Today was the third week for a young ladies' study that I've been leading at church. I've been taking copious amounts of notes and steeping my mind in the book and the verses listed in the teacher's study guide each week before teaching a chapter...and just 3 classes have gotten me thinking a LOT.
The book in question is Preparing to Be A Help Meet, by Debi Pearl.
I would like to point out that I don't agree with EVERYTHING the Pearls teach. There's a lot of people out there who are convinced that the Pearls are harsh and rigid and unyielding people because of unfavorable reviews, especially concerning their book To Train Up A Child. However, I can disagree with some things a person says and not totally throw away everything about them. Part of the fun of teaching from these books is researching as I go along, sifting through the information, picking out the gems and throwing away the chaff.
With that said, I do agree with quite a bit of what they say. Most of their knowledge is very down-to-earth, and the abusing of said knowledge comes from taking it out of context or to extremes (funny thing, people do the same thing with the Bible all the time....hmmm....maybe we should start reading the source and stop just going by what people say all the time, yes?).
But I digress. Back to the subject on hand!
Preparing to Be A Help Meet is a book to help girls to get a head start on marriage. Most people will get married someday, and not only does it not hurt to have a head start, it can make the difference between making or breaking a new marriage.
The book itself is very attractive, easy to read, replete with footnotes throughout from different guys' perspectives, and has a complete teacher's guide in the back. This has proven extremely helpful to me, since I've never taught a class on anything before. *gulp* Fortunately I have a group of girls attending that I know quite well and am good friends with them. Camaraderie covers up a multitude of teaching mistakes.
Without any further ado, here are my notes for week 1. As each Sunday goes by I'll post the corresponding notes from that week, and hopefully I won't get behind like this again. Each chapter has an overall theme, a word study, Bible verses, and questions.
Chapter 1 is really heavy. For a book that looks like it'll just deal with 'relationship stuff', it kicks off with prayer and the command and need for prayer. God doesn't force us to do things, and that includes not forcing us to take the blessings that are available if we just ask for them. Prayer is needed in order to grant God permission to work in our lives. (Poor description, but it's the only way I can think of how to say it)
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Week 1, Chapter 1: The Kid
Focus: Prayer
Prayer: 1. A reverent petition made to God
2. The act of making such a petition
3. Any act of communion with God, such as a confession, praise, or thanksgiving
4. Any fervent request
Communion: 1. A possessing or sharing in common; participation
2. A sharing of thoughts or feelings, intimate talk
3a. A religious or spiritual fellowship
3b. A body of Christians with a common religious faith who practice the same rites; denomination
Reverent/Reverence: 1. A feeling of profound awe and respect and often of love; veneration
2. An act of showing respect
Petition: 1. A solemn supplication or request to a superior authority; an entreaty
Antonyms: answer, command, demand
Synonyms: appeal, implore, entreaty, supplication
A prayer can be as simple as a thought and inward speech to God, or big enough to lead an assembly.
Read aloud: Matthew 9:38, Luke 10:2, John 15:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Matthew 9:38
"He told them, “The
harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Luke 10:2
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." --John 15:7
"As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith." -- 2 Thess. 3:1-2
Why does God want us to pray? "He tells us to pray that the word they are preaching will have free course. The devils that would otherwise hinder them with sickness, strife, or worldliness will not be able to slow down the gospel message!" -- Preparing To Be A Help Meet
"In summary: One of the most important commands God gives us in His word is to pray for laborers for the fields, men and women who will go forth to give the gospel. Yet who obeys His command to pray for laborers?
~We have a command to pray.
~We have a responsibility to pray.
~Do you pray for laborers to give the gospel?" -- Preparing
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