Primary 89 - Joel the near kinsman


Class, 

This week we are talking about redemption. When the Assyrians destroyed and conquered Israel and Judah, Isaiah was with them. During that time they had become blind in their fear and deaf in their horror. During that time, the prophet let them know not to turn to the blind, deaf, and dumb idols who cannot even save themselves but to turn to the Lord who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and mini-benevolent. Our God is always there. He knows what is going on in our lives. He has all power and above all HIS LOVE, HIS CHARITY, KNOWS NO BOUNDS. We are His children. Being here on the earth is timed, watched, and kept under the watchful eye of the God of all things. Those times your lives are "crazy" know this, God is the author and finisher of your faith, if you let Him. We know, as your teachers, about being children. We were children once. Now as adults we are teachers, watchers on the hill as we have climbed the hill and encourage you to do the same. Building faith is one step at a time. 

At times you may feel that you are in a fire and under pressure and no one knows what you are experiencing. God knows. He is there before you, behind you, to your left and right. C. S. Lewis wrote this in one of his stories... (paraphrasing a story) I was the lion that chased you, I was the lion that fought the jackals that came for you, and now I am the lion that is before you. The lion of Israel is with us. Sometimes you think he is pursuing us to devour us but it is to give you courage and speed, to drive us in the way we should go. When we are afraid because we hear the lion in the distance and we think you're next, know that he is pursuing our enemies. Finally, when you see the lion of Israel finally and you behold his majesty and power, it's not to kill you, it's to show you who was there all along.

The Lord God loves you unconditionally. Fear not and doubt not. He is always here for you.

A good example of this is when the young Emily Smart was kidnapped, in a moment she was parched and needed water. It was a hot day and she and her captors were thirsty, her prayers were answered on a night when in the middle of the night, a glass of ice-cold water was found outside the tent. It was on that day the young Elizabeth knew the Lord was with her. He is with you too. You just have to look for Him.

Now the point of the title. Joel is a near kinsman that does something for you that you cannot do yourself. Jesus is our brother. He is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He has paid the price for what we could not do in our entire lifetime. He loves every one of us. Know that.

Challenges 
1) Read Isaiah 50-57
2) Ask a family member when they have been helped by the Lord. Record your thoughts and feelings as they tell you.

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