The Tangled Webs We Weave

In Proverbs 6 we read:

16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

" The Lord hates " are strong words. Surely I am not guilty of any of these sins.

This week we will read about the sins of David as he lust after his neighbor. God hated what David did and made him pay a high price for these sins.

I may not have shed innocent blood but I have said hurtful words to people. I know I have not started a riot but I have pasted along information that may have made one think less of someone else.

Does God hate these actions ?

If He does am I any different in my actions than David ?

This lesson has humbled me greatly. See you in class.

Your Call Is Calling

This week the unemployment rate hit a 14 year high at 6.5%. In the month of October 240,000 people lost their jobs. When is the last time you have thanked God for your job? I know sometimes I take my job for granted.

This week God lets King David know that He (God) is the boss. He also promises David a great future with the company if He (God) remains as the boss.

How can we keep God as the boss at our work place ?

God can use us in great ways at our jobs if we let Him.

Hope to see you in class.

Pray For Uncle Sam

The life of every citizen will be impacted by our upcoming elections. This election will see the greatest number of voters ever. As you know there is a great deal at stake for each of us. Regardless of the winner, we as citizens must pray for our elected officials.

Ten Ways To Pray For People In Leadership -

Pray that:

1. they be granted wisdom, knowledge, and understanding ( Jas 1:5)
2. they recognize their own inadequacy and seek the will of God ( Prov 3:5-8 )
3. they be convicted of sin ( John 8:1-9 )
4. they respect authority and practice accountability ( Rom 13:1-7 )
5. they be honest and faithful to spouses and children ( Mal 2: 15-16 )
6. they be timely, reliable, and dependable ( Mt 21: 28-31 )
7. they desire honesty, integrity, and loyalty ( Prov 11:3 )
8. they endeavor to restore the sanctity of life and family ( Eph 5:21-6:4 )
9. they desire humility and meekness ( Titus 3: 1-2 )
10. they be prepared to give account to God ( Heb 9:27 )

See you in class.

Following God's Agenda

An agenda is the set of goals of an ideological group. I use an agenda to get a certain task completed. Sometimes however we have to change our agenda in order to complete the task. Also it is difficult to follow another one's agenda. I believe God has an agenda for each of us and I believe we often find it difficult to follow His agenda.

This week we will see two agendas. One is for Saul and the other is for David. We will also see that Saul has to change to conform to God's agenda.

Does God have an agenda for us ?

What is that agenda ?

How do we conform to God's agenda ?

It should be a healthy discussion. See you in class.

The Worth Of Friendship

What is Christian friendship worth ? As I write this blog I am remembering the times when Christian friends helped me. Friends have stood by me during my hospital stays, my job changes, the loss of family members, and the headaches of leadership positions that I have held. My friends tell me when I do a good job and also when I screw up things. My friends love me when it is hard to be loved. A good Christian friend is priceless.

David had a friend that was priceless to him. We will read that this friend loved him deeply and saved his life. We will also read that this friend sacrificed his future for this friendship.

What kind of friend are you ?

Have you ever sacrificed something for your friend ?

Has your friend ever sacrificed something for you ?

Thank you for allowing us to meet in the pray garden this morning. You all are good friends to me.

Dealing With Disappointment

Have you ever been disappointed ? There have been times in my life where my plans just did not work out. I would ask , "Where did I go wrong?" . I did not get that job I really wanted or a relationship went sour. Sometimes we even slide into a state of depression because of this disappointment. How do we deal with this disappointment ?

This week Saul enters into a state of depression . Because of his sin God replaces him as king . God's new choice as king is the son of Jesse , David .

How do we deal with disappointment ?

How can we trust God to keep hope alive ?

Let's join together in class to discuss this important subject.

Follow The Instructions

Do you like to follow instructions? I must say I do not like to follow instructions. When we buy something that needs to be put together I look at the pictures. For some reason there are always parts left over. I should start my own hardware store with the extra parts I have from Christmas toys.

As king God gave Saul instructions to follow. Because of fear and impatiences Saul elects not to follow these instructions. Saul will lose his kingship as a punishment.

Does God give us instructions to follow ?

Is it hard to follow these instructions ?

Do we sometimes have parts left over ?

See you Sunday.