Daily Prep

TUESDAY, June 30, 2009 The use of the term “Father” to describe
God is present (though rare) in the Old Testament. Look at these examples:
Deuteronomy 32:6; Psalm 89:26; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 64:8; Malachi 2:10.

Daily devotional preparation Even though the word “Father” is not used often in the Old Testament, the Old
Testament understanding of God was focused on the person of God the Father.
for next week’s lesson
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2009 Read Exodus 33:12-23. Moses wanted
ExcitingBibleStudy.com Life Series to know God and he wanted God to be present with him as he led the Israelites.
Topical: Heavenly Father What does God the Father tell Moses about Himself in this passage? What two
characteristics does He emphasize?
July 5, 2009
Prepared by David Williams
1601 Belltower Ct., Lewisville, TX 75067 972-221-4255 m and c
davidwilliams@ExcitingBibleStudy.com
THURSDAY, July 2, 2009 Read Exodus 34:1-8. In this passage,
© 2009 David Williams. Thank you for using Daily Prep. When a church or individual purchases Daily Prep, a God the Father expanded on His self-description. What words and phrases does
church license is granted. Daily Prep may be freely duplicated for use in the purchaser’s church and in any
small groups or classes sponsored by that church. Permission is granted to share a sample with someone God use to help Moses understand what He is like? Don’t miss the last one that
from another church once, but Daily Prep may not be provided to persons in another church on a regular tells us that, although God is merciful, He is also righteous and just and must
basis. punish sin.
HOW TO USE DAILY PREP: Print Daily Prep onto both sides of your paper, then cut the paper in half to
make two-sided 8 ½ by 5 ½ inch devotional guides. Give one to each student the Sunday before the lesson to
FRIDAY, July 3, 2009 What does God the Father expect of His
use during daily quiet time. Take to prospects during the week. children? Read Micah 6:6-8 and fill in the blanks.

MONDAY, June 29, 2009 The doctrine of the Trinity states that What does the Lord require of me?
there is one God, but He exists in three separate persons: God the Father, God the
To act j
Son and God the Holy Spirit. Understanding the three persons of the Godhead is
important in understanding God. To love m

When Paul began to tell the Athenians about God To walk h with God
the Son, he soon realized he needed to back up
and introduce them first of all to God the Father. SATURDAY, July 4, 2009 Although the Old Testament seldom
Read Acts 17:16-34. spoke of God as “Father,” it was Jesus’ favorite title for God. He taught His
followers to pray to “Our Father.” And He told them they ought to be like their
How did an understanding of God the Father help Heavenly Father. Read Matthew 5:43-48.
the Athenians relate to Paul’s message about
Jesus? Consider the points of Paul’s argument: SUNDAY, July 5, 2009 When Jesus talked with the Samaritan
woman at Jacob’s well outside Sychar, He helped her understand some things
! God the Father is the Creator of everything, every nation. about God the Father. Read John 4:19-26. What does it mean to worship the
! God the Father wants men everywhere to seek and find Him. Father “in spirit and in truth”? Write out your answer.
! Since we are His offspring, we know God the Father is not an image made by
men.
! God the Father has set a day when all men will be judged by Jesus, whom He
has raised from the dead.

know all the facts about Him but
refuse to open themselves up to a
personal encounter with Him in
the worship experience.
Where our spirit intersects
with the truth about God, some-
thing exciting happens. We ex-
perience a genuine encounter
with God that changes our lives.
Making It Personal
Worshiping in spirit and truth
! Share these four practical steps
for worshiping God the Father in
spirit and in truth (Display Item 2).
1. Preparation
When you approach a time of worship,
remind yourself what you are about to
do. Ask God to speak to you through
the worship experience, to make you
the kind of worshiper He is seeking,
one who worships Him in spirit and in
truth.
Wrapping It Up
! The best way to know our Heavenly Father is to spend time with
Him. He is available. The only question is whether or not we will
make ourselves available to Him.
! Call on someone to lead the class in prayer.
Topical: Heavenly Father July 5, 2009
2. Anticipation
Expect something to happen in each
worship experience. Don't just go
through the motions, but anticipate a
genuine encounter with God, deep in
your spirit.
3. Concentration
Focus on what you are doing. Keep
your mind on the elements of worship
that you are using, whether Scripture,
meditation, music, or prayer.
4. Consecration
Ask God what He wants you to do. Ask
Him what sin He wants you to confess,
what commitment He wants you to
make. Ask Him, and then do what He
says.
! Lead a group discussion, using
these questions:
" What was the most meaningful
time of worship you remember?
" What was different or special
about it?
" How could that happen for you
again?
Life Series Page 4
Teacher’s Toolbox
Getting your class into God's Word
and God's Word into your class
ExcitingBibleStudy.com Life Series
Topical: Heavenly Father
July 5, 2009
Prepared by David Williams
1601 Belltower Ct., Lewisville, TX 75067 972-221-4255
davidwilliams@ExcitingBibleStudy.com
© 2009 David Williams. Thank you for using Teacher’s Toolbox. When a church or individual purchases
Teacher’s Toolbox, a church license is granted. Teacher’s Toolbox may be freely duplicated for use in the
purchaser’s church and in any small groups or classes sponsored by that church. Permission is granted to
share a sample with someone from another church once, but Teacher’s Toolbox may not be provided to
persons in another church on a regular basis.
HOW TO USE TEACHER’S TOOLBOX: Make a four-page folded teacher’s leaflet from the first two sheets
by printing two-sided (or by putting the blank sides together). The other two sheets are for duplicating,
displaying, distributing, or otherwise using as called for in the lesson plan.
Getting Started
Thinking about fathers
! What is a father? Wait for responses. What do fathers do? Wait for
responses. What is the importance of a father to a family? Wait for
responses.
! Can you think of some times that you disappointed or displeased
your father and how he responded or reacted? Now, shift your
thinking and recall a time that you pleased your father. Tell us about
it. Let two or three share.
! Today we are going to think about our Heavenly Father, what He is
like, what He expects of us, and how we can please Him.
! Call on someone to lead the class in prayer.
Exploring God's Word lead the Children of Israel
Study guide through the wilderness to the
! We are going to begin our Promised Land, Moses wanted to
study with an incident in the life know God better and to be as-
of Moses. As Moses prepared to sured of God’ presence in the
journey. God revealed Himself
to Moses in a special way. The
story is found in Exodus
33:12–34:7.
! Give each person a pencil and a
copy of the following study guide,
but without the suggested re-
sponses given here in parentheses
(duplicate Item 1). Have members
get with one or two others to study
the passage and complete the study
guide.
Study Guide
Exodus 33:12-16.
1. What assignment had God given Mo-
ses? (to lead the Israelites)
2. What did Moses say God had not
done yet? (let him know whom God
would send with him)
3. Why did Moses want God to teach
him His ways? (so he would know God
and continue to find favor with Him)
4. What two promises did God make to
Moses? (that His Presence would go
with him and that He would give Moses
rest)
5. Why did Moses feel God’s Presence
was so critical to his success in leading
the people? (God’s presence would
show that God was pleased with Moses
and the people, it would make them
unique among all other nations)
Exodus 33:17-23.
6. Why was God willing to do what Mo-
ses had asked? (because He was
pleased with Moses and knew him by
name.
Topical: Heavenly Father July 5, 2009
7. When Moses asked the Lord to show
him His glory, what did God say Moses
could not see? (His face)
8. What did God say He would do for
Moses? (cause all His goodness to
pass in front of him and proclaim His
name in Moses’ presence)
9. Where did God tell Moses to stand
while His glory passed before him? (in
a cleft in the rock)
10. How else did God say He would
protect Moses at that moment? (He
would cover Moses with His hand)
11. What two characteristics did God
use to describe Himself to Moses?
(mercy and compassion)
Exodus 34:1-7
12. When God revealed Himself to Mo-
ses, what words and phrases did He
use to describe Himself? (compassion-
ate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding
in love and faithfulness, maintaining
love to thousands, forgiving wicked-
ness, rebellion and sin, yet not leaving
the guilty unpunished)
! Allow 15 minutes for members
to study the passage and complete
the study guides. Then lead them
to compare their findings.
Studying related passages
! This self-description of God
became an important part of the
Jewish understanding of God the
Father.
! Have members compare Exodus
34:6-7 to the following passages:
Life Series Page 2
Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:16-
18; Psalm 86:15; 103:7-14; Joel
2:12-13.
! What does the mercy and com-
passion of God mean to you per-
sonally? Wait for responses.
Digging into a passage
! Have someone read aloud Micah
6:1-4.
! Micah uses the image of a
courtroom in these verses.
! Have members identify each of
these:
N Jury (hills and mountains)
N Plaintiff (God)
N Defendant (God's people)
N Charges (acting like they were
tired of serving Him)
! When God accuses us of dis-
obedience or unfaithfulness, we
can do nothing but plead guilty.
The Bible says that all of us have
sinned and fallen short of God's
glory. Have the class read
Romans 3:23.
! Call attention to the second out-
line point and have someone read
aloud Micah 6:6-8.
! What actions did the people
offer to take in an effort to re-
store their relationship with
God? (sacrifices, offerings)
What did God demand instead?
(justice, mercy, humility)
! The only way we can be saved
from our sins is by accepting the
free gift of eternal life that God
offers through Jesus Christ.
Exodus 33:7-23
Have someone read aloud Romans
6:23.
Understanding a concept
! Have someone read aloud John
4:21-24.
! If worshiping in spirit and in
truth is what defines a true wor-
shiper and if true worshipers are
the ones God is looking for, then
we need to be clear on what it
means to worship God in spirit
and in truth.
The word spirit here refers to
the inner being of a person, the
essence of the human being
which is able to commune with
God, because God is Spirit. To
worship in spirit means that we
must worship sincerely and gen-
uinely, not just going through
physical motions, but becoming
involved in our worship with our
thoughts and our emotions.
To worship in truth means to
worship the one true God as He
really is, not as we imagine Him
to be or wish Him to be. We
must learn the truth through the
study of the Bible and then wor-
ship the real God who has re-
vealed Himself to us through His
Word.
Both spirit and truth are vital
for genuine worship. To worship
with all our being something that
is not truly God is not the kind of
worship the Father seeks. But
neither does He want those who
Item 3
 STUDY GUIDE STUDY GUIDE
Exodus 33:12-16. Exodus 33:12-16.
1. What assignment had God given Moses? 1. What assignment had God given Moses?

2. What did Moses say God had not done yet? 2. What did Moses say God had not done yet?

3. Why did Moses want God to teach him His ways? 3. Why did Moses want God to teach him His ways?

4. What two promises did God make to Moses? 4. What two promises did God make to Moses?

5. Why did Moses feel God’s Presence was so critical to his success in 5. Why did Moses feel God’s Presence was so critical to his success in
leading the people? leading the people?

Exodus 33:17-23. Exodus 33:17-23.

6. Why was God willing to do what Moses had asked? 6. Why was God willing to do what Moses had asked?

7. When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, what did God say 7. When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, what did God say
Moses could not see? Moses could not see?

8. What did God say He would do for Moses? 8. What did God say He would do for Moses?

9. Where did God tell Moses to stand while His glory passed before him? 9. Where did God tell Moses to stand while His glory passed before him?

10. How else did God say He would protect Moses at that moment? 10. How else did God say He would protect Moses at that moment?

11. What two characteristics did God use to describe Himself to Moses? 11. What two characteristics did God use to describe Himself to Moses?

Exodus 34:1-7 Exodus 34:1-7

12. When God revealed Himself to Moses, what words and phrases did He 12. When God revealed Himself to Moses, what words and phrases did He
use to describe Himself? use to describe Himself?

Topical: Heavenly Father July 5, 2009 Life Series Item 1 Topical: Heavenly Father July 5, 2009 Life Series Item 1
 Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth
1. Preparation
When you approach a time of worship, remind yourself what you are about to do. Ask
God to speak to you through the worship experience, to make you the kind of wor-
shiper He is seeking, one who worships Him in spirit and in truth.

2. Anticipation
Expect something to happen in each worship experience. Don't just go through the
motions, but anticipate a genuine encounter with God, deep in your spirit.

3. Concentration
Focus on what you are doing. Keep your mind on the elements of worship that you are
using, whether Scripture, meditation, music, or prayer.

4. Consecration
Ask God what He wants you to do. Ask Him what sin He wants you to confess, what
commitment He wants you to make. Ask Him, and then do what He says.
Topical: Heavenly Father July 5, 2009 Life Series Item 2