Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

This Sunday is DNOW Sunday. This concludes a weekend of focused preaching and discipleship for the students of SWBC. Our theme for this year is the fear of Lord, specifically as an antidote for the fear of man. This year our DNOW speaker is Todd Murray. Todd Murray is the pastor of family ministries at Grace Immanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, Florida. Prior to joining the staff of Grace Immanuel in 2011, Todd, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Moody Graduate School, had been on staff at The Bible Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, for 28 years. He is the author of “Beyond Amazing Grace: Timeless Wisdom from the Letters, Hymns, and Sermons of John Newton” and “Love Beyond Degree” a commentary on Hosea, and has composed and recorded several collections of worship songs. In addition to training and shepherding families at Grace Immanuel, Todd teaches at The Expositors Seminary.  He and his wife Tandy have been married since 1982 and are the parents of 5 children, two grown and married (David Todd and Heather) and three still at home (Blair, Glenn, and Emma Grace)... and two grandchildren. Sunday morning Todd will be preaching on Psalm 34, “Life Giving Fear”.

Carefully Think

• Read Psalm 34. Read 1 Samuel 21:8-22:2 for background.
• Describe what the writer, King David, believes about the Lord. How does David respond to the Lord?
• What does David recognize the Lord has specifically done for him? How does the Lord respond to those who seek Him or cry out to Him?
• What exhortation is given regarding sin (vs. 13-14)? 
• How does the Lord respond to the following: Those who fear Him? His saints? The righteous?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Describe the Lord’s recognition of and response to the troubles of the righteous (vs. 19-22).  Have you experienced this in your own life? How so?
• What is the extent of the Lord’s concern for his servants (vs. 22).  How do you identify with this?
• Describe the extent of David’s hope in the Lord. How does this compare or contrast with yours?
• How specifically does this Psalm encourage you in your view of and relationship with the Lord?