TLCC WorshipThis coming Sunday, we're looking forward to being led in worship by the traveling worship team from Central Christian College of the Bible: ALL THE EARTH!  

Here are this week's songs, and as always, they are on the Spotify playlist.

• The Lord our God
• Overwhelmed
• Scandal of Grace
• My Worth is Not in What I Own (series theme for "Money Matters")
• Great Are You Lord
• Jesus Paid it All / Nothing But the Blood

April 12-18 Bible Readings: 

• Philemon
• Acts 8-28
• Jude

In a Nutshell:  We are all sinners... some are saved by grace. Among the best evidences of grace in our life is when we manage money instead of the money managing us. Another good test is how we handle hard times. The acid test is defining to whom we listen.  Our Redeemer? or the deceiver?

Ice Breaker:  How can you tell if someone has your attention, or if they have your heart?  What does that difference look like in everyday life?

Title:  “God wants your Heart, Satan wants your Attention”

Texts: John 10:10; Matt. 6:19-21; 1 Tim. 6:17; Rom. 8:35; Ps. 37:18-19; 33:18-19; Rev. 3:17-18

Stewardship Principles:

• Principle #7 - Hard times teach us to trust in God to provide for our needs. Satan wants us to fear losing things and worry about hard times. Ps. 37:18-19; 33:18-19; Rom. 8:35
• Principle #15 - God wants you to put your hope in Him. Satan wants us to put our hope in money.  1 Tim. 6:17; Rev. 3:17-18

Some Questions to Consider:

1. What is the difference between someone having your attention as oppose to someone having your heart?
2. Does the treasure follow the heart or the heart follow the treasure? Matt. 6:19-21
3. How did Paul caution the "rich" in this world? 1 Tim. 6:17  Why do you think Paul felt he needed to warn Timothy to warn Christians of this?  Isn't this obvious?
4. Does the Bible say that Christians won't have hard times? Rom. 8:35 If not what does the Bible say about hard times?
5. How can the Psalmist say these things? Ps. 37:18-19; 33:18-19  Are these promises, or poetic observations?
6. Is it possible to be rich and not realize all of it's dangerous consequences? Rev. 3:17-18  Are you?  Do you?

Online Resources:

• CARE Sheet - CARE Sheet 4-2-15
• Freedom of Simplicity book by Richard Foster
• A Professional Pick-pocket...
• Money Matters (4-14-15)

TLCC Worship playlist.

April 5-11 Bible Readings: 

• Acts 1-7 
• Revelation 1-3 
• Ephesians 1-6 
• Colossians 2-4
• Philippians 1-4

In a Nutshell:   The Feast of Firstfruits was a 1500 year old festival that pointed to Jesus' resurrection and God's resolve to do a new thing in our lives.  Our focus can keep us stuck never seeing the new thing He wants to do in us!

Ice Breaker:  How might it look if someone gets more caught up with trinkets an traditions?

Title:  “He's ALIVE!”

Texts:  Lev.  23:9-12; Matt. 28:1-15; Eph. 2:4-6

Some Questions to Consider:

1. How was Jesus a type of "firstfruits"?
2. Why do you think Matthew included the story about the lies told by the Jewish leaders regarding Jesus body?
3. Did the religious leaders have "trinkets and traditions" that might have helped them believe in Jesus?
4. How might you focus less on trinkets and traditions and more on your relationship with and commitment to Jesus Christ?
5. How is happiness different than Joy?

Online Resources:

• What is the Feast of Firstfruits?

March 15-21 Bible Readings: 

• Mark 14
• Luke 22
• John 13-18
• Psalms 26-35
• Numbers 15-19

March 22 - 28 Bible Readings:

• Matthew 26-27
• Mark 15
• Luke 23
• John 19
• Job 1-19

In a Nutshell:   God wants us to comprehend and commit to two related but very different concepts.  Our debt of sin can only be paid for, washed away, removed by the blood of Jesus. (period)  But we must also acknowledge that we can only be cleansed by His blood if we take responsibility for that sin.  (Not fix it, but acknowledge it's there and come to hate it) Just as there is no forgiveness without Jesus blood, there is no rebirth without repentance.  The Passover is a celebration (illustration/symbol) of these two realities.

Ice Breaker:  Have you ever had to give up something you really REALLY liked in order to receive something you needed more? How did that play out in your life?

Title:  “The Passover”

Texts:  Hebrews 12:1,2;  Exodus 12:1-14; 43-48; Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8; Psalm 113 - 118; Zechariah 9:9

John 12:1 Mark 15:25,33-34 Isaiah 53:3-7 John 19:31-37 Mark 14:26 Psalm 118

Some Questions to Consider:

1. How can "throwing off weight and sin" help us to focus our eyes on Jesus?
2. When was the Passover lamb to be selected (Ex. 12:1-3) and why? When was the Passover lamb to be sacrificed? (Ex. 12:5-6)
3. When did Jesus enter Jerusalem (one day after entering Bethany according  John 12:1-13) and what did he do the four days before his crucifixion? (Mt. 21:23-27 & Mt. 23)
4. How did Pilate fulfill Ex. 12:5?  (Jn. 19:4)
5. When did Mark say Jesus was crucified and then died? (Mk. 15:25, 33-37)
6. How about "the Lambs" bones, what happened? (Jn. 19:31-37)
7. How old and prevalent was the picture of Jesus, the Messiah as "the Lamb of God" taking away our sins? (Is. 53, Jn. 1:36)
8. What are some of the sins that keep "bothering" you?  Have you chosen to just quit fighting them thinking they are not that big of a problem?
9. How would taking a perfect,  1 year old lamb, killing it and eating it together as a family help you discuss how sin costs more than we can pay and must be taken seriously?

Online Resources:

• This week’s CARE Sheet:CARE Sheet 3-4-15
• An outline of the relationship between the Passover Lamb and Jesus' crucifixion
• A list of over 600 sins and their Scripture reference
• What is Hyssop in the Bible?
• Last week’s service,  3/15/15

TLCC Worship playlist.

Songs for March 15, 2015

• Standing on the Promises
• He is Exalted
• To God Be the Glory
• Great Are You Lord
• Never Once
• We Are Hungry
• Every Praise

March 8-14 Bible Readings: 

• Matthew 24-25
• Mark 13
• Luke 21
• Revelation 4-12

March 15-21 Bible Readings: 

• Mark 14
• Luke 22
• John 13-18
• Psalms 26-35
• Numbers 15-19

In a Nutshell:   There are abilities and talents that God has built inside of you uniquely tuned by the Holy Spirit to bring glory to God as well as giving hope and support to those around us. A renewed sense of peace and purpose is awakened when we yield with gratitude to the Holy Spirit's work in our life. One way of describing this process is "abiding in Him."

Ice Breaker:  What is the extent of your understanding and experience with "pruning" plants?

Title:  “Spiritual Gifts”

Texts:  John 15:1-8; 1 Pet. 4:7-11; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 3:6-9

Some Questions to Consider:

1. In the allegory of the Vine & the Branches who are the “vine dresser”, the vine, the branches?
2. What two types of branches does the vine dresser cut off? What is the requirement of bearing fruit?
3. What is the ultimate purpose for bearing fruit? John 15: 8; 1 Pet. 4:11
4. If God were going to “prune” something out of your life in order to grow your influence in bigger, what would he prune?

Online Resources:

• This week’s CARE Sheet:CARE Sheet 3-3-15
• One Growing Cycle – Samp Farms
• Pruning a grape vine
• This week’s Christian Principles Class Worksheet #4
• Last week’s service,  3/8/15