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Friday, September 30, 2016

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (10/2/16)

Scripture for Sunday
Exodus 12:1-13 (ESV)  
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, [2] "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. [3] Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. [4] And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. [5] Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, [6] and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 
[7] "Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. [8] They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. [9] Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. [10] And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. [11] In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. [12] For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. [13] The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 

Exodus 13:1-8 (ESV)  
The Lord said to Moses, [2] "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine." [3] Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. [4] Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. [5] And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month.  [6] Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. [7] Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.  [8] You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.'  

Questions for Reflection
1.    What is it like trying to assemble something without an instruction manual?
2.    What happens when people fail to follow instructions?
3.    What was a family to do if their lamb was too big for them to eat? (12:4)
4.    How did God describe what the condition of the lambs must be? (12:5)
5.    What were the Israelites supposed to do with the lambs they got? (12:6-7)
6.    What were God’s instructions about how the Passover meal was to be eaten? (12:8-11)
7.    What did God say He was going to do on the Passover night? (12:12)
8.    Why did Moses tell the people to commemorate the day they left Egypt? (13:3-5)
9.    What were the Israelites to pass along to their children? (13:8)
10. Why did God give the Israelites detailed instructions about celebrating Passover?
11. What has God done to ensure that we know what His instructions are?
12. Why did God want the Israelites to remember how He delivered them?

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

October 2016 Newsletter

Click on the link to view the latest newsletter.

October 2016 Newsletter

Have a great day!
Carmen

Friday, September 23, 2016

Compassion Sunday, October 2nd

You're Invited
 First Presbyterian Church at 201 S 11th Street is hosting a Compassion Sunday on October 2nd at 12:30. This is a national event that helps people grow in their understanding of God’s very special love for the poor. It’s also an opportunity for each of us to intervene in the life of at least one child in poverty.  You are invited to come to our church at 12:30 for a free picnic lunch on the grounds and then learn about the ministry of Compassion International. 

Who is Compassion International?
For more than 60 years God has been working through sponsors and local churches around the world to change the lives of impoverished children throughout the world.  Through Compassion’s child sponsorship program, children are reached on spiritual, physical, economic and social levels—meeting the needs of the whole child. And preparing them to become responsible Christian adults. Our mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name!

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (9/25/16)

Please continue to pray for Jerry Hoggett, he is still in the hospital.

Scripture
Genesis 45:1-15 (ESV)  
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. [2] And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. [3] And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 
[4] So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. [5] And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. [6] For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. [7] And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. [8] So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. [9] Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. [10] You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. [11] There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.' [12] And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. [13] You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here." [14] Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. [15] And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him. 

Questions for Reflection
1. Why do families have family reunions?
2. When and why did Joseph finally make himself known to his brothers? (45:1-2)
3. What did Joseph tell his brothers when he revealed who he was? (45:3-13)
4. What did Joseph do after he told his brothers who he was? (45:14-15)
5. When has God used the bad intentions or bad actions of others to bring about good in your life?
6. Why is it hard to forgive someone who has wronged you?
7. Why is it important to forgive others?

Friday, September 16, 2016

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (9/18/16)

Update on Marc Simon:  Marc went in for heart surgery yesterday morning and had a double by-pass.  The doctors say that he is doing fine. i am on my way to San Angelo to see him, he is in Community Hospital.

Scripture
Genesis 15:1-12 (ESV)  
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." [2] But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" [3] And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir." [4] And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir." [5] And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." [6] And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. [7] And he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." [8] But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" [9] He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." [10] And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. [11] And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. [12] As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

Questions for Reflection
1. Why did the Lord tell Abram not to be afraid? (15:1)
2. What promises did God make, and to whom did He make them? (15:1-17:27)
3. What did the Lord promise Abram? (15:4-5)
4. What is the basis of both Abraham’s and our relationship with God?
5. Why is it sometimes hard to trust God?

Friday, September 2, 2016

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (9/4/16)


  • Men's Breakfast Saturday morning 8 AM. Coffee will be on at 6:30 so come early to visit and bring a friend.
  • Swimming Party - Sunday, September 4th we have reserved the pool at the Texas Tech Center from 1:00 to 3:00 PM for an afternoon of swimming, fun and watermelon.
Scripture
Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)  
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Con sider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. [34] "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Questions for Reflection
1. What are your top three worries?
2. Why are God’s creatures consistently “fed and clothed”? (6:26)
3. Why should we take great comfort from the way the animal and plant kingdoms operate? (6:26)
4. What benefits does worry bring? (6:27)
5. How do you think worry is affecting you emotionally, physically, and spiritually?
6. In light of this passage, what would be some good principles on food and clothing for us to follow?
7. What is the difference between planning for the future and worrying about the future?