Wonder #4

Today, we saw God intensify his wonders in Egypt by sending swarms of flies into Egypt. How is that intensifying it? In vs. 25 it says that the land was "ruined" by the flies. They are no longer an inconvenience.

Pharaoh began bargaining with Moses. He said, "Ok, you can worship your God, you just have to do it in Egypt." So he's giving in, just not completely. Obviously, this falls short of what God has said - Let my people go!

I said in the sermon that trying to make deals or compromises with God are wicked attempts at maintaining ownership of our own lives. Do you agree with that? Why or why not?

Also, what ways have you tried to make deals with God to give him less than he demands?

Analyzing our hard hearts

Look here at Eph. 4:17-18.

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

Paul doesn't want the Ephesians to live like Gentiles (those who don't know God). How do they live? They live confused and misdirected because their understanding is darkened. Because they are ignorant of God, they are alienated, cut off from God. And why are they ignorant of God? Because of their hard hearts.

Just like we saw in the sermon: a hard heart is at the root of the problem.

What did you take away from the message this morning? Was it something new about God, about our hard hearts? And what do you believe God is nudging you to do about it?

Questions for sermon on 2-14-10

Here are a few questions that the small groups are working through. Whether you are in a small group or not, I'd love to here your thoughts and observations.

1. Read Isa. 44:9, 19-20. What do these verses say about idols and those who trust in them.


2. I said idolatry is self-worship; (self-worship – placing ourselves at the center of our lives and working and serving our own interests at the expense of all others.) Do you agree with this? why or why not?

3. Can anything be an idol? What are some of your idols?

4. Read Ps. 25:1-3. What do these verses say is our freedom from shame?

Wonder #1

God turns the Nile River into blood with this first wonder. The Nile was a source of life for the Egyptians and, as we learn in Exodus 1, a place of death for Hebrew baby boys. With this wonder God turns everything upside. Because of the power and might of God the Nile River is no longer a place of life for the Egyptians, but is now a place of death.

This wonder seems to be largely ignored. Why do you think that's the case? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. Also, tell me any other thoughts or observations you have; don't hold your questions back either.

Pastor Brian