Summer Study - It's a Wrap

Summer Study 2019 – It’s a Wrap!

Congratulations!  You made it! In a few days you will get an email inviting you to take a survey.  Please take the time to complete this survey.  We read every survey and take your comments seriously.  We use the results of the survey to improve our content and delivery. For example, in this study we added links to the scripture reading for the day and selected Ruth as one of the books we studied. 

Thank you for reading along, watching our videos and being patient with what we assume must have been many grammatical errors…sorry. J  Enjoy our last Summer Study video!  

Blessings, 

Jim and Kristyne 

Summer Study - Aug 3

The Last Words 

Greetings Everyone, if you are reading this then you have made it to the end!!!  Great job! 

If you know me at all, you know there are a couple of topics that I always return to as essential for the life of the disciple. One of these topics is that of living out our Christian life in the company of a small group! I have found that is it impossible to have success in my walk when I am isolated from other believers. Today, in this last passage of Colossians we are going to focus on this topic and hopefully see how important it is for us to immerse ourselves in a small community of love if we are going to live into the potential that God has for each of us.  Have fun in your study and great job on all of your work this summer!

Read: Colossians 4:10-18

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     In these final comments by Paul he lists out the names of several co-workers who are serving with him. How many people does Paul give who are with him? Take time to write out their names. 

2.    As Paul names his co-workers and gives their greetings to the church in Colossi, how does he describe them? Does he give evidence that he knows each one personally and with intimacy?

3.    Can you name four to six people in your life with whom you are intimate? List their names and write down a trait in each of them that blesses you.

Activity for the Day: If you were able to come up with your list of people you are close to, call each of them and thank them for being in your life. If you could not come up with a list, pray and ask God to build a small group of people around you with whom you can live out your faith openly and honestly.

Blessings, 

Jim

Summer Study - August 2

Full of Grace

Friday!  Second to last day of the study!  I am so glad we have all almost made it to the end.  Enjoy your reading and video for the day! 

Read: Colossians 4:2-9

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     How often do you spend time with people who do not attend church?  When you spend time with people who do not attend church, do they know you are a church attender?  

2.    Follow up question – If they know you are a church attender why do they know that?  If they don’t know you are why do they not know that?  

Activity for the Day:  Go out of you way to be kind and friendly to people you see in the coming week.  

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - Aug 1

At Home

Good morning church,

Paul sometimes meddles with everything! JNot only does he give instructions for leaders, teachers, and apostles, but also he gives instructions for “Christian households.” I can’t help but sometimes feel offended J. Yet…. When I read today’s passage I can see Paul’s intention is to steer to our higher calling. We are to reflect Christ at church and wherever we go: at work, at play AND at home. Paul gives advice to father, children, wives, husbands, salves (current: workers), etc. Paul calls us to do everything as unto the Lord! So, I encourage you to read this passage with new eyes, thinking and pondering of what it means for us today.

Read: Colossians 3:18-4:1

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     If Paul were writing in our current day: who do you think would be the ones listed as members of the household?

2.    Vs. 23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do…” What do you do today? If you are not involved, what could you willingly do to serve? Find out what are opportunities that you can serve your community willingly.

Activity for the Day:  Identify what role you play in your family: husband, wife, mother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, etc. If you live alone, you are still: neighbor, friend, golfer, volunteer, etc. Once you have found one role, think of how you can adjust that role and living out that role as one in service to Christ. Be Specific!

Blessings, 

Loida 

Summer Study - July 31

How will the world know us? 

It is the last day of July, only a few more days left of our Summer Study.  I sure do hope you have enjoyed the reading and videos.  I especially love todays reading because the imagery is wonderful.  

Read: Colossians 3:12-17

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Which one of these traits do you find it easiest to clothe yourself in?  How can you grow in some of the other traits?  

2.    Love and peace seem to be the most important traits of all, why do you think this is true?  How do you grow in peace?  How do you grow in love of others?  

Activity for the Day:  Make it a goal for these to be the clothes that you put on each day when you leave the house. Make an index card to place on your door to the garage.  It can say… “Remember to be tender-hearted, kind, humble, meek, ready to put up with anything, be ready to bear with one another and forgive.  Remember to let peace be the deciding factor.”

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - July 30

Old and New

Greetings to you all.

I hope you are having a great start of your week and that your devotional times are going well. I love todays passage because Paul does not mince words, he just lays it out for us. If you are going to follow Christ, then things have to change! 

As you prepare to read the passage today and watch the video ask God to give you an open heart to hear Paul’s words and to examine your life.

Read: Colossians 3:5-11

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     As you read through the list of sins from verses 5 and 8, do you see anything that you still struggle with in your life? What does Paul call you to do with these sins?  

2.    What does it mean to put on our new nature? Who is invited into this new way of living?

Activity for the Day: This Sunday we will be celebrating the remembrance of our baptisms. As we prepare for this service take some time to journal what it means to be baptized with Christ and what it will take to putt to death the sins that continue to plague you.    

Blessings, 

Jim

Summer Study - July 29

Raised to Life 

Good Monday Morning!  When you got out of bed this morning did you think:  “Today is a new day.  Today I rise a new creation in Christ.”  Each evening before I go to bed I like to sift through the events of the day and give God the praises of the day and the failures of the day.  Then the next day I wake up to a brand new day with new opportunities, I rise up a new creation.    

Read: Colossians 2:20-3:4

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Do you like to have a list of rules to follow, to know you are on the “good” list?  How is setting your eyes on Christ different then following a list of rules?  

2.    What practices can you add to your life to help you “die” to your life and “rise” to your new life every day?  

Activity for the Day: Can you remember when you were baptized? Many of us cannot imagine what this was like because. we were infants when we were baptized.  This coming Sunday we are going to have a chance to “remember our baptisms”.  You don’t want to miss this special Sunday.  

Blessings, 

Kristyne