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JAN. 31: KNOWING GOD

January 25, 2021

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 119:17-24

In May of 2010, the Kimyal people of West Papua, Indonesia received the first ever copies of the New Testament in their own language.

If you have never watched the actual video of the people receiving the Word of God, it is worth your time. I was convicted at how the people were genuinely overcome with emotion as they saw those copies of God’s Word being unloaded from a plane. There was dancing, shouting, and literal tears of joy over the long-awaited arrival of the Word of God in their heart language.

In our text for this week, I see a similar kind of emotion by the psalmist as he describes his desire for the Word of God to the God of the Word. [Read more…]

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JAN. 10: WEATHERING THE BLUES

January 4, 2021

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 31:1-8

While most scholars attribute this Psalm to David during his trials with Saul, or the treason of Absalom, there are other scholars who do not agree on its authorship. Yet, it seems that there is strong evidence for the authorship of David. We can affirm the importance of this Psalm because it was quoted by Jonah, Jeremiah, and Jesus.

So, whatever one’s view on the authorship of this Psalm, it is clear that the author (David) is looking back over his life and remembering both the troubles of life and the grace of God. So, whether this Psalm was written by King David, King Hezekiah, the prophet Jeremiah, or some unknown Israelite, the author went through some trials that could bring any soul to a low place in life. [Read more…]

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JAN. 3: OVERCOMING WORRY

December 30, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 23:1-6 

The 23rd Psalm is probably the most well-known passage in the Bible. Psalm 23 is the “Amazing Grace” of the Word of God. Charles Spurgeon called it, “The pearl of the psalms.” Alexander Maclaren said that this Psalm, “Has dried many tears and supplied the mold into which many hearts have poured their peaceful faith.” James Montgomery Boice wrote, “If ever a Psalm could stand almost on a single line, it is this one —‘The Lord is my shepherd.’ ”

In other words, this Psalm is a cure for all that worries us and makes us anxious. Matter of fact, there are five reasons why the Good Shepherd enables us to overcome worry. [Read more…]

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DEC. 27: REDIRECTING ANGER

December 21, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 35:1-3, 13-18

There is no denying we live in a day and age filled with anger. You might even say some people are filled with rage. Which is even more reason for God’s people to resist the temptation toward anger, malice, rage, and wrath. In our lesson, we see that while David was facing the wrath and anger of his enemies (likely Saul), he chose to take the high road and not respond to his enemies in kind.

Matter of fact, there are four things we see in this verse that we can learn when facing or dealing with trials and troubles brought on by the enemies of God and His people. [Read more…]

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DEC. 20: EMBRACING JOY

December 14, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 95:1-3; Luke 2:4-14 

As we excitedly look forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, our lesson for this week begins with an invitation to thanksgiving, worship, and praise of our “great God, a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:3). And in the verses in Psalm 95 and Luke 2 we have at least three reasons why we should “come” before God and “shout joyfully to the Lord.”

First, we come to the Lord in praise and worship, and embrace the joy of this season because God is our salvation (Psalm 95:1). [Read more…]

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DEC. 13: SHAKING OFF FEAR

December 7, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 91:1-6, 9-16

While many have heard of Psalm 91, it has become a favorite of many since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as the psalmist touts the protective cover of the Lord who guards his people from the “destructive plague” (v. 3) and “the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon” (v. 6). However, those words are a tiny part of a psalm intended to bring comfort and strength in the face of fearful forces that come against God’s people. They are a reminder that nothing can harm the child of God unless the sovereign Lord permits. [Read more…]

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DEC. 6: WALKING IN GRIEF

December 1, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 116:1-9; 15-17 

The focal point of our lesson for this week, is that God is with us and restores us in times of trouble, sorrow, and grief. In this great psalm the writer gives us at least four reasons why.

First, we see that the Lord hears our prayers in our sorrows. In verse 1, notice that the writer loves the Lord because, in “mercy” God “has heard my appeal.” Now while we do not know who wrote this psalm, speculation generally vacillates between King Hezekiah, King David, or Jonah. [Read more…]

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NOV. 22: COMMITTED TO HIS WORSHIP

November 16, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Psalm 99:1-9 

Psalm 99 is part of a group of five psalms (Psalms 95-99) that are called by most scholars, “Royal Psalms,” or “Coronation Psalms.” They are a group of Psalms that exalt God as Creator, the righteous Judge, and the Sovereign Lord who forgives and saves.

Well, in the last of these five psalms extolling the greatness of our God, we are taught that God is our King, and therefore, He is to be worshiped as King over all! The question is, are we committed to worshiping God as King over all? [Read more…]

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NOV. 1: COMMITTED TO HIS WORD

October 26, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Focal Passage: Psalm 119:1-11 

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeRemember the words: “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and will make it a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and hide its word in my heart that I may not sin against God.” While we do not know who wrote Psalm 119, we can see that he was a person committed to God’s Word. 

Throughout this psalm, the author writes of his love for God’s Word, his hunger for God’s Word, his desire to obey it, and his need for the Word of God in his life. The words of Psalm 119 should be the heart words of every faithful follower of Christ.

In our text, we see several key thoughts as we think about our commitment to the Word of God. What these verses tell us is that there are some benefits to living a life committed to the Bible. [Read more…]

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OCT. 11: HONOR ALL RELATIONSHIPS

October 5, 2020

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Focal Passage: Exodus 20:15-17; Psalm 37:1-6 

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeAs we come to the last three commandments, we need to remember that these commandments are just as important as the others. 

They should not be thought of as add-ons just to make the commandments an even 10. They are as important as the first seven, and some scholars even believe that the tenth commandment may be the most important of all. 

Matter of fact, the prohibition against theft (“thou shalt not steal”) and coveting are often treated in relation to one another, and for good reason. You see, most people understand they should not take something that does not belong to them (“steal”). 

However, many forget that stealing, theft or burglary start inside a covetous heart. Martin Luther wrote: “Covetousness is a very seductive thing.” One of early Christianity’s greatest preachers, John Chrysostom, said that covetousness is more dangerous than the sins of the flesh. It is an unhealthy desire. [Read more…]

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  • CAMP CARSON (CARSON SPRINGS) IS A BETHEL
  • C-N SENDS MESSAGES OF HOPE TO STUDENTS, PARENTS
  • PRAYER GROUP HELPS PASTORS’ WIVES CONNECT
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