THIS WEEK S MESSAGE April 12 &13 08 Reboot Series When its time to adjust the default settings... Studies from the Sermon on the Mount This Week s Message: Just Ask...? Pastor Mark Burch Matthew 7:7-12 We witness it nearly every day…the sacrifices that good parents make for their children. The financial and time commitments that go into raising healthy kids are HUGE but you seldom hear a parent complain! Jesus points out the best of our traits as earthly parents and then draws a comparison…if this is how good moms and dads look after their children… how much more will your heavenly Father…? How much have we understood about the Father s generous heart toward His children? Will we trust? Do we believe? Will we be bold enough to ask? I John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us ‒ whatever we ask ‒ we know that we have what we asked of him.
Do you have questions about Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount? Send them to
[email protected] and then listen to future messages for the answers!
Home Group Study Questions History (Making it Personal) 1. Are we afraid to ask God boldly to bless us ‒ to lead us ‒ to provide for us? What has been your experience in prayer? Have you known someone who God seemed to really listen to? What was it about their praying that was different? 2. Some people could take this blank cheque Jesus offers and abuse the privilege…Has anyone ever given you an outrageously generous gift? Almost like a blank cheque? How did it make you feel? How did you respond? Can you explain your emotions at that time? 3. Off the top of your head…list things that we can say with confidence would be God s will for us to ask for …then take some time to reflect on your list…do we REALLY pray boldly? Digging Deeper (Looking to the Bible) 4. Read Matthew 7:7-12 and talk about what stands out to you in the first reading of the text. If a person were hearing this for the first time ‒ how do you think they would hear it? What does it tell us about ourselves and about God? 5. Read I Kings 3:4-15. Focus especially on vv 7-9 and talk about the humility expressed in Solomon s request. How does this attitude affect what we choose to ask God for? 6. This story sounds almost like finding a genie in a lamp and being offered three great wishes…? How do you think most people would use it today? Read also James 4:1-3 and talk about how prayer can be abused. 7. How do we balance God s promise to bless us with an understanding that blessing does not always mean additions . Sometimes our greatest blessings come through difficult subtractions and trials. What is the danger ‒ or potential misunderstanding of this text? 8. But now, having talked about the danger of abusing prayer…talk about how we may miss it s power because we are hesitant to ask for too much ‒ or to ask wrongly. Has Satan stolen our faith in prayer ‒ because we don t want to abuse it? 9. Read John 15:5-7 and talk about the conditions for prayer. 10. Read Psalm 2:8 and scan the context. Read also Psalm 67. How can we pray for the nations today and know that we are praying in God s will? 11. Talk about prayer in difficult situations. How does Romans 8:26-28 help us in these times? 12. Talk about the signature on that blank cheque. When we ask in Jesus name we are drawing on HIS account. How does this affect our praying? Taking It Home (Application) 13. Spend some time in prayer as a group ‒ praying for some things that YOU KNOW are in God s will…pray for the nations! Pray for unsaved friends and family! Pray for God s glory to be revealed in how you live your life! Pray that Jesus name would be lifted up in your life and in our city! 14. On a personal note, write yourself a reminder and pin it somewhere you ll see it ‒ to Ask ‒ seek ‒ knock with boldness!
PRAYER The Believer s Lifeline to God! PRE-SERVICE PRAYER : Open to everyone. Hwy 33 Campus Rm 109-Saturday 4:45 pm, Sunday 8:45 am South Campus, Rm 108 - Sunday 8:45 am
TUESDAY: Open to everyone, 9 -3 pm, Hwy 33 Campus, Rm 109 This week s prayer focus: WPC & Kelowna Churches
WEDNESDAY: 7:30 pm, library, call Shelley at 807-2650 Join us as we pray for our youth and leaders who need our prayer covering
MEN S PRAYER: HWY 33 CAMPUS: Wednesdays at 6:30 am, Hospitality Rm SOUTH CAMPUS: Thursdays at 6:45 am, 4574 Raymer Rd LAKE COUNTRY CAMPUS: Wednesdays at 6:30 am For location, call Pastor Jeff 765-6880 Ext 126 PRAYER CHAIN: To join or activate the PRAYER CHAIN call Sue Redekopp at 765-2357 If not available, call the church office at 765-6622
HEALING PRAYER
A Spirit led ministry focusing on inner healing and deliverance. For an appointment, call 765-6880 Ext. 112
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE ILL OR IN HOSPITAL Jules Kreeft, David Marshall, David Block, Frank Hamm, Linda and Douglas Dyck, Joan Bond, Bill and Shirley Gibb, Ruth Arnt, Haley Roberston Heather Ketchum, Dorothy Tulman, Mary Mercer, Carolyn Herzog Heidi Kliewer
BAPTISM/MEMBERSHIP CLASS - Friday May 9th, 7-9 pm (Hospitality Center), Saturday, May 10th, 9 am-12 pm Baptism Date: Sunday May 25th @ Green Bay Bible Camp
SENIORS MISSONS TEA
Please note that the date has changed to Tuesday, April 29th @ Hwy 33 Campus, 2-4 pm in the Gym Special Guest Speaker: Bonnie Irvine, WPC Missionary from Thailand
THANK YOU so much, dear Church family, for your continued prayers during this past year. Darryl is now working full time since his major hear attack. Pray for strength. David s hand is functioning with minimal pain. The leg and foot swelling dissapated miraculously last Friday. Please continue praying for complete recovery with absence of pain. Blessings! David and Alvina Block
THIS WEEK S BIBLE READING: April13 - 19, 2008
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1 Sam. 14; 1 Chr. 4; 2 Cor. 13 1 Sam. 15-16; 1 Chr. 5; Matt. 1 1 Sam. 17; Ps. 9; Matt. 2 1 Sam. 18; 1 Chr. 6; Ps. 11; Matt. 3 1 Sam. 19; 1 Chr. 7; Ps. 59; Matt. 4 1 Sam. 20-21; Ps. 34; Matt. 5 1 Sam. 22; Ps. 17,35; Matt. 6
STEWARDSHIP REPORT Last Weekend s Attendance ........ 2,182 Last Weekend s Giving ................... 73,876 Weekly Budget Needs .................... 63,799
By reading just 10-15 minutes each day, you can read the entire Bible in just one year. Willow Park journals ($7 each) are available at the Info Desk to help you keep track of what you are reading and hearing from God.
Matthew 5:16 ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Generosity trumps skepticism!
