SESSION 11
Q. What is God like? (Part 1)
A. There is only one God. He is triune, self-sufficient, eternal, and unchanging.

Daniel lived in a time that was similar to ours in at least one way—other people claimed that there were many different gods. But Daniel held fast to the truth that there is only one true God, the God of the Bible. As you read these verses this week, make a list of the descriptions of God you find.

Daniel 2:20–23

Daniel 4:1–3

Daniel 4:34–35

Daniel 6:25–27

Daniel 7:13–14

Write one or more sentences describing something new you have learned about God this week:

What difference will this make in your life?

SESSION 10
Q. Why are God’s omniscience and omnipresence important to us?
A. Because God’s dependable character helps us
trust him more and changes how we think and live.

Monday
Read Psalm 8.
What does this passage tell you about God?
Write down a few descriptions.

Tuesday
Read Jeremiah 23:23–24.
How does knowing that God is everywhere affect the way you think and act?

Wednesday
Read Acts 17:26–28.
How do these verses comfort you when you feel like your life isn’t going right or you feel far away from God?

Thursday
Read Psalm 92:1–5.
How does the psalmist respond to the greatness of God?
Write your response as a prayer to God.

Friday
Read all of Psalm 139 as your own praise to God.
List three ideas or thoughts that stand out the most to you.

SESSION 9
Q. How do we honor God’s name?
A. We show our love for God by reverently treating his name with awe through worship, trust, and obedience.

This week you looked at some of the names God gives for himself
in the Old Testament. Look up the following Bible references to learn more about God and his character!

El Roi (el ROY): The God Who Sees Me
Read Genesis 16. Why did Hagar call the Lord “a God of seeing”?

Read Psalm 139:7–12. How do these verses apply to your life right now?

Jehovah-Jireh (juh-HO-vah JI-rah): The Lord Will Provide
Read Genesis 22. Why did Abraham name the place “The Lord will provide”?

Read John 6:32–35. How does God provide for you?

Jehovah-Rohi (juh-HO-vah RO-hee): The Lord Is My Shepherd
Read Psalm 23. How is God like a shepherd to you?

Read John 10:14–18. What does Jesus say about himself?

Jehovah-Nissi (juh-HO-vah NEE-se): The Lord Is My Banner
Read Exodus 17:8–16 and Deuteronomy 20:3–4. What did God do for his people?

Read Ephesians 6:10–18. How does God help you fight the good fight of faith?

Immanuel (ih-MAN-u-el): God With Us
Read Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:18–25. Jesus came as God in our midst. He is the great I AM. In what ways do you see that God is with you?

Write a prayer of thanks to God for who he is and all that he has done and is doing for you.

SESSION 8
Q. How do believers demonstrate their love for God?
A. Believers respond to God’s love by trusting him and obeying his commands.

Read each passage from Deuteronomy below. Then choose one verse from each to write out. Include a short response of how you are applying or will apply it to your life.

Day 1
Deuteronomy 4:15–31

Day 2
Deuteronomy 4:32–40

Day 3
Deuteronomy 5:22–33

Day 4
Deuteronomy 6:1–15

Day 5
Write a short scene about a teenager who’s obeying and/or disobeying God’s commandments. Which commandments did your story include? Bring it to Sunday School next week to share. Below is an example:

Dave has been grounded for a month because he took the car for a drive with friends without permission from his parents. Next Friday will be the first night he isn’t grounded, and he has plans to go out and celebrate with his friends. But he is scheduled to work. So Dave decided to call in sick and go out with his friends instead. And since he was short on money, he took some out of his sister’s purse without asking. His sister was upset but she didn’t tell on her brother. She did ask him to pay her back. (Commandments 5, 8, 9, 10)

SESSION 7
Q. How is marriage like Christ’s relationship to the church?
A. Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her. Marriage is designed to reflect that relationship.

Read the following Bible passages and answer the questions. (You may not have answers for every question).

1 John 3:1–3

How does God show his love for me?
What does God promise?
How am I to love others?

1 John 3:16–18
How does God show his love for me?
What does God promise?
How am I to love others?

1 John 4:7–12
How does God show his love for me?
What does God promise?
How am I to love others?

1 John 4:13–18
How does God show his love for me?
What does God promise?
How am I to love others?

1 John 4:19–21
How does God show his love for me?
What does God promise?
How am I to love others?

Just how much does Jesus love you?
Make a list of all the ways you know that God loves you.

Session 6
Q. What is a Christian?
A. A Christian is a person who is born again by the Holy Spirit, repents of his (or her!) sin, and believes in Jesus as Savior.

Romans Road to Salvation

Read Romans 3:10–23.
Why is it essential to realize you are a sinner?

Why is it important for Christians to continue to be reminded of this fact?

Read Romans 5:6–8.
What do these verses tell us about God? about Christ?

Read Romans 6:20–23.
What are the wages of sin?

What is the free gift of God?

Read Romans 10:9–10.
Paraphrase these verses without using the words believe, saved, confess, or justified.

Can you believe without confessing?
Confess without believing?
Why or why not?

Read Romans 12:1–2.
Based on all the mercies God has shown us, what is our response to be?

Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the courage to share these verses this week with someone who doesn’t know Christ.

Session 5
Q. Who makes the first move?
A. People cannot be redeemed unless God makes the first move in their salvation.

Read one chapter of Ephesians each day for six days, and you will have read an entire book! Write down what you learn about God and about yourself as you read.

Read Ephesians 1.
What is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit doing in salvation in
verses 3–14?

What are some of the spiritual blessings Christ has given you? Make a list.

Read Ephesians 2.
Write out the verse or verses that could encourage you this week. Reread them every day.

Read Ephesians 3.
Then pray Paul’s prayer for yourself as printed below, inserting your name. Then pray it for each person in your family.

For this reason I, _________________, bow my knees before you, God my Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of your glory you may grant me to be strengthened with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith—that I, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.
I pray this to you, God, who is able to do far more abundantly than all that I ask or think, according to the power at work within me, to you, O Lord, be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Read Ephesians 4.
Make a list of what Christians are to put off and what they are to put on from these verses.

Read Ephesians 5.
What sins do you need to confess that these verses point out?
Read 1 John 1:9. Pray, confessing each sin. Believe that God has forgiven them all and cleansed you from sin through Christ.

Read Ephesians 6.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how well are you obeying your parents (10 being all the time)? What do you need to confess? What specifically do you need to ask Christ to help you with? What pieces of the armor of God are you using? Which ones do you need to sharpen to be more useful in your life?

Huge thank you to the following families for hosting students in their homes overnight. Prins, Bakers, McGuires, Bashams, Philips, Warners, Mayers and Guerras.

Thank you to our drivers both to homes and during the Progressive Lunch on Saturday. Thank you Christina Lutz, Ruth Tisdales, Travis “Ubuntu” Shanahan, Mindy Casteel, Brett Daane, Amy Boehm, Emily Vesper and Rick Pierce.

Thank you to our amazing Progressive Lunch host homes this year, The Albrights, The Guerras, The Vos’ and Tammy Schumann & Christina Schultte. As you’ll see in the photos they did a fantastic job.

Thank you to Joe Bartu for helping out in various ways, to Andria Merrill, Jon Dunning, Dan “Red” Johnson, Lindsey Mauk, Connor Lutz and Chris Earnshaw for helping lead songs of worship.

Thank you Scott & Carmen Creecy for ministering to Laura and I by watching our kids so we could be undistracted this weekend.

Now, If you wish to look at all the pictures check out the In Town Retreat Flickr set, otherwise I’ve chosen a few bunch below to highlight the weekend. Also I made the photos smaller in this post, any of you who read this have an opinion between the giant photos I usually post and these smaller ones? 

Laura after too much coffee.

Pearce before needed coffee.

Emily Currey had the stain-glassed window shining on her, she glowed.

He is definitely driving and asleep.

Stop one at Tammy & Chris’ house where we got 50 style burgers in baskets with chips. So good!

Connor jumped over the balcony.

Andria tried to hold Elle for the picture, but dropped her. Dropped her into dog poop that is.

Next stop the Albright’s home where we had some fancy Mac & Cheese and some Baked Potato Salad.

At the Vos’ house there was a Mexican Fiesta! Chips, Cheese, frozen lemonade machine.

Everyone had a question waiting at this seat to stir table conversation.

You can see the little dollops of Guacamole

When we arrived at the Guerra’s house they gave everyone fake money, which was later used to purchase ice cream sundaes from Colin.

This dude made a killing in fake cash.

Session 4
Q. Why are people separated from God?
A. Sin separates people from God.

Days 1–2
The apostle Paul, author of 13 books in the New Testament, often quoted the Old Testament in his writings. In his letter to the Romans, Paul refers to two passages from Isaiah 59. Check out the passages below to answer the questions.

Isaiah 59:3–8
Romans 3:15–17

Isaiah 59:20–21
Romans 11:26–27

How horrible is sin?
How great is God’s grace?
How should I respond?

Day 3
Read Isaiah 59:2 and James 4:1–10.
What kinds of sins does James describe in these verses?
What does God promise to give you?

Day 4
Read Isaiah 59:17 and Ephesians 6:11–17.
How is God’s own armor in Isaiah similar to the armor of the believer described in Ephesians 6?
As you “put on” Christ, you are putting on the armor of God. How does Christ help you stand firm?

Day 5
Read Psalm 32, once silently and once out loud slowly while emphasizing key words. This is a song of thanks to God for the joy of having sins forgiven.
Write your own prayer of thanks to God for the grace he has shown you in forgiving your sins.

Wrap it up in prayer:
Pray Psalm 32 to God and use your prayer from Day 5 to close.

Session 3
Q. Is being a Christian worth it?
A. Yes, nothing is more desirable than knowing God and being secure in him.

There are other psalms that address the same theme found in Psalm 73. Just as Asaph wrestled with the prosperity of the wicked, David reflected on the ways of the wicked and the righteous when he wrote Psalm 37.

Read Psalm 37:1–7.
What metaphor or visual image does David use in verse 2 to describe those who do wrong?
Make a list of all the instructions in this passage, such as …
Fret not yourself because of evildoers

What promise is given in verse 6 to those who trust in the Lord?

Read Psalm 37:8–15.
Verse 8 again says to “fret not.” What are some synonyms for fret?
Why shouldn’t we fret?
What will happen to the wicked?
What does God promise to believers (the righteous) in these verses?

Read Psalm 37:16–33.
David writes of the many ways the Lord blesses the righteous and how the wicked suffer. Make two lists from these verses: (1) Blessings of the Righteous, (2) Problems of the Wicked.

Read Psalm 37:34–40.
What metaphor or picture does David use to describe the wicked in verses 35–36?
What are some ways that God helps believers?

Read 1 Peter 5:6–11.
How does this comfort you when you are suffering?

Bonus: Check out Psalm 73:24–26. These are great verses to memorize and remember during tough times.