Discussion Questions for February 17th

Read Romans 12:3-10

1. Verses 3-8 discussed how we can serve one another with the gifts of the Spirit. What are some of the things we are told to avoid? (i.e. what are some sinful attitudes we must be on the look out for?)
   

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1. What are some ways that you have been served in the past by the different gifts mentioned?
   

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2. Which of these gifts would you like to either begin to exercise or increase in?
   

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2. Read I John 4:7-12 Who, from your past or your present, is an example to you of what it means to love someone with a Christian love?
   

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3. We are called to love without hypocrisy in 12:9. What are some of the ways that you are tempted to not obey this commandment?
   

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4. We are called to abhor what is evil. How can we cultivate a hatred for evil?
   

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5. God calls us to walk with others in the church with a “brotherly love.” What things happen in church life that can test this? What things can we do to foster it?
   

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6. We are to outdo one another in showing honor. We can do this both corporately (the church may honor someone or a group of individuals) and individually. How are you doing at the individual part? How can we grow in genuinely honoring others?

May 6th Discussion Questions

Discussion Before Worship – Romans 8:33-34

1. Which ones shout the loudest at you?  What ways have you found to silence their accusations?


2. What New Testament verses come to your mind when you read this?


3. We can come before the throne of grace at anytime!

 A Community of Grace – Gene Emerson

 1.Read Romans 14:1-10.  Make notes of what stands out to you.
2. What is our basis of being accepted by God?  What is the basis for our unity as a church?
3. What can we be tempted to make the basis of accepting others and unity?   
4. Why is it our tendency to judge others when they don't conform to our practices? What are the heart issues that are at stake here?
5.  What are some of the things that come to your mind when you think of disputable matters?
6.  We all have convictions about some disputable matters, whether we like it or not. Can you think of any ways that you have judged others based upon your preferences and standards?
7.  Are you currently involved in judging someone because of their convictions?  How should you respond to this conviction (what changes should you make)?

March/April Prayer List

Burnetts:

Dave

...please continue to pray for Josh and Jenna

Donna

...has a new grandson! Jacob Owen was born late Tuesday night & is doing very well

...please pray for Donna's mom: cancerous lump in her kidney may not be removed because it is growing very slowly

...pray for Donna as she cares for her mom: it is becoming more challenging

Gideon

...has gotten a job at Chick-fil-a: please pray for wisdom as he manages his time and money and decides whether to go school or to find a different job

 

Hinds:

Emma

...has an abnormally high heart rate: please pray for wisdom and knowledge for the doctors to find the cause and to prescribe treatment

Nathaniel

...is working on his truck: pray for wisdom

...has painful ankles from PE class

...desires to be diligent in the last weeks of the school year

Jeanne

...please pray that God would work mightily in the lives of her brothers & that she would be filled with grace and faith 

Timothy

...is concerned for his older sister who is dying from bone cancer: please pray for her comfort and peace

...is also concerned about his niece who is caring for her mother during this difficult time

...is extra busy at work: please pray that he would be able to maintain a "normal life" while traveling often to DC

 

Nicki Bartolomeo

...please pray that Britney's (Chuck Yarley's sister) heart would be softened and that Nicki would be an instrument of grace in her life

 

Amy Kay Nickerson

...is considering moving to Tennessee: please pray that she will know God's will and direction and that she will trust him completely

Kings:

Charlie

...needs to sleep!

Noels:

Jenn

...is in a new season of life: please pray that she would be a good steward of her time and money 

Connie

...thinks it may be an exciting year: please pray that she lives diligently (to get ready!)

Mike

...pray for his parents: his dad is doing better (walking more with a walker now) and his mom is the primary caregiver

...please pray that his business would be prosperous not only financially but also in its being more focused

Prayer Requests for 2009

Noels:

Dan

1) strength, wisdom, and mercies for a very busy semester of student teaching, school, and work

2) that I would grow in having the word of God on my heart and lips. That I would grow in humbly and lovingly speaking truth to those around

3) passion in reading

4) wisdom for those in public office

Jenn

1) please pray that God will give my strength and grace to go to school each day with the desire and ability to teach to the glory of God

Connie

1) In 2009, I want to grow in maintaining peace in my heart despite exciting or troubling circumstances and to grow in diligence and self-control

2) for God's provision through Mike's job in uncertain times

Mike

1) pray for my parents--my dad is frail and my mother who cares for him and for my sister and me for wisdom in helping them.

2) that my business would be prosperous not only financially but also in it being more focused

3) God's help with my brother--that he and his family would be reconciled to the rest of our family

 

Burnetts:

1) Praise the Lord for the sale of our old home and for our new home

2) Pray for God to work mightly in Josh and that Donna's mom will find her joy in Him

Dave

1) to continue consistently in the private disciplines (prayer, reading, fasting)

2) running for public office

Donna

1) to truly love others as expressed in I Corinthians 13 and in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22,23

Gideon

1) daily time with God in the word and prayer to be fruitful and consistent.
2) incurred debt due to motorcycle accident, car, and car repairs. Hoping to be out of debt by May so that I can still get married as planned.
3) find ways and be diligent at doing better/well at work.

4) look for ways to serve with a happy heart. Esp. In the home for my parents.
5) that I would grow in leading and serving Christi. also, to grow in loving her selflessly and whole heartedly.

 

Hinds:

Emma

1) For 2009, contentment and joy in the situation and circumstances I find myself in; I'm not really enjoying this whole Wake Tech thing but I feel that I'm supposed to be there for now.

So basically that I would stop feeling self-pity and irritation, and I would instead focus on serving my classmates and instructors.

2) Also to have greater courage in evangelism both at school and at work

Nathaniel

1) For 2009, I would like to deepen my personal relationship with God and see Him work in more areas of my life.

2) I would also like to pay off the debt that I have accrued in the past three semesters

Timothy

1) loving my wife more than I love myself

2) reestablishing regular in-depth reading and meditation on God's Word

3) increasing in intercessory prayer for my family and the church

4) recovering fully from shoulder surgery

 

Nicki Bartolomeo

1) Please pray that I would completely heal physically, especially from mono (I am tired of being tired)

2) For 2009 -- I want to concentrate on consistently (daily) drawing near to the Lord.

3) I want to learn how to spend time with God, hear His voice and know His love personally for me!

 

Amy Kay Nickerson

1) prayer for end of semester struggles: grading, failures, parents

2) joy of the Lord (I'm feeling rather melancholy since Christmas break)

3) to treat my students better than they deserve

4) for new semester starting January 27 (91 new kids)

5) for 2009: improving spiritual discipline--reading the Bible every day and memorizing scripture more regularly

 

 

 

Homegroup Christmas Party

Date December 17th.

Theme: Christmas in Cuba

Food:   Cuban holiday food like Cuban Pork Roast, Guava pastries, etc. 

Location: Tentative, stayed tuned!

November Prayer List

The Burnetts:

Dave

1. Be filled with the Spirit

2.  Lead a disciplined life

Donna

1. Selling and buying of homes and moving go smoothly

2.  Joshua to surrender all to God

3. Wisdom to care for my mom and that God would be the joy of her life

Gideon

1. Endurance in spiritual gifts
2. Focus on work at work/work hard.
3. Peace with the out come of Christi and my relationship. Wisdom on how to follow through with our relationship.
4.  I also have been struggling with selfishness and pride at an enormous level...I really need prayer to become selfless and not look to my own wisdom over God's and them that He has placed over me.

 

The Noels:

Mike

1. My brother and his family

2.  My business

Connie

1. Contentment and diligence and safe travel over the holidays

2.  For God to reconcile Mike’s brother to the family

3.  God’s provision for us through Mike’s business despite the circumstances

Jenn

1.  Prayer for wisdom in how spends her time

 

The Hinds:

Tim

1.  Rapid and thorough healing of my shoulder after surgery

2.  Ability to minister to my wife and kids while recovering

 Jeanne

1.  No anxiety about plane travel Dec 4-8 to Seattle. 
2.  Wisdom in interactions with family in Seattle.  Lots of family drama to reconcile.

 

Nikki

1. For me to seek to have a humble heart in the midst of difficult co-worker dynamics, that I would guard my heart against anger and bitterness as well as pride and the temptation to vent and gossip about what is going on

2.  That I would learn the lesson God is trying to teach me throughout these circumstances because they seem to continually reoccur

3.  For my father’s salvation

 

Amy Kay

1. Resisting temptation to doubt/fear

2.  Diligence in spiritual disciplines

 

 Kinneys

Pray for Elaine whose pain and weakness is increasing.

September 17 Questions

Discussion Questions

 

 

1. One of my goals in following up the teaching is how can we as a home group grow in the area of prophecy and prophetic gifting* especially in our times together.   With that in mind:
   
   
   
   1. What questions do you have about prophesy?  How would you define it?
   
   
   2. What things keep you from participating more in this activity of the Spirit?  Is it 1) The actual receiving of something from God to share with others? 2) The discerning of whether it’s for you personally or something you should share with others? or  3) Is it the actual doing of it – stepping out in faith after you’ve receive something from the Lord? 
   
   
   
   

c.       What things can help us overcome our weaknesses (sins?) in b above.

1.  
   
   
   
   1. What questions do you have concerning the differences between prophecy and tongues and their different roles in the church’s and the believer’s life?
   
   
   
   


2. Phil ended the meeting with encouragements concerning preparing ourselves for Sam Storm’s teachings and ministry.  He mentioned to:
   
   
   
   1. Be sure our thinking and beliefs in regards to the Holy Spirit are in line with what Scripture teaches.  Are there any areas of your belief where you are uncertain to what God’s word teaches?  What passages come to mind when you think of the Holy Spirit?
   
   
   2. Be in faith for growing as a person of the Spirit.  This would be in general but also specifically that God would use this week’s conference to help us as a church and as individuals to increase in the Spirit’s power and gifting.
   
   
   3. Similar to 2b – be confident (expectant) in God’s promises concerning the giving of the Spirit.  Which ones come to your mind?
   
   
   4. Be asking God to fill you and use you and help you grow in this area.
   
   
   5. Spend time with the Lord concerning the above.
   
   
   
   

               Let’s talk about these encouragements and then spend time praying and ministering to each   other in anticipation of this week’s time with Sam.

 

*What I mean by prophetic gifting in our meetings goes beyond just giving a prophecy.  It would include Spirit led prayer, praise and Scripture reading and in general being led and directed by the Spirit.