American Dreams 2 (Money, Sex and Power)
Keeping the Fire in the Fire Ring

Reading for the Week of May 23-29

Day 1- Ecclesiastes 1
Day 2- Ecclesiastes 2
Day 3- Ecclesiastes 3
Day 4- Ecclesiastes 4
Day 5- Ecclesiastes 5
Day 6- Ecclesiastes 6
Bonus- Proverbs 5-7 two or three times

Memorize/Reflect- “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Reflection- Where do I deal with sexual confusion, temptation, or sinful patterns and how can I surrender this part of my life more fully to Jesus?

Discussion- What are some of the confusing messages about sexuality that are being sent by our culture?  What can we do to maximize God’s healthy message about our sexuality and minimize the influence of the culture’s confused understanding about sexuality?

Prayer Direction- Pray for the presence and power of the Spirit to give you eyes to see where you are tempted and power to say, “Yes,” to God and, “No,” to sexual temptations.

“Live It!” Challenge- Identify one or two of the key sources of confusing sexual messages about sexuality in your life and cut them off for a week.  It could be a TV show, Internet sites, things you read… anything.

May Prayer Focus: Continue journaling.  Write down what God is teaching you from your Bible reading and let these truths guide your prayers.
April-June: Continue the practice of Silence. Make time this week to take 30 minutes in silence and reflect on the words of Philippians 4:8 (our Bible memory passage for this week).

Resources in the Shoreline Bookstore:  Every Man’s Battle, S. Arterburn (Winning the war on sexual temptation one victory at a time). Also, look online for resources to help keep your Internet activity safe.  Here are three options:  Safe Eyes / Covenant Eyes (flyers at the Connections table) / XXXChurch.com (free resources and reporting program).

American Dreams 1 (Money, Sex and Power)
God Loves Sex and So Should We!

Reading for the Week of May 16-22

Day 1- Ecclesiastes 7 and Romans 1
Day 2- Ecclesiastes 8
Day 3- Ecclesiastes 9 and Matthew 5:27-30
Day 4- Ecclesiastes 10
Day 5- Ecclesiastes 11 and 1 Peter 4:2-4
Day 6- Ecclesiastes 12
Bonus- Judges 13-16

Memorize/Reflect- “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:18, TNIV)

Reflection- Where have I crossed boundaries with my own sexuality?  How can I repent of these, confess them, and live in a new and God-honoring way?

Discussion- What can Christians do to protect ourselves from the lies and dangerous invitations the world offers to us in the area of sexual immorality?

Prayer Direction- Ask God to help you live in holiness.  Pray for power to resist sexual temptation and for humility to get help where you need it.

“Live It!” Challenge- Do a one or two day fast from TV, Movies, or any other source of sexually confused messages.  During this time, pray for a fresh new sensitivity to the mixed-up messages coming through the media.  When you go back to viewing these things, ask God to help you discern what is unhealthy and avoid it.

May Prayer Focus: Continue developing a habit of writing a prayer journal.

April-June: Continue the practice of Silence. This week try a silent retreat for a full hour.

Resources in the Shoreline Bookstore

Real Questions, Real Answers About Sex, Louis McBurney and Sacred Influence, Gary Thomas.