Daily Discipleship Guide for 26-APR-2010

The theme of the youth worship service was “Light up the Dark”.  The youth focused on Christ bringing light into the world and ultimately overcoming the darkness.  Begin today's devotion by reading Ephesians 5:8-10.

This scripture says that we have all lived in darkness.  When did you have darkness in your life? 

With Christ in our lives, we no longer live in darkness but rather have ourselves become light.  How has God brought light into your life following periods of darkness? 

End today's devotion by writing down a few ways that you can live as a child of light and please the Lord with the things you say and do.

Daily Discipleship Guide for 23-APR-2010

This Sunday is Commitment Sunday.  There have been certain defining moments in the life of this church.  This is one of those defining moments.  Can you think of certain defining moments in your life?  Please list three or four.

How did God help you with those defining moments?

What did you learn about God in those defining moments?

Read Joshua 3.   How was this a defining moment for Joshua?

What did God promise to do for Joshua?

Please pray today and during the prayer vigil tomorrow that we as a church will be faithful to God’s direction.

Close this session by reading or singing the first and last verses of the hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

Amazing grace!  How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.

Daily Discipleship Guide for 22-APR-2010

Read Malachi 1:6-14; 3:8-12.

What were the offerings of God’s people?

Why do you think this was so hurtful to God?

Write Malachi 3:10 on a piece of paper.

Now rewrite this verse in your own words.

What does this verse mean to you?

What does this text say to the church today?

How would the text change your life if you took it seriously?

Please close with the following prayer.

I pursue you, Jesus, so that I may be caught by you.
I press in so that I may know your heart.
I stay close so that I may be like you.
Loving Lord, grant me:
purity of heart, humility of soul,
integrity of life, charity for all.  Amen.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga has been building houses in the Chattanooga area since 1987 and Signal Crest has been part of that endeavor since the beginning.

We usually have 5 or more people every fourth Saturday to go to a job site and help in construction. This Saturday (24-APR) we are far short of the needed person power. If anyone would be willing, no experience necessary and must be at least 16, we could sure use some help.

We plan to work a half day only from 8:15 until about 12 noon. We will be doing framing (raising walls) or if it rains, they have another house where we will do some foam insulation. Let Jack Montgomery know if you can participate. 886-0346 or email JJEMont@aol.com.

We will meet at the back church parking lot at 8:15 and car pool to the job site.

Daily Discipleship Guide for 21-APR-2010

The hunger for more is not a twentieth – or twenty-first – century phenomenon.  It’s as old as the Garden of Eden.  Unfortunately, God’s people have been anything but immune to this appetite.

Psalm 106 reviews Israel’s history during the days of the Exodus from Egypt.  How does the theme of wanting more come through in this passage?

What were the results?

When the hunger for more happens in your life, what form does it usually take?  In what areas are you most vulnerable?

(House?  Car?  Recreation?  Clothing?)

Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-24, and then paraphrase them below.

Do you really think it’s impossible to serve two masters?  Why?

In what ways have you tried to do so?  Be specific.

Suppose you decided today to stop wanting more and to forever cease the tendency to serve money and possessions.  What would you do to achieve that resolution?

Please close this session with the following prayer.

Bless to me O God, my soul that comes from on high.
Bless to me O God, my body that is of earth.
Bless to me O God, each thing my eye sees.
Each Sunday my ears hear.
Bless to me O God, each scent that gives to my nostrils,
Each taste that goes to my lips,
Each ray that guides my way.

- Celtic Prayers from Iona

*Study taken from Giving

Daily Discipleship Guide for 19-APR-2010

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  (Acts 20:35)

This phrase certainly has to be in the running for the most-quoted-words-of-Jesus award.  The question is, do you really believe it? 
It is easy to mouth agreement with this principle, to say it is true.  But our actual giving patterns tell the truth about what we really believe.  This week, sit down and take a look back through your financial records (checkbook, credit card statements, ect.) for the past month or two.  Then answer the following questions.

Did anything surprise you, good or bad, as you did this review?

Was there any cringe factor?  Were there any evidences of the “more monster” rearing its head?

Did you tithe?  Did you actually give one-tenth of your earnings to God as soon as you received them?

If you didn’t actually tithe, what percentage did you give to God?  Is that percentage higher or lower than last year?  Than five years ago?

Were there any spontaneous outbursts of generosity – modest or even substantial sacrifices made for the sake of someone in need?

Did any expenditures represent a step in faith?

Now answer the question again.  “Do I really believe it is more blessed to give than to receive?”


Please close with the following prayer.

Glorious God, source of joy and righteousness, enable us as
redeemed and forgiven children evermore to rejoice in singing
your praises.  Grant that what we sing with our lips we may
believe in our hearts we may practice in our lives; so that being
doers of the Word and not hearers only, we may receive
everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

*Study taken from Giving

Rev. Steven D. Martin, Exec. Dir. of New Evangelical Partnership for Common Good to speak at SCUMC 4/28


 


 

 

Greetings:

 

You helped us respond. Now help us spread the word!

Christianity Today gave us the credit for being the first to call out Glenn Beck's irresponsible words when he said:

 

"I beg you, look for the words "social justice" or "economic justice" on your church web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, the idea, hang on, am I advising people to leave their church... yes!... If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish."

We asked you to help us spread the word that Glenn Beck is wrong about "social justice" by helping us make a video that would, in a positive way, tell the world what we think is obvious: that justice and care of the least, last, and lost is a central concern to Jesus.

 

You responded. Now we need your help once again.

You responded by funding a short video that reminds viewers that justice is a central concern to God and should be a central concern to us as well. That video has been produced and is ready to be spread far and wide. Will you now make sure people see it? First, view the video we've made by clicking here. The video can also be seen on YouTube by clicking here. If you're a Facebook user, the video is posted here.

Now that you've seen our light-hearted, but direct approach to Beck's statements, feel free to repost this video everywhere you can think of. Does your church have a Facebook Fan Page? Post it to your own Facebook page. Tweet it. Put it out on your network any way you can think of.

If you are excited by our positive approach to the fear and suspicion Beck is spreading, would you also consider contributing to our ongoing work?

  • Please make a donation to the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good by visiting our web site, www.newevangelicalpartnership.org. Use our online donation button to contribute whatever amount you like.
  • Then, please forward this email to your friends and post it on Facebook and Twitter.

We believe we must stand against inflammatory statements that discredit the very words of Jesus. We must stand for churches and non-profits who embody the Great Commandment, to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love neighbor as self. This is just one small way in which we hope to do what's right.

Please visit our web site and take a look around. I hope that you will be pleased with what you see: an attempt to search for common-ground solutions that take the Bible seriously while pursuing projects that are good for everyone (the "common good"), not just the like-minded, and embody the call to love God and love neighbor as self. If you like what you see, sign up to be on our email list.

Thank you for considering this important appeal.

Rev. Richard Cizik, President
Dr. David Gushee, Chair
Rev. Steven D. Martin, Executive Director

 



NewEvangelicalPartnershipfortheCommonGood
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