Lesson Preview

What does it take to compromise?  Is compromise always good?  Try rearing teens without it!  Better yet -- what good marriage can exist without compromise?

You see, compromise consists of give-and-take .  Here is how it works in my house -- Lori gives and I take.  Yea, you really believe that one!  Now to get a little serious and more to the point:  Is compromise always a good thing?  If you say "no," then when is it not good to compromise? 

This Sunday, we conclude our lessons under the heading "Does My Character Count?"  The background material comes from 1 Kings, chapters 9:10 -11:43.  The lesson will concentrate on chapter 11.  Read it. 

Come to class with your observations and questions.  I'll do the same, only I'll probably have a few more!

See you Sunday,
Don

Super Bowl Party!

Don't forget, you do have someplace to go for the Super Bowl this year.  The LaRowes will host the second annual SPOTclass Super Bowl Bash.  It appears the Green Bay fans may have the edge at the party on Sunday, Feb. 6, but we promise to be nice to anyone rooting for the Steelers, too. 

Bring an appetizer or dessert -- Brooks and Ginger will provide the beverages.               

Game time is about 5:30 p.m. and the gates open for the party at 4:30 p.m. 

SPOTlunch

We discovered that Neil Stubbs did not miss his calling as a Dairy Queen proprietor when we enjoyed our free ice cream dessert at Dickey's Barbecue in Fenton last Sunday.  The ice cream presented to Jeanette looked a bit more like a handlebar mustache on a stick than a mound of creamy soft serve on a cone, but it tasted good all the same!  Good try, Neil!

That was just one of the fun moments at last week's SPOTlunch.  Watch for the time and place of the February SPOTlunch and make plans to be there!   

Prayer List  (for details see the last post on this very blog!)

• Zenobia Perry's cancer treatment
• Liz Massey's recovery from eye surgery
• The Proemseys and their babies
• Radick family at the death of Linda's father
• Susan Hurt's mother, Marilyn Mayer
• Search for worship minister
• Life groups

Snack List

January 30 -- Luthers

February 6  -- THIS SPACE AVAILABLE

February 13 -- Zenobia Perry

BIG CHILLi Dinner

The SPOTclass will be cooking and serving chili during CSM's Big Chill weekend on Saturday, March 19.  We're currently collecting money  to buy the necessary ingredients.  You'll find the envelope in the SPOTfolder this week.

If you have a favorite chili recipe, please pass it along.  We'll all team up in the church kitchen to prepare and serve the meal.  We want this to be a treat the kids won't

The Mid-Week Update!!!

Lesson Recap

This week we looked at 1 Kings 5-9.  After a historical context we specifically looked at Solomon's prayer and why we should pray.

• Because God is faithful 8:22-24:  Solomon delivered a prayer of dedication.  Prayer of dedication can serve two purposes: 1) demonstrate honest communication with God on the part of the one expressing the prayer and 2) public prayer can serve to teach and edify fellow worshipers concerning God.  Assuming the first point to be true, what part of Solomon's prayer served to teach and edify the audience concerning God? What part reveals God's faithfulness?  How should this truth encourage us to pray?

• Because God listens 8:27-27: In verse 28 Solomon uses three different Hebrew words for prayer, prayer (or praise...an intercession or request), plea (or petition. This term is related to the Hebrew word for 'grace', suggesting this kind of petition is a request for God's favor), and cry (to shout enthusiastically.  Usually a positive sense of crying out is inferred, but the word can also suggest a cry of desperation). We refer to prayer as a conversation with God.  Conversations require both a speaker and a listener.  We pray because we believe God listens.  Solomon portrayed his belief that this is so by using the three different words for prayer.  He stressed the truth that God hears us: He understands us, cares about us, and listens to us when we pray.

• Because God responds: 8:38-39: According to verse 38, God would be hearing prayers ranging from the king's loftiest intercession for national concerns to a peasant child's cry for safety during a thunderstorm.  In verse 39 the terms forgive, act and deal with (repay) emphasize God's response to prayer.  All of these verbs underscore Solomon's conviction the God both hears and responds to the prayers of his people. As did Solomon, we believe that God listens to our prayers.  The proof is in chapter 9:13.  How should the truth, knowing God responds, impact our prayers?

• Because everyone can 8:43: Solomon understood the temple was to be a place of prayer.  He anticipated that people outside the promised land (foreigners) would hear about the temple and the God who was worshiped there (8:41).  His thinking probably refers to the Lord's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3...all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you.  Solomon envisioned the temple and prayers prayed in the temple as having potential evangelic results.  People could come to a saving knowledge of God!

Prayer can be either a monologue or dialogue.  What makes the difference?

SPOT Super Bowl Party

Mark your calendars for Sunday, Feb 6th.  This will be the date for this years Super Bowl party at the LaRowe's.  Bring what you want to eat and drink.  The fun and fellowship starts at 4:30.  Sign up on the sheet in the SPOT folder or email your confirmation to thespotspot@charter.net

BIG CHILLi Dinner

We have starter to circulate the sign up sheet and the donation envelop.  I realize this is a bit early for Saturday the 19th, but I figured it would give us a head start.  The ingredients for the chili will be picked up before hand and cooked at church.  We will need hands to cook, serve and help clean up.  What a great way to be involved in ministry for our kids!

Prayer Requests

• Liz Massey is back at college and continuing to recover from her eye surgeries.
• The Proemseys and babies.
• Zenobia's last chemo was Tuesday.  Her sister came to help from Texas.  An MRI indicates the tumor has shrunk considerably - good news because that means surgery will be much less of a deal.  Radiation treatment will follow.
• Life Groups as they enter week #4.
• Fine arts pastor search.
• Pray for healing and comfort with the death of Linda Radick's father.
• Continued prayers for Susan Hurt's mother.  They found a mass in her abdomen.  Her next step is to meet with a gynecologist and an oncologist to determine what happens next. 

  

 

Prayer Request

Please pray for Susan Hurt's mother.  She was taken to the emergency room with bad abdominal pains, rapid heartbeat and very low blood pressure.  She also has had flu-like symptoms for several days.

Lesson Preview!!!

Have you ever felt like you were talking to a "wall"?  What am I saying - you are parents of teenagers, absolutley you know what it's like.  You talk and talk and talk but it seems to make no difference.  What about when you talk to God.  Does it ever feel like it's a monologue instead of a dialogue?  Why is that?  This week our lesson comes from 1 Kings 8.  We are going to look at Solomon's participation in the dedication of the temple.  He offers a prayer of dedication I think we will be able to learn from.  See you there.

Don 

Mid-Week Update!!!

There is no lesson recap this week as your intrepid reporter was missing!  Here are other notes of importance, however!

SPOT Lunch

The SPOT lunch will be held this upcoming Sunday (23rd) right after class. It will be at Dickey's BBQ in Fenton. Plan to join us!!  You can plan ahead by looking at a menu here. 

Correction

I cannot be trusted with numbers!  I reported the date of the Big Chill Chili Dinner will be on March 19.  (Do we call this the Big Chili?)  It is not the 30th as I reported earlier.  I have changed all other references here on the blog to reflect this date.

SPOT Super Bowl Party

...will be on Super Sunday, February 6th.  ( I know I have this date right...I checked the NFL site!).  Graciously being hosted by the LaRowe's, this should be a great time of fun and fellowship!

Snacks

• 1/23  LaRowe
• 1/30  vacant  

Prayer Requests

• Many thanks for prayers on behalf of Liz Massey.  Her second, unplanned surgery seems to have gone much better.
• Pray for success of the Life Groups which are now in the 3rd week of meetings.
• Continued prayers for Zenobia.

And lastly...

...a little fun for the New Year found here. Push "Play" and enjoy!

Lesson Preview!!!

Now that we have been formally introduced to Kings, it is time to get to know the book(s) a little better.  Our first three lessons fall under the unit title "Does Character Count?"  This is a counter-cultural question, because, too often, it seems a person's wealth, power, or prestige matter more than her/his character.  This week's lesson comes from 1 Kings 1:1-4:34.  It is titled "What Money Can't Buy."  I know one thing, according to the Beatles' Can't Buy Me Love.  This lesson is designed to help us focus on what we decide are our priorities in life.  Like King Solomon, we, too, have to decide what our priorities will be.  Ultimately, we must decide where on our list of priorities we will place our relationship with God.  Looks like this lesson has good potential.  Come and help make it better with your contribution.

Am I the only one wondering how Phil is doing on his homework assignment? 

See you Sunday,
Don

Mid-Week Update!!!

Lesson Recap

We are getting started in our study of 1 and 2 Kings.  These were originally one book until the 16th century when it was found to be too big for one scroll.  Thus it was divided equally with no regard to storyline!  The author of Kings is unknown.  The books themselves list three sources:

1 Kings 11:41 "Book of annals of Solomon"

1 Kings 14:19 "Book of annals of the King of Israel"

1 Kings 14:29 "Book of annals of the King of Judah:

The book of 1 and 2 Kings is inspired by God as seen in 2 Tim 3:14-15, 1 Tim 4:13, and 2 Tim 3:16.

The last major event in the books is the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of God's people to Babylon in 587 B.C..  Evil Merodach succeeded to the throne in Babylon in 562 B.C.  The date of Kings as a completed work could fall sometime around 560 B.C. or soon after.

The prompting of the writing of Kings is the Holy Spirit.  From a historical standpoint, the specific events that spurred the writing are the afore mentioned destruction of Jerusalem and subsequent exile of God's people to Babylon.

1 and 2 Kings address the difficult questions about why God's people ended up in this exile, and why the foreign land fell prey to invaders.  This also brings up the questions:

-Is God still in charge?

-If so, what has become of God's promise to His people?

What are the major themes in Kings?

1. The sovereignty of God. God is sovereign in history (Hezikiah's statement in 2 Kings 19:15).  God is sovereign in judgement.  God is sovereign in offering hope and restoration (2 Peter 3:9)
2. God's covenant faithfulness.
3. The vital role of true prophets.  Their role was to call the people to repentance and faithfulness.
4. Spiritual role models.  Elijah and Elisha were pictures of faithfulness to God.  So was King Solomon at the start of his reign. Hezekiah sought God in the face of an overwhelming threat.  Josiah led in a spiritual renewal of the entire nation.
5. The contrast between covenant faithfulness and spiritual rebellion. Again and again the importance of obedience and faithfulness to God's Word was stressed. 
6. The dangerous folly of idolatry.  Persistent idolatry resulted in God's severe judgment.

What topics will we explore?

Does my character count?

• What Money Can't Buy
• Why Prayer Deserves Priority
• Where Compromise takes you

Do My Decisions Matter?

• Anatomy of a Grave Decision
• A Hill on Which to Stand
• Sick of Greed?
• Right Not to Remain Silent
• Danger!  Unbridled Passion (X-Rated)
• About Face-Now

Where is My Future Headed?

• Got to Have Hope
• Building a Culture of Life 
• Keep Hope Alive

SPOT Super Bowl Party

...to be held on Super Bowl Sunday (natch!) which will be Feb. 6th.  Once again the LaRowes have graciously offered their abode to host this event.  Details to follow soon!!

Helping Big Chill

Please don't forget that we will be serving a Chili Dinner on Saturday, March 19th to the kids attending Big Chill.  We will need to both provide the chili and help serve it!  Anybody have any good, bulk chili recipe?  We will soon have sign-up sheets, and a donation envelop in the Sunday SPOT folder!

Welcome!!!

We had two new faces in the classroom this past Sunday. A hearty SPOT welcome to Kris and Melissa Luther. Welcome to our ranks!

Snacks

-1/16 Meinhardts
-1/23 LaRowes

Prayer Requests

-Phil's daughter Emily has strep.
-Continued prayers for Zenobia

Special Edition Prayer Request

From Kay Massey:

 

Hi,

We took Liz back to the Dr. this morning for a 1 week follow-up to her eye surgery and the new lens implant has slipped out of place requiring an additional surgery right away.  She will go back in tomorrow and the Dr. will attempt to move it back into place.  She was born with major deformities in her left eye and apparently the sac that holds the lens is also deformed and so did not hold the new lens in place correctly.  

She was planning to head back to college on Monday and so that is now all up in the air.  We will just have to see how she does and make that decision on Monday.  I plan to call the school and see if she can start a few days late and how much that would set her back.

Please pray for a successful surgery, healing, pain relief (Liz is very nervous about this because it hurt so much the first time), guidance about school and peace!  

Thank you all so much for your support and prayers.

Kay

  

 

SPOT News and Notes

 Lesson Preview

What to study next -- that is the question!

We have just completed a study of Paul's letters to the church at Corinth.  Pastor Gene is preaching from Paul's letter to the church in Rome and last month Larry Harder led a Wednesday night study of Paul's letter to the church in Philippi.  Therefore it appeared to me it might be a good time to give Paul a rest and study something from the Old Testament.

Admittedly, I do prefer teaching from the New Testament, consequently I need to study something from the "Other Testament" just for discipline's sake -- if for no other reason.  Another consideration for studying the Old Testament is this; every time a New Testament writer speaks of the "Scriptures" he is referring to the writings in the Old Testament.  The better we understand the Old Testament, the better we will comprehend the New Testament. 

Okay, have I adequately argued my case?  So this Sunday we will start a study of 1 and 2 Kings.  Now don't be confused! This is not about Elvis Presley.  Nor is it just a study of ancient Jewish history.  Our walk with the Kings will allow us to discuss topics like:

• Does my character count?
• Do my decisions matter?
• Where's my future headed?

I'll look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10:30 as we start this new study. 

Don
 

News From Zenobia

Dear Friends and Family,

Please excuse me if part of this email is on the delirious side.  I'm trying a new pain medication routine of just Aleve twice a day vs. ibuprof and Tylenol/Pergoset every 3 hours.  So far it is MUCH easier on my stomach, but the pain is a little more severe.  As of this moment, I've decided pain is better than feeling like a floating goat.

So...this Chemo #3 out of 4?  I'm almost done!  The good news/answered prayer is that I did not start having the muscle/body ache until about 3p today.  The past two chemos, the pain definitely started a day earlier. I also do not have the metal/enzyme taste in my mouth...yet.  So I was able to taste food today which was a nice change.  Even the stale fortune cookie I just ate was heaven!

We spent the holidays in Houston.  I will admit that I barely was strong enough to make it on the plane.  A special thanks to my friend Jean Deasy for coming the night before and helping me pack because I could not have done it without her.  But Thursday morning, I felt stronger and was able to get on the plane for our flight.  It was so wonderful to see family and family and family (I have 25 aunts and uncles), and just chill.  I also was able to see a few friends and spend a wonderful evening with some high school friends from almsot 30 years ago. 

As of my last doctor's appointment, we are unable to feel the lump on my boobie!  So obviously the chemo treatment is working!  Another answered prayer! I was also informed that 3 weeks after Chemo #4, I will have surgery, probably a lumpectomy, then 6 weeks of radiation (5 days/week) along with 17 infusions of Herceptin (1x/3weeks).  The side effects with radiation are mainly burning sensation, and for herceptin mainly some muscle ache upon waking in the morning.  Compared to the chemo side effects, I'm pretty sure the radiation and herceptin side effects will be a "blessing".  We just have to make sure that my heart continues to remain strong, esp with the infusions of herceptin.

Just knowing that you continue to pray for us, think about us, and share your unending support means so so much!  Jaclyn is hard at work in her school routine, as is Ryan.  I think Ryan however is under some stress since returning bc his mouth wiping has increased.  So pls pray for them, and especially for the tutors that help me on a daily basis.

To each of you who has emailed, called, texted, facebooked, sent cards, sent holiday cards, sent gift cards, come to help me at the house, all the blessings that have come our way - THANK YOU!  :) :) :)

Love you all, Zenobia

Blog Notes

Well, we finally got our internet back...so the blog is back and running!  You'll notice a few changes as I've done some color changes.  Feedback is welcome at thepotspot@charter.net!  Also I have added some buttons on the bottom to help you share, email, or Facebook any blog entries you wish!  Enjoy!!