Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/28/16)

Scripture for Sunday
Matthew 6:9-15 (ESV)  
    Pray then like this:
    "Our Father in heaven,
        hallowed be your name.
        [10] Your kingdom come,
        your will be done,
            on earth as it is in heaven.
        [11] Give us this day our daily bread,
        [12] and forgive us our debts,
            as we also have forgiven our debtors.
        [13] And lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from evil.
 [14] For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
 [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Questions for Reflection
1. What role did prayer play in your family’s life when you were growing up?
2. What should be our attitude toward life’s necessities? (6:11)
3. What should be our attitude toward those who have wronged us? (6:12)
4. If God knows what we need before we ask, why should we pray?
5. What sins or offenses by others do we find especially difficult to forgive?

Announcements

Prayer Concerns

• Emily Supak is out of surgery and in recovery.  Doctor said all went well. Please keep her in your prayers.
• Zane Barker is having surgery on his eyes tomorrow.

Sunday School Kick-Off

We will be having breakfast during the Sunday School hour this Sunday, August 28th at 10:00 AM in the fellowship hall. Please bring a breakfast dish to share. The church will be providing milk, juice and coffee. 

Swimming Party 
Sunday September 4th we have reserved the pool at the Texas Tech Center from 1:00 PM  to 3:00 PM for an afternoon of swimming, fun and watermelon.

Prayer Request - Emily Supak

Emily Supak, daughter of Rudy Supak, will be having brain surgery tomorrow, Thursday at 10:00 AM. The surgery is for a Chiari Malformation. Her case is severe because the brain stem is now pressing on her spinal cord.

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/21/16)

Scripture for Sunday
Luke 13:18-21 (ESV)  

He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?  [19] It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." [20] And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?  [21] It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened." 

Questions for Reflection
1.    What is it like to plant something and watch it grow?
2.    How did the mustard seed start out? (13:19)
3.    What transformation did the mustard seed make? (13:19)
4.    From what can we infer that the tree became a substantial plant? (13:19)
5.    What makes a mustard seed a good illustration of God’s kingdom?
6.    What makes yeast a good illustration of God’s kingdom?
7.    In what way does each Christian make a small contribution to God’s kingdom?
8.    What do these two parables tell us about God’s kingdom?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/14/16)

Scripture for Sunday 
Luke 11:1-4 (ESV)  
    Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  [2] And he said to them, "When you pray, say:
    "Father, hallowed be your name.
        Your kingdom come.
        [3] Give us each day our daily bread,
        [4] and forgive us our sins,
             for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
        And lead us not into temptation."

Psalm 141:1-10 (ESV)  
    A Psalm of David.
    O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
        Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
    [2] Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
        and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
    [3] Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
         keep watch over the door of my lips!
    [4] Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
        to busy myself with wicked deeds
    in company with men who work iniquity,
        and let me not eat of their delicacies!
    [5] Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
        let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
        let my head not refuse it.
    Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
    [6] When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
        then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
    [7] As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
        so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
    [8] But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
         in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
    [9] Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
        and from the snares of evildoers!
    [10] Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
        while I pass by safely.

Questions for Reflection
1. How have you experienced the influence of peer pressure?
2. When has the rebuke of a friend had a positive impact on you?
3. How did David want the Lord to protect him? (141:3-4)
4. In what specific way did David want to remain pure before God? (141:3-4)
5. How did David voice his trust in the Lord? (141:8)
6. What plea for deliverance is presented to God? (141:8-10)
7. In what specific ways would you like your desires to match David’s?
8. Why is David a good example for us to follow today?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (8/7/16)

• Men's Breakfast tomorrow morning at 8 AM. Coffee will be on at 6:30 so come early to visit and bring a friend.
• Session Meeting Tuesday August 9th at 5:30 PM.   

Scripture for Sunday
Luke 11:1-13 (ESV) 
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  [2] And he said to them, "When you pray, say:
    "Father, hallowed be your name.
        Your kingdom come.
        [3] Give us each day our daily bread,
        [4] and forgive us our sins,
             for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
        And lead us not into temptation."
 [5] And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,  [6] for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';  [7] and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'?  [8] I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.  [9] And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  [10] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  [11] What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;  [12] or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  [13] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Questions for Reflection
What was the disciple’s request? (11:1)
Why did the person in need go to the friend at midnight? (11:5-8)
Whom does the friend in the house represent? (11:5-8)
Why did the friend eventually grant the man’s request? (11:8)
How is God the Father like and unlike human fathers? (11:13)
How might this passage change your expectations of prayer?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (7/31/16)

Scripture
Psalm 40:1-11 (ESV) 
    To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
    I waited patiently for the Lord;
        he inclined to me and heard my cry.
    [2] He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
        out of the miry bog,
    and set my feet upon a rock,
         making my steps secure.
    [3] He put a new song in my mouth,
        a song of praise to our God.
    Many will see and fear,
        and put their trust in the Lord.
    [4] Blessed is the man who makes
        the Lord his trust,
    who does not turn to the proud,
        to those who go astray after a lie!
    [5] You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
        your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
        none can compare with you!
    I will proclaim and tell of them,
        yet they are more than can be told.
    [6] Sacrifice and offering you have not desired,
        but you have given me an open ear.
    Burnt offering and sin offering
        you have not required.
    [7] Then I said, "Behold, I have come;
        in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
    [8] I desire to do your will, O my God;
        your law is within my heart."
    [9] I have told the glad news of deliverance
        in the great congregation;
    behold, I have not restrained my lips,
         as you know, O Lord.
    [10] I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
        I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
    I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
        from the great congregation.
    [11] As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
        your mercy from me;
    your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
        ever preserve me!

Questions for Reflection

1. When do you hate to wait?
2. What mental picture did David use to describe God’s deliverance in the past? (40:1-2)
3. For what did David praise the Lord in the introduction of the psalm? (40:1-5)
4. What did David’s experience of God’s help in the past motivate him to do? (40:3)
5. How should we respond to God’s deliverance? (40:3)
6. What specific instructions does the psalm give to God’s people? (40:4)
7. What does God want from us even more than sacrifices and offerings? (40:6-7)
8. What was David’s main desire? (40:8)
9. How did David equip himself to do God’s will? (40:8)
10.  What are the dangers of letting church attendance become overly routine or perfunctory?
11.  How can we guard against the temptation to focus more on outward appearances than inward attitudes?
12.  What does remembering God’s faithfulness in the past prompt you to do?