DIGITAL WORSHIP GUIDESUNDAY, AUGUST 9

WE GATHER TO REMEMBER AND SHARE STORIES OF FAITH. REJOICE IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD.

BEFORE OUR STORIES BEGAN, THERE WAS GOD. THROUGH ALL OUR DAYS, GOD WALKS WITH US.

WORSHIP THE ONE WHO GIVES AND SUSTAINS LIFE. SING PRAISES TO THE ONE WHO IS OUR REFUGE.

THERE IS NO PLACE WE CAN GO WHERE GOD IS NOT. THROUGH ALL LIFE'S TROUBLES, GOD'S PROMISES HOLD TRUE.

DELIGHT IN GOD, WHOSE PROTECTION WE ENJOY.  REJOICE WITH GOD, WHO FREES US FOR NEW POSSIBILITIES.

WE CALL OUT TO GOD, KNOWING WE WILL BE HEARD. SO LET US WORSHIP GOD TOGETHER.  AMEN!

SONG OF PRAISE

WORDS OF WELCOME — PASTOR LATAYA SIMPSON

I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH;

AND IN JESUS CHRIST HIS ONLY SON OUR LORD: WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED; THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD; HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, AND SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY; FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.

I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

CALL TO WORSHIP

DEUTERONOMY 8:2-16 — PASTOR SEANN DUFFIN2REMEMBER THE LONG WAY THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS LED YOU THESE FORTY YEARS

IN THE WILDERNESS, IN ORDER TO HUMBLE YOU, TESTING YOU TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN

YOUR HEART, WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 3HE HUMBLED

YOU BY LETTING YOU HUNGER, THEN BY FEEDING YOU WITH MANNA, WITH WHICH

NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR ANCESTORS WERE ACQUAINTED, IN ORDER TO MAKE YOU

UNDERSTAND THAT ONE DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT

COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LORD. 4THE CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK DID NOT WEAR

OUT AND YOUR FEET DID NOT SWELL THESE FORTY YEARS. 5KNOW THEN IN YOUR HEART

THAT AS A PARENT DISCIPLINES A CHILD SO THE LORD YOUR GOD DISCIPLINES YOU. 6THEREFORE KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, BY WALKING IN HIS

WAYS AND BY FEARING HIM. 7FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS BRINGING YOU INTO A GOOD

LAND, A LAND WITH FLOWING STREAMS, WITH SPRINGS AND UNDERGROUND WATERS

WELLING UP IN VALLEYS AND HILLS, 8A LAND OF WHEAT AND BARLEY, OF VINES AND FIG

TREES AND POMEGRANATES, A LAND OF OLIVE TREES AND HONEY, 9A LAND WHERE YOU

MAY EAT BREAD WITHOUT SCARCITY, WHERE YOU WILL LACK NOTHING, A LAND WHOSE

STONES ARE IRON AND FROM WHOSE HILLS YOU MAY MINE COPPER. 10YOU SHALL EAT

YOUR FILL AND BLESS THE LORD YOUR GOD FOR THE GOOD LAND THAT HE HAS GIVEN

YOU. 11TAKE CARE THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD, BY FAILING TO KEEP

HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS ORDINANCES, AND HIS STATUTES, WHICH I AM COMMANDING

YOU TODAY. 12WHEN YOU HAVE EATEN YOUR FILL AND HAVE BUILT FINE HOUSES AND LIVE

IN THEM, 13AND WHEN YOUR HERDS AND FLOCKS HAVE MULTIPLIED, AND YOUR SILVER

AND GOLD IS MULTIPLIED, AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE IS MULTIPLIED, 14THEN DO NOT EXALT

YOURSELF, FORGETTING THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF

EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY, 15WHO LED YOU THROUGH THE GREAT AND

TERRIBLE WILDERNESS, AN ARID WASTELAND WITH POISONOUS SNAKES AND SCORPIONS.

HE MADE WATER FLOW FOR YOU FROM FLINT ROCK, 16AND FED YOU IN THE WILDERNESS

WITH MANNA THAT YOUR ANCESTORS DID NOT KNOW, TO HUMBLE YOU AND TO TEST YOU,

AND IN THE END TO DO YOU GOOD.

THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. THANKS BE TO GOD.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLEIF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST PRAYER, PLEASE VISIT BELLAIREUMC.ORG/STAYCONNECTED AND CLICK ON THE “PRAYER REQUEST” IMAGE OR CONTACT PASTOR LATAYA SIMPSON AT LSIMPSON@BELLAIREUMC.ORG.

GOD OF THE AGES, WHOSE WORD IS ALIVE IN US, WRITE YOUR TRUTH INTO OUR LIVES TODAY. WORK YOUR SIGNS AND WONDERS IN OUR MIDST. SHOW US YOUR GRACE AND LET US GLIMPSE YOUR SALVATION. BE PRESENT IN OUR TROUBLES AND OUR TRIUMPHS. LEAD US AWAY FROM BONDAGE TO THINGS THAT DO NO MATTER, AND SHOW US THE BETTER WAY THAT YOU INTEND FOR US, A PLACE WHERE BARRIERS NO LONGER DIVIDE AND TRUE COMMUNITY IS BORN.

WE CONFESS, GOD, THAT SOMETIMES WE DESIRE TO RESHAPE YOUR WORLD FOR OUR OWN ADVANTAGE. WE TOO FREQUENTLY ALLOW OURSELVES TO IGNORE, OR BE IGNORANT OF, THE SUFFERING ENDURED BY OUR NEIGHBORS. WE LIKE PROMISES WITHOUT COMMANDS, GIFTS WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WE PREFER THAT YOU KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM US UNLESS WE NEED YOU. GOD, TURN US AROUND—AWAY FROM ALL FORMS OF SELFISH LIVING— TOWARD YOU AND TOWARD TRUE WORSHIP AND SERVICE AS FORGIVEN AND FORGIVING PEOPLE.

GOD, WE NOW CALL TO MIND, AND LIFT TO YOU, ALL WHO ARE IN ANY NEED AND COMMEND THEM TO YOUR TRANSFORMING CARE. WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALONE TODAY, AND ESPECIALLY FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS AND ORPHANS. WE PRAY FOR THE IMPRISONED, FOR THOSE WHOSE ONLY HOME IS THE STREETS, AND FOR THOSE CAUGHT IN ADDICTION. WE PRAY FOR THE HUNGRY, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT FEED THEIR CHILDREN, AND FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. WE PRAY FOR REFUGEES, FOR VICTIMS OF WARFARE AND VIOLENCE, AND FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THEY ARE WITHOUT HOPE. WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.

WE PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR NATION, OUR CITY, AND OUR COMMUNITY—ESPECIALLY THOSE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP OR AUTHORITY WHO MUST MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHOSE JOBS HAVE GOTTEN HARDER IN RECENT MONTHS—FOR PHYSICIANS, NURSES, AND ALL MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS; FOR POLICE OFFICERS; FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS; FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS; FOR ALL WHO HAVE SEEN THEIR WORK DRY UP OR DISAPPEAR BECAUSE OF THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

WE PRAY FOR THE CHURCH AND ITS LEADERS, FORMED BY THE LIFE-GIVING WORD OF CHRIST. FOR THIS VIRTUAL ASSEMBLY, IN SEPARATE SPACES YET FEEDING ON THE WORD OF CHRIST AS ONE. GOD, YOU ARE OUR HELP AND OUR HOPE, AND YOU HAVE REVEALED YOURSELF TO US BOTH IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF JESUS AND IN THE TESTIMONY OF OUR ANCESTORS IN THE FAITH. SO KEEP US TODAY FROM TEMPTATIONS THAT BLOCK OUR

LUKE 4:1-131JESUS, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, RETURNED FROM THE JORDAN AND WAS LED BY THE

SPIRIT IN THE WILDERNESS, 2WHERE FOR FORTY DAYS HE WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL. HE

ATE NOTHING AT ALL DURING THOSE DAYS, AND WHEN THEY WERE OVER, HE WAS

FAMISHED. 3THE DEVIL SAID TO HIM, “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, COMMAND THIS

STONE TO BECOME A LOAF OF BREAD.” 4JESUS ANSWERED HIM, “IT IS WRITTEN, ‘ONE

DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE.’” 5THEN THE DEVIL LED HIM UP AND SHOWED HIM IN

AN INSTANT ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. 6AND THE DEVIL SAID TO HIM, “TO YOU I

WILL GIVE THEIR GLORY AND ALL THIS AUTHORITY; FOR IT HAS BEEN GIVEN OVER TO ME,

AND I GIVE IT TO ANYONE I PLEASE. 7IF YOU, THEN, WILL WORSHIP ME, IT WILL ALL BE

YOURS.” 8JESUS ANSWERED HIM, “IT IS WRITTEN, ‘WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND

SERVE ONLY HIM.’” 9THEN THE DEVIL TOOK HIM TO JERUSALEM, AND PLACED HIM ON THE

PINNACLE OF THE TEMPLE, SAYING TO HIM, “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, THROW

YOURSELF DOWN FROM HERE, 10FOR IT IS WRITTEN, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS

CONCERNING YOU, TO PROTECT YOU,’ 11AND ‘ON THEIR HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,

SO THAT YOU WILL NOT DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’” 12JESUS ANSWERED HIM, “IT

IS SAID, ‘DO NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’” 13WHEN THE DEVIL HAD

FINISHED EVERY TEST, HE DEPARTED FROM HIM UNTIL AN OPPORTUNE TIME.

SONG OF PRAISE

MAKING AN OFFERING GIVING IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP AND A MEANS BY WHICH YOU CAN EMPOWER THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD. YOU CAN GIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT BELLAIREUMC.ORG/GIVE, BY TEXTING THE WORD “GIVE” TO (832) 551-2425, OR BY MAILING YOUR GIFT TO BELLAIRE UMC 4417 BELLAIRE BLVD. BELLAIRE, TX 77401.

WORSHIP OR SILENCE OUR WITNESS. INSPIRE US TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE, TO WORSHIP WITH PURE HEARTS, TO SERVE WITHOUT NEED FOR RECOGNITION OR REWARD, SO THAT YOUR NAME MIGHT BE GLORIFIED THROUGHOUT THE EARTH, SO THAT YOUR WILL MAY BE DONE IN US AND THROUGH US. WE PRAY THIS ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WHO TAUGHT US TO PRAY TOGETHER, SAYING:

OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN.

SCRIPTURE + SERMON — PASTOR SEANN DUFFIN

STAY CONNECTED PLEASE VISIT WWW.BELLAIREUMC.ORG/STAYCONNECTED TO FILL OUT A CONNECT CARD, SUBMIT PRAYER REQUESTS, AND TO FIND WAYS TO CONNECT THIS WEEK.

SONG OF PRAISE + BENEDICTIONTHANK YOU FOR WORSHIPPING WITH BELLAIRE UMC THIS MORNING!

TO MAKE A DONATION TEXT “GIVE” TO (832) 551-2425

OR GO TO BELLAIREUMC.ORG/GIVE