READ

John 1:1-18

Psalm 1

Sunday Sermon

The sermon for Sunday, July 13, will be on select passages from Nehemiah 2-3. To prepare for the preaching of the Word, please read these chapters before the gathering.

PRAY

For the month July in our Daily Worship, we will be praying through our Five Loves during the week and our Mission and Vision statements on the weekend.  

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35 

While salvation is a very personal experience, by it God makes us part of his new people. We are adopted into his new family comprised of others who have had the same experience of grace in their lives. When we unite ourselves to a local church and fellowship with other believers in love, we demonstrate to the world that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has changed us. The many other-oriented commands in the New Testament show us that Christians are meant to be in loving community with one another, serving together to carry out Christ’s mission.  

• “Loveone another” - (Rom. 13:8) – Ask God for a heart of genuine love for others in our church. 
• “Live in harmony withone another…” (Rom. 12:16) – Pray to God for peace and unity in our church and that God would guard us against the Satan’s schemes to cause division. 
• “but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” - (Phil. 2:3)– Ask God for a heart of self-sacrificing service toward others in our church and for the ability to put the needs of others first. 
• “forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”– (Col. 3:13) – Ask God for a heart of true forgiveness toward others when they sin against you. 
• “Encourageone another daily…” - (Heb. 3:13) – Pray for God to give you the opportunities to encourage others in our church today.  

“Pray for each other” - (Ja. 5:16) – Pray for the needs of our church body today.  

Faith Groups

• What are you learning from Ezra and Nehemiah?
• Discuss the following big themes of these two books, along with practical applications for each:
  1. God’s providence in the world (in matters such as the decision of kings, etc.)
  2. Christians facing opposition
  3. Joy in worship
  4. Joy in hardship
  5. the Word of God in the life of his people
  6. Sin and repentance
  7. Prayer and Fasting

Sing

You've Already Won - Shane & Shane