The Damascus Road Experience

Bible Prophecy Notes

2009-08-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

Matthew 24:42

watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Be ready

we do not want to be ignorant concerning prophecy. Paul says don't be ignorant of four things:
God's working in Israel, satan's devices , 1 cor 12 spiritual gifts, 1 thess prophecy
those are the top things that church is ignorant of
don't be an ignoramus 101
Revelation wed nigh - connecting on Sunday morning to biblical prophecy
God is setting the stage for the final play, the final 7 years, tribulation,

Israel back in the land since 1948
cup of trembling to whole world
Russia and Iran allies ez 38
middle east aliogned with treaties
rome reemrging
satelite tv

1st act of that play - rapture of the church
this is our last week to look at the rapture
happens before the tribulation - the only prophecy that will affect us as Christians if you are a pre-tribulationist
we will be in heaven

what is the rapture - time when God comes for his church - dead in Christ resurrected then 1 cor 15:31 - we'll be changed - new body

1 thess 4:17 physically happen - we will be caught up harpaze rapturo caught up

not a new thing - rapture is how God gets alive people to heaven
Enoch, Elijah, Paul 2 Cor 12, Jesus Matthew 28 rose from the grave and then caught up

rapture first time God does group travel

when will it be - don't know the day or the hour
before the tribulation

why pretrib - bible say we will be comforted, promises in the bible - escape the trib, because of the order of the book of revelation, chap 4 and 5 church is in heaven, chapter 6 begins the great tribulation. Phraseology changes - church not mentioned, 2 purposes for trib - pour out God's wrath on Christ rejecting world, work with nation of Israel, because of pictures and types in the bible seem to point to pre-trib (Lot, Noah, Enoch = taken before the flood began) no one knows the hour or day. If it isn't pre-trib you know the day because you just count), only the pretrib
allows for pre-emmenence. We are not commanded to look for qa temple or seal judgements - we are commanded to look for Jesus Christ. Only pre trib makes that intellectually possible.
next week bema seat judgement
understand why pretrib view is important - life changing

4 reasons it will impact your life

1. priorities change - if servant had known master was coming soon it would have changed his priorities for living for the kingdom. Hebrews let us consider one another exhorting one another as you see the day approaching. the way you spend your resources - how using for the kingdom, talents and time, tithing, serving

2. People - how I treat them - the evil servant begins to beat servants - treat them harshly
illustration - he talked about a visiting family - the kid spit at him in childrens ministry - he didn't discipline because it wasn't his kid. Other people are God's kids. He does the discipline and judging - we are not to usurp that. Because He loves them and died for them - our job is to love them. That's a tough concept until we look at it through the filter of Jesus coming back soon

3. Purity - verse 28 if evil service says master is delaying, he beats his servants and eats and drinks with the drunkards. brutality and immorality. How would you live different if you thought Jesus was coming back today? 1st John chapter 3 - beloved now that we are children of God..everyone who has this hope in him, purifies himself

4. Personality - 1 thess 5:8 but let us who are of the day be sober...therefore comfort and edify each other. Soloman write Ecclesiastes without a hope and a heart for heaven. People leave, die, economies crash, be desperate depressed unless we hold on to the truth. Paul even says without that hope life can be miserable.
illustration - running on a treadmill - start good, get tired and sore and think you can't do it, near the end you feel better because you are almost done.
Trials easier to bear if you know it is almost over. I can run again today because this afternoon I might see my king. If you don't it will have an adverse effect. The master will come when he is not looking for him or aware and he will come and cut him in two and give his portion to the hippocrites. Miss out on the blessings of a life lived for Jesus Christ. Paul, Peter, Spurgeon, Moody all believed it.

What if we are wrong about being in the last times. We have still lived a life pure, with right priorities, being effective. We still have those blessings.

this is the last generation - for me
we will all see out king in the next hundred years. so this is each of us last generation.

in union grove Wisconsin home for kids with downs syndrome and share the gospel with them
windows are dirty because you can walk through the corridor on any given day and see these kids with hands and faces pressed against the windows watching to see if Jesus is coming to take them home and make them whole. When is the last time you looked in the sky and thought is today the day?

Live stream from Calvary Chapel Paris

2009-08-02T12:23:00.003-05:00

Just click on the title and you can watch a live stream of the Sunday morning 9:45 am and 11:00 am worship services and the Wednesday night lessons @ Calvary Chapel Paris. Today's lesson on end times prophecy was outstanding and really got me to thinking that maybe I need to transform myself and begin living my life as if Jesus were coming back today!

Revelation Intro

2009-07-09T07:31:00.002-05:00

Revelation Introduction notes
Wednesday night July 8 2009

Worship led by Jimmy Robeson - talented young man, awesome worship
There is a youtube video of him here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m6oALYERjA

Service is now live on the internet http://www.calvarychapelnewlife.com

Other videos of past studies will be posted there eventually

Apocalypse from the Greek apokalupsis which means "laid bare" "revealed"

Revelation not a hard book to understand - consider the title - revelation means disclosure

Chapter 1 divides into three parts Opening, Occasion, Outline
"the answers are truly in the back of the book"

1-8 Opening of the letter
9-18 Occasion of the letter
19-20 Outline of the letter

Opening 1-8
Purpose - reveal
1. more of Jesus Christ
2. the things that must shortly take place

Person - written by John
John wrote several books. One that you might believe. The next that you would know you have eternal life, and the last so that you would be ready

history - Caesar nero began the persecution of the Christians then Emperor Domecian who continues and intensified the persecution, blaming everything including natural disasters on the Christians. Had John brought to Rome, beaten, poisoned, boiled in oil and stil John survived. Banished him to Patmos where he in the spirit on the Lords Day (worship was the first day of the week after the Shabbot or Sabbath - gathered together for worship). God chose John because John bore witness to the Word of God, that is, he didn't keep it to himself - he shared it. It was "signified" or coded with symbols from the Old Testament to protect it from people who didn't know the bible - not to make it difficult to understand, but to protect it.

Promise - 1:3 says you will be blessed in the the reading of it.
1. read - out loud
2. hear - corporately
3. keep the words of the prophecy - or heed

People - written to the seven churches of Asia Minor (what is modern day Turkey)
except for Ephesus they were small churches

Proper Source - NOT the National Enquirer
God the Father
Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2)
God the Son

Occasion 1:9-18
John is God's own messenger but humbly addresses the church as "your brother"
occasion was the Lord's Day (day of worship) Acts 20:7

Also see Romans 14:5 for dissention on what day should be worship - main point being, what day is not as important as worshipping period. "Should be a seven day a week relationship"

The letters reveal a piece of Jesus to each church so the only way to have the whole picture is when they get together - a word for dissention among churches today. God is big enough to allow for many ways to approach Him

Outline of the Letter 1:19-20 "Divine Outline" John Coursin
1. Things you have seen
2. Things that are (the church age)
Things that will take place after (the church)

layers of application:
letter to the literal church (individual churches at that time)
all churches - message to the "Church" the body
all believers - prophetic look at church history

Chapter 4 and 5 - the church in heaven (7 year wedding feast)
Chaper6-19 hell on earth 7 year tribulation
ending with the battle of Armegeddon when the armies of the earth come against Christ in the valley of Megiddo
Chapter 20 Millenium
100 year reign of Jesus on earth
satan released one more time to lead one last rebellion
New Heaven, New Earth

Beauty From Ashes

2008-10-25T08:03:00.003-05:00

For the band and in memory of Charles Bush

Please keep all our kids in your prayers. They are all so busy, doing so much and we easily forget how things can turn so quickly. I posted this on my Thought Have Wings after their UIL competition. They go to compete at Area in Longview today.

Eye make-up washed off by tears - $10.00

Lotion for hands sore from clapping - $ 3.99

Cough drop for throat raspy from yelling - $1.98

Heart full of pride - PRICELESS!

I’m scribbling this in the car on the way home from the UIL band competition. We made it in time to see the Paris Blue Blazes Band take the field and their show was just beautiful and graceful. We stayed til after the North Lamar Panther Band finished playing and until we knew both bands had made ones!

I yelled and clapped for both bands and it made me incredibly proud that I work with these wonderful creatures who overcome so much everyday. Band teaches a sense of community, responsibility, accountability, and that practice really DOES make perfect.

Today, it taught them that beauty can come from ashes, that you can move and work through grief, and you can create meaning from senseless loss.

They proved to themselves that you can step up and do what needs to be done even when it is painful, and that the beat is still in your heart and head even when the drummer stops playing. I am humbled.

What We As The Church Are To Be Doing

2008-08-16T21:05:00.000-05:00

8/10/8
What We As The Church Are To Be Doing
Even 100 years out the church was flawed
A good model for us is the early church in acts
Peter preached and 3000 souls were added to them
The priorities for the New Testament church are
1. Number i priority is to study the Word
2. Fellowship - basic to the early church Koinonia
Connection - we are connected through many different things
We divide over even more - we divide over what church - the question should be are you going to church - we divide over baptism - are you sprinkled or immersed - the question should be are you walking in the spirit?
We major in the minors - does Jesus ever look down and think "how Sad"?
God doesn't see denominational lines
Inward things are more important than outward differences
Sharing - kinship - share with one another
all had everything in common was how sharing worked itself out in this particular early church - this was not universal or forever
Is god calling us to sell everything - communism? No - scripture is usually one of two types - prescriptive - something we should follow, or descriptive - something God is reporting.
Prescriptive - prayer, communion, baptism
There were some problems, Paul was taking up offerings for them - they were in trouble partly because of persecution and partly because they had sold everything.

Prescriptive - they saw their stuff was not their own but tools to use for the kingdom 1 Timothy 4:32
no one in their midst had any need - as they saw the need they filled it
our stuff is to be used to honor God in any way He wants.
God becomes for us the living God because that is sharing
Partnership - We are not made to survive alone - parts of the body cannot survive alone. The body can survive but there will be limitations
If you leave the body - it wil survive but there will be limitations because God has a roll for everyone to play.
Hebrews - stir one another up
Protection against an unGodly culture
Early church saw Koinonia as critical

2nd timothy 7 Pictures of Encouragement

2008-08-16T20:23:00.000-05:00

Leadership or pastoral epistles (letters)
1 Timothy was more a nuts and blots how it is all to run kind of letter
2 Timothy more personal - Paul pours out his heart to his son in faith and protege

May have been Paul's last letter
Paul is in prison again. The first time he was in prison in Rome it was house arrest - people could pretty much come and go as thye pleased. He makes his appeal and probably preached the gospel to caesar nero. Some scholars think that Nero's insanity could be attributed to him rejecting the gospel. Paul was released and went to Spain to preach and Nero got crazy and starting burning the place down. Paul was arrested again and this time he was in a dungeon awaiting execution. As he writes this letter to Timothy it is probably getting close to the end for him. We need to be aware of his situation and perspective as we read the 7 examples he gives Timothy who from past reading seems to be sickly, afraid, and a bit of a cry baby
1. HImself - how he trusts God though trials
For I know who I have believed and and persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed until that day 2 Timothy 1:12
Even in his situation he tells Timothy he is not ashamed - thanks God for Christ who abolished death

This is the heart of the apostle even though he is getting close to death
He prayed - he saw his prison as an opportunity to pray and be used in a different way

2. A teacher - be strong in the grace that is Jesus Christ - to be strong or good at your relationship with the Lord, This matters for eternity.
The word BE in be strong is passive - it doesn't come from you.
doesn't mean work harder (do more Jesus push-ups?)
Be in Jesus - depend on His strength, abide in Him, yield to Him
Peter says to cast your cares on Jesus - you push them up to him and just like anything you push uphill, gravity brings it back down. You keep pushing it up to Jesus and you develop muscles (or a habit) of pushing things up to Jesus - you get strong from being found more and more in the Lord.

Then - give it away - pour into others.

The teacher is a link in the living chain that stretches all the way back to Jesus Christ.

We pour into others what God has entrusted to us.
"Milk many cows, make your own butter"

3. Soldier - a good soldier on active service - ready to serve at a moments notice. Don't entangle ourselves in the things of this life. This doesn't mean it is wrong to have things - it is wrong for our things to have us.

We are in a battle - the enemy is trying to take us and our kids out.

if we have hang-ups, secret sins we don't want to let go of.
Be ready to please the one who has enlisted you - The Lord is who we are to live for.

4. Athlete - compete according to the rules. from athleo - struggle/contend
this is a marathon - a life time commitment to the Lord
We need to be willing to put out a little spiritual sweat for the Lord
Eternity is at stake - what God wants to do through us matters - according to the rules
Breaking the rules can negate 2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.

If you don't want to love Him or have Him rule over you He won't - He won;t push Himself on you, but even when we are faithless, He is faithful.

Blessings continually flow from the Lord when you show up - you draw near to Him and He will draw near to you

5. Farmer - gets up early, stays late. Doesn't wait for it to be convenient. The farmer is also patient to wait for God to do the work. He plants and cares for the crops but waits for God to cause them to grow. Be obedient but then wait for the Lord to work

Farmer is the first to partake - be the first to do the spiritual things - don't just exhort others - do it yourself - lead by doing

6. Workman - rightly dividing the Word of truth - not the body of Christ
a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17Their teaching will spread like gangrene

Don't waste time arguing about things that have no eternal value

The answer is always in the Word - the answer is always the Word

story about 2 young men. One wants the other to smoke pot with him and says hey, it was made by the Lord - how can it be bad?
possible answer: All things were good before sin came into the world
What day is the sabbath? Romans 14:5-6
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.

"Not essential to my salvation"

7. Like a vessel of honor - an instrument for noble purposes in this life.
20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Cleanse yourself - flee from youthful lusts
Everyone - even old folks struggle with youthful lusts
pursue righteousness
With those who call out, we lock arms, become vessels of honor, prepared for every good work
Know WHOM you believe and trust that WHOM because He went to the cross for you.

Tuesday Night Handout Beatitudes Part 4

2008-08-12T17:31:00.003-05:00

Beatitudes Part 4

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6

I. Introduction
Satan was not satisfied living in God's glory
Isaiah 14:13-14 tells what he wanted, verse 15 – what he got

Nebuchadnezzar lusted for praise just as Lucifer lusted after power
Daniel 4:29-30 What he wanted
Verse 31 – 32 What he got

The rich farmer in the parable Luke 12:16-21

Because they hungered for the wrong things and rejected God's good things, they forfeited both.

The American Declaration of Independence asserts that “Citizens have the right to the pursuit of happiness. Sadly most US citizens like people through history, have chosen to pursue the wrong kind of happiness in ways that provide no kind of happiness.”

II. Necessity For Spiritual Hunger
Hunger and thirst represent physical needs. Food and water are required for physical life and righteousness is required for spiritual life.

A starving person has a single all - consuming passion for food and water.

Those who are without God's righteousness are starved for spiritual life.

We are all created with a heart that has a sense of inner emptiness and need but without God we do not recognize what the need is or what will satisfy it. Like the prodigal son, we will eat pig's food because we have nothing else.

Isaiah 55:2 Jeremiah 2:13

We are warned not to “love the world or the things of the world” 1 John 2:15-17

Those who belong to the King hunger and thirst for the King's righteousness. They desire that sin be replaced with virtue and disobedience with obedience. They are eager to serve the Word and will of God.

The first three beatitudes are essentially negative. Poverty of spirit, turn from self-seeking; Mourning, turn from self-satisfaction; Meekness, turn from self-serving

The fourth beatitude is more positive and is a consequence of the other three.

When we put aside self, sin, and power and turn to the Lord, we are given a great desire for righteousness. We want to obey God while still struggling with flesh.

III. Meaning of Spiritual Hunger

Moses - over and over Moses sought and saw God's glory Exodus 33:11

Burning bush
Miracles and plagues
Parting of the sea
pillar of cloud, pillar of fire
God's Glory over the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle

Because Moses continually longed for God, he found favor.

David - Psalm 63:1
Paul - Philippians 3:9-10
Peter - 2 Peter 3:18

John Darby wrote " To be hungry is not enough, I must be really starving to know what is in God's heart for me. When the prodigal son was hungry, he went to feed on the husks. When he was starving, he turned to the father.

IV. Object of Spiritual Hunger
For the unbeliever - salvation
For the believer - sanctification

Salvation - The Jews' greatest obstacle to receiving the gospel was their self-righteousness, their confidence in their own holiness and purity, which they imagined was created by good works. The Messiah told them however, that the only way to salvation was hunger and thirst for God's righteousness to replace their own self-righteousness, which was really unrighteousness.

Isaiah 51:5
Daniel 12:3

Sanctification - For believers, the object of hunger and thirst is to grow in the righteousness received from trusting in Christ. That growth is sanctification.

Philippians 1:9-10
Matthew 5:48
1 Peter 1:15-16

Jesus speaks of the only true righteousness - that which comes from God - God's own righteousness which He has in Himself

Because it is God's own righteousness, we can't ever have our longing satisfied in this life, so we continually hunger and thirst (more and more) until the day we are clothed in Christs' righteousness.

V. Result of Spiritual Hunger

Being Satisfied chorazo~ was frequently used of the feeding of animals until they wanted nothing more.

Jesus pronouncement is that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be given total satisfaction. Our part is to seek, His is to satisfy.

"Paradox - because though saints continually seek God's righteousness, always wanting more and never getting all, they nevertheless will be satisfied. We may eat steak or our favorite pie until we can eat no more, yet our taste for those things continues and ever increases. It is the very satisfaction that makes us want more.

God's satisfying those who seek and love Him is a repeated theme in the Psalms.
Psalm 107:9
Psalm 34:10
Psalm 23
Jeremiah 31:14
John 4:14
John 6:35

VI. Test of Spiritual Hunger

There are marks of genuine hunger and thirst for God's righteousness

1. Dissatisfaction with self - Romans 7:24
2. Freedom from dependence on external things for satisfaction. A hungry man cannot be satisfied by an arrangement of flowers or beautiful music. These things are good, but they don't have the ability to satisfy hunger. Neither does anything but God's own righteousness satisfy the person who has spiritual hunger and thirst.
3. Craving for the Word of God, the basic spiritual food He provides for His kids. A hungry man does not have to be begged to eat. Jeremiah 15:16
4. The pleasantness of the things of God Proverbs 27:7 Hebrews 12:6
5. Unconditionality - When spiritual hunger and thirst are genuine we will make no conditions; they will seek and accept God's righteousness in whatever way He chooses to provide it and will obey his commands no matter how demanding they might be. The least of God's righteousness is more valuable than the greatest of anything we posses in ourselves or that the world can offer.

The Rich young ruler wanted only the part of God's kingdom that fit his own plans and desires, and he was therefore unfit for the kingdom. His conditions for God's blessings barred him from them.

The spiritually hungry want only Christ and what God in His wisdom and love sovereignly provides through Christ - whatever that may or may not be.

Psalm 119:20
Isaiah 26:9

What The church is to Do

2008-08-03T23:09:00.002-05:00

What is the Church Series continued

Review
Purpose of the church
1. Body in-reach
2. Believers out-reach
3. Bride up-reach

Leaders
Head of the church is Christ
Elder/Bishop/Pastor
three words meaning same position, elder speaks of the man, bishop speaks of the ministry, and pastor speaks of the method
Deacon/deaconess (servant)
Saints (minister to each other)

What are we to be doing as a church Acts 2:40:47

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

There were 2 to 3,000 people meeting in the newly born church and there are 7 things listed that they were doing and their numbers were added to.

The first thing mentioned was
1. They studied the apostles doctrine.
Getting into the Word was to be the number one priority of a congregation. The contemporary expression of this is bible study - both corporately and privately.

Public - preaching is central Acts 6
3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

They were not saying that they were too good to serve - they wanted everything taken care of and the Word needed to be their priority. (my question - do we in the traditional churches set ourselves and our pastors up for failure because we expect their priorities to be everything BUT the teaching of the Word?)

Bringing the Word of God to the flock of God is still the greatest need of the church today.

"If the Spirit of God takes a man of God and opens the Word of God, then people will attend.

*If emphasis is not on the Word then there will not be fuel for sustained revival.

Even Charles Spurgeon said that his pulpit was more influential than the King of England.

A Pastor has to have "the burden of the Lord"
Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel
awesome responsibility - taking the very Word of God to the people of God

no light thing - costly thing
integrity and humility to go through the scriptures - all of them
teach the bible simply

Why study privately?
*Protection
Psalm 119:11
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
When Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4 He answered each time "it is written"

The Word is for protection and
*Direction
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
Psalm 23:3 3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
The Word is our guide, not fortune cookie, not Oprah

How to begin? Pick a translation you can read.
It doesn't have to be the King James version. someone once told Jason that the King James Version was good enough for Paul, it was good enough for him???
Buy a notebook and a pen

There are different ways you can read. Cover to cover, section by section - the key is to read it and read it consistently. Like you would exercise. Like you would eat physical food. If we ate physical food the way we eat spiritual food we would be dead. That is why we have spiritual death.

In 2 Kings 3 When Elisha told Jehoshaphat to dig ditches and he obeyed, a great victory was won - because they were faithful to dig ditches. We need to be faithful to dig ditches (do the work - read the Word)

Read expectantly - expect the Lord to speak to you. Not a chore - but a privilege. Does the Lord want to speak to people who don't want to hear?

Read conversationally. Blessed is the man who meditates (speaking to yourself)
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Worship is interactive - bible study should be too. Ask the Lord - how does this aply to me? Bible study becomes interactive. Reading about the tabernacle cubits might be boring but it tells you that God is into details - He wants to be involved with every detail of your life.

Read obediently
You say God never speaks to you - was there ever a time when He did? Did you obey?

Hebrews Hebrews 5:12

12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid
food!

Wordle

2008-07-30T21:25:00.001-05:00

http://wordle.net

Tuesday Night Handout Beatitudes 3

2008-07-27T14:48:00.005-05:00

Beatitudes 3

Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth Matt 5:5

"The Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah because he didn't fulfill their messianic expectations. He even preached against the means in which they put their hope. They first rejected, then hated, and finally killed Him because instead of approving their religion, He condemned it, and instead of leading them to independence from Rome, He disdained revolutionary acts and offered a way of even greater subservience.

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 anyone hanged on a tree is "accursed of God"

This was a stumbling block to the Jews 1 Corinthians 1:23

They ignored Isaiah pictures of what the Messiah would be like.
Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

Isaiah 53:6-8

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Meaning of Meekness

Matthew 21:5
2 Corinthians 10:1

Difference between meek and poor in spirit?
poverty of spirit focuses on our sinfulness
meekness focuses on God's holiness
The sequence of the Beatitudes

1. Poverty of spirit is negative and results in 2. Mourning. We are comforted by and our attention is now directed towards God which produces 3. meekness. Meekness is positive and results in 4. seeking righteousness.

Blessings of the Beatitudes are for those who are
1. Realistic about their sinfulness
2. Repentent of their sins
3. Responsive to God in His righteousness

The proud Pharisees wanted a miraculous kingdom
The proud Saducees wanted a materialistic kingdom
The Essenes wanted a monastic (live like a monk) kingdom
The proud Zealots wanted a military kingdom

The humble Jesus wanted a meek kingdom

Job 5:11
Psalm 25:9
Numbers 12:3
Ephesians 4:1-2
Colossians 3:12
Titus 3:1-2

Meekness is not weakness
the word refers to the breaking of an animal - power under control, God's control

Proverbs 25:28 and 16:32 Hebrews 10:34

"The spirit of meekness is the spirit of Christ, who defended the glory of His father, but gave Himself in sacrifice for others."

Leaving us an example to follow.
1 Peter 2:21-23

He was the only human being who did no wrong, always had a perfect defense, but never defended Himself (He had the right)

He made a scourge of cords and drove out the money changers and sacrifice sellers from the temple (He had the power)

Meekness is not weakness, but it doesn't use it's power for it's own defense or selfish purpose. Meekness is power and rights completely surrendered to God's control.

Manifestation of Meekness

Abraham Genesis 13:5-9
Joseph Genesis 45:2 5,8 Genesis 50:19-20
Moses Numbers 12:3 Exodus 3:11 and 4:10
David 1 Samuel 24:5-6 2 Samuel 16:5-12
Paul Philippians 3:3 4:13
Contrast what happens to King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles26:4-5 and verses 16-21

Result of Meekness

inherit the earth Genesis 1:28

Most Jews believed that the coming great kingdom of the Messiah would belong to the strong, of whom the Jews would be the strongest. The Messiah himself said that it would belong to the meek, Jew and Gentile alike

Psalm 37:11 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

Unrighteous will not inherit 1 Corinthian 6:9 Psalm 149:7-9

Necessity for Meekness

Required for salvation
-Only the meek will inherit the earth, because only the meek belong to the King who will rule the future kingdom on the earth.

Psalm 149:4 Matthew 18:2-4

-It is commanded Zepaniah 2:3 James 1:21

-Because we cannot witness effectively without it
1 Peter 3:15

"Pride will always stand between our testimony and those to whom we testify - they will see us instead of the Lord, no matter how orthodox our theology or how refined our technique."
Only meekness gives glory to God - pride seeks it's own glory, but meekness seeks God's.

Meekness is reflected in our attitude towards other children of God

Humility in relation to other Christians gives God Glory

Romans 15:5-7

Biblical Description of the Church Part 3

2008-07-27T13:16:00.002-05:00

Biblical Structure of the Church

1. Jesus is the head
Ephesians 5:23
23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

- Because HE died for us - not the pastor, not anyone else. He made all the rest possible
-He is the image of the invisible God
Col 1:15-20
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

2. God gives elders, bishops, and pastors
-these are actually three names for the same thing.
Elder comes from presbyter (hope I spell these correctly)
speaks of the man - one who is mature in the Lord
1 Timothy 5:17-20
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
-Deuteronomy 25:4 Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
- Luke 10:7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Bishop comes from episcopus or overseer
speaks of the ministry
1 Timothy 3 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,[a] he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
Pastor comes from feeder
Speaks to the method
1 Peter 5:2-4 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Feed the lambs, equip the saints

Titus contains a basic job description for a pastor
preach
raise up leadership
protect the congregation from false teaching

There are other needs in the congregation
3. For those needs God gives deacons

Comes from one diakonos which means one who serves
hupereteo "to do the service of a huperetes", properly, "to serve as a rower on a ship,"
To serve the Lord - be an under rower - get the ship where it needs to go

Deacon can be male or female

4. Saints One who is set apart
Philippians 1:1-2 1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops[a] and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are a living organism, a body, knit together by many joints
Romans 12:3-13

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

"If a pastor is expected to do all things then his bible studies will be undercooked and he will be fried"

Acts 6 1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

At first reading you might wonder who Peter thinks he is - too good to wait tables? But if you remember this is the same Peter who asks to be turned upside down at his crucifixion because he doesn't think it right he should die the same way as his savior.

It is not good for the church, and because they put their priorities in the teaching of the Word, Word of God spread, revival broke out, disciples increased, and the most unlikely people came to Christ.

SOAP: Habakkuk 1

2008-07-26T14:33:00.006-05:00

I guess I'll kick things off for Habakkuk.

Habakkuk is one of my favorite books of the Bible. For a small bit of background, it's a theodicy which simply a branch of theology dealing with reconciling God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil. It was written around 606 BC by the prophet Habakkuk in anticipation of the coming of the Babylonian invasion.

I am listing the whole first chapter below, and this is the NASB version.

Habakkuk 1

1The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
2How long, O LORD, will I call for help,
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, "Violence!"
Yet You do not save.
3Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
4Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.
5"Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days--
You would not believe if you were told.
6"For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
7"They are dreaded and feared;
Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
8"Their horses are swifter than leopards
And keener than wolves in the evening
Their horsemen come galloping,
Their horsemen come from afar;
They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.
9"All of them come for violence.
Their horde of faces moves forward.
They collect captives like sand.
10"They mock at kings
And rulers are a laughing matter to them
They laugh at every fortress
And heap up rubble to capture it.
11"Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on
But they will be held guilty,
They whose strength is their god."
12Are You not from everlasting,
O LORD, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die
You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge;
And You, O Rock, have established them to correct.
13Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You can not look on wickedness with favor
Why do You look with favor
On those who deal treacherously?
Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up
Those more righteous than they?
14Why have You made men like the fish of the sea,
Like creeping things without a ruler over them?
15The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,
Drag them away with their net,
And gather them together in their fishing net.
Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net
And burn incense to their fishing net;
Because through these things their catch is large,
And their food is plentiful.
17Will they therefore empty their net
And continually slay nations without sparing?

Verse 1-4
Observation: Habakkuk is upset that God has not punished the wickedness of Judah.

Verse 5-11
Observation: God reveals to Habakkuk that He is going to use the wicked nation of Babylon (the Chaldeans) to punish Judah.

Verse 12-17
Observation: Habakkuk is now upset with God's plan. He does not understand how God can let the evil in Babylon seemingly go unpunished.

Application: I pretty much had the same application for this whole chapter. We cannot see the "big picture" like God can, so we should trust God's actions and plans. He is the only one who is omniscient. We need to remember that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Even if it doesn't make sense to us, God has is under control. He knows what He is doing and is working things to His glory.

Prayer: I pray that God would teach me to trust Him more. Even when things are hard and difficult to understand, I pray that I would cling to His promises.

The Church Part 2

2008-07-24T22:03:00.002-05:00

Bible Study Notes The Church Part 2

I''m having a hard time with this but I am going to study and pray about it. You will understand later as I finish the notes.

We are doing a series on What Is The Church and right now we are in 1st Timothy

Just some introductory information. Romans through Philippians were all epistles or letters written by Paul to pastors. They were directed at pastors but there are blessings for all of us.

1st Timothy is not just a pastor epistle - it's a prison epistle.
Paul was in prison - not for anything we would consider a crime - he was in prison for preaching the gospel.
"He wasn't pouting - he was penning"
He worked for the glory of God's kingdom in the situation he found himself in.

Timothy was saved in Paul's first mission journey
On the second mission journey, Paul meets up with him again and asks him to go with him.
five months later a church is born is Ephesus which was a significant church. It was pastored by Paul, Timothy, and John. Jesus would write a letter to the church (Revelations)

1st Timothy could be divided into four parts
The Church
1 - Church message
2 - Church members
3 & 4 Church ministers
5 & 6 Church ministries

1. We are to preach the pure unchanging Word of God
there was then and is now - false teachings
OT law is supposed to be a guide that drives us to Jesus
we have to be careful that we don't become "sin-sniffers" happy to catch people in false doctrine
The best thing for us is the bible - the more familiar we become with the Word, the less apt we are to fall for false doctrine
The bible has always been the bible
"If it's new - it's not true. It it's true, it's not new"

2. Love of Christ
God desires that ALL men be saved
The world knows a lot about what we are against as Christians.
We are entrusted with the gospel - the Good News! We are to share with the world that Jesus loves you, wants to forgive you and change your lives - because He is FOR you!

3. Walk in Faith
We, just like Timothy, walk in warfare - there is false teaching
you keep going, not in your own power but in faith
In Timothy's case, he was prophesied over and that had to be a comfort
1st Timothy chapter 2
Church Members
Exhortation for embers of the body
Prayer - priority - we are to pray for everybody. It's easy to pray for ourselves and our loved ones. We even need to pray for our political leaders.
We complain about our leaders but as Paul tells us this - their political leader was Caesar Nero.

God can use even the most evil leaders sometimes. Caesar Augustus had a thought - after he had promised he wouldn't tax the people he decides hey, I'm going to count the people and tax them. In the mean time a very pregnat young girl who on her own would never have gone to Bethlehem, travels there to be counted in the census and a prophecy is fulfilled - the Messiah is born in Bethlehem.

we are to pray
we are to pray for everyone
the posture - holy hands lifted up

the posture can communicate something
sometimes - surrender
Sometimes - receiving
Sometimes - reaching up as to our Father to be lifted up and held

Jeremiah in Lamentations with our hands we lift up our hearts

Women are to dress modestly - modest comes from cosmos which literally means bringing order out of chaos
Jokingly said there is nothing biblical about no cosmetics and quotes mckee - if the barn needs painting, paint it.

A woman's dress - order? is she driving people around her closer to the Lord?
no shame, no blushing
moderation, sanity, self-control

women are not to teach or have authority over men

there is the hard part. I need to study and pray about this

11A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15But women[a] will be saved[b] through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

These are the reasons that were laid out
It is biblical
Women are created more emotional creatures
divine design - not about ability
men need to be in a position of spiritual leadership or they will never mature spiritually
(not sure where that is found in the bible)

Adam sinned - he knew what he did
Eve was deceived
The serpent that appeared to Eve was not like the snakes of today but was a beautiful creature (?) and the way he tempted Eve? He asked her if she wanted to be more like God.
Women are already praying, already worshiping
Women will be saved in childbearing - this does not mean that you are not saved if you have no children - there are children you can pour into - "spiritual children" you can come along side

I am confused and hurting. If anyone has some biblical wisdom to help clear some of this up for me - I will be glad to hear it. I didn't post this last night because I thought it would help to sleep on it. It didn't.

What Is the Church?

2008-07-20T20:51:00.002-05:00

What Is the Church?

I am sorry it has taken so long to post here. I have completely neglected Habakkuk and it has been awhile since I got any notes up here. We have been studying Beatitudes on Tuesday nights and to me that is all about walking around and taking apart what it is to be a Christian. What does God want of me as one person. These notes are from the beginning of a series on what the church is. I think it is key to look at this. For me personally I have been critical of "church" and the biggest thing for me in this study is to know that my attitude is offensive to God. This fits though with the Beatitudes look at the individual - To be poor in spirit - realizing my complete spiritual poverty, mourning my own sin, and turning to God's holiness, seeking His righteousness. The Holy Spirit does not need me to judge any individual or even more important any group of believers. This will be hard but I believe that I prayerfully need to be moving in this direction so here I humbly submit:

Bible Study notes 07/20/08

If you ask most people what is the church they might respond - the building. A white building with a steeple and double doors is a picture that most of us might identify with.
Some would say it is a social place where relationships are built.
Some would say that it is like a government relief agency spending every dime to help every person in need who comes through the door and then, when a disaster happens spend the rest of their money flying to where they are needed.

While church should have aspects of all those things if you look to the bible for what church is supposed to be you will find three main pictures.

1. Biblically the church is the Body. Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us:

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Everyone in the body has a different purpose but they are ALL in ministry. The ministry is not just the pastor or worship team but God wanting to use the life of each and everyone of us right where we are at - in our family, our job, our school, wherever we may be. The pastor can't be everywhere we are so we are to be like 007 secret agent Christians. Pastors take the Word and pour into us to equip us to minister to a lost and dying world. If the congregation has the mentality that only the pastor, staff, worship team are in ministry then many times those churches die. In those situations the congregation becomes the watchers or audience.

So the first purpose of the church is to equip the body for ministry - "In Reach".

2. Believers - the Church is a group of believers.

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This is known as the Great Commission but in many churches it is treated as the great Omission. As the church we are commanded by Jesus to do this corporately as the church. We are to come along side and put a "spiritual arm" around others and pour into them.

To do this we again, need to be equipped.

In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul tells Timothy:
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

The second purpose is Out Reach - when we are given the opportunity we should always be asking the Lord how we can meet that particular need. We are to be equipped by the church to go out and come along side, pour into, and minister to a lost and dying world.

3. The Bride
John 3:29
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled (John the Baptist is speaking of Christ)

As the Bride of Christ the church has a special relationship with the Lord. Does the Lord like it when people are critical of the bride? The Lord is into church. He is there in the midst, the bible tells us.

Whatever opinions we have about different churches Matthew 18 tells us :
"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
It doesn't say anything about the building, the style of worship, how everyone including the pastor dresses, or any of the other petty things we say and think abut each other.

In Revelations 1 we are told that Jesus walks among the churches
And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

To each of the seven churches He writes a letter that gives them a little picture of Him. Notice that no one church has the whole picture. The whole Body gives a more complete picture.

God wants to be worshipped

John 4 says

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus is the seeker - he is seeking believers

1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Psalm 73

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;

Worship means to turn and kiss

There are different kinds of kisses - there is blowing a kiss - casual and keeping your distance

There is the grandpa kiss - get in and get out quick

Then there is the kiss that lingers - the bride

What kind of worship?

The third purpose of the church is Up Reach!

The Triangle

2008-06-29T21:34:00.002-05:00

Well, its been awhile since I logged on. I have missed the blog and blogging. Haven't twittered yet or defragged but maybe one day. I have missed seeing everyone. Hope things are well. Hope everyone is doing good. I would like to share with you a devotional that I have read regarding an author's use of geometric shapes to remind us of our relationship to GOD and others. The first one is on the triangle. This is not anything new, the triangle is used widely in Christian art to symbolize the Trinity. But I thought I would share this little spin on it with you none the less.

Jesus would frequently retreat to "lonely" places to pray during his earthly ministry. There he was able to totally focus on The Father, and who he was, who Jesus was within The Father, and what he (Jesus)was supposed to do in this world.

Jesus also had disciples and friends. Those he trusted, those he loved, those he taught before his ultimate sacrifice.

Jesus also ministered and served others in the world. He was not exclusive. He was inclusive. He did not come into the world to condemn it but to save it.

So in summary: We recognize the triangle as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. "The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit". Thru faith in the Son, we have access to the Father, and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Now, tweak the triangle just a little and lets recognize that part of "conforming to the image of the Son" is to rest within the Father, know who the Father is, know what the Father is about, know what characteristics the Father has, and then we will know who we are, and what we are supposed to do in this world. Then, we have to ask, do we treat our friends and family like Jesus treated his? Then, do we emulate him by being a ministering presence to others and serve others as Jesus would have us do? The triangle: a symbol of the Holy Trinity, but also a symbol of our relationship with GOD and others.

Next SOAP Book

2008-06-29T08:23:00.002-05:00

The next SOAP bible study book will be Habakkuk. Habakkuk is all about a conversation between Habakkuk and God. Habakkuk sees so much injustice and wonders why God allows it to happen. Habakkuk is a short little book - only three chapters and it is located very near the end of the Old Testament.

If you are new to this study method and would like to join us, we will start with chapter one. Read the chapter, think it through, pray it in. Then your post can consist of the following elements - S - scripture, O - observation, A- application or assessment, P- prayer.

If you prefer not being quite so locked in to a format that's no problem - comment anyway. There is not a hard and fast rule - we are just using this framework to become more focused on more in depth study.

We hope you will join us!

My Philippians 4

2008-06-28T20:05:00.005-05:00

I'm actually reading a book on verse 11 right now called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. I just haven't gotten very far into it yet though.

Scripture

vs 10-19

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me. Indeed you were concerned before but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means and I also know how to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well to share with me and my affliction and you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone, for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs, not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance, I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God and my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Observation

After becoming a Christian, Paul had a pretty rough life. Beatings, shipwrecks, disease, being thrown in jail. But he learned something that made him be able to endure all those hardships. He learned to be content. How was it that he learned this? I think it is that Paul understood God's sovereignty and providence and trusted that whatever he was experiencing at the moment was exactly what God had planned for him. Paul knew God was in charge and would orchestrate events in order to fulfill His purposes.

Application

If anything, I think it is an encouragement to me that Paul learned contentment. If Paul could learn it, maybe I can, too. It might be hard, but I know it would be worth it to be content in the Lord. I know it isn't something I can learn on my own though, but through study and prayer, hopefully God will provide me with more contentment.

Prayer

Father, teach me to be content like Paul. Let me not be swayed by my circumstances but fully put my trust in You. I ask that you would use the book I am reading on contentment to help me in this area of my life.

Phil 4 SOAP

2008-06-23T14:12:00.002-05:00

Sorry this took so long - between business and feeling like crap, I've been occupied. Anyway, here goes:

vs1: This should reall belong to the previous chapter, so I'll skip it.

Scripture: vs2-3
Observation: It seems these two ladies were at one time working together with Paul, but had a falling out.
Assessment: Dissension in the body of Christ is an oxymoron - or it should be. One body with many parts - that is how Paul describes us many times throught his epistles. When that unity is fractured, our work for Christ suffers as we focus on the dissension itself, taking sides against members of the body. I am thinking specifically about what happened recently.
Prayer: Father, give me a spirit of forgiveness for theones who hurt me - just as Jesus forgave those who hurt Him. Replace my animosity with mercy, my ill-will with love, towards those whom I feel have "done me wrong".

Scripture: vs 4-7
Observation: Paul is exhorting us to rejoice in the Lord, and he ties that spirit of rejoicing to presenting our requests to God, and not worrying, and looking for God's peace.
Assessment: When we refuse to give our concerns to God, when we waste time worrying about problems which we may not have any control over whatsoever, when we forget the Lord is near, both in His second coming AND His proximity to us as believers, when we don't pray with thanksgiving (very important to always start prayers off with thanks to God for His blessings, even when we may not feel them to be present), when we forget all those things or refuse to do them, then we forgo the peace of God. And we thereforehave no cause nr ability to rejoice.
Prayer: Jesus, let me never forget to always praise you in thanksgiving for your work on the cross, whatever my circumstances. My joy is in You - keep that always in the front of my mind.

Scripture: vs 8-9
Observation: Paul tells us what to think about, AND to put it into practice.
Assessment: If we merely think about the things of God, and don't actually work on them, make them part of our lives, then we are making an exercise in futility. All the Bible study in the world is empty if one doesn't live the Word.
Prayer: Father, let my mind dwell on the things of you - the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things of You. And I pray that you will give me the strength to put those things into practice in my life - to live your Word, not just read it.

Scripture: vs 10-23
Observation: Paul goes from talking about rejoicing in the Lord to showing the Philippians that he is rejoicing - putting his words into practice. Then he goes on to explain how he can rejoice even though his circumstances weren't that great. Whatever the circumstances, God will give him the strength to overcome and to rejoice in them.
Assesment: I still have a LONG way to go before I resemble Paul in this regard. It is easy to rejoice in the Lord when things are going well, but during the hard seasons, I can find it difficult to pray with joy - which is the time I should be praying the most, thanking God for the things that are going right at the time.
Prayer: Father, I pray that you would give me the same spirit Paul has, wher I can rejoice in You regardless of my condition. My joy is in You - nothing else in this world compares. Let me remember when things are bad, that You strengthen me to overcome all things.

The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

2008-06-19T06:43:00.002-05:00

This resonated with me this morning.

In this hour of all-but-universal darkness one cheering gleam appears: within the fold of conservative Christianity there are to be found increasing numbers of persons whose religious lives are marked by a growing hunger after God Himself. They are eager for spiritual realities and will not be put off with words, nor will they be content with correct `interpretations' of truth. They are athirst for God, and they will not be satisfied till they have drunk deep at the Fountain of Living Water. This is the only real harbinger of revival which I have been able to detect anywhere on the religious horizon. It may be the cloud the size of a man's hand for which a few saints here and there have been looking. It can result in a resurrection of life for many souls and a recapture of that radiant wonder which should accompany faith in Christ, that wonder which has all but fled the Church of God in our day. But this hunger must be recognized by our religious leaders.
Current evangelicalism has (to change the figure) laid the altar and divided the sacrifice into parts, but now seems satisfied to count the stones and rearrange the pieces with never a care that there is not a sign of fire upon the top of lofty Carmel. [See 1 Kings 18 for the allusions.-ccp] But God be thanked that there are a few who care. They are those who, while they love the altar and delight in the sacrifice, are yet unable to reconcile themselves to the continued absence of fire. They desire God above all. They are athirst to taste for themselves the `piercing sweetness' of the love of Christ about Whom all the holy prophets did write and the psalmists did sing.
There is today no lack of Bible teachers to set forth correctly the principles of the doctrines of Christ, but too many of these seem satisfied to teach the fundamentals of the faith year after year, strangely unaware that there is in their ministry no manifest Presence, nor anything unusual in their personal lives. They minister constantly to believers who feel within their breasts a longing which their teaching simply does not satisfy. I trust I speak in charity, but the lack in our pulpits is real. Milton's terrible sentence applies to our day as accurately as it did to his: `The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed.'

The entire book is available to read online. Here is one link to it. The Pursuit of God

"During a train trip from Chicago in the late 1940s, A.W. Tozer began to work on The Pursuit of God. He wrote all night long, the words coming to him as fast as he could put them down. By the next morning, when the train pulled into McAllen, Texas, the rough draft was done" (wikipedia)

The language may be old fashioned but the meaning is so very much what I have felt. Isn't this why we keep studying, why we keep singing, and why we continue to search for a place where we can not only gather with other believers but where we can FIND GOD!

The problems aren't unique to our time or to a particular place. This man wrote words 68 years ago that reach into me today and make me want to stand up and shout AMEN!

We want fellowship, study, teaching, prayer, all of the things that we do to try to reach the one goal that sometimes we lose sight of in the middle of all the attempts to get there. More than that - it isn't just a goal - it is the very thing we were made for! God created us for Him. We are knit together in ways that make us from birth to grave - long for closeness with our Father and all of life is nothing but one (usually very crooked) line of pursuit of that one end.

We are made with a hunger that we try to fill with everything the world has to offer but in the end, we find that it all rots, it all leaves us, and if we are lucky - we find ourselves on our knees, reaching out for the one thing that will make us whole - we just need God!

I wish Mr. Tozer was still around. I would like to have sat in the pew in his church. I pray that all of you find God somewhere today, and feel that irresistible pull that draws us near and has us crying out Abba - Daddy! Amen!

Encouragement Quotient Devotion

2008-06-18T17:29:00.016-05:00

I clicked a random link in my feed reader today and ended up here:
You've Been Chosen to Clap and Cheer - Hebrews 10:24-25
I'll share some of the highlights but it is worth a read - it was just what I needed this morning and there were things in it that made it seem like a little nudge from God.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews By Birth And Christians By Faith

To be Hebrews by birth meant that they had entered into the world of Old Testament ritual. They knew and obeyed the Law of Moses. They kept the dietary laws. They sang the Psalms of David. They observed the feast days and tithed their income. They read the prophets and kept the Sabbath day holy. They were Jews from first to last.To be Christians by faith meant that they had heard and believed the Gospel message. They had seen that Jesus was the promised Messiah and they had trusted in that great fact. They now believed that all of the Old Testament pointed toward the coming of Christ. And having made that step of faith, they identified themselves with the fledging congregation of Christians.It was not an easy step to make. Their Jewish friends accused them of treason against Moses. Their families urged them to come back to the synagogue. Their faith was on the firing line every day. Compromise was easy, convictions hard to hold.They were tempted to give up their open identification as Christians and lapse back into Judaism. Many of them had already done it. Many others were thinking about it. For these Jewish believers in Jesus, spiritual warfare was a daily reality. And many of them had become casualties. More:

Needed: A Few Good EncouragersI could summarize by saying that encouragement is fundamental to the Christian faith. It is one of the reasons we come together on Sunday morning. It is one of the most important spiritual gifts. And it is one of the sacred promises we have made to each other. These are the words of our church covenant: We do, therefore, in His strength promise … that we will be careful to encourage each other in the faith and service of our Lord Jesus Christ. And More:

This week I ran across these words: "If you treat a man as he is, he will stay as he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to become and could be, he will become that bigger and better man." That strikes me as an entirely true statement. People tend to become what we think them to be. They either live up to or down to our expectations. And Still More:
That's what encouragement is all about. That's the ministry God has called us to. That's something you can do this very week. The E.Q. TestBack at the beginning I promised that I would take your E.Q.—your Encouragement Quotient. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself:
1. Do my words of encouragement easily outweigh my words of criticism?
2. Am I generally uplifting to be around?
3. Do words of praise come easily to me?
4. Would those who know me best consider me an encouraging person?
5. Do I pass along only the good news and swallow the gossip?
6. Do I think more about opportunities to give praise or more about my need to receive praise?
7. Do I tend to focus on the positive qualities of other people?
8. Is it easy for me to be critical of those who frustrate me?
9. When I pray, do I pray for those who frustrate me?
10. Have I been diligent to encourage those closest to me—my children, my husband or wife, my students, my co-workers, my close friends?
Grade yourself this way. If you answered "yes" to eight or more, you are probably an encouraging person. If you answered "yes" to seven or less, you've been drinking too much vinegar and you need to switch over to Gatorade!
And if you go read it you find EVEN more!

Good stuff and stuff I'm not very good at. I need work and I need prayer - and I need to be encouraged to encourage!

Philippians 4 SOAPY suds

2008-06-18T14:01:00.002-05:00

Scripture

Three Exhortations

2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Observation

Paul is giving instructions to the church at Philippi as a whole, but also to some specific member who he names. He brings church down to a personal level. The church at Philippi is not just a far off group of believers but people with names and problems and lives that effect the others who belong to church with them as well as outsiders looking in who may base their opinions on Christians on one little view.

Paul tells the Philippians three important things

Agree in the Lord
Rejoice in the Lord
Think on things of the Lord

Assessment/Application

All three of those things are interrelated and important for there to be fruit in our lives and for us to have a strong Christian witness.

Prayer

I read that exhortation means to encourage or come along side. I pray that the Lord will show me how and when to be more encouraging to my brothers and sisters in Christ. We make it more complicated than it should be – all we have to do is love You enough that there is no room for disagreement, there is no need to think on anything else, and we can’t help but rejoice. Amen

2 Kings 3 “Sing and Sweat”

2008-06-15T19:17:00.004-05:00

2 Kings 3

Up til now Elisha had done great things but his ministry was mainly local. In 2nd Kings 3 he bursts onto the national scene. Jehoram is now the king – he is the son of Ahab and Jezebel (which means literally dung heap?)

In the past the land of Moab has had to pay a huge tribute of lambs and rams to the king of Israel and when Jehoram takes over the Moabite king says enough is enough – we are not paying any more.

Jehoram calls on Jehoshaphat, king of Judah to gang up with him to defeat the Moabites. They decide to attack through Edom, which is hot dry dead sea area - desert.

Jehoshaphat is a Godly man but he has a history of making alliances with evil people. He had made an alliance with Ahab that didn’t go so well for him. Back in the time of Ahab he allowed himself to be persuaded to go to battle with Ahab, disguised as the leader in Ahab’s place because it had been prophesied that Ahab would be killed. When the Syrians realized that he was not Ahab he ran away and they killed Ahab anyway. Alliances with evil cause pain, trial, and embarrassment every time and evidently Jehoshaphat doesn’t learn.

Do we learn?

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

We are to be in the world but not let the world be in us.

My personal observation

It is easy sometimes to see that we are walking in the wrong direction, hanging on to wrong relationships. At those times it would be clear and we could extricate ourselves. I think it is often not so clear and maybe it happens a little at a time.

Back to Jehoshaphat – they attack through Edom. After seven days they ran out of water for themselves and their animals.

We run out of water – our time with God in the Word is dry and especially when we are in wrong alliances.

Jehoshaphat tells them that they need to go to the Lord and they ask Elisha what to do. Elisha tells them to do 2 things. Sing and sweat. He tells them to bring him a musician. While the harpist was playing he tells them that the Lord says to dig ditches. This area is near the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth. When it rains in Jerusalem the water pours down the mountains onto the plain. God wants them to dig ditches to use this water. They will have plenty to drink. This water and the sun created an optical illusion that made the Moabites think it was blood so, thinking that the kings had fought and killed each other they came down and were defeated.

I Sing - Worship

* There is victory is worship in 2 Chronicles God won the battle without a single sword being drawn

2 Chronicles 20

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the LORD,
For His mercy endures forever.”^[c]
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon

God won the victory but it began with praise.

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

* Hard to maintain a bad attitude when you are singing

You come to worship and you are angry – you start singing and your heart starts to soften

* The Lord does some of His best work to background music

Job 38:4-7

4 “ Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?

6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Acts 13

1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

- After they worshipped the Holy Spirit spoke

The bible tells us to wait upon the Lord. Not wait as in sit on the couch eating potato chips – wait as in how a waiter ministers to diners. What does the Lord want from us. Does He want us to worship? To fall on our knees and pray? Be in the Word?

II Sweat - Dig ditches

2 Kings 3: 20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.

We have hindsight – we know that the optical illusion would win the battle but all Jehoshaphat knew was that he was tired and thirsty and God said – dig ditches! Begin with the morning sacrifice and keep digging.

When our time in the Word is dry we have to keep digging ditches – not physical, but spiritual ditches. Keep reading and praying and worshipping. Keep digging ditches and you will see that as the sacrifice of praise is made – God will send water and fill those ditches with His presence in accordance with the depth of the ditches.

Think about: God was obeyed and the ditches were dug and the enemy ran into the trap set by the Lord. If the Moabites had gotten closer they would have seen that it was water.

Some folks don’t read the bible because they say it is nothing but a book about blood and killing, or whatever reason they may give, if they got closer and deeper they would fall deeper and deeper in love with the Word of God.

Depth of ditch – depth of relationship

Interesting find in northern Jordan!

2008-06-12T16:35:00.002-05:00

Heard about this yesterday on Fox News Channel.

JERUSALEM: Archaeologists believe they have found the world's oldest church, dating from shortly after Christ's crucifixion. If tests confirm that it dates back to between AD33 and AD70, as the archaeologists claimed this week, it would make it the earliest known place of Christian worship by about 200 years.

A report in The Jordan Times on Tuesday said a very early underground church had been found beneath the ancient St Georgeous Church, which itself dates back to AD230, in Rihab, northern Jordan, near the Syrian border.

"We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from AD33 to 70," said the head of the Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, Abdul Qader al-Husan.
"We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians - the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ."

A mosaic found in the church describes them as "the 70 beloved by God and Divine". Mr Husan said they were believed to have fled persecution in Jerusalem and founded churches in northern Jordan.

He cited historical sources that suggest they lived and practised religious rituals in the underground church and left it only after Christianity was embraced by Roman rulers in the fourth century.

There is no clear holder of the title of oldest Christian church: various sites claim the honour without definitive evidence.

The bishop deputy of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese, Archimandrite Nektarios, described the Rihab discovery as an "important milestone for Christians all around the world".
Researchers recovered pottery dating back to between the third and seventh centuries, which they said suggested that those first Christians and their followers lived in the area until late Roman rule.

Inside the cave are several stone seats which are believed to have been for the clergy, and a circular shaped area, which is thought to be the apse.

SOAP for Phil 3

2008-06-11T13:11:00.002-05:00

Scripture: 7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Observation: After telling the Phil church to rejoice, and rejoice again, Paul is telling them how they may live that rejoicing - only through Jesus Christ, because nothing else can compare to knowing Him. In fact, he says that though he has lost everything else, knowing Christ surpasses that so much that it doesn't matter about his loss - Christ is everything and more.

Assessment: Do I consider the things I have lost for Christ as rubbish? Have i given up that much for Him? If not, why not? Would I be willing to give up more and count it all as gain if I have Christ?

Prayer: I pray that I will focus my life on Jesus, on who He is and what He has done for me, remembering that nothing else can compare to Him. I pray that I would gladly lose all things for the sake of knowing Christ.

Scripture: vs 12 through the end of the chapter.

Observation: Paul uses athletic imagery, making the Christian life as a race to be run. Live up to what you already have attained, and strive mightily for more. Plumb the depths of what it means to know Christ. He speaks to those who are mature (peeps who have been Christians for along time) and tells them that THEY need to think this way. Younger Christians are very passionate, but older ones (not speaking of age) can lose their zeal for Christ, their first love. Paul warns against that, and very emphatically says God will reveal their error to them. Then he tells the Phillipians to follow his example. We all need people to model our behavior on (mentors in Christ) - so follow Paul's example and the example of other people who live accordingly. And always remember that we await something glorious - our Savior, who is working in us to transform us so we resemble Him. And someday, we will be transformed completely.

Assessment: Sometimes i run out of steam in this race. But I am filled up again when I go to Jesus - I need Him more and more. I've been a Christian for almost 9 years now, and I find myself lately WANTING to know Christ so much more. As for examples to follow, I have several, but not only that, I think it should be my goal to be an example for someone else to follow - i want to be able to say in truth, like Paul, that someone should follow my example. Is my walk worth following? Many times, not so. But i want to keep my eyes on the prize, so to speak. the prize being Jesus Christ - our ultimate goal in life.

Prayer: Revive me, Jesus. Give me the want, the hunger for you. Make me conform to you so that someone may look at me and see Christ Himself. I pray that in times of discouragement you would remind me that this world is not everything - the prize, the goal, the Life is yet to come. But You will come. I have faith in that.

Soapy Philippian 3

2008-06-09T21:34:00.002-05:00

Philippians 3

Scripture: 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Observation: This just speaks of Paul's love of this church and his heart for making sure that they keep the truths that they first learned.

Assessment: I love this because it reminds me that no matter how much we study or how good a teacher we have - even Paul thought it was good for us to hear these truths over and over - a safeguard for us.

Prayer: I just ask Jesus to make my learning and my life a prayer. If I spend the rest of my life doing that I will still not get enough, understand enough, love enough, BE enough.

Scripture: 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Observation: Paul is talking about the legalists and reminding the Philippians against believing in salvation through works and the warning against the Jewish legalists who were saying that someone needs to become a jew before they can become a Christian.

Assessment: What kind of expectations do we put on each other as Christians?

Prayer: I am just praying for discernment on this because I have trouble with this one.

Scripture:
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Observation: Paul speaks with authority and I think if we were able to hear him preach we would think that he was already halfway to heaven. He is telling the church that he is on his way just like them and that he can't turn back and neither can they.

Assessment: This encourages me on two levels - one that all of us as Christians are on the same journey - no matter what point we may be at we are none of us perfected yet. The second is that Jesus has already "taken hold of us" We get distracted, we stumble, but the love of Jesus Christ is so compelling that we are forever brought back to Him, His cross, and His resurrection.

Prayer : I just pray to always feel that pull that Christ has on me and that He keeps my feet, my hands, my mouth, and my spirit moving in His direction.

2 Kings 2 Notes

2008-06-08T21:17:00.003-05:00

2 Kings 2 Notes

When Elijah asked Elijah what he could do for him before he was "caught up", Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. This would allow him to be twice as effective in his generation as Elijah was in his.

Both men saw the need to live extraordinarily in an extraordinarily dark time. They were also just like us - they didn't have supernatural power on their own - they trusted in God

4 principles at work with Elisha

1. He replicated what his master did

In 2: 12 Elisha takes Elijah's cloak and strikes the water with it and the water parts - just as he had seen Elijah do. He emulated the very last thing he had seen his master do. One thing this tells us is that his eyes were focused on his master. If we look at Luke 22:47 we see the last thing OUR master and savior did.

47 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.

Jesus last earthly miracle (obviously ascending up to heaven was miraculous but we are talking about about the last miracle Jesus perform in his ministry) was healing someone who opposed him and was wounded by one of his own disciples who was misusing the sword.

How often do Christians "HACK" someone with the sword of the Word. How do we share the gospel with someone who responds by saying the last time someone shared with them they lost their ear"

All we can do is apologize and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that we can begin to minister to people about Jesus love and grace.

Told a story about his four year old not wanting to eat his dinner. Noticed that when he would scratch his head, his son would scratch his head. When he touched his chin his son would copy - everything he was doing his son was doing. He laughed and his son laughed and he picked up his fork and took a bite and so did his sone. This went on until his son had finished his supper.

"Because his eyes were on his dad he was able to accomplish something his dad desperately wanted him to do."

2. Believe in God's miraculous power

The sons of the prophets kept asking Elisha if he knew that his father would be caught up that day and he kept saying yes he knew and be silent. After the first thing they did was ask if they could go look for Elijah. They didn't believe that he could have been taken up to heaven by God while still alive.

Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

rapturo : caught up

1 Corinthians 15:51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed

we can comfort one another in this - that as servants of God we will one day be caught up

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Story about Saturday being chore day - mom would leave to go to work or run errands and there would be a list of chores. At the beginning of the day tv was more interesting and laziness set in but as the day went on previous experience caused different behavior. Things got done because MOM WAS ON HER WAY. We as believers know that "dad" is on His way. We have to know that we can't hang out with the world thinking we have years to change our behavior .

3. He remembers the power of salt

The city of Jericho where they are when Elijah is taken, is in a good place but the water is poison and the ground is barren. (like a lot in this world - looks great on the outside but fruitless and devastating inside) Elisha tells them to bring him a new bowl and he puts salt in it and "heals" the water.

a. salt makes people thirsty (aaah thirsty for living water - we can be salt and cause others to thirst as well)

b. salt preserves

c. salt unifies (in adverse conditions the crystals adhere to each other creating larger crystals)

d. salt heals

Our speech should be salt that creates thirst, preserves, unifies, and heals

according to some study men use about 25000 words a day and women 35000. What are we doing with our words? Our speech should be edifying, healing, and building people up. We live in a society that is poison and devastating and fruitless and needs a dose of salt.

4. Don't mock God or the things of God

2:23 the youth mock Elisha and he puts a curse on them and bears maul them. the word for youth here is nahar which is the same term used to describe Jacob at age 28 and Joseph at 39 - these weren't little kids - when they say go up baldy they do not mean for him to climb a hill. They want him to be "caught up" or be gone - die?
Elisha makes things unBEARable for them

Update and Catching Up With Philippians 2

2008-06-07T22:33:00.002-05:00

School is officially out for me and the last week was typically crazy plus we are having issues with how and where Kinsey will go to college so I'm running behind.

For those of you that have been praying for Sondra I wanted to share with you that she got the new job she was hoping for and starts the first of July. This will mean she can support herself and John Michael and there will be insurance, retirement and vacation so this really is an answered prayer.

Dale has tests Tuesday and we will be gone most of the day so we hope bible study can be on another night as it will be a very long day.

Philippians 2 SOAP

Scripture: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Observation: Paul is addressing division in the church at Philippi and if people could really be this way then division would cease might happen from time to time but if it was settled in the spirit of Christ then I think the result would always "defend or confirm" the gospel

Assessment: It seems pretty simple but I think the whole pride/humility thing is so tricky. The minute I become aware of being humble, I become proud. Not sure but maybe the key is to pray that we will be emptied of ourselves and so filled with God's spirit that we will be "unconsciously" humble.

Prayer: Lord you know that we want to do good but unless you clean us out and fill us with your spirit we are nothing but flesh and we have no effectiveness in our witness. The minute we take our eyes off you and place them on ourselves it all falls apart and this happens time and time again as you prepare us to finally surrender to your will. I ask that you come in and shine your light in all the corners and do your work in me so that you can be glorified. Amen

Philippians Ch. 3

2008-06-04T18:40:00.002-05:00

The past is the past

Scripture: vs 5-11 (Paul outlines his pedigree to show that if anyone has a starting point to brag on themselves, then it is him. He goes on to say, that once he valued his lineage, traditions, religious practices, etc . but now he doesn't really care about it. He cares about the cause of Christ and wants to really know him. Greg Laurie said it best. Some want to know about him, but a true Christian wants to KNOW HIM. To Fellowship with HIM, to suffer for HIM, and the Christian knows that there will be a ressurrection and we will live in eternal glory with GOD (the prize) based on our faith in HE who has the power that enables HIM to bring everything under his control, and will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (vs 21).

Observation: I confess, I have been thru a phase in my journey where it seemed like I was just trying to know about HIM rather than really know HIM deeply. Have you been there? Are you there? What is the key to starting to really know HIM deeply and fellowshipping with HIM?

Assessment: I think the key is to take a step back from a hectic pace, take a deep breath, and pray that GOD shows me how he wants me to fellowship with HIM more, how he wants me to love HIM more, and how he wants me to share with others about the love that he has for humanity and what is purpose and plans are for them.

Prayer: I don't know all the answers to those topics, but my prayer is that he shows me the answers somehow, someway, somewhere. I was fortunate to share with one of my coworkers the other day in a brief, loving, gentle way the plan of salvation thru Christ. We were able to discuss the beginning of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament to the culmination of the cross and the ressurrection in the New Testament. GOD gave me an opportunity to share his plan of redeeming the world and I felt grateful for the chance. I hope that the seed was planted and it starts to take root. I see more and more that GOD works in those short quiet moments. I hope there are more of those to come. What a powerful prayer Paul had, Do I have it in me to pray like that?: "I want to know Christ and the power of his ressurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somewhow, to attain to the ressurrection from the dead." I like the know Christ part and the ressurrection of the dead, but what about the suffering and like him in his death? Something to think about.

What was that all about???

2008-06-04T16:17:00.002-05:00

So I don't know what was going on Tuesday. Whatever was there, it's not there today, so maybe I was wrong and it wasn't something from God, just something from my own brain, which is a scary thought. So just ignore that post from Tuesday - it wasn't anything after all.

Some Sudsy Philippians 2

2008-06-03T14:32:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'm going to try and focus on something else right now - some SOAP in Philippians chapter 2.

Scripture:1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others
Observation:How high and noble this is, and how far short I come from fulfilling it in my life. Unity, thinking of others BEFORE myself, and more importantly, thinking of others as BETTER than myself. Ouch.
Asessment: Uhh, I guess the above was really more of an assessment.
Prayer: Pray for God to change my heart so that I put others ahead of myself.

Scripture: (alot) 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Observation: This is a short summation of the nature and purpose of Christ. It clearly speaks of His divinity - those who say that Christ never claimed to be God are just wrong. He IS God, but He did not hold onto His Goodhood - He gave it up to become one of us, one of His creations, in obedience to the Father. And because of that, His name is exalted above everything else.

Assessment: My attitude should be the same as Christ. Make myself nothing, be a servant, humble myself to the Father. Which ties in to the earlier SOAP - think of others as better than yourself (Jesus put His creation ahead of His own divinity, and became one of us). Jesus' obedience glorified the Father. Our obedience glorifies Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, I want to glorify You. I pray you would give me the mind of Yourself - that I could humble myself to others, become a servant, and live my life in obedience to You.

More to come later!

Strange Prayer Request

2008-06-03T12:19:00.002-05:00

I know I've asked you guys to pray for Colby before, but this is different. From the moment I woke up this morning, all I could think about was that I needed to be praying for him, for his salvation. It's been really weird - I haven't listened to the radio at all, nor my mp3 player at work. I've heard people say that sometimes God has "put something on their heart" - I don't know if this is it, but I am trying of late to be more open to listening to the Spirit, and I think this is from Him. Specifically, there has been a verse floating through my mind all day long - "Today is the acceptable day of salvation" - I'm not sure what's going on, but I have been remembering Colby constantly in my prayers today (ahh, just like Paul said, referring to the church in Philippi - this is Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer all rolled in to one!) and my mind isn't concentrating on anything else, not even work! This is something new for me - I don't know about you guys. Have you ever had something "put on your heart by God so much that your mind focuses on that to the neglect of everything else? I'd like other peeps views on intercessory prayer, but mostly, I want to get as many other "prayer warriors" involved as I can. I don't really think of myself as a warrior, in any form or fashion, but where Colby is concerned, especially his eternal destiny, then I will fight like a mighty Jedi warrior for that kid (but I want Mace Windu's purple light saber - it takes a real Jedi to use a purple one).

I don't know why God is doing this - or if this is truly from Him, but I feel it is. I hope my discernment hasn't let me down. If this isn't from God, then I ask Him for forgiveness, but I think it is. So I am feeling led to pray that today is the acceptable day of salvation for Colby. Over and Over again I have been praying that today - I don't know why. It's not something I would expect to happen - but for the fact that God has given people Damascus Road Xperiences before, so He can do it again.

Have any of you guys ever just gotten the need to pray for somebody, out of the blue? This is what it feels like, and I have been praying without ceasing pretty much all day. Maybe I'm just going crazy(er) - I don't know, but I honestly feel like getting down on my knees in supplication to the LORD for Colby, in front of everyone here at work. They would definitely think I am crazy, but I don't give a rat's behind about the opinion of Man right now. This is really weird - don't think I'm going Pentecostal on anybody (let's try speaking in tongues tonight, ha ha - well, it IS scriptural.....) but it's like the Holy Spirit isn't letting me think about anything else today, other than praying for Colby, that today is the acceptable day of salvation for him. So I ask you all to pray the same - we'll talk more tonight. Perhaps a little session about prayer, and what your prayer life is like, might be in order? Just thinking.....

And thanks for your prayers - I couldn't ask for any better Prayer Jedis than you guys!

May the Spirit be with you!

Update

2008-06-02T19:05:00.003-05:00

Not sure how we will decide but I am ready to move on to Philippians chapter 2 whenever everyone else is. I can also wait a bit if anyone has anything else to add. Whatever - I'm cool either way.

Sondra's appointment went fine and she headed back for Louisiana. She has a chance at a better job in July and we are really hoping that works out for her. She and John Michael (her little boy) could really use a break. Thanks for all your prayers!

Here's my SOAPy Philippians 1

2008-06-01T22:37:00.001-05:00

Scripture: whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.

Observation: it strikes me that in order to make disciples for Jesus Christ that our main focus whether it be in what we say or how we live should be just that - defending or confirming the gospel.

Assessment - I think that study of the Word is the most important tool for that and that's why I wanted to be more intentional about studying.
Prayer - I pray that God will show me how to discern HIs will in my life to bring HIm glory, through studying His Word, seeking Godly council, and prayer.

Scripture: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Observation - I think there is something important here, in that Paul connects the growth of love with knowledge and depth of insight and the ability to discern what is best. It seems to me that he is saying that there is a natural progression here - as you gain knowledge and deeper perception you grow in love and as you grow in love, you gain discernment and as you gain discernment the natural outcome is fruit in your life.

Assessment - I am a believer and I know I will one day go home to be with Jesus, but if fruit is the yardstick that I am to use to measure my growth as a Christian then I need to work harder at learning more and not just once a week but everyday.

Prayer - I pray that God will keep me faithful to not just studying but being immersed in the Word and not just learning but doing so that here will be fruit and so that whatever my circumstances, others will see the gospel lived out in a way that it is confirmed or defended in my life.

Scripture: 15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[c] 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Observation: I am in awe of Paul's ability to feel this way. Maybe the lesson isn't about how and why others preach but in Paul's attitude about it. His attitude focuses Jesus and he doesn't let others' behavior divert his attention from that focus.

Assessment: I think that if I can have a tenth of that intense focus, then my life will be so much more than it is right now.

Prayer - I want to be so in love with Jesus Christ that I can't see the things that turn my attention away from the things of God. I want to study so that the words are in my heart and become a habit that I don't have to think about, and so that praise becomes like breathing. I pray that the Lord will walk me through it and teach me to live more joyfully and less whiny!

SOAP Breakdown of Phillipians Ch. 1 (are we supposed to do it this way?)

2008-06-01T19:11:00.002-05:00

Scripture (that speaks to me):
vs 2: Grace and peace to you
Observation: Can't have peace without Grace
Assessment: In order to have more peace with situations, we need to extend more Grace
Prayer: I need to pray that I show more Grace in all situations

vs 1-6: Paul thanking GOD everytime he remembers the special people at Phillipi. GOD started a good work within the believers and is going to see it thru until Christ's return.
Observation: We need to take time to remember and thank GOD for those special believers that have played a role in our journey
Assessment: I do not take the time that I should during my prayers to think of those people
Prayer: I will plan on taking time to remember those people.

vs 9-11: love will be evident by your knowledge and insight as well as your discernment.
Observation: Those that seem to have good discernment about things tend to be more loving. That is at least my observation.
Assessment: I think if we as believers will study GOD's word more then we become more knowledgeable in GOD's ways and realize how much he loves us. Then we will be able to "tap into" spiritual discernment more and start to be able to "spread the love" more.
Prayer: We need to pray for more love, more fire to study his word, and more discernment.

vs 12-14: Paul was in prison for preaching the Gospel. The byproduct was people were becoming more bold in sharing their faith as well because of his example.
Observation: I have yet or do not know anyone that has had this type of persecution.
Assessment: Isn't it a blessing that this type of persecution does not happen to us here like it did in the early church.
Prayer: We should pray for the persecuted church world wide. It still is going on. We should pray that we Americans realize that our world is not the only world.

vs 15-18: Some people preach the Gospel to satisfy their ego. Paul basically says, that is unfortunate, but at least Christ is being proclaimed.
Observation: I have witnessed people speak in the pulpit that seem to pad their ego.
Assessment: It is a shame that some people view speaking for GOD more about speaking about themselves.
Prayer: As Paul says, either way, Christ is preached. But I wondered if he thought that those doing it out of envy, rivalry, or selfish ambition were stumbling blocks to people coming to know Christ.

vs 20: Paul hopes for courage within context of his situation that no matter what happens, he will exalt Christ in life or death.
Observation: Again, have you ever been presented with a situation that calls for life or death courage that could or could not exalt Christ?
Assessment: I do not know if I have the courage.
Prayer: My prayer is that if that ever happened, that I would have the courage to stand up for Christ.

vs 21-22: Paul says when I die, I will see Christ, if I live, I will bear fruit for Christ.
Observation: A good way to live your life.
Assessment: As a believer, I am sure that when I die, I am Glory bound. But I need to bear more fruit.
Prayer: My prayer is that GOD will direct me to ways in which I can bear fruit for him.

vs 28: he encourages the people to stand firm and to not be frightened of those that oppose the message.
Observation: Again. I have not been in that situation.
Assessment: Thank GOD, for the USA
Prayer: Can't say it enough, we need to pray for those Christians being persecuted worldwide.

vs 29: there will be suffering for the advancement of the Gospel
Observation: Do I need to say anymore
Assessment: Really? I haven't suffered like the early church.
Prayer: Thank GOD there are people laying it on the line for Christ.

Philippians Chapter 1 Study

2008-05-28T16:22:00.003-05:00

BJ and I are trying an experiment. Using the SOAP method mentioned in the previous post we are going to study the book of Philippians starting with chapter 1 for this post. We will read on our own and then post discussion in the comments. Whenever it looks like we are ready we will post to start chapter 2.

Anyone who visits here is welcome to chime in at anytime. Here is a reminder of the method but you can always refer back to the post.

Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer

Soooo.here begins the online, slightly nerdy, anyone can join in, SOAPy bible study!

Philippians 1

Bible Study SOAP

2008-05-28T09:52:00.003-05:00

This is actually from the Live To Worship blog but I thought it was such a great way to think when you are studying so I am sharing it here.

Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.

Scripture: I need to be reading and writing out Scripture as it speaks to me.
Observation: I need to study and observe the who, what, when, why and make a note of any questions I might have.
Application: I need to think about how I can apply these new truths to my everyday life.
Prayer: And I need to pray that God will help me do so.

I've never kept an actual bible study notebook except for the one I use for notes that I take when I'm listening to a sermon but I think this might be a good idea for me. (or since my handwriting is so bad anymore maybe I need to be typing it!)

Does anyone else actually keep a notebook or prayer journal? I'd be interested to know if you do, how you do, and if it has been beneficial to you?

Quote to Ponder

2008-05-28T06:45:00.001-05:00

What is Conviction of Sin?

Answer: "It is that state of the mind and heart when the individual takes sides with God against himself."
-Paris Reidhead, Getting Evangelicals Saved

Update

2008-05-27T23:06:00.003-05:00

Dale had his appointment today and his levels are still a bit off. They adjusted his meds and he goes back in two weeks and has another test to see where we are.

I got this message about Sage a little while ago.

"Gary called about an hour ago, and it looks as if the transplant may take place around the middle of June. It has something to do with the donor wanting or needing to wait until then. The doctors had been saying that he might be able to go home until this came up, so I guess now that's not part of the plan. Sage's hair is beginning to grow back, and he's eating better. Evidently platelets are still being administered on a regular basis. I told Gary that I'd had an email from you today, and he said to tell you that he appreciates your asking about him. Please continue to keep him in your prayers. "

Just wanted to share with ya'll and thank you. Dee

Wow

2008-05-26T13:45:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across this today and was blown away.

The Pathetic Milky Way

and

The Danger of the Milky Way

the Milky Way is a danger to the true believer and to the church. Unfortunately, most church-goers have grown to love and embrace the milk of teaching while rejecting the solid food of sound doctrine and true Bible preaching. This may be one of the greatest dangers of the church today. Hebrews said it is inexcusable! )

* see Hebrews 5:12-14

The writer is a pastor and he talks about the danger of the Milky Way which he says is elementary or shallow principles of Christianity.

He writes that he is convinced that God often sends a congregation the pastor they deserve, and talks about the responsibility of the congregation (or "sheep") to make sure that they are being fed meat.

Sheep have the duty to receive the word, incorporate it, meditate on it, muse on it, pray through it, talk about it to your children, and grow in it.

Both articles are good reads and food for thought.

2 Kings 2 Notes

2008-05-25T16:14:00.001-05:00

2nd Kings 2 Death of Elijah, intro to life of Elisha, and the Holy Spirit

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel."
But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
"Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it."

4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho."
And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.

5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
"Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it."

6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan."
And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?"
"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

Intro:
Think about how cool it must have been to hang out with Jesus. No packing a bunch of food. Got a few loaves and fishes - bam! food for thousands! Need something to drink? Jesus could handle it living water - wine to water.
Need a doctor? Vision problems - missing ear? Jesus could heal it. These are all carnal reasons while good but what about the spiritual reasons - the teaching and fellowship?

John 16 talks about Jesus going away and He even tells the disciples that it will be to their advantage that He leave so the Helper or Holy Spirit can come. The disciples may have ben thinking - what advantage? Now we have to start packing food and water!

The advantage is that before Jesus was leading them (us) from the outside. Now the Holy Spirit will lead us from the outside. For the disciples as for us, the Holy Spirit empowered them for ministry and gave them victory over sin. If you compare the early church before and after the Holy Spirit you get a picture of this truth. Peter who before the Holy Spirit couldn't even stand up for Jesus to a little girl, after was able to stand before thousands on the day of Pentecost and tell them that this Jesus you whom crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)

John, the same one who wanted to call down fire before the Holy Spirit, after the Holy Spirit writes "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness"
Before the Holy Spirit - burn 'em - after hug 'em

The Holy Spirit was with Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, all the Judges

We have the Holy Spirit residing in us but does the Holy Spirit have us - are we surrendered, walking in the control of the spirit?

When Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha before he was taken away, Elisha could have asked for anything but he asked for a double portion of Elisha' s spirit. He had seen the miracles and the effectiveness of Elijah's ministry and asked for twice that spirit.

Before Elisha could walk in that kind of power God took him to 4 cities or 4 points of empowerment. These four cities were all significant spots in Israel's history.

1. Gilgal - place of purification

The children of Israel had wandered for 40 years without entering into the promised land. A new generation had grown up and as they crossed into the promised land the first place they stopped was Gilgal to renew the covenant with God. God had Joshua make flint knives and circumcise this new generation.

We too need purification. we need circumcision in a symbolic way - the flesh cut from us, to purify our lives. We want to be filled, but we need to be emptied first.

Illustrations:

milk in a sippy cup - gets under a seat in the van and stays there for several days. Gets yucky. The two year old finds the cup and is thirsty and starts to grab it and drink. the father grabs the cup because he knows it needs to be cleaned. The 2 year old cries but the father knows - clean the cup and feed the child something to drink that is clean and good.

We try to pile the Holy Spirit on top of layers of sin and filth - we need to be emptied of the flesh - the world, and then we can be filled with the Spirit. All we can do is ask God in prayer to clean us and fill us. We need circumcision of the heart, ears, and mouth. Word or world. Guard what we hear and say.

2. Bethel - place of realization.
Jacob, heel snatcher, after he stole his father's blessing and his brother threatened to kill him he ran and he ended up sleeping with a stone for a pillow at Bethel (House of God - God is in this place) He dreams about the ladder with angels going up and down, but at the top - God. God tells Jacob He wants to work in his life.

Illustration

family eating a meal - three kids. Oldest kid is the messiest. end of meal the two younger kids climb up in dads lap. Oldest child looks at dad and says you don't want me in your lap because I'm messy. The father says you are right , I don't want food all over me - let me clean you up , you're my child, of course I want to hold you.

The Father wants to clean us up and bring us close.

3. Jericho - place of confrontation
fruit should flow from your life but God doesn't fill you with the spirit so you get a spirit "high" - he prepares you for battle.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses

the greek for witness here is from martys for martyr

Jericho was the site of the great battle and we are called to be witnesses in a Christ rejecting world, the weapons are prayer and the Word and they are the only things that will cause spiritual walls to fall.

4. Jordan - the place of expectation
When the priests carrying the Ark came to the river Jordan there was no miraculous parting of teh waters before they set across. They were commanded to step into the water and then the waters would part. Expect God to prepare us for the ministry he calls us to. Expect God to empty us so He can fill us. Expect God to move in our lives.

The whole time these things were going on the prophets were asking - do you know how your master will be taken away today? Do you know what you are doing? And later they said that didn't happen - God is not working in your life. That is the world telling Elisha and us- don't go farther, the Holy Spirit isn't really moving in you etc.

Elisha listened, trusted, was prepared for a ministry that was twice as effective and twice as miraculous as Elijah.

Some extra notes to look into:

This was the end of a remarkable ministry, one that was in many ways similar to the ministry of Moses. Both Moses and Elijah:

* Stood alone for righteousness
* Were associated with fire upon mountains
* Were associated with the desert
* Met God on Sinai
* Were chased out of their countries by pagan rulers
* Knew God’s miraculous provision for food and water
* Wandered in the desert for a period measured by 40
* Fasted for 40 days
* Were powerful examples of prayer
* Parted waters
* Had close associates who succeeded them
* Had successors that parted waters also
* Had mysterious or strange deaths

d. And Elisha saw it: This fulfilled the requirement mentioned in 2 Kings 2:10. Elisha would indeed inherit the prophetic ministry of Elijah. Yet Elisha wasn’t happy when this happened; he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces as an expression of deep mourning.

e. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him: Since the mantle was the special mark of a prophet, this was a demonstration of the truth that Elisha truly had inherited the ministry of Elijah.

An encounter with a missionary

2008-05-24T22:40:00.002-05:00

Working in the hospital, I am fortunate to be able to come in contact with people from all walks of life. There are many interesting stories and people for that matter that I could go on and on about. It is amazing how true it is, that if you just take a few minutes to stop and talk to someone how much you can find out about a world that is outside your own little box. And it never fails, everytime that I stop and do this, which is not that often, when you have 20-25 people on your schedule to see during the day, that I am reminded by GOD just how special people are and how he is using them in this world.
Today, I was working with an elderly lady who has had a knee replacement and her son was visiting her and walking with us down the hall. I noticed that he had a logo on his shirt that referenced a ministry. So I simply asked if he was in the ministry and then the floodgates opened. He told me how he and his wife were evangelists and they went overseas, particularly in southeast Asia, for periods of times and worked in spreading the Gospel. He said that the majority of his work lately has been in India, Nepal, and most recently in Burma. In the areas where the government was strict on organized religion, his work was more covert and "underground". He told me that the news reports on the Burmese government was correct. He said that the cyclone that caused so much damage killed around 78,000 people and another 50,000 has yet to be accounted for. This unaccountability is based on the governments lack of regard for human life. The reports of delayed aid are true. He also said that since this area has been so consumed over the years with civil war, that the land mine threat is extraordinary. The Burmese government has implemented a solution to assist with clearing these landmines, that I am unaware if it has ever been reported on the news here in the U.S. The solution is this: They have groups of children go out into the fields unknowingly and inadvertantly trip the mines. This has created even more death as well as disabilities to innocent kids. He said the orphanages are full there and in need of much intervention, but again, help from the outside world is limited and has to be performed via methods that are covert. He told me that it is amazing to him still even after all his experiences how people can have so little regard for human life.
I think it goes without saying, that this family must be lifted up in prayer. I will not release his name for the sake of me never trusting even the most secure sights on the internet, but we can pray for all those people like he and his wife who put their lives on the line everyday for the sake of advancing the Kingdom of GOD.
What an eye opening, mind expanding conversation I had today. Can you imagine living in a place like that in the world? People may think we have it bad here sometimes and say well, this country does it better here, and if our kids lived in this country, then they wouldn't have this problem, etc. and etc. You know what I am talking about. That liberalist theology bullbutter that some of us get to hear now and then, both in the media and unfortunately at church sometimes. But let me just say this: If you think our kids have it bad here in the U.S., sounds like you need to go with that missionary and live in Burma for awhile.
Thank GOD, this country was founded on Christian theology. This conversation with this man gave me a little glimpse, that GOD is still using the United States as a spring board in the world to send missionaries out in all different ways to pronounce the Good News.

Update On Sage Martin

2008-05-23T05:48:00.002-05:00

I got the word last night that he is probably going to have to have another bone marrow transplant - the docs are trying to get it set up. This is NOT good news, so please keep him in your prayers.

Prayer Request

2008-05-22T05:53:00.001-05:00

BJs dad is heading for Saudi as part of his job. I ask for prayer for travel mercies for Bobby and prayer for BJ's mom while he is gone.

Been Thinking About...

2008-05-21T17:02:00.002-05:00

This is from a blog I read. The part that concerns me - I highlighted it in bold and italics and color. I thinkwe (myself included) need to be really careful about that part.

Posted by Mart De Haan
May 21st, 2008

Like Jesus, the Apostle Paul sets high standards for entering the kingdom of God. In his first letter to the Corinthians he writes: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1Cor 6:9-10).
But that’s not all Paul says about the high standards of God. In the 5th chapter of his letter to the Galatians he adds, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21 New Living Translation).

I don’t know how anyone could read such a list and think it only refers to someone else. If we read it too quickly to see ourselves in the mirror, all we need to do is read again Paul’s catch-all phrase, “and other kinds of sin.”

But, anyone who has read Paul knows that it’s not his intent to show that no one has a hope of heaven. So, I think we need to answer the question: What is “the kingdom of God”?

In one sense, the Bible shows that “the kingdom of God” is future. It represents the predicted day, at the end of this age, when Christ will rule the world. At that time, according to the New Testament, the Savior of the world will becomes its judge and king. He alone will determine who comes into his kingdom and who doesn’t (John 5:20-27; Matt 25:31-46).

The Scriptures, however, also speak of a present kingdom. In this sense, all who– in their own hearts– have bowed the knee to Christ, have already been welcomed into His kingdom (Col 1:13). Such people, according to Paul, have been accepted not on their own merits. They’ve been accepted by the grace of Christ who, on the basis of his own saving work, has washed, set apart, and declared right with God all who have trusted him (1Cor 6:11).
But how does this fit with what Paul is saying?

Is he saying those who have been forgiven by Christ will not commit the sins of their past? Is that how they show they’ve been forgiven? If that’s the case then why in this letter does Paul have to repeatedly urge the family of God not to fall back into sexual sin, conflict, and all kinds of other behavior that does not reflect the goodness of God in our lives?
To dig a little deeper let’s ask the question,
What does it mean to “inherit the kingdom?”

The word inherit can mean to receive, at some time in the future, a promised inheritance. Or it can also mean to partake and participate now in the “rule and influence of God.” Both are possible, and both are probably in view as Paul writes.
In a future sense, only those who have been forgiven of their sins will be allowed into the kingdom of heaven.

In the present, none of us can, point to any sin, and say that by such behavior, we are reflecting the rule and influence of God in our life.

Paul makes two things very clear in his letters:
No one qualifies for heaven on their own merits (1Cor 6:11),
And no can show the presence of God in their life by their own efforts (Gal 5:22-25).

Seems to me that such an understanding of “the kingdom of God” allows us to have an important conversation, not only about the high standards of God, but about the wisdom and grace by which God lets people like us come into his presence.

podcast?

2008-05-21T11:10:00.002-05:00

Okay I know this is kind of rough but it is my first try at creating and uploading a podcast so hopefully I will find better ways to do this.

May 21, 2008 2 Corinthians 9:8

It takes a moment to start so have your volume on and go ahead and laugh at how I sound ! Just remember it may be one of you next time!

Holy Fire

2008-05-18T15:49:00.002-05:00

2 Kings 1
The Lord 's Judgment on Ahaziah
1 After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury."

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!' " So Elijah went.

5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you come back?"

6 "A man came to meet us," they replied. "And he said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending men to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!" ' "

7 The king asked them, "What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?"

8 They replied, "He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist."
The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."

9 Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!' "

10 Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.

11 At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!' "

12 "If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. "Man of God," he begged, "please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!"

15 The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

16 He told the king, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!" 17 So he died, according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken.
Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram [a] succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 18 As for all the other events of Ahaziah's reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Ahaziah is the son of Ahab. Ahab has just been killed in battle so Ahaziah has decided he will stay home where it's safe. He falls through the lattice of his upper room and injured himself. Sometimes the safest place is not in the safest place. Sometimes the safest place is being in the center of God's will. Ahaziah sends men to the prophets of Baal. The same prophets that just a few chapters back were unable to make their gods create fire.

His men were met by Elijah who told them to go back and tell their king that he is going to die.

The king sends three groups of soldiers to Elijah and the first two die because Elijah calls fire down on them and they are consumed. The third group asks Elijah to spare them and the Lord tells him to go with this group and he goes and tells this guy who despite all that has just happened with is dad, still when he needs help, calls on baal.

How can this be important to our lives?

Contrast this with what Jesus says in Luke 9

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”[e]
55 But He turned and rebuked them,[f] and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”[g] And they went to another village.

Jewish kids were schooled in religion from the start and there were three basic stages. Bet Seder, Bet Midrash, and Bet Talmud

If you passed the first stage (which consisted of memorization of the Torah) you could move on to the next. which meant memorizing the entire Tanach. (acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Tanakh's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah ("Teaching," also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings") - hence TaNaKh. The elements of the Tanakh are incorporated in various forms in Christian Bibles, where, with some variations, it is called the "Old Testament.") If you didn't make it any further you would go home and learn whatever work your family did.

If you made it through the second stage you would apply to train under a rabbi or you would be invited. If chosen you would then become a "follower" of that rabbi,

They would want to know what the teacher knows, do what the teacher does, become like the teacher. There was a saying "May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi" In other words, you would be following your teacher around all day and so closely that you would be covered in the dust from his sandals.

When you think of the disciples you think of fisherman. Chances are the disciples were the ones who did not move on - not the best students. Jesus CHOSE them and they left their nets and followed him. They were the b team and they changed the course of history.

What wonderful pictures for us. First of all - when we look at the disciples and how they were not the "A" students and how they were still able to change the world because they followed the greatest rabbi - who is also our rabbi!

In Luke when the disciples ask Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven just as Elijah did, it' s obvious that they knew their bible. They just didn't quite get Jesus. The next time we are wanting to call down fire from heaven on someone we think is deserving of it - we can remember this picture and rejoice in the fact that Jesus came to save us. We can also pray that we would be following Him so closely that we would just be covered up in the dust of His sandals. We can pray that holy fire from heaven might rain down on us and consume the flesh and let Jesus light shine through. Amen?

Ya'll come on over!

2008-05-17T10:06:00.001-05:00

I have finally posted on my new blogsite! Ya'll come on over and be a part of it.

http://ourgodisaconsumingfire.blogspot.com/

The time has come to journey back.....

2008-05-17T00:29:00.003-05:00

TO NARNIA!!!! I love that part of the movie trailer! We're going to the 1 O'clock showing tomorrow! I can't wait!!!

Prayer Request

2008-05-15T22:34:00.003-05:00

Dale's sister is in the hospital in Shreveport and they ran tests today. Hopefully we will have results tomorrow but they think she is having mini-strokes. Even if things are ok for now Dale and I may make a day trip Saturday and go spend a little time with her. We would ask for your prayers for her.

Answered Prayers

2008-05-14T13:19:00.002-05:00

God is good!

I told you guys about my buddy at work, Daniel, who told me he was an atheist. After last nights Bible study, and the AWESOME discussion, specifically Matthew 28:19 (Make disciples) and James 1:22 (Be doers of the word), I decided to make a specific prayer to the LORD this morning on the way to work, that He would make a way somehow to open a door to talk about God/Jesus with Daniel, to bring it up in the conversation, because I am not one to just start talking about things like that cold.

And the LORD is faithful - HE did just that!! It blew me out of the water as it happened - Daniel and I talked about what he thought Christianity was, and what it really is as I see from the Bible. Our talk paves the way for further discussions down the road - where it leads ultimately I don't know, but all I do know is that the LORD is awesome. I just wanted to share that with you all. Keep praying for Colby also - that he would come to know how lost he is, how much he needs a Savior, how much GOD loves him. Pray that the LORD would bring him to salvation through Jesus Christ.

GOD is so faithful. Praise HIS holy name. Praise HIM in the morning, in the evening, all day long!

(If you can't tell I am like totally flying right now! I want to go out and preach Jesus to everyone I see)

This has me worried!

2008-05-14T10:16:00.002-05:00

When the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory starts saying that its okay to believe in aliens and that the big bang theory is the only logical explanation for the earth's creation, we need to start looking towards the sky and preparing ourselves for the ultimate vacation.

Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens

By ARIEL DAVID, Associated Press Writer Tue May 13, 4:07 PM ET

VATICAN CITY - Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones. "How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."

In the interview by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes said that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom, he said.
The interview, headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother," covered a variety of topics including the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and science, and the theological implications of the existence of alien life.

Funes said science, especially astronomy, does not contradict religion, touching on a theme of Pope Benedict XVI, who has made exploring the relationship between faith and reason a key aspect of his papacy.

The Bible "is not a science book," Funes said, adding that he believes the Big Bang Theory is the most "reasonable" explanation for the creation of the universe. The theory says the universe began billions of years ago in the explosion of a single, super-dense point that contained all matter. But he said he continues to believe that "God is the creator of the universe and that we are not the result of chance."

Funes urged the church and the scientific community to leave behind divisions caused by Galileo's persecution 400 years ago, saying the incident has "caused wounds."

In 1633 the astronomer was tried as a heretic and forced to recant his theory that the Earth revolved around the sun. Church teaching at the time placed Earth at the center of the universe.
"The church has somehow recognized its mistakes," he said. "Maybe it could have done it better, but now it's time to heal those wounds and this can be done through calm dialogue and collaboration."

Pope John Paul declared in 1992 that the ruling against Galileo was an error resulting from "tragic mutual incomprehension."

The Vatican Observatory has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge the gap between religion and science. Its scientist-clerics have generated top-notch research and its meteorite collection is considered one of the world's best.

The observatory, founded by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, is based in Castel Gandolfo, a lakeside town in the hills outside Rome where the pope has a summer residence. It also conducts research at an observatory at the University of Arizona, in Tucson.
___

Early Morning Reflection

2008-05-12T07:19:00.001-05:00

I want to let all of you know how grateful I have been for being involved with this little Sunday evening service. I truly believe that God brings things into out lives for a season and for a reason.

As I sat and listened to a lesson about Elijah and how he got all whiny and wimpy about his faith even after he had just witnessed God's mighty power first hand, I thought, how like that I have been. Dale had just walked through the valley of the shadow of death once again and come out the other side and instead of me being the picture of the strong woman of faith that I like to think I am - I was, like Elijah, ready to go to a cave. Dale wasn't doing so hot either. I'm not talking physical - we were tired and pouty and not very nice to each other.

Like Elijah - we needed a nap and God sent us rest. Not a real nap - we had plenty of rest and too much time looking inward. We were tired in our souls. God sent us rest and renewal in the form of a small group of people who were serving the Lord and that group has been all of you. Through involvement with the Live at 5:55 service the Lord has been walking us through some things and He has done it through you all. Dale is even getting up and singing again and it seems like just a few short weeks ago he barely had the energy to walk in and sit through the service.

Like Elijah, we needed angels to feed us and the food we needed was the joy of the Lord and we have been ministered to. As Elijah was on the mountain looking for the Lord in wind and fire - a small still voice was where he found Him.

If you ever doubt that the Lord does things through you - remember that you were angels and small whispers of God for us. Sometimes God uses us to reach many but sometimes He uses us to reach two, and from what I hear - the Angels in heaven rejoice either way.

Prayer Request

2008-05-10T21:06:00.002-05:00

I told you all about Dale's nephew Sage, who has had a bone marrow transplant. He is still on the unit and his Dad's name is Gary. I just got an update and wanted to share it with all of you.

"We were able to have a telephone visit with Gary today. He said that he'd been sick and is recovering from a virus or the flu. Of course, he's been "banned" from the BTU and has been able to visit Sage only by phone for several days. However, Sage continues to progress in a mostly forward manner. Gary said that there had been an issue with his kidneys a week or so ago, but about 12 hours after the doctors took him off all his medications, things began to improve. He's now eating solid food....a great step forward. Bless his heart....he's been in the unit for about 12 weeks now. Please keep praying."

Thanks for your prayers and please keep them coming!

Bible Quiz

2008-05-10T08:03:00.002-05:00

Billie sent me a link to a Bible quiz. It's ten multiple choice questions and it's different every time you go there. I put the link in the sidebar under bible study. Thanks Billie!

What An Incredible Thing...

2008-05-05T07:19:00.002-05:00

....to be able to spend an evening worshiping our Lord with friends, singing praises to the Father, listening to awesome testimony, and sharing very personal concerns with everyone. I mean, last night was awesome, in the true sense of the word. And the Tuesday night Bible study - I've always enjoyed studying the Word, but Tuesday night is even better than that - the fellowship, the, uh.. humor even when I don't sit next to Shawn, being part of a group of fellow believers, brothers and sisters in Christ, and all that. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for letting me be a part of that - both Sunday nights and Tuesdays. And a huge thanks especially to Marc for being the catalyst that got it all started - you have no idea just how much I appreciate what you've done. My relationship with Jesus has been strengthened, and because of this group's encouragement and your prayers, I've been stepping out in faith more and more. Just a few MONTHS ago, I would never have even considered thinking about maybe even a little bit doing any teaching of any kind - teaching adults is a far cry from teaching kids in Sunday school! And then here I am, doing the very thing I would never have even thought of. God is awesome!!

So I just wanted to say thanks guys for letting me be a part of this fantastic little group we've got going on here. And thanks for your prayers for Colby - God has been laying him on my heart for some time now, and I really am deeply thankful for your prayer for him last night. I plan on praying each and every day for him - just like the persistant widow in Jesus' parable! I hope that God gets so annoyed from hearing me constantly on the matter that He grants my request just to shut me up!! That would be fine with me, ha ha. Anyway, I hope you all have a great week in the Lord - may He bless each and every one of you!

A short message from Compassion International

2008-04-27T23:37:00.004-05:00

Thank you to Marc, Wendy, and Lindsay for all your help this morning. Because of ya'll and the UMW, this service today was a huge success, and because of this, 5 children received sponsors. Today, we changed the lives of 5 children. Thank you all so much.

Prayers

2008-04-27T07:38:00.003-05:00

Got this message about Dale's nephew this morning and wanted to share it with you all.

We talked to Gary last night. I cannot remember if I told you that they'd discovered this week that Sage has a micro-bacterial infection in his lungs. At this point the doctors have said that there is a 95% chance that it is not TB....something less serious.....but precautions are underway until they're sure. (Results of further tests should be back by the middle of this week.) His medications have also been adjusted; I think Gary said that 2 or 3 (out of 23 he's taking) have been eliminated or replaced....one of which is the phenergan that they were giving him for nausea. (He seems to be responding better to a different anti-nausea medication.) He has now had two days off oxygen; the night in between he was on a low percentage. His enlarged liver also appears to have less swelling. At least the last few days have finally held a little encouraging news; the doctors, Gary, and Ginny all think that he's actually looking better. So...please continue to take a few moments to remember him in prayer in your Bible study group, and Gary asked me to thank you and the others.

I pray that Compassion Sunday reached some hearts today and we will see you all this evening!

Word Puzzles

2008-04-27T00:27:00.002-05:00

From a blog I read: (Been Thinking About)

To love well, we must also learn to hate. Some of what we hate, we must learn to love. Much of what comes easy will be difficult to endure. Some of what comes with work will give us rest.
Riches are discovered in seeing our real poverty. Safety in a place of risk. More in the place of less.
To live, we must learn how to die. To find life, we must be willing to lose it. To find hope, we must learn to despair. To rise on wings like eagles, we must wait and rest.
To find comfort, we must grieve. To learn self-control, we must surrender. To win, we must put others first. To save our money, we must be willing to give.
To see most clearly, we must focus on something that cannot be seen. To make progress, we must admit defeat. To find ourselves, we must love one another.
To become wise, we must admit our foolishness. To find understanding, we must forget what we have learned.
To be strong, we must admit our weakness. To be satisfied, we must be willing to hunger and thirst.
To be great, we must serve. To work hard, we must learn to rest. To keep, we must be willing to lose. To retain, we must be willing to release.
To save the present, we must be willing to live for eternity. To prepare for eternity, we must see the importance of the present.
To find comfort, we must be willing to hurt. To be accepted by God, we must give up any hope of earning His approval. To live our own life to the fullest, we must let Someone else live His life through us.
To find safety and satisfaction, we must learn to trust a God who has a good way of calling the wicked “righteous,” and every reason to see things which are not as though they were.
Is there any wonder the Scriptures say that “the just will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17), and that the “wise” of this world will call us foolish? Is there any wonder the apostle Paul was not loved by everyone who heard him describe the people of God as those who are “deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”? (2 Cor. 6:8-10).

...And Now It's Embedded!!

2008-04-25T21:23:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I didn't embed it in the first place. Oh well....

The Video

2008-04-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

I've watched that video I posted yesterday (from Wendy) several times now. I keep thinking about what an accurate portrayal of the Gospel, of Jesus, that it is. We start off innocent, walking (or dancing in the video) with Jesus. Soon, however, the temptations of the world draw us away - just a little bit at first, but soon that girl in the video found herself totally separated from Jesus, although he kept calling out to her, trying to get her attention. And eventually, she tried to throw off the sins and get away - but they kept dragging her away from Jesus. In her own power, she could do nothing. Only when Jesus put Himself in between her and her sins - that's how the power of those sins was broken, only by the power of Jesus Himself. That video is a powerful portrayal of just how grace works, how we are saved. I think I'll go watch it again now!
-bj

Video From Wendy

2008-04-24T16:05:00.000-05:00

She asked me to post this for y'all:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

-B.J.

Upload...Defraggggg

2008-04-23T20:51:00.002-05:00

Hey,
I finally got to be a blogger!!!! I am one week away from this semester finally being OVER!!!!!
I just wanted to let you all know that and I will try to check our website at least once a week. It is ever so cool and informative.

Cya'll later
Wendy

Insights (maybe helpful, maybe not)

2008-04-23T18:55:00.002-05:00

I think last night's bible study was very good. Great discussions, great praise music, great questions etc. I would like to suggest some things that may or may not help us. Either way, I think they are worth saying and I hope that they are taken in love.

I would like to try to steer away from such indepth analyis of all the denominations. As interesting as I think this is and I personally feel I could talk an endless amount of time about them, I enjoyed it as much as anyone, but found myself wanting to get back more to the study questions at hand.
This should probably be considered also on the fact that we should also keep in mind this type of fellowship as being an outreach as well. There may be others attend later that are from other denominations or are coming from other denominations and we do not want to be a stumbling block to them. I just do not want a person coming from another denomination to the bible study and walking away confused about their beliefs, plan of salvation, etc. I feel we need to be the mechanism for simply providing the WORD and its blessings.
All of us will have some difference on our interpretation of Scripture and denominational creed, and that is fine, but lets not focus on that. For instance, Wendy and I come from the Baptist church. There are things I agree with them on, there are things I do not. Now we belong to the Methodist church. There are things I agree with them on, there are things I do not. There are things I agree with the Catholic Church on, but there are things I do not.
I just do not want us to go down a road where we start to break down denominations and then inadvertantly start taking that mentality to each other in regards to how we interpret things in the bible, etc. Because, let's be honest, the fact is that we do not have it all figured out and the other denominations do not either. I would encourage us to stick to the questions more and analyze/examine the scriptures more in detail as it relates to the context in which it was written and how it applies to our lives now.
I hope this helps and is taken in love. This is a great group and a great bunch of committed Christians. Again, I just don't want us to go down a road of criticism that could lead us down other roads unintentionally. Again, I thought last night was great, but I just felt it on my heart to share with you all something that might help us grow more and focus more on life application bible study.

Love,

Marc

Bible Study Hang-over!

2008-04-23T07:21:00.004-05:00

Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Well what did you think I meant LOL?
Seriously sleepy this morning but grateful to the Lord for all of you and for an evening spent growing closer to each other and to the Lord.

I was reading a devotional this morning and this quote stood out to me:

The defining characteristic of a community that is being transformed is that the socio-economic traits are being positively affected. The crime rate goes down, the economy is improved, and the number of Christians in the city increases, prayer increases, and the city leaders become Christians. It is the manifestation of Deuteronomy 28:13, "The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom."

The devotional was speaking about entire communities being transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. When you think about what happens to us as a small group and translate that to a larger community level - AWESOME!

and that's all I have to say about that!

What a great morning!

2008-04-22T09:09:00.002-05:00

It was nice to have B.J. and Dale at our Emmaus group this morning. Its always great when we can get together in good Christian fellowship and discuss our faith. I hope to see you guys there more often. Just remember one thing:

What happens in Vegas stays Vegas!

Something to Think About

2008-04-21T15:14:00.002-05:00

From "Our Daily Bread" - a past devotional I happened upon today.

In the days of John Wesley, lay preachers with limited education would
sometimes conduct the church services. One man used Luke 19:21 as his text:
"Lord, I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man" (KJV). Not knowing the
word austere, he thought the text spoke of "an oyster man."
He explained how a diver must grope in dark, freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, he cuts his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. After he obtains an oyster, he rises to the surface, clutching it "in his torn and bleeding hands." The
preacher added, "Christ descended from the glory of heaven into . . . sinful
human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to
the glory of heaven. His torn and bleeding hands are a sign of the value He has
placed on the object of His quest."
Afterward, 12 men received Christ. Later that night someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooled preachers who were too ignorant even to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on.
The Oxford-educated Wesley simply said, "Never mind. The Lord got a dozen
oysters tonight."
Our best may not always measure up to the standards of
others. But God takes our inadequacies and humble efforts and uses them for His
glory. — Cindy Hess Kasper

The Master can use what you have to offer,Though you may consider it small;His work here on earth is done through His children,So give Him your best, give your all. —Hess

Do what you can where you are with what you have.

Much better!!

2008-04-21T07:27:00.003-05:00

I think everyone would agree - last night was MUCH BETTER than last Sunday. You could feel it up on the stage, even. Especially the song "Everlasting God" - that is one of our best ones. Wendy did a great job on that one (and our other songs). Props to Brian also for delivering an awesome and thought-provoking message, even though I thought Dee was supposed to talk last night, ha ha. Hope everyone has a great week!

Great Message Tonight!

2008-04-20T20:40:00.002-05:00

Thanks Brian - great job! I wanted to put the links to the Compassion Website up here in case anyone wants to check it out.

Compassion International

Compassion Sunday

From wikipedia:

Causes of Child Mortality

According to UNICEF, more than 70 per cent of around 11 million child deaths every year result from one the following 6 causes:

diarrhea,
malaria,
neonatal infection,
pneumonia,
preterm delivery,
lack of oxygen at birth.

The majority of child deaths are preventable. Some of the deaths occur from illnesses like measles, malaria or tetanus. Others result indirectly from marginalization, conflict and HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition and the lack of safe water and sanitation contribute to half of all these children’s deaths. Research and experience show that six million of the almost 11 million children who die each year could be saved by low-tech, evidence-based, cost-effective measures such as vaccines, antibiotics, micronutrient supplementation, insecticide-treated bed nets and improved family care and breastfeeding practices.

Rates of Child Mortality

According to UNICEF, these deaths mostly occur in the developing world. An Ethiopian child is 30 times more likely to die by his or her fifth birthday than a child in Western Europe. Among deaths in children, South-central Asia has the highest number of neonatal deaths, while sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates. Two-thirds of deaths occur in just 10 countries.

Link to World Health Organization (spreadsheet or PDF file of statistics)

Working in the school system I see so many kids who are in so much need. Not to the point of death - but to the point of life in terms of the future. They leave school with so little in the way of resources for surviving and often already parents themselves. So many you start out wondering how they can act so badly and then when you learn more about them you wonder how they even make it to school every day.

Good Stewardship For The Planet

2008-04-19T11:02:00.005-05:00

My very environmentally conscious friend Frances submitted a bag design in the Kroger(R) Design a Reusable Shopping Bag contest.

PLEASE!!! Vote for her Kroger reusable bag design at kroger.com!!! You can
vote once a day - thanks!!

View design and vote
http://www.designagreenbag.com/vote-for-designs/bag.aspx?BagId=9662

Equipped to Win

2008-04-19T10:35:00.004-05:00

This is an email devo I get and I always think of Marc when there's a sports theme (or EasterBunny/Jesus theme)

Today's Turning Point With David Jeremiah

Winning Moments: Equipped to Win

Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will.
Hebrews 13:20-21a

And Yet Another Post...

2008-04-18T11:57:00.002-05:00

I had an idea. When we finish the current DVD series, what would everyone think about starting a new study and plunging into Romans? Not using a video or a workbook or anything like that - just reading through and discussing. Romans is Paul's Manual of Christianity - not the Gospel, but the how-to of Christianity - the nuts and bolts of what we believe. I really think it might be a gret way to increase our discipleship and deepen our commitment to Christ. What do you guys think?

PS - Also, Romans is my favorite book of the Bible, so I would be more than willing to do my share of teaching, lol.

Songs We Know And Can Play Fairly Well :)

2008-04-17T22:17:00.002-05:00

How about everyone list the songs they think we all know, the ones we have done repeatedly, the ones we do well. I'll start us off:

Good Songs:
I'm Gonna Sing
You Are The Everlasting God
My Life Is In You Lord
You Are God Alone

Maybe Songs:
Beautiful One
Revive Me
I Wait For The Lord (maybe we should wait on this one lol)
Nothing But The Blood

This is just to start the list off.

Some Stuff From Last Night

2008-04-16T08:21:00.002-05:00

I just thought it would be a good idea to make a short list of the things we discussed about the contemporary service last night, just to get them on record.

We should remember that we aren't professionals - we are just lay people, the kind Jesus picked to be his disciples, who still went on to do great things for Christ.
We need to aim for a little more structure in our worship. But let's not overdo it and stifle the Spirit if He chooses to lead us somewhere during the service.
Wendy can't do it all - but she does a great job of it all anyway!
We can throw in some oldies but goodies now and then to our songs.
Less new songs for now - let's concentrate on the ones we know, and get better at them.
Practice, practice, practice!

I don't have time to finish the list right now, so if anyone wants to add anything, feel free!

Ok B.J.....

2008-04-15T01:51:00.000-05:00

I've been flickr'd!

www.flickr.com/photos/blovedbrownsfan

Pics are Online!!

2008-04-14T23:25:00.001-05:00

My Third Day/Rangers Ballgame pics are now online!! You can check them out here:

www.flickr.com/photos/homer4k/

Pics

2008-04-14T22:26:00.001-05:00

I'll have my pics from Saturday up soon - I still have to edit them in RAW, then process into JPEG, then upload, and defrag...hahaha. Anyway, they will be up on Flickr soon!!

What We Learned From Last Night

2008-04-14T08:19:00.002-05:00

1) We need to practice more! :)

2) Brian is no longer allowed to sit in the audience and not sing and play.

3) Shawn is no longer allowed to play drums unless he has a mike.

4) I can't sing lead after attending Third Day concerts.

5) Always follow Wendy, whatever chords she is playing. ;)

and 6) And despite that the music may not have been all that good last night, God still loves us when we worship Him. What a wonderful Lord we serve!!

Wow! God Is Good!

2008-04-13T20:54:00.003-05:00

It was good to share the Lord's Supper with all of you and BJ did an awesome job with the message. It was also good to see so many people there tonight. Dale said there was a total of 35 including those of us who are serving.

Acts 5:
38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His[d] name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

I believe with all my heart that if God wills it, we can grow. People are hungry for many things but what they truly NEED is the Word.

John 4:13
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

We live in a broken and hurting world full of people who are so in need of "living water" and who need to learn more about the living God that we serve! Amen?

Here they are!

2008-04-13T13:10:00.013-05:00

Holly, Lauren, Jessica, Jerica, Jessica V., Jessica M., and Lindy at the Third Day concert @ Rangers Ballpark In Arlington.

"The doctor of musicology", Mark Lee!

Mark Lee & Mac Powell on stage.

Holly and Lindy standing near the security gate.

Lauren is intently watching!

Mac, Tai and crew backstage.

Mac, Tai and crew backstage.

This is David Carr, Third Day's drummer! I was about 4 feet away when I took this picture!

The guy standing beside the truck (he's almost impossible to see here) is Mac Powell, the lead singer for Third Day. I am convinced that the man has the greatest voice I've ever heard!

A sea of people!

Jessica M. waves to the band as they leave the stage.

Mark Lee, Mac Powell, and Tai Anderson of Third Day on stage @ Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Mac and Tai on stage.

Even people on the walkway on top of the ballpark got to see the greatest band on earth, Third Day.

The big day is finally here!

2008-04-12T00:25:00.007-05:00

THIRD DAY BABY!!!!!!!!

Ouch!

2008-04-08T22:46:00.000-05:00

This hits me where it hurts!

The Absent Are Safe Here
March 24th, 2008

This weekend I listened to a podcast sermon by Haddon Robinson in which he told a story about Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia International University. He put up a plaque in his living room that said, “The Absent Are Safe Here.” That meant that neither he nor his wife would speak unkindly about those not present. Whenever they had guests who began to speak negatively about others, he would not interrupt but instead would simply gaze at the plaque until the guests saw it and got the message.

Haddon Robinson told that story and then asked a very convicting question. Are the absent safe around you? Or do you take advantage of their absence to say things about them that you wouldn’t say in their presence? Do you allow others to speak ill of them in your presence? It is a wonderful thing for your friends and family members to know that they are safe even when they are absent because you will not take advantage of them. And it is wonderful for your co-workers and neighbors and your fellow Christians and those who don’t know the Lord to know this much about you–that you will protect them even when they are absent, that you will guard their reputation and will not speak harshly or unkindly about them and that you will endeavor always to give them the benefit of the doubt as much as you can. That certainly means

No cheap shots
No sharing of gossip
No repeating of rumors
No judging of motives
No sharing of details that should remain private
No trash talk
No insinuations
No angry invectives
No making yourself look good at the expense of others
No maximizing the sins of others
No adding aggravating details to make the absent look worse
No dismissing an unkind remark by saying, “I was only joking.”

So here we are–the day after Easter. This is a good time to make a new start. We would do well to ponder this question today. Are the absent safe around you?

This is beautiful!

2008-04-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

What To Look For In A Church

2008-04-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. --Acts 2:42-47

One common question people often ask is, "What do I look for in a church?"And while there are many reputable, Bible-based churches today, I want to show you what to look for in a church, according to what the Scripture says.

The first and obvious sign of a good church is one that it is filled with people who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. In today's passage, we're reminded that the "Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." Those who accepted Jesus as their Savior, believed the Word of God, and were then baptized in obedience to Christ, were added to the early church.

What this teaches us is that every follower of Christ should either be in a church or looking for a church that is...
• filled with growing believers in Jesus,
• has a high priority upon the study of God's Word,
• has a corporate worship of Jesus Christ,
• bathes everything they do in prayer, and
• stays on mission by sharing Jesus Christ with the lost and hurting.

If you follow these simple guidelines, I'm confident you will find a dynamic, growing church where God is adding people every day to the family, faith, and fellowship of other believers!

THE FIRST AND OBVIOUS SIGN OF A GOOD CHURCH IS ONE THAT IT IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW AND LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

--by Jack Graham

Torahbytes

2008-04-06T20:56:00.001-05:00

This is from Torahbytes, a weekly email I get.
Mezora
For the week of April 12, 2008 / 7 Nissan 5768
Torah: Vayikra / Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33
Haftarah: 2 Melachim / 2 Kings 7:3-20

Defiled No More!

"Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst. (Vayikra / Leviticus 15:31; ESV)

This is perhaps one of the most important statements in the Torah in helping us to understand the implications of the New Covenant. Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus) contains detailed instructions regarding how the community of Israel was to deal with spiritual uncleanness.

The term unclean in Hebrew is "tamei". It does not mean unclean in the sense of being dirty, but rather it is the defilement of spiritual purity. When someone or something is "tamei," they are unfit to be in God's presence or to be used in God's service. Not only did the defiled person risk death by being in God's presence, their defilement also defiled God's dwelling.

I will explain. God's plan and purpose for creating the people of Israel was to make himself known to the world. God instructed the people of Israel through Moses to construct a tent-like structure called the Mishkan (English: Tabernacle), which would later become a permanent structure called the Temple. The Mishkan and the Temple represented God's dwelling place. The various inner sections of these structures, while providing, in some sense, access to God, actually illustrated the barriers that existed between us and him.

Much of the sacrificial system was to deal with the issue of defilement. On one hand it allowed people to engage God by undergoing ritual cleansing, but at the same time it continually reminded them how they, as an example of the condition of all people, were unfit to intimately engage God.

Many of the things that defiled a person, which in turn threatened the purity of God's dwelling, were unintentional, including certain diseases, bodily emissions, and child birth. While immorality was also defiling, it was necessary to learn that human defilement was involuntary. Being unfit to approach God was part of our natural human state.

The Torah's teaching on defilement, therefore, describes our predicament before God. Even though the people of Israel were called to be God's people, human nature derived as it is from our first parents is unable to engage our Creator as he originally intended.

It is this predicament that the Messiah came to resolve. He, who in his nature, was completely undefiled, took on our defilement, so that we can approach God freely and fully. The New Covenant book of Hebrews details how Yeshua purified God's heavenly dwelling of which the earthly Mishkan was a model. Our defilement defiled God's dwelling place and kept us alienated from him. But the sacrificial blood of the Messiah, the Son of God, removed the effects of our defilement, making all who trust in him eternally pure, and thus absolutely fit to be in God's presence.

It is no wonder then that not long after Yeshua's coming the Temple was destroyed. There is no longer any need to go through the motions of purification or to be reminded of our defilement, since Yeshua has made us pure once and for all.

New Bling for The blog

2008-04-05T19:40:00.002-05:00

I added the Verse of the Day and a Search Box from Bible Gateway - great tools!

A Story

2008-04-05T11:14:00.002-05:00

(Note: This story actually happened last week, but I have spent time editing this post)

I did something today I've never done before. I needed to get gas yesterday morning, but I didn't . After a trip out to Powderly, I really needed to get gas by yesterday evening. I went walking at lunch Friday, and didn't have enough time left to get gas. So today after I got off work, I REALLY, REALLY needed to get gas. I pulled into a gas station on Clarksville St (while talking to Dee, as it happens), ready to give up my hard-earned $$$$ for gasoline. I pumped my gas, then went inside to pay. The line was pretty dang long in front of the register. A woman was trying to find some way to pay - she had pumpher her gas, then didn't have any cash. She tried to use her credit cards (I pieced this together while waiting in line, listening to the conversation between the distraught woman and the cashier) but none of them were accepted. She was almost crying, and desperate to find a way to pay. The cashier asked her to step out of line so he could help the other customers (me included). As I inched closer to the register, I kept watching the woman (while trying to not be noticed). She was tearful, but not overly so - embarrassed, to say the least. I got the impression she didn't have much money anyway, just from her manner of dress and other things. I didn't know that for a fact, mind you, this was just an impression.

Anyway, as I got closer to paying, something began tugging at the back of my mind. Something told me to pay for the woman. I ignored it at first. But this small voice kept speaking. And when I got to the cashier to pay, I told him to also put the woman's charges with mine - I'd cover for her. He looked at me like I was crazy. I kinda felt like I was! I asked him to just let me pay for what the woman owed, and not say anything to her until I was gone.I'm not blogging this to toot my own horn - gee, look how generous and Christian I am!! If anything, I am the least generous, least compassionate person I know.

My point in writing about this is...well, I'll be honest: I've been through a spiritual dry period lately, over the past year or so. I didn't feel close to God, or even really like a Christian, for that matter. As I began going to the Sunday night service at Oak Park, however, my worship there began to infuse me with the Spirit again - I even began to crack open my Bible every now and then.

Then my dog, Snickers, became sick. I know, I know, she was a dog, not a person, but she is the closest thing I have ever had to a child, I guess that's how I thought of her. She'd been ill for awhile, and I had been treating her for arthitis with Previcox for some time, but after Christmas, Snickers began failing. Slowly at first, but by the beginning of March, the decline was obvious and the conclusion inevitable. I have to confess - in the two weeks leading up to her death (March 17, 2008) I would alternate between cursing (and I mean cursing) God for allowing her sicken, and praying desperately for her to be healed and asking forgiveness for what I said about God. Eventually, the day came when I knew that I had to put her to sleep, to keep Snickers from suffering anymore. So on Monday, March 17th (St. Patrick's Day), I took her to my vet and put her to sleep. Immediately afterwards, I just drove around, kinda in shock. I got on the Indian Nation Turnpike for some reason, and drove all the way to the end in Henrietta, OK.

Somewhere along the way, I just bared my soul to God and asked Him one thing - I wanted to know if He had taken Snickers to be with Him, and would I ever see her again? Or would she just disappear, since the Bible is pretty much silent on pets, beloved or not, going to Heaven. As I begged Him for an answer, something popped in my mind: Hosea 13. I can't recall reading Hosea very much, certainly not to where I can quote you anything from it. So it seemed like a very odd thing to come to mind.Anyway, I was still driving, and I got my Bible out (I keep it in my car so I always have it with me) and began flipping to Hosea 13. I was reading (again, while driving) and the majority of the chapter deals with God's judgment on Israel for it's sins. Not exactly anything I was looking for.And then I caught it - at the end of the chapter, and it hit me like a rock.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? (NIV, Hosea 13:14)

I think God chose this chapter to give to me because the entire chapter deals with judgment, except for this coda near the end. It seemed very specific - I took it to mean that, yes, God has redeemed Snickers from death, from the power of the grave, and that she is with Him right now, even as I type this.So what's the point of all this? I was so thankful to the Lord - He gave me an immediate and powerful (if that's the word) sense of peace that day. And even though I was still sad, God used this time to bring about a change in my heart towards Him - a desire to become a deeper Christian, to be more faithful to Him, to dig into his word faithfully - and most importantly, to be a DOER of His word, not just a hearer. It makes me think of the scripture from Romans:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
(Romans 8:28, KJV)

God works all things for the good. Even when the circumstances are bad, God can and will bring good out of them. One of those good things, for me, was a hunger for a deeper relationship with God. He is leading me to step out in faith, to do things i have never done before - nor would ever even have considered doing! Next Sunday, I am going to give the message Sunday night. Public speaking terrifies me, yet I feel like God is leading me to do this. I plan to talk about Communion, about how Jesus' sacrifice leads us to be living sacrifices (Romans 12) daily. Part of being a living sacrifice means denying my will (my will is that I don't have to speak, lol) and instead conforming to God's will (that I WOULD speak next Sunday).

Anyway, I just felt like writing all this for some reason - sharing our stories is a great way to communicate Biblical truths - not that I am comparing my writing here with Scripture in any way!

-B.J.

Lord, Increase Our Faith

2008-04-04T18:20:00.006-05:00

From a commentary:

"We work differently under faith or discouragement; we pray differently under faith or discouragement; we read and hear the word differently under faith or discouragement - no wonder Satan works so hard to keep us from faith and in discouragement!"

Isn't it true that nearly everything we do in this life is colored by how we feel? I remember hearing someplace that carnality is when you are a Christian but still living worldly, in bondage to your feelings.

I tried to find the quote I read by C. H. Spurgeon and couldn't but the main point was that if you are truly saved you want everyone else to be saved too, and if you don't have a heart for everyone else to be saved then you are not truly saved yourself.

That is not to say that everyone has the gift of evangelism and I think we can even do more damage if we are just trying to "bulldoze" someone into faith. I think that the gospel is able to stand on it's own. We teach the Word, we pray that God's will be done, we have the humility to get out of the way and let God do a work. If we have a heart for God's people then we will respond by feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, healing the sick, and loving the unloved - not because it is what we should do, but because it's what we can't help doing because we want to be like Jesus.

Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:38-39)

Even the disciples asked God to increase their faith. The only way faith can be increased is FROM God - it is a gift. We can't learn it, we can't earn it, but we can encourage each other to hold on to it and we can pray that God will increase it for others as well as ourselves. That would be my prayer for all of you and it is the prayer I would ask more than anything else from all of you - Lord, increase our faith!

Something That Caught My Attention

2008-04-04T07:25:00.001-05:00

From Greg Laurie's Harvest daily devotional

Friday, April 4, 2008

Between Two Worlds

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to
carnal, as to babes in Christ."
— 1 Corinthians 3:1

The Bible mentions a category of Christians who are described as carnal. These are people in an arrested state of spiritual development. They have never really grown up. They're caught between two worlds: they have too much of the Lord to be happy in the world, but too much of the world to be happy in the Lord. They're the most miserable people around.

Many of us realize that this world doesn't have the answers and can't be trusted. But at the same time, we don't trust God either. We haven't made a stand.

But it's time to say, "I believe in Jesus Christ." It's time to stand for our principles and not just blend into the woodwork.

So often in our attempts to gain credibility, we lose our integrity. In our attempts to relate to people, we lose any power we will have in relating to them, because we have compromised our principles.

The Bible gives us many examples of people who stood up for what was right at the risk of losing something important, even their lives. One such person was Daniel, who held position of great influence in Nebuchadnezzar's court. Even so, he would not compromise his principles.Maybe you're afraid to stand up for Jesus Christ. You're afraid that it could hurt your career, or a relationship or something else. But there comes a moment when we have to stand for what we know is true. You may be criticized, and might even lose something important to you. But whatever you lose, God will make it up to you. He will bless you for standing for what is right.

Sharing the Good News

2008-04-02T21:11:00.002-05:00

Sharing your Life Message

( A subtopic on Evangelism from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life)

Those who believe in the SON of GOD have the testimony of GOD in them. 1 John 5:10

JESUS said, "You will be my witnesses." Acts 1:8

We speak the truth before GOD, as messengers of GOD. 2 Corinthians 2:17

You are the ones chosen by GOD, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, GOD'S instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you, from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
1 Peter 2: 9-10

My zeal for GOD and his work burns hot within me. Psalm 69:9

CHRIST'S love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all. 2 Corinthians 5:14

There is no fear in love, perfect love drives out all fear. 1 John 4:18

Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News. Be wise in all your contacts with them. Collossians 4:5

Peace,

The Evening News Isn't All Bad!

2008-03-28T18:37:00.002-05:00

I saw this on Fox Friends and then found the article this evening. This is awesome!

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

Morning Edition, March 28, 2008 · Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89164759

Wait For The Lord

2008-03-28T05:53:00.002-05:00

From a Harvest Devotional:

	"To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile."
	—Psalm 18:25-26

God wants to do His will in our lives in His way and in His time. If you need something from God, be patient and wait on Him. God will meet you wherever you are to lift you to where He wants you to be.

This is why Oprah scares the hell out of me!

2008-03-27T16:34:00.004-05:00

A video idea

2008-03-27T00:08:00.002-05:00

I know, you are thinking this guy is crazy. He won't let it go. You're right. I just think of things to amuse myself. I know that this is not inspiring nor was my last random blog but this is the coolest thing since sliced bread, and I will eventually overuse it like I did those Subway ranch wraps that came out a couple of years ago that made me sick and I stopped going there for awhile. Nevermind that. Take your focus off the Jesus and Easter Bunny video, even though it was nice to see there are other people out there like me, and reminesce about a movie that came out in the late 1980s called 2010: A Space Odessey (is that right). BJ knows where I am going. Anyway, watch the last part of it where Roy Scheider talks with David Bowman, and picture some sort of Christian dialogue with some of you playing those characters. Now that really amuses me. Just think about it. I know you think the same way I do, Dee and BJ with your photoshop selves. This could be a classic. For those that have not seen it, please do so. I probably should write something inspiring like Brian or Dee, but I am having too much fun with this.

Peace,

Join the Evangelism Bus (metaphor)

2008-03-26T19:50:00.003-05:00

Spread the word, the bus is coming and it is going to be parked in the FLC at 630 pm Thursday. Hope everyone's tank is filled. I love methaphors and symbolism. I also love bunnies, easter eggs, peanut butter and chocolate. Not necessarily in that particular order. Later

Just something to help you through the day

2008-03-25T01:30:00.004-05:00

For Marc with LOVE!

2008-03-23T19:47:00.001-05:00

I am laughing out loud RIGHT NOW!

Luke 2 Notes

2008-03-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

Intro Info written by an educated man - physician
education shows in the language, details, and clarity
Insights into the life and humanity of Jesus
Written to the gentiles (Greeks)
Shows Jesus as the Son of Man
Chapters 1 thru 4 - Son of Man Coming
Chapters 5 thru 21 - Son of man Career
Chapters 22 thru 24 - Son of Man Cross

Luke 2
Only info we have on Jesus boyhood
Other books not included in the Bible we know tell stories of Jesus miracles during boyhood but John 2:11 say Jesus first miracle was turning water to wine at the wedding

The story of Jesus mother and step-father going to Jerusalem from Galilee for the Passover pilgrimage that all Jews were expected to make. Jesus was 12 - (significant age in the Jewish faith)
The people would travel with the women and children at the front and the men bringing up the rear. Because of his age Jesus could have been with either group. They didn't realize till the first night that Jesus wasn't with either of them. What they did then is what we should all do. They returned to the last place they had Jesus. (Movie Home Alone - hey Mom? hey dad? hey Jude? haha)

Revelations 2 letter to Ephesus
2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place

The church was active, doing all kinds of ministry, remained faithful - but they left their first love - Jesus

We get busy and head to places assuming Jesus is with us - and the world, work, our families put priorities on us

Joseph and Mary went back to where they last had Jesus - the Temple.

Jesus was truly a man of priorities - all of the needs that existed, the requests put upon Him - there were only three things that Jesus said "I must" about. (three time in the gospel)

48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

Luke 4:43 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)

43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

13
Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. (to the cross)

Jesus understood pressures but He knew He had only these three things from His Father that He HAD to do.

Phillipians 3
Paul also had priorities
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Don't live in the past clinging to past sins or living off past victories

Matthew 11

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

We get lists of ten things from Oprah or Phil, pressures from friends, job, family, whatever. If we simplify to what is truly necessary it gets boiled down to Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Quote For the Day - Spurgeon

2008-03-23T09:54:00.002-05:00

"The mission of amusement produces no converts.
The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship
joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other
as fruit from the root. The need is BIBLICAL DOCTRINE,
so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire." --CH Spurgeon

1st Corinthians 2-4 Notes

2008-03-23T09:51:00.001-05:00

1st Corinthians 2-4
Review:
Paul gives the Corinthians a D in Spirituality
1-4 Division
5-6 Discipline
7-14 Difficulties the Corinthians wrote Paul about
15-16 Disbelief in the resurrection after death

Reasons Division is wrong
1. You miss the focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified
2. The things (people) the Corinthians were dividing over were silly - fools
3. Because of all the things God has for us - we have the Spirit that tells us that God has good things in store for us and that walking with the Lord is wonderful. Division hurts the divided and the dividers.
4. It's carnality.
The bible says there are three places we can be
1. Natural man - no thought of the spiritual, no thought about sin, no understanding
2. Spirituality - walking and growing with the Lord, communicating with God
3. Carnality - saved but still acting like the natural man - tied up with worldly things

Paul says carnality shows by what you eat - spiritually (immature - not growing in the word)
also by your behavior - acting worldly

Paul tells the church at Corinth that he is building a foundation and the church is building on that foundation. Their lives and works will count as will ours.

There are two judgment seats - the Great White Throne where God will judge if you think you don't need Jesus and are to be judged by your works alone - (doesn't work out to good)

The second is the bema seat or judgment seat of Christ where the saved will be rewarded by what they have done for the Lord. Paul is saying that the things that were all about us will be burned up - gone but the things we did for God we will be rewarded for (referenced in 2nd Corinthians 5:10)

I googled this and there seems to be some disagreement about this - interesting to do further research since I had never heard of this before.

Paul then tells the Corinthians about what he goes through to serve the Lord and that they should imitate him and just serve no matter the circumstances.

question "what would my church be like if everyone prayed like I pray, gave like I gave, and served like I serve?" Food for thought.

1st Corinthians 9 Notes

2008-03-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

1st Corinthians 9
1st cor. 8,9 and 10 deal with questions concerning Christian liberty
Paul uses the analogy of running a race to explain to the Corinthians that we need to be stepping stones - not stumbling blocks
Instead of running just to run we must run to win - in other words just showing up at church is not enough - we have to let Christ rein in every area of our lives. What made Paul such an effective minister was that he was living for God not himself.
We are to be temperate in all things (exercise self-control) In order to be a radical man or woman for God
The body likes to rule even when we have given our lives to Christ there are still often pockets of flesh - little parts of our lives that we try to keep for ourselves
The story of Israel wanting a king and Saul becomes the kings even though God wants to give them a king - (David) Saul was tall, good looking but caused problems - got them into battles, lost the ark. Finally David is crowned over the southern part of Israel -for seven and a half more years Israel is divided and Jerusalem is under Jebusite control. David finally is crowned over the north as well and the very next scripture talks about David taking a group of men to Jerusalem and once again Jerusalem is under Israel's control.
The analogy shows - Christ needs to rule over every part of you. The self will not dethrone the self - we try to combat flesh with flesh and it doesn't work - Christ must be enthroned in our hearts. Transformation always follows coronation

We are saved by the completed work of Jesus Christ and our response while we are still on earth determines the reward in heaven. What we do here for the Lord means the difference in degrees of responsibility we are given in His kingdom (based on our faithfulness here and now.)