Prayer Requests- October 16, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  Carol Willis, Martha Townsend, Allie Ericson, Cherry Seal, Robert Maddox, Bryce Bailey, Peyton Conway, Doris Morgan, D.C. Carruth, Benny Richard, Roanne Ballio, Bill Goree, Cameron Sutton, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Shirley Decker, those travelling to Italy

Continuing Requests:  Marie Cook, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Gleeta Chamberlain, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Allie Ericson, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Harold Melder family, Carolyn Ambrose family, the family of Karen and Cole Ferguson, Karen Villemarette family

Unspoken Requests

Tragedy in Gulfport, MS

The wife and son of the minister of the Orange Grove Church of Christ in Gulfport, MS were murdered in their home yesterday afternoon.  This involves not only loss of life, but betrayal, abuse, and a failure of our justice system to protect the victim.  The family, but also many others involved, need our prayers.  I am reminded of our lesson Sunday night, that Jesus teaches us to pray for our enemies.  I can't imagine a more difficult time to put that into practice.

http://www.sunherald.com/2011/10/10/3497876/two-dead-in-orange-grove-home.html

The Vineyard- October 9, 2011

The Vineyard

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

Mark 5:21-43

      Jairus doesn’t think of his personal pride when he approaches Jesus.  He falls on the ground and pleads with Him to heal his daughter.  Do you show similar humility when coming before Christ, or does your pride prevent you from coming to Him openly and honestly?

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      The woman with the issue of blood got what she was looking for, healing.  And yet, instead of disappearing into the crowd she humbly reveals herself to Jesus.  Do you present yourself before Jesus, or do you walk away after you have gotten what you needed from Him?

Matthew 5:38-42
One of the laws of physics states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  The same is true for human interactions.

In order for conflict to stop, someone has to be the person that refuses to retaliate, or hit back.  Why do you think Jesus challenges us to be that person?  To be the one who doesn’t seek to “get even”? 

What does it tell others when they see us acting not in our own best interest, but in the interest of peace and harmony?  Could our willingness to seek reconciliation rather than revenge be a way of preaching the gospel?

Prayer Requests- October 9, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  Allie Ericson, Cherry Seal, Rocky Johnson, Robert Maddox, Bryce Bailey, Peyton Conway, Doris Morgan, D.C. Carruth, Benny Richard, Sam Poole, Jr., Roanne Ballio, Bill Goree, Cameron Sutton, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Shirley Decker, those travelling to Italy

Continuing Requests:  Marie Cook, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Allie Ericson, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Karen Villemarette, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Ewell Langston family, Verna Mar Trentham family, Walter Goodwin family, Ray Sandell family, Lois Russell family, Douglas Fontenot family

Unspoken Requests

Galatians 3:1-18

Galatians 3:1-18

I.                   V. 1-6

a.       V. 1

                                                              i.      Translated literally, “who has cast the evil eye upon you”

                                                            ii.      They are being criticized not for a lack of knowledge, but for a lack of moral judgment, they are foolish, not ignorant

                                                          iii.      Anoetoi, or “foolish”, is also used in Luke 24:25 where Jesus refers to the disciples on the road to Emmaus as “foolish, and slow of heart”

b.      V. 2

                                                              i.      A hearing that is faithful, or a hearing that leads to faith

                                                            ii.      Cf. Isa. 53:1

c.       V. 3

                                                              i.      This is as much about how they live in the present and future, as it is how they entered the Christian life.

                                                            ii.      Cf. Phil. 1:6

d.      V. 4

                                                              i.      “experience” or “suffer”?

e.       V. 5

                                                              i.      Compound form of verb implies “bountifully supplies”

f.       V. 6

                                                              i.      Believed God, not believed in God.  This is more than intellectual assent to God’s existence, this is trust

                                                            ii.      Cf. Gen. 15:6

                                                          iii.      The Spirit=justification in order for the comparison to Abraham’s faith=righteousness to hold

                                                          iv.      Cf. Psalm 106:30-31 for “reckoned as righteousness”

g.      The Spirit is mentioned for the first time in these verses

                                                              i.      The Spirit comes in and with the preaching of the crucified Christ

                                                            ii.      The Spirit is set in opposition to the flesh

                                                          iii.      The Spirit is the new age, and thus the source of life and vitality

1.      Cf. Acts 14:8-10

                                                          iv.      The Spirit comes to the whole community, and not a select few

1.      Cf. Joel 2:23-32

2.      Cf. Acts 2:38-39

II.                V. 7-14

a.       Vv. 7-9

                                                              i.      Cf. Gen. 12:3, 22:18

                                                            ii.      Paul redefines the definition of who is Abraham’s offspring

                                                          iii.      Those who believe as Abraham did, are blessed as he was

                                                          iv.      By invoking the example of Abraham, Paul is actually closer to the source, or beginning of faith in God than the Judiazers, commonalities with Abraham pre-date the Law

b.      Vv. 10-12

                                                              i.      V. 10

1.      Cf. Deut. 27:26

                                                            ii.      V. 11

1.      Cf. Habakkuk 2:4 (which is also used in Rom. 1:17)

2.      Paul ties living to “being righteous by faith”

                                                          iii.      V. 12

1.      Cf. Lev. 18:5

2.      Law and faith are diametrically opposed

3.      Human-weakness and salvation history uphold “justification by faith”

c.       Vv. 13-14

                                                              i.      V. 13

1.      Paul had to refute his own former position, which during the time he persecuted the church was surely that Jesus’ death proved that he was cursed

2.      Cf. Num. 25:4 and II Sam. 21:6

d.      The Rabbis saw two aspects of the law at work:

                                                              i.      Haggadah- Who are we?

                                                            ii.      Halakah- What are we to do?

                                                          iii.      Paul argues that the emphasis lies on the first, and that it has been misinterpreted

III.             V. 15-18

a.       V. 15

                                                              i.      No one changes an agreement that has already been made, ex post facto

b.      V. 16

                                                              i.      “Issue” or “offspring” is singular.  This is not a strained interpretation, as it was historical reality with Isaac

                                                            ii.      The seed is Christ when it comes to faith, the topic of discussion here

c.       V. 17

                                                              i.      The ratification of the covenant, or promise, began long before the law, with the stories of Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes

                                                            ii.      The law cannot change the pre-existing promise

d.      Paul may be confronting here a rabbinic idea that the Law was pre-existent.  By fixing it in its historical context, Paul shows that in fact the promise predates the Law

The Vineyard- October 2, 2011

The Vineyard

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

Mark 5:1-20

-          Compare the description of the man in v. 3-5, to the description in v. 15.  What is different, how has he changed?

-          This man had not one problem, but many problems, and yet the presence of Jesus brought healing.  What problem, or problems, do you have that need to be brought to Jesus?

-          Are you willing to follow Jesus?  Sometimes following Jesus means staying where we are, and faithfully telling the story of how he has changed us.  Do you have a story that you can share with others?

Matthew 5:33-37

-          What is the motivation for oaths?  How do oaths actually harm truthfulness by their very nature? 

-          Jesus primary concern isn’t oaths; it’s a world where there are different degrees of truth.  Is a lie only a lie if it violates an oath?  Is truth only truth if spoken under oath?

-          What does lying do to our ability to preach the good news of Jesus Christ?  If people are accustomed to hearing us speak falsehoods, what will they think when we proclaim the gospel? 

Prayer Requests- October 2, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  Robert Maddox, Fred Carnes, Brice Bailey, Peyton Conway, Doris Morgan, D.C. Carruth, Benny Richard, Sam Poole, Jr., Roanne Ballio, Bill Goree, Cameron Sutton, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Ewell Langston, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Cherry Seal, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Shirley Decker, those travelling to Italy

Continuing Requests:  Marie Cook, Stan Riggs, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Karen Villemarette, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Verna Mar Trentham family, Walter Goodwin family, Ray Sandell family, Lois Russell family, Douglas Fontenot family

Unspoken Requests