September 3, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Matthew 7:28–29, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Matthew 7:24–25, Matthew 7:26–27, 2 Timothy 4:3
Ekplesso encompasses the ideas of wonder, astonishment, or amazement. It expresses a stunned amazement
that leaves the subject unable to grasp what is happening.
Discussion Questions:
1. What storms in your life have shaken your faith foundation?
2. How has Jesus been a foundation in those storms?
3. What areas of your life are you needing to “practice” the way of Jesus?
4. What type of false authorities lead to building on the wrong foundation?
Prayer Prompt:
O Lord, be the architect and builder of my life. Father, give me the grace to build on no other foundation but the foundation of Christ. I ask that you lovingly replace every faulty foundation in my life with the truth and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Help me through the power of your Spirit, put into practice your words and your ways. Amen.
False Prophets
August 27, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Mark 8:35–36, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 7:13–15, Proverbs 14:12, John 14:6
False prophets create false problems in order to appear as true messiahs. If Satan cannot dethrone God in Heaven, he will try to dethrone God in hearts. Satan's strategy is simple: make sin look normal and righteousness look strange.
Prayer Prompt:
Heavenly Father, I ask that You would grant me a discerning heart. A heart that seeks to know You, and to know the truth of Your Word. But more than that, I ask that You would grant me a heart that seeks to keep Your mind. Please open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word, to take it to heart, and to apply it to my daily life. Amen.
Discussion Questions:
What path would you describe you are on, wide or narrow?
What are the differences between the wide and narrow road?
Why do you think people are attracted to the wide road?
What false prophets do you see in the world today?
What deceptive lies do you see in the world today?
How can we as the Church be more discerning?
Ask, Seek, Knock
August 20, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 7:7–12
Have you ever felt like you were ghosted by God? Believe that in the moments we feel God or understand Him the least, He might be working the most. Matthew 7 says to "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Do Not Judge
August 13, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • James 4:12, Matthew 7:1–2, Romans 2:1, 1 Corinthians 10:29, Romans 14:10
"A critical spirit is a ravenous beast that devours many an honest effort, loving gesture, or kind deed with nary a backward glance. Threatening to steal the joy from everything that isn’t perfect and everyone who falls short of its expectations. It poisons every relationship it touches, because the pressure of an impossible standard is too heavy to bear. Those in relationship with one who possesses a critical spirit are always trying and always falling short. Eventually they stop trying altogether." – Lori Hatcher, 4 Ways to Cure a Critical Spirit
Discussion Questions:
1. What does healthy judging look like?
2. How do you work on not being hypercritical?
3. What does it mean to remove the plank out of my own eye?
4. How can we be better at having a posture of receiving input from others?
Prayer Prompt:
"Father, I lay down my self-imposed responsibility of judging the heart, motives, intentions, and actions of the people in my life. You have instructed me in this, and I will obey you. I remove the back-breaking burden of being the judge, and I repent of the pride in my life that is evident every time I have a critical, judgmental thought. You have commanded me to walk in forgiveness and love, to rise above offenses, and to walk humbly with you. I choose that road today. I submit my thoughts to you for approval, choosing loving thoughts and not condemning thoughts, compassionate thoughts not critical thoughts. And kindly remove the log in my eye. Thank you."
God Is Trustworthy
August 6, 2023 • Emma Weaver • Matthew 6:19–34, Matthew 6:19–21, Matthew 6:22–23, Matthew 6:25–32, Matthew 6:33–34
An invitation to live a flourishing life.
Prayer
July 30, 2023 • Jen McCourt
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Love Your Enemies
July 23, 2023 • Josh Weaver • Luke 6:35–36, Ephesians 5:1–2, Romans 5:6–8, Matthew 5:38–48, John 13:15
The Bible tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Prayer may or may not change the other person, but it always changes you.
Pray this prayer with us:
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your unconditional love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Teach us to take love seriously. Give us your heart for the people around us, especially those we find difficult to love. Holy Spirit, lead me to pursue reconciliation and forgiveness toward my enemies. I pray that my love for others would glorify you, Jesus. Amen.
Heart Matters
July 16, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Mark 7:21–22, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 5:23–24, Proverbs 19:11, Mark 10:8–9
Forgiveness releases while unforgiveness restrains. We can so easily come under an offended spirit, a critical spirit, or an unforgiving spirit. Ask the Lord today who you might need to forgive or reconcile with.
Fulfill The Law
July 9, 2023 • Jen McCourt • Matthew 5:17–20, Matthew 22:36–40, Matthew 15:18, Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Jesus summed up the law he came to fulfill in two sentences - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself.
Prayer Prompt:
Teach me to Love like you did, like you do - with ALL my heart, ALL my soul, And ALL my mind! Give me eyes to see others this week through Your eyes of love! Amen!
Salt & Light
July 2, 2023 • Mike Tatlock • Matthew 5:14–16, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 5:11, Matthew 4:23–25, Matthew 5:13
Kingdom reality happens when the brilliance of heaven meets the brokenness of earth. Do you live a life that releases the Kingdom or restrains it?
Prayer Prompt:
"There is no part of life you do not touch, O God. Help us to bring light into all the darkness of life, spreading hope for a better world, a world where justice is made real by your children living together in harmony. Help us to bring salt into the blandness of life, encouraging vitality and joy in living in a world that dares to hope for the future that you promise where all your children will know themselves loved and valued and treasured, created in your image, bringing you glory forever. Amen."
— Rev Liz Crumlish
The Beatitudes
June 25, 2023 • Josh Weaver • Matthew 5:1–12
Jesus' vision is for the reality of heaven to become our earthly experience.
