D6: week of 9/16

FAMILY THEME: SOVEREIGNTY

GOD RULES

I Samuel 8:1 - 10:24
The account of Saul becoming Israel's first king contains

at least three important spiritual lessons for us today.

1.  You Can Have Your Way, If You Insist

     (I Samuel 8:1-22)

     We can reject God's way and do it our way, but that's

     never the best way.

 
2.  You Can Fulfill God's Calling, If You Accept It

     (I Samuel 9:1-27) 

     Saul had to submit to God's call on his life despite

     his insecurities.

 
3.  God Will Provide What You Need, If You Trust Him

     (I Samuel 10:1-24)

     God provided Saul with everything he needed to be

     king.

D6: week of 9/16

FAMILY THEME: REVERENCE

WORTHY OF UTMOST RESPECT

I Samuel 4:1 - 7:1
In these chapters, both Israel and the Philistines learned a
lesson about God's greatness.

1.  God Is Not a Good Luck Charm

     (I Samuel 4:1-22)

     The Israelites learned that it is a terrible mistake to

     treat God like a lucky rabbit's foot.

 
2.  Every Knee Will Bow

     (I Samuel 5:1-8) 

     The Philistines learned that God cannot be treated

     like a trophy.

 
3.  God is Glorious Even When His People Fail

     (I Samuel 5:9 - 7:1)

     God didn't need people to demonstrate His greatness.

D6: week of 9/8

FAMILY THEME: OBEDIENCE

OBEDIENCE MATTERS

I Samuel 2:12 - 3:21
While Samuel and his mother were positive examples, the
two sons of Eli were not. Their story reminds us that God
expects His commands to be obeyed.

1.  Our Obedience Impacts God's Response

     (I Samuel 2:12-36)

     God responds to people in different ways, in keeping

     with their obedience.

 
2.  Obeying God Begins With Knowing How He Speaks

     (I Samuel 3:1-10) 

     To obey God, Samuel first had to learn to recognize

     His voice.

 
3.  Obedience Sometimes Requires Delivering Hard

     Truths

     (I Samuel 3:11-21)

     Samuel had to learn early in life that obeying God's

     voice is not always easy.

D6: week of 9/1

FAMILY THEME: PRAYER

PRAYER...IT'S MORE THAN YOU THINK

I Samuel 1:1 - 2:11
The story of Samuel's birth powerfully demonstrates
that God hears and answers prayer.

1.  We Must Pray When We Are Hurting

     (I Samuel 1:1-11)

     In her pain, Hannah cried out to God for a son.

 
2.  We Must Be Willing to Give All Our Blessings Back

     to God

     (I Samuel 1:12-28) 

     Our lives are not our own, but neither are the lives

     of those we love deeply.

 
3.  We Must Exalt God for His Person and Provision

     (I Samuel 2:1-11)

     Hannah worshiped God because of Who He is and 

     what He'd done for her.

D6: week of 8/25

FAMILY THEME: DISCIPLINE

IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY 

II Thessalonians 3:1-15
Paul ended his second letter to the Thessalonians with
some final instructions about discipline. 

1.  Believers Can Have Confidence in the Lord

     (II Thessalonians 3:1-5)

     Paul was confident God was going to see this

     congregation through the rough days ahead.

 
2.  Believers Should Work to Earn a Living

     (II Thessalonians 3:6-12) 

     Contrary to Paul's example some were not busy

     working, but were busybodies.

 
3.  Believers Must Correct Disobedient Brethren

     (II Thessalonians 3:13-14)

     Those who decide not to line up with Paul's 

     teaching were not to enjoy fellowship with other

     believers.

D6: week of 8/18

FAMILY THEME: JUDGMENT

SETTING IT STRAIGHT 

II Thessalonians 1:3 - 2:12
In this second letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul
taught about the certainty of judgment. 

1.  Judgment is Coming

     (II Thessalonians 1:3-10)

     God will take vengeance on or punish those who do

     not know Him or obey the truth of the gospel.

 
2.  There's Work to Be Done While We Wait

     (II Thessalonians 1:11-12) 

     The Christian faith must always work its way outward

     into what we do in the world.

 
3.  The Timing of Judgment is in God's Hands

     (II Thessalonians 2:1-12)

     The timing of judgment is always God's decision, and

     the second coming is no different.

D6: week of 8/11

FAMILY THEME: CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

JUST LIKE JESUS 

I Thessalonians 5:12-28
Paul concluded his first letter to the Thessalonian church
with some general instructions on behaving like a
believer. 

1.  We Are Called to Christian Conduct in Difficult

     Relationships

     (I Thessalonians 5:12-15)

     Paul's first set of instructions dealt with various

     relationships in the congregation.

 
2.  Christian Conduct is a Matter of the Heart

     (I Thessalonians 5:16-22) 

     The condition of one's heart is seen in the conduct

     of one's life.

 
3.  Christian Conduct is Ultimately a Work of God

     (I Thessalonians 5:23-28)

     Paul closed with a prayer of benediction.