Spring Calendar – 2009

March
5 – ALL Meet @ Church
12 – Men @ Starbucks (Custer/El Dorado)
19 – ALL Meet @ Church
26 – Ladies @ Harty’s Home

April
2 – Men @ Starbucks (Custer/El Dorado)
9 – ALL Meet @ Church
16 – Ladies @ Harty’s Home
23 – ALL Meet @ Church
30 – BBQ Fun Night (Place TBD)

May
7 – Men @ Starbucks (Custer/El Dorado)
14 – ALL Meet @ Church
21 – Ladies @ Harty’s Home
28 – ALL Meet @ Church

Kingdom Now Project

Hi Everyone!

Josh and I wanted to invite all who are interested to join us and some friends on Tuesday Night as we go to downtown Dallas and feed and pray with the homeless. We will be meeting at my office at 6:30 PM and returning around 9 PM.  We will be passing out cheeseburgers, talking and praying with whoever we come across.  We will not be working with any shelter; it will  just be us walking around and talking with folks.

 

If you have any questions email or call me. 

jonbailey@me.com

(214) 284.2597

 

Seek the Kingdom,
Jon 

Remembrance.

One of the great gifts God has provided for us is the ability to remember, which helps infuse life with meaning, purpose, and continuity. However, a failure to remember certain key aspects of our life can be very damaging. For example in the Scriptures we are studying and discussing this week, we are implored to remember the painful result of our sins, namely separation from God and His people, and remember the joyous result of Jesus forgiveness, namely our reconciliation back to God and His people. It is important for God’s people to have their faith and hope leaning into the future, but it is also imperative that they pause to occasionally ponder their past and God’s previous faithfulness that has been poured out upon them as Paul does in Ephesians 2:11-22.

Here are some things from the scripture we are compelled to remember:

1. Our separation from God and His people. (vs: 11-12)
2. Our reconciliation to God. (vs: 13-18)
3. Our reconciliation to God’s people. (vs: 19-22)

My hope is that this discussion leads us to a time of remembrance of all that God has done for us. May this be an encouraging time where we stir up one another to dwell deeply in the presence of Jesus, where ultimate joy is found.

fighting for joy & remembering the goodness of Jesus,
tw

Kindle Afresh (part 2)

One of the beautiful aspects of Chrisianity is that we are not called to this journey alone. That is why we gather together with regularity: LIFE Group, Sunday mornings, mid-week services, meeting for coffee, Bible studies, etc. But, what is the point of this frequent gathering. Hopefully, it looks a little something like these 2 scriptures (which will spearhead our discussion for the night):

HEBREWS 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

JUDE 20-23
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

My focus for this discussion is that we leave with a better sense of how we can stir up one another to love and good works. Come armed with questions, scriptures, encouragement, practical ‘how-to’s’, and whatever else the Lord puts on your heart as we build ourselves up in our most holy faith.

Can’t wait to see you all,

tw

Prayer Requests from 11/6

Hi Everyone! Thanks for coming over last night. It’s always fun and “kindling” to spend time with our little group. For those of you who couldn’t make it…we missed you! Below are the prayer requests that were shared:

Gary Ricks- Please pray for Keith and Sharon’s neighbor Gary Rick’s who recently found out he has Lymphoma. He will start treatment soon. Pray for healing, comfort and strength for him and his sweet family.

Dave’s Daughter- Pray for Bonnie and Julie’s friends Dave and Vicki. Dave just found out his daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. Again, pray for healing and peace.

America- Let’s pray for our country. Pray for Christians in our nation to stay focused on being disciples to the world and showing love through difficult times. Pray for our new President and government leaders.

Praise Report:
Last week, Trey’s business had a huge boost in sales! Sales looked like what they typically see in summer months, which is GREAT for this time of year! Keep praying for Trey and the success of Williford AC!

Kindle Afresh

Hey Everybody!

Kori and I are excited to have you all over on Thursday night! I am going to be leading the discussion so I have provided some scripture and talking points for everyone to look over before Thursday.

2 Timothy 1.6-10
6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 

10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

 

Paul encourages Timothy to kindle afresh the gift God has given him. How do we kindle God’s gift? What is God’s gift?

Verse 1.9 reads ‘not according to our works.’ How do we differentiate between works & kindling? 

My Kindling Idea

Praying the Psalms Aloud.

 

“The Scriptures, read and prayed, are our primary and normative access to God as He reveals Himself to us. The Scriptures are our listening post for learning the language of the soul…they also provide the vocabulary and grammar that are appropriate for us as we in our turn speak to God. Prayer detached from scripture, from listening to God, disconnected from listening to God’s word to us, short circuits the relational language that is prayer.”

That is why we pray what we read. Prayer is the way we work our way out of the comfortable but cramped world of self and into the self-denying but spacious world of God. It’s getting rid of self so we can be all soul–God aware, God-dimensioned.”

Eugene Peterson
Eat This Book
Pg 104,108

 
Suggested Psalms:

Psalm 100: Thanksgiving
Psalm 51: Repentance
Psalm 148: Praise and Thankfulness
Psalm 62.5-8: Resting in God 

 

 

 

A Solid Foundation

Hey everyone!

The topic for discussion this week is the final part of Jesus’ sermon on the mount (Matthew 7:24-29). I want to encourage each of you to read over that story, and then go back to Matthew 5, and read and meditate on the greatest sermon ever preached, Matthew 5:3-7:27).

This is not going to be a lesson, but a discussion centered around these questions (and more as they come up). 

Talking Points

Eugene Peterson said, “There is a great market for religous experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.”

Which of “these words of mine”, that Jesus was talking about (Mat. 5-7), have you heard or read, but really don’t do? Why?

Which of these words hits home with you right now as an area of strength and great faith at this time of your life? What has been the impact on your life in these areas where you are hearing and obeying the words of Jesus?

Over the next few days, weeks, months, years – which of these areas (Mat. 5-7) will you commit to growing  in as you press in to Christ? How can others in this LIFE GROUP help to hold you accountable to these?

I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday. If you have any questions or comments before hand go ahead and post them and I will respond and/or we can all discuss. Have a great day!

For Jesus,
tw

You Are What You Eat

Hello Everyone!

The topic for discussion this week is communion. I have a few verses that we will be discussing so go ahead and read over them and bring your talking points and questions. I don’t really want it to be a lesson, but more of a discussion or conversation.

Scripture References

Mark 14.12-26
Exodus 11.5
Exodus 12.3-8
John 6.53-63
Jeremiah 31.31-34

 

Talking Points

“Presumed familiarity breeds unfamiliarity.” says Dallas Willard. I think this can easily happen with communion. Unfamiliarity leads to neglect, and neglect leads to apathy.

What is communion all about? Do we practice it just to remember the cross?

Jesus says, “this is My blood of the covenant.” What is this covenant? Is it new or old?

How do we eat Jesus’ body and drink His blood? Why and what happens when we do it?

 

A Quote

“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No community is more or less than this…We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ”  

Dietrich Bonehoeffer
Life Together
Pg. 21 

 

I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday. If you have any questions or comments before hand go ahead and post them and I will try to respond. Have a great day!

Seek the Kingdom,

Jon

Prayer Requests – 9/25/08

**PLEASE NOTICE THE NEW PAGE ADDED TO THE HEADER: THE PRAYER PAGE. This page will be updated from time to time – so if you have a new one to add, just send it along!

These are the prayer requests from last meeting. Pray for:

Lisa Hoyle– her sister who has MS, Quianna to find herself and who she is, and for Lisa to have wisdom and strength.

Sharon– Keith has another interview. Pray for God’s leading, the right salary package, and for wisdom. Also pray fot the pregnancy to continue with no problems.

Kori– pray for her as she continues to search for the right job.

Teach us to pray.

Lesson & Discussion for September 25, 2008

Hey everyone! Hope you are all having a great week. This Thursday, we will be discussing prayer. Specifically, the Lord’s prayer from Matthew 6:5-13. Read through it. Pray through it. Come ready to discuss this model prayer, and also any other questions, challenges, thoughts, or concerns in the area of prayer.