People of Living Faith

Lent Devotion Guide

2009-03-28T21:48:00.002-04:00

Scripture Passage for Mar 30—Apr 5

· Matthew 18:1-5
· Luke 10:38-42

Questions for Reflection

Monday: How can your own “greatness” get in the way in your relationship with God?

Tuesday: What would it mean for you to be humble like a child?

Wednesday: In the Luke passage, what are the good points and blind spots for Martha? For Mary?

Thursday: Like Martha, are you distracted by many things so that you are pulled away from Jesus’ presence? How so?

Friday: Spend time offering to God the complexities and distractions in your life that keep you away from God, and ask God for help, grace and clarity.

Saturday & Sunday: Reflect on your experience of the week, spend more time in silence and prayer, finish scripture memorization

Key Scripture Verse

“Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:4-5, NRSV)

A Wesleyan Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt,
rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for
thee,
exalted for thee or brought low by thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy
pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Lenten Devotion Guide Mar 23-30

2009-03-23T09:30:00.002-04:00

Scripture Passage for March 23-30

· Ephesians 3:14-5:2

Questions for Reflection

Monday: Consider the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus, found in 3:14-21. Take a few moments to express this prayer to God in your own words, praying for yourself and your church.

Tuesday: How is it that God is working change in your life as you grow in your love of Jesus Christ?

Wednesday: Humility, gentleness, patience, support, love — of these qualities, which needs the most development in your life? Ask God for help in your prayers.

Thursday: What does it mean to “speak the truth in love?” (as opposed to love without truth, or truth without love.)

Friday: God gives us Christian small groups (for study, service, prayer, etc.) as a means of grace; how does your small group(s) provide support and accountability for your growth as a Christian?

Saturday & Sunday: Reflect on your experience of the week, spend more time in silence and prayer, finish scripture memorization

Key Scripture Verse

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly
far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

(Ephesians 3:20-21, NRSV)

Lenten Devotion Guide for March 16-22

2009-03-16T11:13:00.002-04:00

Scripture Passages for March 16-22

· Luke 11:1-13
· Colossians 3:1-17

Questions for Reflection

Monday: Through Jesus’ teaching on prayer, what is God telling you about God’s kingdom and God’s goodness?

Tuesday: What concerns occupy most of your time in prayer: praise? confession? petition? Why? In which area would you like to grow?

Wednesday: In Col 3:5-17, what kinds of differences to you see between the “clothes” which are “earthly” and the “clothes” of “God’s chosen ones?”

Thursday: What piece of “earthly” clothing is really comfortable for you? Why is it difficult for you to remove? What part of Christ’s clothing would you like to put on instead?

Friday: How is God speaking to you so that the word of Christ may “dwell in you richly?”

Saturday & Sunday: Reflect on your experience of the week, spend more time in silence and prayer, finish scripture memorization

Key Scripture Verse

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and
admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”
(Colossians 4:16 NRSV)

Devotion and Prayer God for March 8-15

2009-03-07T17:11:00.001-05:00

Scripture Passages for March 9-15

· Psalm 100
· John 4:1-27, 39-42

Questions for Reflection

Monday: As possible, read aloud Psalm 100; list out in your journal what you are most thankful for, and give thanks to God!

Tuesday: Is your expression of joy in your life sometimes too limited or too private? In Psalm 100, why is thanksgiving a public, communal event?

Wednesday: What does it mean for you to worship God “in spirit and truth?”

Thursday: God seeks worshipers in spirit and truth; do you believe God is seeking you out to fellowship with God in this way?

Friday: What aspects of Jesus’ conversation with the woman in John 4 are like God’s conversations with you?

Saturday & Sunday: Reflect on your experience of the week, spend more time in silence and prayer, finish scripture memorization

Key Scripture Verse for Memorization

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship
him.”
(John 4:23 NRSV)

2009-02-28T19:47:00.003-05:00

Scripture Passages for March 2-8

· Deuteronomy 6:4-9
· Mark 12:28-34

Questions for Reflection

Monday: How is it that you love God with your whole heart, soul and mind?

Tuesday: Do you have more trouble recalling God’s role in your life in times of failure, or of success? Why?

Wednesday: In what ways is God responsible for the successes you enjoy in life? How do you know this?

Thursday: How important is it to you that the children in your life (your own, in your family, in your neighborhood, in your church, etc.) grow up to love God and appreciate God’s role in their life? How can you help teach them about God’s love?

Friday: In the three love relationships Jesus outlines (God, neighbor, self) where are you the strongest? The weakest? What do you find helps love grow in each area?

Saturday & Sunday: Reflect on your experience of the week, spend more time in silence and prayer, finish scripture memorization

Key Scripture Verse for Memorization

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this,
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment
greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NRSV)

6 Choices for People of Living Faith

2008-03-25T21:19:00.003-04:00

For six weeks following Easter 2008, we're discussing Paul Nixon's six choices for vital churches:

choosing life over death
choosing community over isolation
choosing fun over drudgery
choosing bold over mild
choosing frontier over fortress
choosing now over later

Each week, we'll post the discussion from Sunday for everyone to join.