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Bulletin cover

February 12, 2017

WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE

We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us.

FAMILY NEWS

CLOTHES FOR KIDS: Notice that the title has changed, because we are now providing underwear, socks, and sweat pants as well as coats. The idea is to have an area in the basement that we stock with these items during sales, and have them when they are needed. Our thanks to Brenda Reagan for getting us in touch with the schools on this. Tracey Brewer and Lana Fox are going to organize and stock an area with the items we will supply. Leon Forbes and Brenda Reagan will help us find where the needs are and deliver the supplies to the schools as we learn about needs.

DEVOTIONAL AT CLAYTONS' TUESDAY: Our monthly Bible study at John and Cindy Clayton’s will be this Tuesday at 7:00. Just bring your Bible and enjoy a devotional, a Bible study, light snacks, and a time of fellowship together with Christians from all over the Michiana area.

PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS — NO FOOD IN BASEMENT CLASSROOMS: Please do not send any food downstairs during the children's classes. The time is too short and we have kids with allergy problems. PLEASE!


TODAY'S LESSON

WHAT IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE LIKE?

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John Clayton
INTRODUCTION
A. Look at the insert provided with this bulletin.
B. When did God command prayer?
1. Nothing in Pentateuch
2. 85 original prayers in Old Testament
3. 60 Psalms are prayers, 14 have a prayer in them.
Intercession prayers are common — Daniel 9:20.
I. JESUS PRACTICED PRAYER.
A. He prayed in secret — Luke 5:16 and 6:12.
B. In spiritual conflict — John 12:20 – 28; Luke 22:39 – 46
C. He prayed on the cross — Matt 27:46; and Luke 23:46.
D. Offered thanksgiving — Luke 10:21; John 6:11; 11:41
E. Interceded for disciples — John 17:6 – 26; Luke 22:31 – 34
F. Luke 23:34 — “Forgive them, they don’t know … .”
II. JESUS TAUGHT A GREAT DEAL ABOUT PRAYER.
A. Lord's Prayer — Matthew 6:9 – 13 — Two sections
B. Matthew 6:5 — Hypocrites and prayer
C. Matthew 6:6 — Prayer in secret
D. Matthew 6:7 — Repetitious chant-like phrases not good
1. Luke 18:5 — Woman wears down judge — not God.
2. Verse 8 — God avenges “speedily.”
E. Luke 18:10 – 14 — Our approach affects prayer.
III. PRAYER IS PERSONAL IN CONDUCT AND SUBJECT
A. 1 Timothy 2:8 — “Lifting up holy hands”
B. Greek words (see insert) — what does this mean?
C. There are no limits to what you can say/ask to God.
IV. CAN YOU EXPECT A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM GOD?
A. James 4:3 – 7 — What prayer will not do.
John 12:20 – 28 and Luke 22:39 – 46
B. Matthew 7:7 — Preceded by discussion of hypocrisy
C. Luke 11:9 – 10 — Preceded by the Lord's Prayer
D. John 14:13 – 14 — Included in abiding with Jesus
If you are not abiding, what can you expect?
E. Christians do have some guarantees about prayer.
1. Acts 9:15 applies to all of us.
2. Romans 8:28

THE BACK PAGE

PLANNING FOR THE CASS COUNTY FAIR

The questionnaire that was distributed in conjunction with our congregational meeting on February 5, had a question about whether we wanted to have a booth in the Cass County Fair again this August or not. One hundred percent of those who turned in the questionnaire said that we should do the fair booth again. In our discussions about that booth, there has been a consensus that we need to do something different than in previous years. For many years now we have used question boards that Larry Fox made for us, and have formulated questions that had to do with the Does God Exist? ministry. People have gotten pretty familar with that arrangement so the feeling is we need to completely change it. The problem is — to what?

To help you decide the answer to that question, let me suggest that there are four general areas that we can focus on as part of the exhibit:

  1. CHALLENGES ON A MORAL ISSUES — God's plan for marriage, abortion, euthanasia, religious pluralism, etc.
  2. ADVERTISE THE CHURCH — Our plea, the services we do in the community, what our teaching is about, and how it changes or impacts daily life.
  3. DOCTRINAL DISCUSSIONS — Baptism, the Holy Spirit, how we worship, why we worship on Sunday, etc.
  4. INSTRUCTION ON THE BIBLE — Hard passages, life in Bible times, foods of the Bible, understanding Revelation, how to understand translations, walking in Jesus' steps.

One factor here is what we give people. We still have balloons, pens, emery boards, magnets and tracts from previous years.

One problem is whether we want to have a subject that we know will generate more heat than light. We do not need to be arguing doctrine at the fair. We also generally have more kids than adults visit the booth. Give this some thought and keep it in your prayers. Write a proposal of an idea and put it in the question box or give it to John Clayton or Bill Gibson. We need your ideas!

— John Clayton


Our sign by the street!

Our sign on the street says, SINCERITY AND TRUTH ARE THE BASIS OF EVERY VIRTUE!

Sign saying by www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com