Psalm 126

Psalm 126

[Picture credit: http://www.boomerinthepew.com/2009/05/psalm-126-restore-our-fortunes-o-lord.html]

Isaiah 61

Isaiah 61

2 Peter 3

2 Peter 3

Mark 1:1-8

John 1

Isaiah 53

1 Corinthians 1

To whom are you bragging about God?

Psalm 80

Psalm 80

Questions

• What aspect of your life will be healthier if 'revived'?
• How are you helping someone experience being revived in God's love?

Isaiah 9

How is your life showing Christ's Light today?

Psalm 100

Psalm 100

Questions

• How does your discipleship express "celebration?"
• For what are your thankful God today?
  

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Questions

• The first readers of Ezekiel related to the imagery of God caring for God's people like a shepherd because many of them had direct direct responsibility for flocks of sheep. In your life context, how do you experience God's protective care?
• Read John 10, noticing how Jesus refers to himself as the "Good Shepherd." How does your discipleship express Jesus' compassion for other people?

[Photo credit: http://fbcknoxfordeaf.blogspot.com/2011/11/christ-kingreign-of-christ.html]

2 Kings 4:1-7

Questions

• What do you "still have in the house" that you are willing to entrust to God?
• How will you share what you have received?

Psalm 123

Psalm 123

Questions

• When and where do you set aside some time to purposefully look to God?
• How are you expressing 'mercy' to others?

Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:14-30

Questions

• What resources - including your talents, skills, and expertise - are you using for Christ?
• How can you multiply the impact and effect of your resources? 

[Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/willhumes/3018976085/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Questions

• Who will you encourage today?
• What kind of encouragement do you need today?
• Who will you ask to support you with encouragement?

Psalm 76

Psalm 76

Questions

• What promises are you ready to renew, or to make, to God?
• What will be your challenge in keeping them?

Matthew 25

Matthew 25

 

There are still the "least of these." People whom we overlook; the ignored. Sometimes, we actually don't see them because we're preoccupied with our own concerns. Other times, we intentionally look the other way, knowing that, if we do take conscious notice of them,we will feel compelled from a obligation to do something.

Questions

• Who are you ignoring? Avoiding?
• How might the world be different if you deliberately looked for them - the "least" - and did something for the simple sake of sharing Christ's caring with them?
• How might you be different?

[Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/willhumes/3040240402/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4

Our beliefs guide how we live. Believing in Jesus, Christians choose to live in ways that please God. We do this as a loving response to the One who loves us; not from a compulsion that fears punishment if we  disobey. That's an important distinction: We obey God because we want to. We accept God's will that our lives be dedicated to Him.

Questions

• What will you continue to do today that expresses that you are a Christian?
• What will you do better today than you did yesterday?

Joshua 24 Review, then Choose

Joshua 24

Read verses 14-19 again.

After rehearsing what God has done for God's people, Joshua invites the believers, and those who would be God-followers, to consider their options and choose whom they will serve. Joshua leaves no doubt about the One in Whom he and his family believe and trust.

Questions

• Have you and your family made the intentional choice to believe in Jesus? 
• How are you expressing that personal and purposeful decision through your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness?
• People responding to Joshua's confident witness to his family's faith. How are you and your family sharing your faith with others?

Matthew 22:34-46 The Greatest

Matthew 22:34-46

Read verse 37 again. This is a the greatest commandment. The core value. The guiding principle. People remembered that Jesus identified this one as the most important commandment.

Memorize it. Write it down - or, print the picture, above - and post it in the places where you are when you need be reminded of what comes first.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Inviting others to believe

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Compare these different versions of Verse 12:

We appealed to you, encouraged you, and pleaded with you to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into his own kingdom and glory. (CEB)

...encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (NIV, 1984)

We begged, encouraged, and urged each of you to live in a way that would honor God. He is the one who chose you to share in his own kingdom and glory. (CEV)

We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory. (NLT)

...urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (NRSV) 

Many people - including some whose faith is deep, find it difficult to talk to non-believers about Jesus. Telling the Thessalonians what he did, Paul gives Christians today a practical model for talking to someone about Christ. Sharing from your own, genuine experience of faith, you can

1. Appeal - Ask the person to tell you something about his/her life, celebrations, and challenges. Ask him/her to consider believing in Jesus. Introduce him/her to the reality of Christ's loving presence. Tell them about St. Philip's and invite them to come to Church with you so that s/he can see for her/himself the life of a community of believers;
2. Encourage - Affirm that s/he can - that we all have the ability and capacity to - believe. Assure from your experienced confidence of Christ's caring power that s/he can trust Jesus; and,
3. Urge - Share with her/him Christ's desire to be in the now, that Jesus is available now to share with her/him God's gracious, accepting love. 

Questions

• In what ways does this practical model help you in inviting others to believe in Jesus?
• How can you incorporate into your conversation with friends? colleagues? persons with whom you have casual encounters?

Psalm 73

Psalm 73

This Psalm has a tender reference to God holding your hand. It would be easy to imagine that as an adult's hand grasping a child's. In the picture above, the hands holding each other are of an indeterminate age to remind us that God reaches to you when, where, and as you are.

Questions

• In what situation do you need to allow yourself to feel God's comforting, guiding touch?
• To whom will you reach out today?
• Are you willing to hold his/her and at least for a moment?
• What will you say to him/her about Jesus?

[Picture credit: © 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.]

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Numbers 20:1-13 explains why Moses lived to only see - not to enter - the promised land:

¹² The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t trust me to show my holiness before the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I am giving them.” (CEB)

Believing in Jesus - trusting Christ - enables you to go the distance. Consistent, faithful trusting will also grow you to change your goals and destination points as you align your living with God's purposes.


[Picture credit: http://www.ratnermuseum.com/israelbiblemuseum/virtual/exodus/img0066.htm]

Psalm 90

Psalm 90

Dr. Schultz' sermon today is, "Understanding Eternity." Here's the key for the Sermon Notes:




Eternity matters because we live eternally in the here and now. 

Zombies and Vampires are fictional; fun for Halloween. 

Accepting that we live in Eternity sharpens our focus on today, and frees us from self-imposed limitations. 

This week, I can live eternally by  

1. ____________________________________________ 
2. ____________________________________________ 
3. ____________________________________________ 

  

Zombies and Vampires are fictional; fun for Halloween. 

Eternity matters because we live eternally in the here and now. 

  

Accepting that we live in Eternity sharpens our focus on today, and frees us from self-imposed limitations. 

This week, I can live eternally by  

1. ____________________________________________ 
2. ____________________________________________ 
3. ____________________________________________ 

Sunday, October 23, 2011 

Zombies and Vampires are fictional; fun for Halloween. 

Eternity matters because we live eternally in the here and now. 

  

Accepting that we live in Eternity sharpens our focus on today, and frees us from self-imposed limitations. 

This week, I can live eternally by  

1. ____________________________________________ 
2. ____________________________________________ 
3. ____________________________________________ 

Psalm 139

Psalm 139

Psalm 99

Psalm 99

[Picture credit: http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_psalm-999/]

Philippians 3:4b-14

Philippians 3:4b-14

2 Corinthians 9

2 Corinthians 9 

[Picture Credit: http://danieltom.wordpress.com/]

Psalm 19

Psalm 19 

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20  


A classic movie interpretation:

2 Corinthians 9

Questions:

• Is believing in Jesus guiding what you choose to keep?
• Is believing in Jesus guiding what you choose to give?

2 Corinthians 9:12; 1 John 3

We are in church-wide emphasis called  Extravagant Generosity: The Grace of Gifting that is part of our annual Financial Stewardship Campaign. 

Questions

• How is your living showing the love of God in you?
• How is your gifting showing the love of God in you?

2 Corinthians 9:12; James 2

We are in church-wide emphasis called  Extravagant Generosity: The Grace of Gifting that is part of our annual Financial Stewardship Campaign. 

Questions

• How does your gifting reflect your faith?
• What kind of faith does your gifting reflect?

2 Corinthians 9:12; 2 Corinthians 8

Questions

• From what assets can you give?
• From what assets are you giving?
• From what assets will you give?