July 25th – 31st, 2010
Prayer of the Week:
O God, the protector of all who trust in You, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us Your mercy; that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday – Job 7:1-7, Psalm 20
Monday – Job 5:1-14, Psalm 21:1
Tuesday – Job 5:15-27, Psalm 21:2-3
Wednesday – Job 6:1-15, Psalm 21:4
Thursday – Job 6:16-30 Psalm 21:5-6
Friday – Job 7, Psalm 21:7
Saturday – Job 10, Psalm 21:1-7
Prayer List
Aubrey Kirk, Andreen Jackson, Phillip Day, Scott Day, Jason Whitley, Ronnie Brown, Dexter Jackson, Stella Edgett, Bryan Beard, Aileen Sharp, Jimme Lee Mobley, LeAnn Meeks, Floy Jean Moore, Paul and Carolyn Coburn
CrossTalk
July 25th, 2010
Today’s scripture focus: Job 7:1-7
The sayings of the wise represent a distinct type of literature in the Old Testament. Moses and the prophets received their messages directly from God, but Wisdom authors looked to God’s creation to determine truth. The pursuit of wisdom was not a secular endeavor, for Israel believed that God placed the principles of wisdom in the created order. Foundational to wisdom is the belief that God created the world in justice and righteousness. By choosing the path of truth, one may suffer for a time, but eventually obedience will lead to a long life with prosperity. By contrast, the foolish refuse the disciplined life in favor of one governed by self-gratification. Job-Songs make up the Wisdom section of scripture.
The book of Job is named after its chief character. The actual author is not identified. We may be sure the author was an Israelite, since he (not Job or his friends) uses the covenant name for God (Yahweh; NIV “the LORD”). Job is one of the most difficult books in the Old Testament to translate. It uses a large technical vocabulary of words from astronomy, mining, hunting, and law. Job is a carefully crafted literary masterpiece. It contains prose, poetry, dialogues, laments, hymns, and proverbs. The main structure of the book is divided into three parts: a short prose prologue (chapters 1-2), a long section of poetic dialogue between Job and others (3-42:6), and a short prose conclusion (42:7-17)
In last week’s CrossWords assignment, we read how, after Job is afflicted with sores all over his body, his three friends came to minister and grieve. After seven days of silence, Job begins his lament, cursing the day he was born. In chapter four, his first friend, Eliphaz the Temanite responds. Teman was an Edomite town noted for wisdom (Jer. 49:7). The speeches of Job’s friends contain elements of truth, but they must be interpreted in context. The problem is with what the friends did not know: God’s high purpose in allowing Satan to buffet Job. Eliphaz tells a of a hair-raising dream he had which revealed the truth of Job’s situation. He tells Job to be thankful for God’s correction.
Today’s scripture focus begins the second half of Job’s response to Eliphaz’s speech. After appealing for sympathy in chapter six, he now addresses his complaint towards God in chapter seven. “Hard service” usually refers to military service, though it came to be commonly used to refer to the Babylonian exile. For post-exilic Jews in Palestine, suffering had become a way of life. Would relief only come in death? We all go through difficult times, but Job is especially meaningful to the chronic sufferer – those for whom life seems one long, sleepless night. During these times when we feel that our friends aren’t hearing us, we can take comfort that God is indeed listening. Surely He has borne our sorrows!
CrossGroups
• Go around the table and share prayer requests. Have someone lead in prayer.
• Let everyone who would like share anything exciting from their week.
• Ask these three questions. Let as many answer each one as would like.
1) Is there anything in today’s scripture that especially speaks to you?
2) What questions would you like to ask about today’s scripture?
3) When is it ok to complain to God? How do we know God is listening to our troubles?
Today’s Sermon
- Job had a long night.
- We have those long nights, too.
- God was listening to Job in the night.
- God listens to us, too.
Assignment – Pray daily for the manifest presence of God in our worship.
CrossWords
July 18th – July 24th, 2010
Prayer of the Week:
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, You know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday – Job 1, Psalm 19:12-14
Monday – Job 1:1-11, Psalm 20:3
Tuesday – Job 1:12-22, Psalm 20:4
Wednesday – Job 2, Psalm 20:5
Thursday – Job 3, Psalm 20:6-7
Friday – Job 4, Psalm 20:8-9
Saturday – Job 7:1-7, Psalm 20
Prayer List
David Patton, Aubrey Kirk, Andreen Jackson, Floy Gene Moore, Phillip Day, Scott Day, Jason Whitley, Carolyn Coburn, LeAnn Meeks, Shane Dodson, Ronnie Brown, John Stewart, Dexter Jackson, Stella Edgett, Aileen Sharp
CrossTalk
July 18th, 2010
Today’s scripture focus: Job 1
The book of Job introduces us to the section of scripture known as “Wisdom” (or “the writings” in the Hebrew bible.) “Wisdom” is not intelligence, but a philosophy that produces success in life. Wisdom literature uses poetic forms to teach key truths about life, chiefly that happiness comes from worshiping God (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom – Proverbs 9:10.) We treat wisdom writings a little differently than other parts of the Old Testament. Much like the parables of Jesus in the New Testament, the stories in this portion of scripture are not to be treated historically, but as conveying principles about how life works. The other Wisdom books are Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.
The story of Job was an ancient epic that was probably popular during the same time as the events of Joshua and Judges. At that time, the story would have consisted of simply the first two chapters and the last chapter of the current book (bad things happened to Job, then good things happened to Job.) Centuries later – probably after the Babylonian Exile – the author of Job either collected or added the poetry section in the middle, thus giving us the book in its final form. The main concern of Job is the problem of suffering, or “Why do bad things happen to good people?”. Scholars refer to this issue as “theodicy” (theo – God, dice – justice).
In today’s scripture, we are introduced to Job of Uz, somewhere northeast of Palestine. Job is described as the most righteous and the wealthiest man in the area, and the two are portrayed as going hand in hand. Job acted as priest for his family, and regularly offered atonement sacrifices on their behalf, just in case they sinned! The action then moves to the heavenly court, where angels come and report to God. “Satan” here is not a name but an office (the Hebrew is literally “the satan” or “the accuser”). Satan is commissioned with testing Job, but after chapter two, he disappears from the book and God deals with Job directly. Though Job loses everything, he remains blameless (for now.)
In order to understand Job’s message, we must place it in the framework of covenant history. We learned about the covenant in Joshua and Judges. When Israel obeyed God, they were protected and blessed, but when they worshiped other gods, they were cursed. Over the centuries, though, it was observed that sometimes it seemed as though the righteous were cursed, while the ungodly prospered. How could this be? Job is an attempt to teach through poetic form that ultimately God is in control, and His ways are unknowable. Obviously we still wrestle with these same questions today. We, too, ask “where is God?”. Though often difficult to understand, Job offers light when journeying through the dark night of the soul.
CrossGroups
• Go around the table and share prayer requests. Have someone lead in prayer.
• Let everyone who would like share anything exciting from their week.
• Ask these three questions. Let as many answer each one as would like.
1) Is there anything in today’s scripture that especially speaks to you?
2) What questions would you like to ask about today’s scripture?
3) Whose fault is it when bad things happen – ours? Satan’s? God’s? none of the above?
Today’s Sermon
- Job entered a time of darkness.
- We all go through times of darkness.
- God was on the throne.
- God is STILL on the throne.
Assignment – Pray daily for the manifest presence of God in our worship.
CrossWords
May 23rd-29th, 2010
Prayer of the Week -
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Sunday, May 23rd
Read: Matthew 7, Psalm 18:13-18
Pray: O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list – David Patton, Lyle Hansen
Monday, May 24th
Read: Matthew 7:1-6, Psalm 18:19
Pray:
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list – Carl Rider, Bill Cates
Tuesday, May 25th
Read: Matthew 7:7-12, Psalm 18:20
Pray:
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list – Joyce Hughes, Bryan Beard
Wednesday, May 26th
Read: Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 18:21
Pray:
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list – Jennifer Jenkins, Jasper Gunter
Thursday, May 27th
Read: Matthew 7:15-23, Psalm 18:22
Pray:
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list – Harris family
Friday, May 28th
Read: Matthew 7:24-29, Psalm 18:23-24
Pray:
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list: Flood victims, Tornado victims
Saturday, May 29th
Read: Joshua 1, Psalm 18:19-24
Pray:
Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the church prayer list: Sunday services
