77 times in 2016, counting this post. The majority of my posts shared biblical truths that God has given me over the years in my own study of Scripture, which has been the major focus of my blog from the beginning.

I praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to me in allowing me to minister so abundantly in 2016!

In Ministry, Mount Calvary Baptist Music Ministry, Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit, Music, Preaching, Spanish, Sunday School

“O Lord, While We Confess the Worth”

November 12, 2016

I recently found two excellent hymns to use for engaging in gospel self-talk through believer’s baptism: Baptismal Hymn and O Lord, While We Confess the Worth. Written by Mary B. Peters, O Lord While We Confess the Worth sets forth truths that are worth meditating on individually and ministering to one another corporately!

O Lord, While We Confess the Worth

O Lord, while we confess the worth
Of this, the outward seal,
Do Thou, the truths here-in set forth,
To ev-‘ry heart reveal.

Death to the world we here avow,
Death to each fleshly lust;
Newness of life our calling now,
A risen Lord our trust.

And we, O Lord, who now partake
Of resurrection life,
With ev-‘ry sin, for Thy dear sake,
Would be at constant strife.

Baptized into the Father’s name,
We’d walk as sons of God;
Baptized in Thine, we own Thy claim,
As ransomed by Thy blood.

Baptized into the Holy Ghost,
We’d keep His temple pure;
And make Thy grace our only boast,
And by Thy strength endure.

In Discipleship, Music, Sunday School

“Baptismal Hymn”

November 5, 2016

While preparing for my Sunday school class that I am scheduled to teach tomorrow, I found an excellent hymn for engaging in gospel self-talk through believer’s baptism, which is the topic for my lesson tomorrow. This hymn was written anonymously and can be sung to the tune Hursley, which is used for the song Sun of My Soul.

Baptismal Hymn (#455 in Hymns of Grace and Glory)

Is it Thy will that I should be
Buried, in symbol, Lord, with Thee;
Owning Thee by this solemn sign,
Telling the world that I am Thine?

Gladly I yield obedience now;
In all things to Thy will I’d bow;
I’ll follow where my Saviour led,
And humbly in His footsteps tread.

This emblematic, wat’ry grave
Shows forth His love—Who came to save;
And as I enter it, I see
The price my Saviour paid for me.

Forth from Thy burial, Lord, I come,
For Thou hast triumphed o’er the tomb;
Thy resurrection life I share—
My portion is no longer here.

Oh, may I count myself to be
Dead to the sins that wounded Thee,
Dead to the pleasures of this earth,
Unworthy of my heav’nly birth.

Lord Jesus, when I gaze on Thee,
And all Thy radiant glory see,
That joy will far exceed the shame
I bear on earth for Thy loved name.

In Discipleship, Music, Sunday School

¡Esperemos con entusiasmo la cena de las bodas del Cordero!

October 27, 2016

Un cristiano no es sólo una persona que ha creído en Cristo para no ir al infierno, sino al cielo. Un cristiano es alguien que sabe que se ha desposado a Cristo como una virgen santa que se prepara para la cena de las bodas del Cordero.

Así como una virgen que se prepara para casarse está completamente absorta en los preparativos de la boda, el cristiano debe estar siempre preparándose para la cena de las bodas del Cordero. Dios ha concedido a cada cristiano (como parte de la novia de Cristo, que se viste de lino fino, limpio y resplandeciente) vestirse a sí mismo de ese lino fino que son sus propias acciones justas.

Los creyentes que ponen demasiado énfasis en el hecho que Dios se complace perfectamente en ellos por estar en Cristo y, por tanto, concluyen que la forma en que viven no le importa a Dios, se han privado a sí mismos de la gloria que Dios les ha dado al permitirles vestirse del lino fino de sus propias acciones justas. ¡Como alguien que está desposado con Cristo como una virgen santa, preparémonos, todos los que esperamos con entusiasmo la cena de las bodas del Cordero, para nuestra gloriosa boda con Él, viviendo justamente en el poder del Espíritu para la gloria de Dios!

(Trasladado con la ayuda de Reinaldo Useche y Google Translate.)

En inglés

In Spanish, Sunday School, Theology

Let Us Eagerly Await the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

October 21, 2016

A Christian is not just a person who has believed in Christ so that he will not go to hell but will instead go to heaven. A Christian is a person who believes that he has been espoused to Christ as a holy virgin who is preparing for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Just as a virgin who is preparing to be married is completely absorbed in her wedding preparations, a Christian is to be ever making himself ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. God has given to every Christian—as one who is part of the bride of Christ who clothes herself in fine linen, bright and clean—to clothe himself in that fine linen that is his own righteous acts.

Believers who have so overemphasized the truth that God is perfectly complacent with them because they are in Christ and therefore have concluded that how they live does not matter to God have robbed themselves of the glory that God has given to them to clothe themselves in the fine linen that is their own righteous acts. As one who is espoused to Christ as a holy virgin, let us who eagerly await the marriage supper of the Lamb prepare ourselves for our glorious wedding to Him by living righteously in the power of the Spirit for the glory of God!

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Sunday School, Theology

A Doctrinal Categorization of Godly Self-Talk Statements in Scripture

October 3, 2016

By analyzing Scriptural examples of godly self-talk for what theological truths they teach, we learn that our self-talk must be doctrinal. We must speak truth to ourselves about the major areas of theology that systematic theology includes.

Bibliology

Psalm 1:2; 119:11, 47, 97; 130:5

Theology

Psalm 16:2-3; 42:5, 11; 43:5; 56:3-4; 62:5; 94:18; 103:1, 2, 22; 104:1, 35; 116:7; 139:14; 146:1; Ecclesiastes 3:17-18; Lamentations 3:21-27; Hebrews 13:5-6

Christology

Psalm 2:12; Matthew 9:21

Pneumatology

Psalm 139:7

Angelology

Psalm 34:7; 91:11

Ecclesiology

Psalm 65:4; 84:4; 111:1; 122:1

Eschatology

Psalm 49:15; Ecclesiastes 3:17-18; Zechariah 12:5

Soteriology

Psalm 35:9; 62:1, 5; 71:22-24; 116:7; 131:2; Isaiah 61:10; Lamentations 3:21-27; Luke 15:17-19; Hebrews 13:5-6

In Discipleship, Sunday School, Theology

The Profound Importance of Gospel Self-Talk

October 2, 2016

Just how important is what I say to myself? Psalm 15 answers that question in a profound way that makes me very excited to continue teaching my current Sunday school series on Gospel Self-Talk:

Psalm 15:1 <A Psalm of David.> LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

A comparison of Psalm 15:1-2 with two key NT statements about the gospel provides us with vital instruction:

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Because Ephesians 1:13 and Colossians 1:5 both say that the gospel of our salvation is the word of truth, putting together the teaching of Psalm 15:1-2, Ephesians 1:13, and Colossians 1:5 shows us that speaking the truth of the gospel in my heart is an essential activity for me to be a person who will abide in God’s tabernacle and dwell in His holy hill!

The fullness of my experience of blessed fellowship with God is contingent upon my speaking the truth of the gospel in my heart!

In Discipleship, Sunday School, Theology

Eighteen Examples of Godly Self-Talk

September 25, 2016

Speaking to ourselves properly is an essential Christian discipline. The following 18 passages provide explicit biblical statements that instruct us about what we should be saying to ourselves.

Psa 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psa 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Psa 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Psa 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. ⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. ⁷ In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psa 103:1 <A Psalm of David.> Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Psa 103:22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Psa 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

Psa 104:35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

Psa 111:1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

Psa 116:7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Psa 131:2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

Psa 146:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Ecc 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. ¹⁸ I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Lam 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. ²² It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ²⁴ The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. ²⁵ The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. ²⁶ It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. ²⁷ It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Mat 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, ¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

In Discipleship, Sunday School

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