Cameron Naz News Central

Readings for this Week

2011-12-12T07:06:00.000-06:00

Monday’s Reading – 1 John 1: Walking in the Light. You need to make time to read this whole letter – for in it are great and wonderful things. In the first chapter we hear so many foundational truths of the Gospel – sin, salvation, purity. What does it look like to “walk in the light” in your home, school, or workplace?

Wednesday’s Reading – 2 John: Watch Out! There is great joy in our salvation, but there is also great danger in being later deceived by antichrists. What does John say here is the distinguishing truth between those who teach truth and those who teach a lie?

Friday’s Reading – 3 John: Imitate What is Good. Written to a specific person, this brief letter, like 2 John, is a warning against those who would deceive. What, again, does John say is the distinguishing truth between those who teach truth and those who teach a lie?

Readings for this Week

2011-11-28T07:17:00.001-06:00

Monday’s Reading – James 1: Joy in Trials. We believe that the James who wrote this book was one of Jesus’ earthly brothers and the leader of the Jerusalem Church. He writes this letter to the Jewish Christians who have been scattered by persecutions. In this first chapter he encourages Christians to not see these persecutions as negative, but as a blessing. Is this really realistic?

Wednesday’s Reading – James 2: Faith and Deeds. One of the constant temptations throughout history for Christians is to listen to sermons and scripture, but then to never act on what they have heard. James confronts this temptation head on. Why are we so tempted to just hear, and not respond to what we hear God saying to us?

Friday’s Reading – James 3: Taming the Tongue. Do you have trouble controlling your tongue? Do you find yourself lashing out at others through angry speech, gossip, sarcasm? This chapter is a powerful reminder to us that “they are not just words.” And that just like sticks and stones, words can do great harm to people. How what area does your tongue need to be better controlled?

Readings for the Week

2011-11-14T07:03:00.001-06:00

Monday’s Reading – Titus 1: Titus’ Task on Crete. Here we hear why Paul sent Titus to Crete – to establish a leadership structure in the new Church. What are some hints in this chapter that finding qualified leaders for the church might be a pretty big challenge for Titus?

Wednesday’s Reading – Titus 2: What Must be Taught. Christianity is about what we believe and how we live. When these two aspects are separated, there is trouble. When one aspect is favored over the other, there is trouble. In this chapter Paul is laying out some of the ways in which what we believe about Christianity are to be lived out by the Christians in Crete. Does anything here strike you as not being a Christian way to live?

Friday’s Reading – Philemon: A Huge Favor. This is letter from Paul to a Christian, Philemon, concerning his runaway slave who is now a great worker for Paul and the Gospel. Though Paul never explicitly commands Philemon to release Onesimus from his slavery, he implies very strongly that this would be the Christian thing to do. What are some examples of the implicit ways Paul tries to insure Onesimus’ freedom?

Readings for this Week

2011-11-07T16:43:00.001-06:00

Monday’s Reading – 2 Timothy 1: Encouragement to the Faithful. Because of its shortness, we will read through all of 2 Timothy this week. Paul is in jail in Rome and writes this very personal letter to the young pastor Timothy. Based on the content and tone of this first chapter, do you think Paul plans on getting out of jail soon, or does he think his death may be imminent?

Wednesday’s Reading – 2 Timothy 2: A Workman Approved by God. Paul continues this very personal letter to Timothy by encouraging him in his ministry task. Paul focuses in on avoiding quarrels in the church. What did you and your siblings or friends quarrel about growing up?

Friday’s Reading – 2 Timothy 3-4: Paul’s Charge to Timothy. In these chapters it become evident that Paul knows the end is near for him (4:6). What are the core practices that Paul wants to leave with Timothy to help him in his ministry? How deeply has Paul been hurt by the betrayal of former friends?

Readings for this Week - Oct 31st

2011-10-31T07:06:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – 2 Thess. 3: Warning Against Idleness. A group in the Thessalonians church believed so strongly that Christ was returning any day that they quit their jobs and decided to just sit around and pray all day until Christ returned. That sounds holy – but actually the burden to care for these now poor Christians fell upon fellow Christians who still went to work each day. What practical guidance does Paul give for dealing with Christians who think they are too holy to work?

Wednesday’s Reading – Jude. Tradition tells us that the author of this book is Judus, the brother of Jesus. However, since it would be odd to have a book of the Bible with the same name of the one who betrayed Jesus, Bible translators have changed the Greek name from Judas to Jude. Here Jude calls on the church to remain faithful to the Gospel. What teaching is threatening the church Jude is writing to?

Friday’s Reading – 1 Timothy 3. 1 Timothy is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the young pastor Timothy. In it Paul gives this young pastor guidance on practical matters of church governance. What does Paul say are some essential characteristics of a church leader?

Readings for this Week

2011-10-24T07:16:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Colossians 4: Final Instructions and Greetings. We hear often of Paul the great missionary, but we need to remember the great crowd of people who helped Paul in his ministry of church planting. The end of his letters often have long lists of Paul’s fellow laborers who send greetings. Notice the great affinity Paul had for all these who help him in the ministry.

Wednesday’s Reading – 1 Thessalonians 1: Paul’s Ministry. Paul’s ministry did not last long in Thessalonica, Paul had to run for his life in the cover of night to save his life. What would happen to the young Christians left behind? Would they stand firm in the faith or believe Paul’s detractors that he was a heretic? In this chapter Paul sets forth his firm belief that what God started in them he will complete.

Friday’s Reading – 2 Thessalonians 2: The Man of Lawlessness. Every Christian generation has looked for Christ to return in their time – the Thessalonians are no exception. However, because there was no New Testament, there was no written teaching on what the Second Coming would be like. Paul writes 2 Thessalonians in part to help the church understand more about Christ’s return.

Readings for the Week of October 17th

2011-10-17T07:06:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Philippians 3: Living Under Grace. We are saved by grace through faith, but the continual temptation we face is to believe we can earn God’s love through our good works. In this chapter Paul confronts this temptation and calls us to completely lose ourselves so that we can embrace the fullness of Christ’s great salvation. Are there things in your life that you need to “leave behind” so that you can enjoy a deeper relationship with Christ?

Wednesday’s Reading – Psalm 84: A Praise Interlude. As we are reading through the New Testament, it is good to go back and enjoy some great praise songs from the Old Testament. In Psalm 84 we hear of the joy that comes from worshipping God in the company of God’s people. Can you be a fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ and not regularly join in worship with fellow believers?

Friday’s Reading – Colossians 1: The Supremacy of Christ. A heresy (false teaching) had entered the Colossian church that denied the absolute power and uniqueness of Christ for salvation. Paul writes this letter to quash this heresy by exalting the supremacy of Christ. In what ways to people today “speak highly” of Jesus, and yet deny his absolute power and uniqueness for salvation?

Readings for the Week of October 10th

2011-10-14T07:05:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – 1 Corinthians 7: Marriage. Following up Sunday’s sermon on Marriage, here is a whole chapter Paul devotes to many questions the Corinthians had asked him about marriage. Unfortunately, much of the advice Paul gives assumes that Christ will be returning very soon (v. 29). Had Paul known at least 2000 years would pass before Christ’s return, how might he have changed some of his advice in this chapter?

Wednesday’s Reading – Genesis 2: Adam and Eve. I know you read this at the beginning of the year, but as we have been reflecting on marriage since Sunday, it can’t hurt to go back and remember the “why” of marriage. Why is marriage instituted by God?

Friday’s Reading – Philippians 2: Christ’s Humility. We have in verses 6-11 the words of what is probably one of the Church’s first hymns. One scholar believes it may have been a hymn sung before a Church would share Communion. In what way does this hymn prepare us for taking Communion?

Readings for the Week of October 3rd

2011-10-05T07:08:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Galatians 6: Closing Words. Paul closes his letter to the churches of Galatia with practical advice here. What is the balance Paul is trying to reach in these first verses about pointing out other people’s sins and recognizing your own sins?

Wednesday’s Reading – Ephesians 2: Made Alive in Christ. Unlike most of Paul’s other letters that were written to confront problems in the churches, Paul is not writing to the Ephesians to confront anything. Instead he is writing to deepen their understanding of God’s eternal purposes and grace. How do we help others see their “deadness” if they do not have Jesus as their Savior?

Friday’s Reading – Ephesians 4: Practical Guidelines. Here Paul is giving very practical advice for how the Christian life should look. After reading this chapter, what part of Paul’s teaching on the Christian life do you need to work on the most?

Readings for the Week of September 18th

2011-09-19T16:23:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – 1 Corinthians 1: Trouble in Corinth. The two letters of Paul to the Corinthians are a testimony to how hard Paul worked to fix the many problems within the Church in Corinth. One of the main problems, that Paul confronts in the very first chapter, is divisions within the Church (he also takes up this problem again in chapter 3). While we certainly do not think all Christians have to have the same opinions about everything, what do you think are signs of honest differences turning into harmful divisions within a church?

Wednesday’s Reading – 1 Corinthians 12: Spiritual Gifts. Another major problem in the Corinthian church was pride over spiritual gifts. The Christians made a hierarchy of gifts, and those who had better gifts thought they deserved more respect, power, etc. Yet Paul lays out here that there is no hierarchy of gifts. In fact, it is what people say are “lesser” gifts that actually are “better.” What are some gifts people do not necessarily want, but that are essential to the ministries of a local church?

Friday’s Reading – 2 Corinthians 11: Still Conflict in the Church. Paul’s first letter did not fix all the problems. So he writes a second one. As you read this chapter, realize that Paul is using sarcasm and a lot of “tongue in cheek” humor to try and get his point across. Why do you think Paul is having to defend himself to the Corinthian Christians?

Readings for the Week of September 12th

2011-09-12T07:56:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Romans 6: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ. The book of Romans is the most deeply theological book in the New Testament. Paul lays out the Christian faith for the Christians in Rome. In this chapter he refutes the notion that if God’s forgiveness is so great, why should we not sin all the more, showing off God’s grace in even greater measure? In what way does this misunderstanding of God’s grace continue to haunt the American Church today?

Wednesday’s Reading – Romans 8: Life in the Spirit. Christians are not just saved by grace from their sins, they are also to be filled with the Holy Spirit, who will make the power of Jesus alive in their hearts and minds. In the battle between holiness and sin in our lives, it is the presence of the Holy Spirit that will bring us victory. Why do some Christians live without victory over sin in their lives?

Friday’s Reading – Romans 12: Living Sacrifices. In Paul’s letter, one half is usually theological, a second half practical. Chapter 12 marks the beginning of the practical application of all he has been talking about. What are some practical applications of God’s great salvation that Paul says we should see in the lives of the average Christian?

Readings for the Week of September 5th

2011-09-05T08:32:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Acts 4: First Days of the Church. We are going to spend a second week in the book of Acts. Chapter 4 shows us that the very first weeks of the Church’s existence was full of trials and victories. Peter and John arrested…The believers sharing everything in common… How do Peter and John respond to the threats made against them?

Wednesday’s Reading – Acts 5: First Days of the Church, pt. 2. Again, we see great victories and great trials in the first days of the church. Why in the world would Ananias and Sapphira lie about their gift? And why in the world did that one lie deserve death?

Friday’s Reading – Acts 13: Paul’s First Missionary Journey. God calls Paul and Barnabas to set off from the Holy Land and take the Gospel to farther reaches of the Roman Empire. On later missionary journeys Paul will continue traveling farther and farther out, taking the Gospel to places who have never heard of Jesus or God’s love. How was Paul accepted in the towns he went to?

Readings for the week of August 29th

2011-08-29T07:14:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Acts 1: Jesus Taken to Heaven. Leaving the Gospels, we move from the record of what Jesus did on earth to Acts, the record of what the Holy Spirit did in the early days of the church. In this first chapter the stage is set for the coming of the Holy Spirit. What is similar and/or different about the Peter we see in this chapter compared to the Peter of the Gospels?

Wednesday’s Reading – Acts 8: The Church Scattered. Oddly, the first great missionary movement of the Church happened due to persecution. The Christians were forced to leave the protection of Jerusalem, and preached the Gospel as the fled for their lives. Verse 4 is key to the history of the Church. What things did Philip do right in sharing the Gospel with the Ethiopian?

Friday’s Reading – Acts 17: Paul’s 2^nd Missionary Journey. This is just a glimpse into the hazards and joys of Paul’s missionary work. How did Paul tailor his preaching to the specific context of the people of Athens?

Readings for the Week of August 22nd

2011-08-22T12:12:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – John 1: Matthew shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament, Mark as the God-Man of action, Luke as a Son of God who Teaches us God’s ways. John will show us Jesus as the one who brings Eternal Life. In this first chapter John begins his gospel just as the Old Testament begins – with God acting. How many similarities can you see between Genesis 1 and John 1?

Wednesday’s Reading – John 19: Jesus’ Death. John gives us so many teachings from Jesus, and yet, when we come to his death, we hear very little from Jesus’ mouth. From what few words we have from Jesus in this chapter, what seems to be most on his mind as he is facing death?

Friday’s Reading – John 20: The Resurrection. Jesus’ followers have so misunderstood his mission on earth that no one is expecting a resurrection. In the last verse of this chapter we have John’s purpose for writing his Gospel. What was it that finally convinced you that Jesus was the Son of God?

Readings for the Week

2011-08-15T18:40:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Luke 8: Matthew shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament, Mark as the man of action. Luke shows Jesus as a great teacher, miracle worker, and healer. This chapter is a perfect example of these themes that run through Luke’s gospel. After reading this chapter, which episode would most convince you that Jesus was the Son of God?

Wednesday’s Reading – Luke 11: Various Teachings. Here Jesus’ teachings are confrontational and critical of certain groups of people. Who are the people Jesus criticizes in the text, and who would they be in our modern day?

Friday’s Reading – Luke 15: Parables. Chapters 14-16 have some very powerful parables of Jesus. Parables are stories that are meant to communicate deep truths about God and ourselves. What theme runs through these three parables in chapter 15, and what image of God do these three parable want us to see?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of August 1st

2011-08-01T07:32:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Mark 1: Jesus’ Ministry Begins. Mark is a very fast-paced Gospel. He is more concerned telling us what Jesus did than what he said (unlike John). In this first chapter we hear of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. What seems to be on the top of Jesus’ “agenda” as his ministry begins?

Wednesday’s Reading – Mark 6: Dishonor. This chapter is a strong contrast to chapter 1 – suddenly everything right in chapter 1 is going wrong in chapter 6. And yet Jesus pushes on. What motivates you to “push on” when others come up against you?

Friday’s Reading – Mark 7: Teachings. This is one of the few chapters in Mark where we have Jesus spending an extended time teaching in his early ministry. Are there ways today in which we try to make up our own rules in order to get around God’s laws? What examples can you give?

Readings for this Week

2011-07-25T07:02:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Matthew 3: John the Baptist Prepares the Way. This week our readings are from Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew is very concerned with presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. How does John the Baptist’s ministry prepare the world for Jesus’ ministry?

Wednesday’s Reading – Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount. Just one third of the whole Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 lays out some foundational aspects of what life is to be like in this new Kingdom of God – a Kingdom ruled not by an earthly king buy by a Suffering Savior. How easy would it be for a non-Christian to live up to the standards presented in this chapter?

Friday’s Reading – Matthew 12: Various Teachings. Jesus here teaches with great authority, heals many of the sick, and is attacked by the religious elite. He also redefines what it means to be “family” at the end of the chapter. How far can we take this teaching – that familial bonds are really based more on spiritual heritage than blood?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of July 18th

2011-07-18T08:19:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Haggai 1: A Call to Rebuild the Temple. This week we move into the Post-Exilic Prophets. These prophets ministered to the Israelites after they return from exile in Babylon. We might think the Israelites, after 70 years in exile would have learned to walk with God carefully. According to Haggai’s preaching, what are the Israelites doing that is not pleasing God?

Wednesday’s Reading – Zechariah 8: Blessings for Jerusalem. Like Haggai, Zechariah’s ministry was focused on motivating the exiles who have returned to Jerusalem to finish rebuilding the Temple. In this chapter we see the warning and promises that God gives to the Israelites. What would have been some good excuses for the Exiles to use, to delay rebuilding the Temple?

Friday’s Reading – Malachi 1: Blemished Sacrifices. Good news: The Israelites have finished rebuilding the Temple! Bad news: God has not yet come to inhabit the Temple. Why? Because the people’s hearts are still not given over to God. They have gone through all the motions – but seemingly to no avail. What is it that Malachi says will bring God’s presence to the Temple?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of July 4th

2011-07-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Joel 2: An Army of Locust. In the history of Israel, we are now going back in time this week to before Jerusalem was destroyed the people carried off into Exile. The book of Joel reports a terrible locust invasion of Judah, and Joel’s interpretation of this invasion being judgment from God. What are the people to do in the face of this great plague?

Wednesday’s Reading – Amos 5: A Call to Repentance. Things are great in Israel – at least outwardly. Israel has reached new political, military, and economic heights. Yet this prosperous exterior hides a very sick spiritual interior. How do you witness to a non-Christian about their need for God when outwardly, everything seems to be going great in their life?

Friday’s Reading – Obadiah: Don’t Cross God. Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament – so short that today’s reading is the entire book. Unusual, Obadiah’s preaching is not against Israel, but against one of her enemies. What is Edom’s crime, and what will be her punishment?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of June 27th

2011-06-27T07:23:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Daniel 6: Daniel in the Lion’s Den. Daniel is a person of quite diverse talents. He is an excellent administrator in a foreign land, an interpreter of dreams, a man of strong religious convictions, and a prophet of the Lord. In today’s reading we read of his famous encounter with the lions. How might most people today have dealt with the religious persecution at work that Daniel faced?

Wednesday’s Reading – Daniel 12: The End Times. Much like the New Testament book of Revelation, here Daniel is given a vision for the end of the world. Do you think Daniel leaves this vision encouraged or discouraged? Why?

Friday’s Reading – Hosea 1: Hosea’s Wife and Children. Hosea is the first of the 12 “Minor Prophets.” He is given a radical command by God in our passage. How might others react if a preacher today did what Hosea did, and said “God told me to do this?”

Route 66 Readings for the Week of June 20th

2011-06-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Lamentations 5: Remember Us, Lord! As we come to the end of this book, it ends with a description of how hard life is for the conquered people who remained in Jerusalem. It also ends the book with one last plea, and one haunting question left on their lips – has God rejected them forever. We know the whole story – but the writer here does not – what can you say to people beaten up by life, to give them hope for a good future?

Wednesday’s Reading – Ezekiel 4: Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized. Ezekiel, like Jeremiah prophesied just before Jerusalem’s destruction, and after its destruction. However, unlike Jeremiah who stayed behind in Jerusalem, Ezekiel went with the Exiles to Babylon. In this passage, Ezekiel acts out God’s warning to Jerusalem. Are we ever called to “act out” God’s message to this world?

Friday’s Reading – Ezekiel 37: The Valley of Dry Bones. This is probably the most famous passage of Ezekiel’s book. Here Ezekiel is given a vision by God of hope for the future restoration of Israel. Ezekiel then goes and preaches a message of hope to the Israelites. How easy is it for you to accept words of hope when life seems to be crashing around you?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of June 13th

2011-06-13T08:35:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Jeremiah 18: At the Potter’s House. On Sunday we saw God use the imagery of marriage for his relationship with Israel. Here he uses the imagery of the Potter and the clay. What are the things we clay blobs can do to help God form us into beautiful and useful pieces of pottery?

Wednesday’s Reading – Jeremiah 38: Jeremiah’s Persecutions. Don’t imagine the life of God’s prophets were glamorous. In this chapter we see just some of the pain and persecutions that came into Jeremiah’s life by being God’s spokesperson. What persecutions could come today by being God’s prophet in America?

Friday’s Reading – Lamentations 1: How Could You God? Tradition tells us that Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction that he had foretold. As you read the chapter, what is Jeremiah’s attitude – heart proud that his predictions came true, or heartbroken that his predictions came true?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of June 6th

2011-06-06T08:37:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Isaiah 6: Isaiah’s Call. It is odd that the record of Isaiah’s call comes 6 chapters into the book. It is likely that this is his second call to be a Prophet. What might God have revealed to Isaiah here that he had not revealed to him at his first call.

Wednesday’s Reading – Isaiah 11: A Branch from Jesse. Christians have gravitated to this text from the very first days of the Church, as a prediction of Jesus’ birth. And while it certainly is, remember, a prophet’s words were always first to his day, and only secondarily to later generations. What would this passage have meant to Isaiah’s first listeners?

Friday’s Reading – Isaiah 66: Judgment and Hope. Interestingly, the book of Isaiah ends much like it began – with words of judgment and hope. Is it right to try and “scare” or “terrify” people with threats of the fires of hell in order to get them to become a Christian?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of May 30th

2011-05-30T15:41:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Song of Songs 8: The Power of Love. Most commentators believe that verses 6-8 are the literary pinnacle of the entire book. Here we hear that love is stronger than death, more dangerous than fire, cannot be washed away by any mighty river, and is more precious than any amount of money. Why, in our culture, if love is so powerful, does it seem to be broken and betrayed so often?

Wednesday’s Reading - Isaiah 3: Judgment on Jerusalem. This next week we enter into the third and final section of the Old Testament: the Prophetic Books. Isaiah 3 is a good example of prophetic words of judgment and warning on Israel. What are the sins that Isaiah is confronting Israel with?

Friday’s Reading – Isaiah 40: Comfort My People. Most prophets did not just confront and warn the sinful people, they also spoke words of hope and promise to them. In this chapter of Isaiah we can hear the redemptive voice of God speak to a broken and humbled Israel after her punishment. What seems most significant to you in this chapter of comfort?

Route 66 Readings for the Week of May 16th

2011-05-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

Monday’s Reading – Proverbs 27: More Wisdom Sayings. Using the three types of fools describe in Sunday’s sermon, what kinds of fools are portrayed in this chapter? What can be done to avoid being one of them?

Wednesday’s Reading – Proverbs 30: A Wise Prayer. Within this chapter is a wonderful prayer to pray as you ask God for wisdom. Make it your prayer this day.

Friday’s Reading – Ecclesiastes 1: Everything is Meaningless. We have spent several sermons extolling the virtues of wisdom. What do you make of this chapter that now says that wisdom is meaningless?