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Out of the Slimy Pit

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Psalm 40:1-5 October 11, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC On the wall hanging between my children’s rooms at our previous house was this sign: “Lord, give me patience to endure my blessings.” When we moved here, I put it outside Rachel’s room and it’s still outside that room today. My kids are a blessing, but they have tested my patience—a time or two. But I’ve rarely actually prayed that prayer because even I know that it seems the only way to develop patience is to be tested. And I think it might be dangerous to ask for that. This morning, we are continuing our visit to God’s “Waiting Room,” looking at what we can learn when we are waiting, either willingly or not (probably most often not), for God to move, for God to answer a prayer, for God to do something, anything, please Lord! As I said last week, generally we are a culture that does not like to wait. We want what we want when we want it! But the Bible talks a lot—I mean, a LOT—about waiting—specifically, waiting on the Lord. There...
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Out of the Slimy Pit (Study Guide)

“Out of the Slimy Pit” Sermon Study Guide for October 11, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: Psalm 40:1-5 “Lord, give me patience…” 1. Psalmist in a Slimy Pit troubles… the meaning of patience 2. When We’re Waiting a. Humble ____________________________ Hebrews 10:24-25 James 5:16 b. Remember _________________________ “a firm place to stand” c. Praying ____________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Is there a time when you prayed for patience? What happened? How was patience grown in you? What is the Biblical meaning of patience? How does the word “longsuffering” convey that idea? Why is it hard to admit that we need someone else, even if that someone else is God? In times of waiting do you draw near to others or push them away? What can you do in a practical way to help your spirit recall God’s faithfulness to you? What is the most recent time when God has shown faithfulness to you? How does imagination factor into your praying? What kind of futur...
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Shameless

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Psalm 25:1-6 October 4, 2026 (World Communion Sunday) • Mount Pleasant UMC I was tricked into paying for Amazon Prime. When Christopher was in college, I got an offer for prime at half price for all the years Christopher was a student. And this was before the video content, before The Chosen was on Prime Video. It was mainly just the two day shipping. Rather than waiting a week for your package, you could get it in two days after you pressed the “place order” button. Apparently they thought you’d buy textbooks and other school supplies if you could get them faster. So I signed up. And after four years of half-price Prime, I was told it would revert to full price. And I became that person who said he would never pay for Amazon Prime who then agreed to pay for Amazon Prime. Because I was addicted to the two-day shipping. I even became that person who complained when something didn’t arrive in the promised two days. I realized how much I hated waiting. Ironically, while I was working o...
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Shameless (Study Guide)

“Shameless” Sermon Study Guide for October 4, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: Psalm 25:1-6 1. Waiting for…? Old Testament meanings New Testament meanings Psalm 25:3: “No one who waits for you…” 2. FAST Waiting a. F___________________________ b. A___________________________ c. S___________________________ d. T___________________________ Abraham & Sarah… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: How much do you like waiting? What happens inside you when you are made to wait? Why do you think that we generally are so impatient? What is our problem with waiting? Why does God expect us to wait on him? Recall a situation when you had to wait on God. What happened? How did you respond during that time of waiting? What helps you to focus? What are you most distracted by when you’re waiting? How does worship affect your wellbeing? Are you more like to read the Bible or read about the Bible? Why? What enables you to cultivate trust in someone? How does that apply to your relatio...
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