The Vineyard- October 23, 2016

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Pray for God to speak to you through the reading of His word. 

Read Exodus 14:1-31

God’s Great Reversal

-          Why was Pharaoh so keen to pursue the Israelites?  What did Pharaoh believe about the Israelites situation?

-          How did God bait a trap for Pharaoh and his army, even before they attempted to cross the Red Sea in pursuit of Israel?

-          How did God reverse the situation, from Israel appearing to be trapped, to Pharaoh’s army being actually trapped?

-          How did God reverse the situation in the instance of Jesus and the cross?

-          What did the world think would happen when it killed Jesus?  What actually happened?

-          Passage to Consider: I Corinthians 15:54-55

Recreation for God’s Creation

-          What elements of nature does God use to achieve Israel’s liberation?

-          What common elements does the story of the Red Sea crossing have with the story of creation, and the flood in Noah’s time?

-          How does God create a path for us, seemingly out of nowhere? 

-          What similarities are there between the Israelites crossing of the Red Sea, and baptism?

-          Passage to Consider: Romans 6:1-4

From Fear to Faith

-          When things appear to be going badly, do you typically respond with fear or with faith? 

-          Fear drives us back to what?

-          Faith comes from recognizing the work of God in our lives.  How has God been at work in your life?

-          Fear of the world drives us away from God, but fear of the Lord brings us closer to him.  Which fear is setting the agenda in your life?

Praise God for reversing our fortunes through the cross of Christ!

Thank God for providing a path for us, even when it seems there is none. 

Pray that your life might be directed by a fear of the Lord, rather than a fear of this world.  

Prayer Requests- October 23, 2016

Praise:   Kayleigh Dauzat, Morgan Strother, Makenzie Fee, Denise Wright, Jaycee Fuller, and Jordan Wiggins are all doing better.  Charlene Babb & Marie Cook made it home safely. 

Recent Requests:  Dennis Johnson, Terry Seal, Robert Johnson, Champion McNett, Rylan Clark, Aubrey Buller, Bill Gunter, Jimmie Banks, Sharry Johnson, Glenda McGilvray, Maverick Sepulvado; Doris Morgan; Macy Peebles; Haley Billings; Bob Mellon; Kerry Page; Jordan Pollard; Samantha Gunter; Christine Taylor; Ashley Stallings, Jason Guillot’s father, Michael Clark, Drew Broussard, Robert Garcia, Dave Butler, Jehtt Wilmore, Dillard Fontenot, Rob Woodard, Ashley Strother, Mrs. Jimmie Banks, Elaine Melder, Melvin Lucas, Danielle Cloud, Deborah Cloud, Heather Hensley, Twiggy Johnson, Edna Woodard, Dorothy Browning, Elizabeth Bailey-Paul, Keith Monroe, Lisa King

Pray for the persecuted Christians, missionaries, victims of violence, and your enemies.  (Matthew 5:44)

Pray for our elected and appointed leaders, as well as world leaders. 

Pray for our students, faculty, staff, and administration at the school, especially their safety.    

Pray for those affected by Hurricane Matthew, and the flooding in south Louisiana.

Continuing Requests: Brent Anderson; Dale Anderson, IV; Emma Armour; Kowyn Austin, Allan Babb, Roanne Ballio, Makenzie Bankston, Ruth Barbe, Conner Bouchie, Carl Chellette, Haley Chisholm, Ronnie Chisholm, Flo Conway, RC Conway, Claire Cotton, Sampson Doyle III, Clyde Dunn, James Otis Dunn, Kimmy Fix, Briley Fuller, Robert Gough, Mamie Grantham, Carolyn Gray, Dan Gray, Carl Holloway, Darlene Holt, Mary Ruth Hubbard, Mike Irwin, Aline Johnson, Candy Johnson, Sylvia Johnson, Darwin Jones, Andrew Juneau, Mascel Keith, Dennis LeDoux, Drake Martin, Iris Lee Martin, Mattie McReynolds, Dot Melder, Felix Melder, Mark Melder, Mike Melder, Arvis Midkiff, Sue Moore, Geneva Norsworthy; Jim Owens, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Luther Paul, Dewanna Polk, Kirby Roy, Estelle Simmons, Eric Sipco, Halyn Smith, Betty St. Andrie, Aiden Stewart, Erica Gillette Stewart, Lacy Storey, C.W. Strother, Jolee Rayne Terrell, Anna Thibadoux, Azaria Thompson, Martha Townsend, Randy Tucker, Toun Vilsaysack; Jeanie Winegeart

Deployed Military:  Tyler Bankston; Taylor Denegal, Kelvin Griffin, Tyler Johnson, and those in the military

Cancer Patients:  Heather Ashworth, Marvin Banks, Ronnie Bedgood, Sylvia Bollock, Ashley Brown, Hedy Butler, Shirley Cameron, Mark Cary, Raymond Causey, Gleeta Chamberlain, Jerry Cole, Sally Crooks, Tyese Davis, Danny Doughy, Donna Dyson, Billy Ellington, Ruth Ann Fisher, Sherry Fontenot, Murray Ganson, Jared Gordon, Stacy Gough, Steve Hawkins, Cheresa Hudson, Donnie Johnson, Mr. Kelly, Vivian Kirby, Johnny LaHay, Dot Langston, Linda Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Warren LeBlanc, Bonnie Lee, Kaylee Lesta, Billie Linzay, Rodney Linzay, Braeden Lyberski, Neda Lyberski, Joy Mancil, Roy McDonald, Henry Millsap, David Monroe, Otis Monroe; Laken Moreau, Joe O’Neal, Jeanie O’Rorke, Myra Page, Les Paul, Kyle Pearson, Evelyn Sandell, Joan Schneider, Donny Shows, Richard Simmons, Linda Sipco, Connor Smith, Carolyn Spears, Donna Spears, Walter Stagg, Varnell Stanley, Carol Stewart, Leann Switzer, Jackie Teasely, Cliff Thornton, Jean Valdeterio; Troy Verheyden; Dalton Welch, Brenda West, Charles Whitten, Carol Willis, Britney Wilson, James Wood, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Eloise Babb; Mary Ann Fuller, John Kenner, Bessy LeDoux

Travelling:  Those traveling for work; Linda Sipco; Sloan Johnson; Ricky Martin; David Johnson; Eraine Clark

Deaths: The families of Dorothy Browning, Daniel Huenink, Clyde Holloway, Kenneth Wayne Polk, and Donald Pender

Unspoken Requests

The Vineyard- October 2, 2016

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Pray for God to speak to you through the reading of His word. 

Read Exodus 7:8-10:29

The One True Lord

-          What was God’s purpose in sending the plagues on Egypt?

-          In demonstrating that he alone is Lord, God was extending an opportunity to the Egyptians.  What was that opportunity?  Did any of them take advantage of it?

-          The Egyptian magicians were able to do similar miracles to the plagues.  What were they unable to do?  How did God finally demonstrate his superiority to them?

-          How does God’s display of superiority in Exodus encourage you when you engage in spiritual warfare?

-          Do we have false gods today?  What are our cultures gods of prosperity?  Or security? 

Why are You Sorry?

-          What prompted Pharaoh’s repentance? 

-          Why is repentance generated by fear inferior to repentance generated by a transformed heart? 

-          What are some characteristics of false repentance in a Christian?

-          Do we ever qualify our repentance and submission to God?

-          Are there things you have yet to submit to God in your life?  How can you move toward a more complete submission?

Tell Your Children

-          Why is the story of the exodus out of Egypt important for Christians to tell their children? 

-          What else has happened since the exodus that it is important for our children to know about?

Pray that the world might come to know God as the one, true Lord, and Jesus his Son.   

Pray for a heart of genuine repentance. 

Make an effort to tell your children God’s story this week. 

Prayer Requests- October 2, 2016

Praise:   Gary Kurtz and Todd Mason is doing better. 

Recent Requests:  Sharry Johnson, Glenda McGilvray, Jaycee Fuller, Jordan Wiggins, Hudson family, Maverick Sepulvado; Doris Morgan; Macy Peebles; Haley Billings; Makenzie Fee; Morgan Strother; Lydia Holloway; Bob Mellon; Denise Wright; Pat Paul; Kerry Page; our families impacted by flooding; Denham Springs Church of Christ; Jordan Pollard; Samantha Gunter; Christine Taylor; Ashley Stallings, Jason Guillot’s father, Michael Clark, Drew Broussard, Robert Garcia, Dave Butler, Jehtt Wilmore, Dillard Fontenot, Rob Woodard, Ashley Strother, Mrs. Jimmie Banks, Elaine Melder, Melvin Lucas, Danielle Cloud, Deborah Cloud, Heather Hensley, Twiggy Johnson, Edna Woodard, Dorothy Browning, Elizabeth Bailey-Paul, Keith Monroe, Lisa King, Clyde Holloway

Pray for the persecuted Christians, missionaries, victims of violence, and your enemies.  (Matthew 5:44)

Pray for our elected and appointed leaders, as well as world leaders. 

Pray for our students, faculty, staff, and administration at the school, especially their safety.    

Pray for those in south Louisiana impacted by the flooding.

Continuing Requests: Brent Anderson; Dale Anderson, IV; Emma Armour; Kowyn Austin, Allan Babb, Roanne Ballio, Makenzie Bankston, Ruth Barbe, Conner Bouchie, Carl Chellette, Haley Chisholm, Ronnie Chisholm, Flo Conway, RC Conway, Claire Cotton, Sampson Doyle III, Clyde Dunn, James Otis Dunn, Kimmy Fix, Briley Fuller, Robert Gough, Mamie Grantham, Carolyn Gray, Dan Gray, Carl Holloway, Darlene Holt, Mary Ruth Hubbard, Mike Irwin, Aline Johnson, Candy Johnson, Sylvia Johnson, Darwin Jones, Andrew Juneau, Mascel Keith, Dennis LeDoux, Drake Martin, Iris Lee Martin, Mattie McReynolds, Dot Melder, Felix Melder, Mark Melder, Mike Melder, Arvis Midkiff, Sue Moore, Geneva Norsworthy; Jim Owens, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Luther Paul, Dewanna Polk, Kirby Roy, Estelle Simmons, Eric Sipco, Halyn Smith, Betty St. Andrie, Aiden Stewart, Erica Gillette Stewart, Lacy Storey, C.W. Strother, Jolee Rayne Terrell, Anna Thibadoux, Azaria Thompson, Martha Townsend, Randy Tucker, Toun Vilsaysack; Jeanie Winegeart

Deployed Military:  Tyler Bankston; Taylor Denegal, Kelvin Griffin, Tyler Johnson, and those in the military

Cancer Patients:  Heather Ashworth, Marvin Banks, Ronnie Bedgood, Sylvia Bollock, Ashley Brown, Hedy Butler, Shirley Cameron, Mark Cary, Raymond Causey, Gleeta Chamberlain, Jerry Cole, Sally Crooks, Tyese Davis, Danny Doughy, Donna Dyson, Billy Ellington, Ruth Ann Fisher, Sherry Fontenot, Murray Ganson, Jared Gordon, Stacy Gough, Steve Hawkins, Cheresa Hudson, Donnie Johnson, Mr. Kelly, Vivian Kirby, Johnny LaHay, Dot Langston, Linda Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Warren LeBlanc, Kaylee Lesta, Braeden Lyberski, Neda Lyberski, Joy Mancil, Roy McDonald, Henry Millsap, David Monroe, Otis Monroe; Laken Moreau, Joe O’Neal, Jeanie O’Rorke, Myra Page, Les Paul, Kyle Pearson, Evelyn Sandell, Joan Schneider, Donny Shows, Richard Simmons, Linda Sipco, Connor Smith, Carolyn Spears, Donna Spears, Walter Stagg, Varnell Stanley, Carol Stewart, Leann Switzer, Jackie Teasely, Cliff Thornton, Jean Valdeterio; Troy Verheyden; Dalton Welch, Brenda West, Charles Whitten, Carol Willis, Britney Wilson, James Wood, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Eloise Babb; Mary Ann Fuller, John Kenner, Bessy LeDoux

Travelling:  Those traveling for work; Linda Sipco

Deaths: The families of Ron Saxon, Lucy Gravett, Maudye Bedsole, Grady Harper, James Savage, and Francis Polk

Unspoken Requests