The Missing Essential – His Personality (Men's Thursday Night Study)

Have you ever sent an email intended as playful, but without your tone of voice or facial expressions for the reader to hear and see it, it was misinterpreted? What about a word of correction, without your smile or reassuring tone, the message came across as harsh?

Without the tone of voice, the twinkle in his eyes, the lift of an eyebrow, a suppressed smile, a tilt of the head, or unflinching gaze we misinterpret a great deal of what is in the Gospels. Reading the gospels without the personality of Jesus is like watching TV with the sound turned off, very dry and two dimensional people doing strange and undecipherable things.

Read Matthew 15:22-28

What do you make of this passage?  Is Jesus harder man than you thought?  What comes to mind when you think of Jesus?  Is Jesus near or far?  What if we look at this passage again and see Jesus being playful, that would change everything.

Does he have a sense of humor?  If you gathered all the books written about Jesus and combed them for the words most often used to describe him you would probably put loving and compassionate at the top of the list.  Beautiful qualities and certainly true but two dimensional especially when we color these virtues with religious tones. 

What is the personality trait or traits of Jesus your “particular brand of church” or circle

of friends emphasizes? Is it an inviting picture? Is it a true picture?

In your own words, describe the qualities and personality of the Jesus you know or would

like to know.

What is missing in our Gospel reading—and in our attempts to “read” what Jesus is saying and doing

in our own lives right now, this week—is his personality undraped by religion.

Here is a commentary I found regarding the passage above and thought it applied.

Now, let's make some observations about this flow:

• First, Jesus has made an implicit commitment to allow the disciples to rest. If Jesus were to go with this woman, the crowds would be thronging them, and they would be right back where they were in the last 2-3 chapters. Jesus has to "draw the line" somewhere. There is a time to rest and a time to work.
• Jesus' comment to the disciples about 'the lost sheep of Israel' does two things: (1) it 'sets them up' pedagogically on a different track for His dialogue with the woman; and (2) SOMEHOW, encourages them to let the woman into His presence.

This latter point could be accomplished in a number of ways, many of which are not able to be conveyed in the text. We know, for example, of several cases of irony/sarcasm in Jesus' words that can only be learned from the setting (cf. Luke 13.33: In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day -- for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! or John 16.31: "You believe at last!" Jesus answered. ) For all we know, this verse might have been said with a 'tired irony'--something like the modern--"I was sent only to the Lost Sheep of Israel--yeah, right!". In any event, his words or his tone or his gestures encouraged them to 'let her in'.

• The woman now makes a request "(come to my house and) perform an exorcism" which conflicts with Jesus' current 'mission' to provide rest for his disciples. But instead of saying "No," he turns the event into a three-pronged teaching and development session--for her, for his disciples, for us--WITHOUT compromising His commitment to his disciples' rest, or His compassion for this woman's need.
• He responds with a mini-parable or image of supper-time, little children, and their inside pets. This image is so well chosen, that it will deliver two 'payloads' to two different audiences.

Remember, the disciples were 'set up' with the theological statement about 'to the Jew only/first.' They will 'process' the words of Jesus with the equivalencies of "children-Jews"//"puppies-Gentiles". They will hear Him speak about how God has a special place for the Jew in the salvation of the world.

The woman, on the other hand, has probably neither heard this remark, NOR has the theological sophistication to make this connection. She is not an Israelite, and although she uses the Son of David title for Jesus, probably has little or no understanding of the theological subtleties required to process the words in the same way as the disciples. But she has already had some interaction with the disciples, and they have probably told her that they are there to rest, not minister. So SHE will hear the words of Jesus and make the equivalencies of "children-disciples"//puppies-me". She will understand Jesus to be saying that she WILL GET FED, but that He must take care of His disciples FIRST. There is not a 'NO' in Jesus' words at all--just an implicit "WAIT."

This "WAIT vs. NO" scenario is what prompts the woman to persevere. Either the image or the tone of Jesus encourages her to make her quick-witted response.

• The image Jesus has chosen is an image of endearment, not insult. The picture of supper-time, with little kids at the table, and their pet "puppies" (the Greek word for 'dog' here is not the standard, 'outside' dog--which MIGHT BE an insult--, but is the diminutive word, meaning 'household pets, little dogs'... see gooddoggy.html) at their feet, maybe tugging on their robes for food or play. The puppies, dear to the children and probably so too to the master (cf. 2 Sam 12.3f: but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.), were to be fed AFTER the children (notice: not DENIED food--there was no "NO" in Jesus image--only "WAIT"). But the temporal order is clear--Jesus must take care of His disciples FIRST, and if meeting her need involved interrupting their rest and GOING SOMEWHERE, then it was going to have to wait.
• Implicit in Jesus' image, however, is a very obvious 'hint' to the woman as to how next to proceed. His word choices are interesting. He COULD HAVE SAID "it is not fitting to take the children's food and give it to the (outside) dogs", but instead said "it is not fitting to take the children's food and TOSS it to the (inside) pets." The image, using the different Greek form for "inside puppy-pets" rather than that of the "outside dog" (cf. Luke 16.21), makes the "toss/inside puppy-pets" stand out in the saying. If the woman had ever had any inside pet-related experiences, she would have instantly visualized the obvious--the little pets NEVER sit still away from the table--they are always (esp. the puppies) 'hounding' the children, with the often result of a morsel here or there BEFORE their real mealtime. The hint is there; and the quick-witted woman instantly seizes upon it.
• And the woman apparently took no insult, nor was discouraged at all. Instead, realizing the dynamics of the image, she instantly saw the built-in "way out"--she didn't want to interrupt the meal--she only wanted a simultaneous 'bite'. She quickly agrees with Jesus ("You are absolutely right Lord, I do not want to interrupt that...") and develops a latent feature in the image ("...in fact, I want you to do that so abundantly so that some of it 'falls off the table' to me the puppy--that way I can eat my little bite at the same time")! This amazing statement amounts to believing (1) that Jesus can do the two things at once--bless His disciples with rest, while He heals her daughter; and (2) that the miracle she needs is a simple 'crumb-size' work for the Son of David! This is 'action at a distance' (without the physical presence of Jesus), an implicit version of the Centurion's faith in Luke 7:

"Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, `Go,' and he goes; and that one, `Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, `Do this,' and he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

And, accordingly, earns the same praise and deep response from Jesus.

• The woman, upon getting the 'your request in granted', maintains her great faith, and leaves without needing Jesus to return with her. Her faith has proven strong, but she has also learned something--that there will still be a BIG FEEDING time for the "puppies"--in the future. This notion of the future time for blessing of the gentiles is ALSO present in that image, and this would have been instructional both for her personal faith, and for the theological education of the disciples--they needed to know about the later mission to the gentiles that would occur (cf. John 10.16: 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.).
• Thus the Teaching Master, in a masterful stroke, instructs the woman, heals her daughter, avoids the spotlight, grants rest to his disciples (while teaching them), and creates a masterful example to us all!

A Blind Beggar – Seeing Jesus with Open eyes

What are some of your earliest mental pictures of Jesus?

What are some of the stages you have gone through as you have come to recognize who Jesus is?

What are some of the significant steps that brought you to your current relationship with him?

A first century blind man encountered Jesus, and slowly, step by step, the blind man “saw” Jesus.

Read John 9:1-5

What do you think Christ’s words meant?

Read John 9:6-12

How would you describe the beggar’s faith as he responded to the situation?

Read John 9:13-34

What pressures did the beggar have to cope with?

Notice the references to sin in regard to both the man and Jesus in verses 1-2, 29 and 34.  Why are these kinds of accusations particularly painful?

What is wrong with the view of sin portrayed by these accusations?

Verse 16 says that the Pharisees were divided in their opinion of Jesus. Why?

The beggar believed in Jesus at least in part because of what Jesus had done for him.  What has God done in your own life that has helped you to believe in him?

What connections do you see between the blind man’s faith statements and some of the stages that your own faith has passed through?

Read John 9:35-41

How would you explain Christ’s statement about blindness and sight?

The beggar spent many years in darkness preparing to see.  How have the dark times of your own life prepared you for deeper faith in Jesus?

In the coming week be sensitive to the possibility that people along the normal paths of your day may be spiritually blind to the reality of Jesus, but that God may be calling them to see.  Be prepared to guide them toward the spiritual sight.

6th Annual Campout

Hope everyone enjoyed another great year at Huntsville State Park.  I know I did!! As we sat around the dinner table I asked Carol and the girls what their favorite part of camping this year was and it seemed as if there were too many to mention or they were exhausted and were unable to speak, just kidding!  There was a wide range of favorites and maybe some of them were the same as yours.

Campfire Stories, Roasted Marshmallow Contest (David, did I hear that you want to compete next year?), Fishing (OK maybe not so much fishing but more like feeding your bait to the fish)  Alligator sightings, kickball tournament (somehow I even managed to make it around the bases once), T-shirt designs (I personally liked this year over tie dying), Great food, scooters, bikes and nature walks, a visit by a turtle.

Church on Sunday - a Baptism, David having the right tools to defeat Goliath, Old Pete thirsting for water like our souls thirst for the Lord (Psalm 42:2), a praise team that helped us lift our voices to the Lord.

Best of all, the good Lord provided us great weather!!

I am already looking forward to year seven!

A Throwaway Woman: Redeemed by Christ - Wednesday 23rd

Some people just don’t make it.  They are mentally ill, low in intelligence, or uneducated, possibly socially inept, lacking self-confidence, or physically disabled, perhaps they are stuck in various forms of addiction. Capable people moving all around them going here, going there, always seemingly in a rush.  But these “throwaway people” hover at the edges of society, unnoticed and undervalued by their busy counterparts.

What kind of people does society tend to “throwaway”?

Think of several types of people that you tend to avoid.  Why do you avoid these people?

Are you refusing to help because you know that you cannot solve their big problems?

Are you protecting yourself? From what?

In all of his relationships Jesus showed a different value system from that of society in which he lived.

Read John 8:1-11

What event led to Christ’s meeting with the woman?

Most of us have had at least one occasion when we felt that we were treated like trash.  What effect does that kind of experience have on you?

Leviticus 20:10 “if a man commits adultery with another man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbor – both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death” is the law these religious leaders had in mind.  In view of that law, why do you think that they brought the woman but not the man?

Why was their question a trap?  The Hebrew law demanded the death penalty however the Roman political law denied enforcement.  So if Jesus allowed the stoning he could have been tried in Roman courts for murder, If he failed to uphold the Hebrew law he could have been tried in Jewish courts for Heresy.

How did Christ’s actions show that the woman was not a throwaway?

Jesus spoke to both the woman and the religious leaders about sin. Why?

Jesus showed he valued the woman even though the temple leaders did not.  What difference does it make to you that Christ values you – no matter what you have done?

How can you treat people who enter your life in a way that mirrors Christ?

Read aloud verse 10 – 11 as if Jesus was speaking directly to you, let God search your own heart and receive his forgiveness.

Anna & Simeon: Growing Old With God - Wednesday 16th

What do you want to be like when you are old?

What qualities have you admired in people who are old?

What qualities do you hope to avoid as you become aged yourself?

When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple at the age of forty days, they encountered two aged people: Simeon and Anna.  Both had lived long and well with God.

Read Luke 2:21-40

If you had been a bystander observing these events, what would have impressed you and why?

What did Simeon know about the past and the future? (vv. 29-35)

Why do you think Simeon felt he was ready for God to dismiss him from this life?

What would you like to see happen so that at the end of your life you could say “Lord, now dismiss your servant in peace”?

Why might you say that Anna’s life was difficult but fulfilling?

How did God use Anna?

What do you admire about the aged characters in this story?

What could you do now to prepare for an old age that is at peace with God?

Take time this week to pray for an older person who has been an example to you aging gracefully with God.

 

 

 

Happy Friday - Fun Friday - Fantastic Friday

 

GREAT Friday!

 

I have missed a few Friday postings due in part to our busy Family Circus schedule and also because life just keeps interrupting my plans!  haha  The plans for the camping trip next weekend are shaping up and the shopping has begun.  So excited!

 

 

Tuesday night Bible study - The Story - we had our first meeting on the 8th and it was amazing!  We covered the first 3 chapters Creation, God Builds a Nation, and Joseph: From Slave to Deputy Pharaoh.  The next meeting is on the 22nd.  Chapters 4-6, Deliverance, New Commands and a New Covenant, and Wandering.  Please come and join us for fellowship and discussion.  Yes, even if you have not read the book.  Contact me directly for more details like location and time.

 

I will be sending out the final camping info this weekend and I will also have hand outs at Church on Easter Sunday. Jimmy and I will not be there this coming Wednesday so please please find me on Sunday for final payment if you have not done so. 

 

I will get back to you soon.. I hope everyone had a GREAT Good Friday and Happy Easter to you.. a little early!

 

HE IS RISEN!

 

 

 

 



 

Thursday Night Men's Study

The Playfulness of God and the Poison of Religion



Does the thought of Christ being “playful, funny, so human, so hopeful, so unreligious” strike you as a breath of fresh air or does it sound a little irreverent?

How have you thought of Christ?

Read John 21:1-12

The Scene: The events of the past two weeks have been something of a whirlwind of a ride, The triumphant entry into Jerusalem with palm branches waving and people shouting “Hosanna!!” then all came crashing down.  Jesus, their friend and mentor, had been tortured, executed and entombed, bringing them to a very low moment in emotions.  But then something fantastic happens, he rises from the dead and appears to the disciples twice and now we arrive here to this moment, not really sure where Jesus has gone off to and not really sure what to do.

So what does any self-respecting fisherman do that needs to clear their head and think do?

They go fishing!!

How does Jesus show up?

He is so casual about his appearance that even his friends do not even recognize him.  Think about this for a moment Ruler of the Heavens, He could have announced his presence with radiant Glory “It is I, the Lord! Come thou unto me!” But he doesn’t.  He acts kind of like a tourist who knows nothing about fishing and ask “Catch anything?”

Why do you suppose Jesus enters the scene like this?

At this moment what do you think is Jesus’ mood?

Do you remember how Jesus first encountered these men?  (Luke 5:4-11)

Most Christians can tell you in detail how they met Jesus, especially if it was a dramatic encounter.  This story of how they met Jesus must have been talked about many times, as guys will do, especially fishermen! Sitting around the campfire, somebody says with a smile “Peter, the look on your face was priceless” and imitating Peter’s reaction, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” and they all bust out laughing again.

Does this sound familiar?  A group of guys sharing an inside joke ribbing one another?

So here they are again, three years later at their favorite fishing hole, just spent an all-nighter catching nothing when this guy walks up and asks “catch anything” setting them up for the hook, “Lay down your nets on the other side of the boat” Jesus gives them the proverbial wink, reminding them of the running gag.

The John throws a very specific detail into the story which added a beautiful touch.  There were precisely 153 fish in the net.

What is up with the 153 fish?

Not a boatload, not about a hundred and half, nor was it over a gross, but it was precisely 153.  Consider the circumstances, this is after the crucifixion and the resurrection; Jesus is standing on the beach and we learn there are exactly 153 fish in the net.  So how did they figure this out, did they stop and make Jesus the newly risen Lord of creation, the Sustainer of their beings, He who died for them and for Whom they would gladly die wait while they counted the fish “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…..”

Or could it of happened this way, right after breakfast, which by the way if you did not catch it Jesus prepared one of them says “well we oughta get that catch counted up,”  another says, “yep,” and Jesus as he is taking his last bite of roasted Tilapia, says, “There’s a 153.”

The Poison of Religion

Read Mark 3:1-6

What!?!? Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, and the Religious order of the day was ready to kill him!!

But Jesus as we have been told and told again is a peacemaker but as we read the Gospels we find that he is frequently embroiled in conflict, which he is usually the one who provoked it in the first place.  Every one of these hostile encounters happens with very religious men and not one of the encounters involved a “pagan”.

If you approach the gospels without bias or assumptions you will find no trouble believing that religion is the enemy. Those that opposed Jesus we would consider them to be highly invested in doing religion right.

How does Satan deceive you from fulfilling God’s purpose for you?

Satan is too subtle to rely on persecution alone, his most masterful works are of deception, just ask Adam and Eve. 

What if you send someone you love to school for a decade, yet they remained illiterate, or you referred them to a doctor for treatment yet they failed to treat the disease but came away worse with HIV and Gangrene, what would you conclude about the education or the doctor?

Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and they wanted to kill him, do you really think that’s over today.

Read 1 John 4:1-3,6

Many of us pay as much attention to this as we do a preflight safety demonstration, so let’s break it down so you can see how important this advice is.

Spirit of Truth – The Holy Spirit

Spirit of Falsehood – which John calls the spirit of the antichrist.

Many deceivers have infiltrated our world animated by this spirit of falsehood.

If John did not think you would fall prey to it he would not have warned you about it.  Before the ink was dry on the Gospels the early church was swimming in this stuff.

The spirit of falsehood is often a very religious spirit.  How else could it sell it’s deceptions?

(talk about deceptions – witch  trials, inquisition, televangelist etc ask about the “witch trials of today”)

What is it about Jesus that provokes the religious people so? Have you experienced the playfulness of Christ or the poison of religion? How so?

Read Hebrews 1:1-3

Jesus came to reveal God to us.  He is the defining word on God, on what the heart of God is truly like, on what God is up to in this world, on what God is up to in your life.

To know Him as he is, to have his life, joy, love, and presence cannot be compared.  A true knowledge is our greatest need and our greatest happiness.  To be mistaken about him is the saddest mistake of all.

So, What is Christianity supposed to do?

Read 1 John 1:1-3 if anyone has the message use that version

What!?!? So we can experience him as they did; this intimate connection with the Father and Son.  John says you can enjoy the same friendship with Jesus that he knew.

If you do not know Jesus as a person – playful, cunning, fierce, impatient with all that is religious , kind, creative, irreverent, funny; if you do not know the comfort of his presence, do not hear his voice speaking to you personally, if you do not know of his indwelling life in you, shaping your personality, healing your brokenness, enabling you to live as he did--- You have been cheated, robbed and plundered.

Egg #9 Spear

So  the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.

-John 19:32-34

 

Two robbers were crucified with Jesus, one on each side of Him. When the soldiers came to check the three men on the crosses, Jesus had already died. Just to make sure, though, one of the soldiers stabbed Jesus in the side with a spear.

 

This is a sad story, but a true one. It is sad to think that Jesus died, and that He died in such a cruel way. But remember that Jesus gave up His life because of His love for sinners-ALL sinners. This includes you and me and all who tell lies, steal from others, disobey God, or even people like the soldier who stabbed Him.

 



Egg #8 Die

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also His tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be."

-John 19:23-24

 

Have you ever played a game using dice? Games are supposed to be fun, but what the soldiers did was mean and cruel. While Jesus was dying on the cross, they played a game to decide who would take his clothes!

 

Jesus knew what the soldiers were doing, but He did not show anger. He chose to die for their sins too. That is why He prayed for them, even while  they were playing their mean game. He prayed, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

 



Egg #7 Nails in the Cross

So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the place of the skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

-John 19:16b-18

 

The soldiers made Jesus carry a heavy wooden cross to the top of a hill. Using nails much larger than these, they nailed Him to the cross, which must have hurt very much. He died a few hours later.

 

The Bible tells us that Jesus was stronger than any man. The soldiers couldn't have killed Jesus if He had not let them. He could have fought off the soldiers. Why didn't He?

 

Because God loves people so much, He was willing to let Jesus be punished for our sins-the things we do or the ways we act that don't please God. And even though it hurt Jesus badly, He was willing to do what God the Father asked. Jesus loves us, too.

 



Egg #6 Crown of Thorns

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters... and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head...and kneeling before Him, they mocked Him.

-Matthew 27:27-29

 

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After Jesus had been whipped, the soldiers took branches with thorns, twisted them into the shape of a crown, and shoved it down on Jesus' head. Again, Jesus bled.

 

We know that because Jesus was the Son of God, He could have stopped the men from hurting Him. But He let them continue. Do you know why? Because even though He hadn't done anything wrong-He had not sinned-Jesus was taking the punishment for all the wrong things that any person had ever done or ever would do. This includes you and me.

 

 

 

 

Moses: Seeking Justice - Wednesday April 9th

I am reading a book right now called “Black Like Me” which is about a white reporter who turns himself into a black man and tours the Southern US during the 1950’s to see what life for the black American was like.  The harsh realities of the treatment was a big contrast to the way he was treated when he was white, it was as if two different worlds existed and the author was determined to shed light on the cruelty suffered by Southern black Americans.

My half sister’s husband is preparing to run an 850 mile journey across Texas, he has been preparing for this for a while now and the run is scheduled in October.  The run was a way for him to raise awareness of Human Trafficking specifically the Child Sex Trade.  In the US there are over 300,000 children in the sex trade and Houston is a major hub of activity for the human trafficking industry.  In Houston alone there are over 300 sex oriented businesses which are just a component of this billion dollar industry. (More information go to Facebook page of Texas Freedom Run).

Just recently over 4000 people were rescued trying to escape Libya in boats from N. Africa to reach Europe, the boats were supplied by people that took their money and sent them out to sea not caring if they would make it or not, these boats are being called “Death boats”.

In the US Reality TV has become the national pastime of many Americans and there are some new shows; “the Sisterhood”, “The Sheards”, “the Preachers of LA”, and “Thicker than Water” which exploits the certain churches and pastors for being greedy and far from righteous only to justify it in the name of God.

How do you respond when confronted with injustice?

What issues of social justice move you to prayer or action today? Why?

Moses had enjoyed the privileges of living in the pharaoh’s palace, however, God placed a hatred of oppression and injustice within him.  Moses confronts the unjust social, political, and economic system of Egypt.

Read Exodus 2:11-25

What might have been some of Moses’ feeling and motivation before, during, and after the incident?

Despite the injustice, why was the action he took wrong?

What mistakes have you made in a genuine effort to right a wrong?

What did it cost Moses to get involved?

What will be the cost for you to get involved with injustice?

How does Moses again demonstrate an active concern for Justice when he arrives in Midian?

Moses spend the next forty years with the Midianites, gets married has a child.  Meanwhile the Israelites “groaned in their slavery” and cried for help.  Describe God’s response.

What has God done in your life to prepare you for the future to help further his purposes? (Experience, training, education)

There are many areas of injustice today: racism, neglect of the poor and needy, abortion.  What one unjust situation might God be calling you to help change?

Read Matthew 25: 31-46

 ^“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Egg #5 Leather Whip

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged [whipped] Him.

-John 19:1

 

When Jesus finished praying in the garden, the men who wanted to kill Him took Him as their prisoner. Then they brought Jesus to Pilate, their ruler, and he had Jesus whipped. The whip used was long and hard and it hurt Jesus so much that He bled. Jesus hadn't done anything wrong. The men who wanted to kill Him were afraid of losing power, so they wanted Jesus out of their way. They knew that if people really believed that Jesus was the Son of God-which He was-they would follow Him.

 



Egg #4 Praying Hands

(Sorry I am a day behind)

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to HIs disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And He said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

-Mark 14:32-34

 

After the dinner with His disciples, Jesus took them to a garden. He asked them to pray while He went to another place in t he garden to talk to God alone. He began to be sad and to dread what He knew was going to happen soon. He was going to die. Do you ever get sad about things in your life? You can always do what Jesus did-you can pray and tell God exactly how you feel. He always listens.

 

Let's open Egg #4!

 



Egg #3 Cup

Matthew 26:27-28

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins."

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Jesus had a special dinner with His disciples-twelve of His closest friends who traveled with Him and learned from Him. During the meal, Jesus stood up and held out a cup and gave everyone a drink. Then He said something that was hard for them to understand. He said that the wine in the cup was His blood. He didn't mean they would actually be drinking his blood, but that the wine was a symbol (or picture) of His blood. He wanted them to remember this special night and the promise He was making to them and to all people.

Now let's open egg #3!

Egg #2 Silver Coins

Matthew 26:14-16 (following)

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him [to hand Jesus over to his enemies].

_____________________________________________________________________________

Not everyone was happy to have Jesus as their king. Some people only pretended to be happy, but on the inside they really didn't want anything to do with him. One of those pretenders was a man named Judas Iscariot.

Some other men hated Jesus so much that they wanted to kill Him. But they needed the help of someone who could get them close to Jesus. Because Judas Iscariot was a pretender, and because he was greedy for money, he told these men that he would help them capture Jesus if they would pay him thirty silver coins.

Now let's open egg #2!

 

 



Egg #1 Little Donkey

I encourage everyone to follow along with as we countdown 12 days to Easter. I know that my family looks forward to this special tradition each year. We use the Lifeway Resurrection Eggs, and I will capture each egg in picture and post it each day.

Matthew 21:1b-3, 6-8 (following)

Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you will say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

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In Jesus' day, most people walked everywhere. Sometimes, kings rode on donkeys or horses when they entered a city. The people would stop what they were doing and watch as the king rode by. On the day that Jesus rode into the city, the people were thrilled to see Him. They believed that He was their new king who had come to save them and to fill their lives with joy. (Family Life Resurrection Eggs, egg #1)

Let's Open the Egg!

 



Hippety Hoppety Easter's on its Way!

Look for something fun to start on Tuesday; an Easter countdown. It will be something new each day. I encourage every one to spend a few minutes each day with their family sharing the real reason for Easter. Until then, remember God is Good!

HW

David - Loving Your Enemy - Wednesday April 2, 2014

What person, or type of person, do you find it difficult to like or love?

1 Corinthians 13 says If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

What Paul is saying here is that without love our Christian lives amount to nothing. Jesus said “Love one another . As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35)

It is difficult to love those who have hurt us deeply.  Going back to Saul and David, Saul slandered and falsely accused David.  He hated and feared him because God had anointed David to become king in his place.  Trying to protect his power and position Saul would keep on trying to kill David.  Look at 1 Samuel 24 and let us see what David’s response was.

If you were in David’s position might you have been tempted to kill Saul?

Why do you think David was “conscience-stricken” after cutting Saul’s robe?

How can viewing our enemy from god’s perspective enable us to have a change of heart like David’s?

How can this situation help us to understand to love more freely? How is David’s understanding help set him free to love his enemy?

What kind of effect did David’s actions have on Saul?

The person we identified in the beginning, why is it hard to act lovingly toward them?

What practical steps can we take to serve God’s love to the person identified?

Read Luke 10:25-37

What instructions does Jesus give about loving our neighbors through the parable of the Good Samaritan?

God's Not Dead!

If you have not seen this amazing movie I encourage you to get to a movie theater. I saw it twice in a week, and I would gladly see it again. 

Traditionally movies with an overtly Christian message do not do well in the mainstream media. When I opened my Entertainment Weekly, God's Not Dead ranked #4 for its opening weekend.

 

Is it religiously cliché'? Yes.

Is the acting going to blow you away? Nope.

Will it be up for an Oscar next year? Never going to happen.

 

What is so encouraging about this movie is not its storyline or acting. It is not its over usage of spiritual conflict and resolution. What is encouraging about this movie is the packed movie houses. The fact that I watched it for the second time from the front row of the theater, because that was the only seat available. The fact that God's Not Dead in this increasingly secular world.

 

It is refreshing to see all the Facebook commentary on its positive message.  It is a security to know that I live and thrive in a world where most of us not only know Christ, but openly engage His Grace.  I openly applaud the actors, the musicians, and the production company that produced a movie that seeks to provide us with such a simple, yet amazingly real and powerful message.

God is Good, All the Time and All the Time, God is Good!

 

 

Blessings to all!

HW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Sunday Study Guide

Sunday Morning Family Circus Class

Growing With God I.C.F.C.

April 6, 2014

 

“Growing Spiritually as a Couple:  Intentional Ideas and Activities to Build a Stronger Marriage

 

We will discuss some helpful ideas to build stronger more spiritual marriages.

 

We will also further our discussion from last week and work toward completing our study on couples.

Pre-Sunday Guide

Sunday Morning Family Circus Class

Growing With God I.C.F.C.

March 30, 2014

 

“Growing Spiritually as a Couple Requires a Strong Level of Intimacy”

 

Read I Corinthians 7:5

 

Consider your marital intimacy an outward expression of an inward reality.

The Marvelous Mays!

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we just love these two!

 

They are both such a light.

 

They met on EHarmony! Lol! Nicole thinks she was lucky, Chris was only her second date. She doesn't think Chris was as lucky! (I disagree, I imagine Chris does too!)

 

 They vacation every year in Nicole's hometown, Destin FL. Their whole family looks forward to this week every year!

 

3. Chris likes a bright fresh morning; while Nicole likes to keep the lamps burning at night.

 

4. They love kings of Leon, as "their" band. They are going to see them in April, which will be their first concert they've ever attended together.

 

5. Nicole likes the country; Chris likes the suburbs. Namely The Woodlands! It is probably a good compromise.

 

6. They are not only passionate about their each other, but also about raising their 3 beautiful children.

 

7. The best thing about Chris is his ability to forgive....

We are still waiting to see what Chris believes is Nicole's best quality.

 

Ahhh. Who doesn't love a May?

 



Wednesday March 19 - King Saul: Doing Almost All of God's Will

Why do you think we often settle for doing only part of God’s will?

In what areas of your life do you struggle with denial or self-deception?

We all have an amazing capacity for self-deception.  Perhaps one of the cleverest schemes of the enemy is to convince us that doing most of God’s will is enough and that by doing it we will receive God’s blessings.  King Saul fell into such a temptation.  Instructed by God to fight and destroy the Amalekites, he succumbed to the wishes of his fighting men and did only part of God’s command.

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-23

What does God tell Samuel to tell Saul to do?

Why do you think Saul was unwilling to carry out God’s explicit command?

Why do you think it was difficult for Saul to realize the seriousness of his sin against God?

Why do you think God equates disobedience with idolatry?

What “burnt offerings” or “sacrifices” do we sometimes offer to compensate for our lack of obedience?

Identify one area where you have been content to do almost all of god’s will.  What steps should you take to complete your obedience to God?

Read Matthew 5:3-10

How do the Beatitudes differ from the heart of Saul?

Which beatitude, in particular, do you need to ask God to work into your heart?

The Always Lovely Lowes.

We are just crazy about these two!

 

Greg and Sheri experienced their favorite trip together the summer after they were married. Where did they go? Missouri

 

Both are multi-lingual, (which is super cool)

Greg speaks English, French, and some Spanish

Sheri speaks Spanish and English fluently.

 

They would love to raise their family..,

Anywhere that is a good mix of country and city or the beach..,

 

If they has three wishes:

They would want those boys to be healthy and happy. (uh, don't let them jump on the trampoline with Greg..,)

 

A robot to do laundry

 

A new bed. (hmm, how did it break?)

 

On a beautiful Saturday they like to: Spend the day outside at home.  We love to sit outside and watch the boys play or stay busy in the yard as a family.

 

Greg wants chocolate in his Easter basket and Sheri wants candy. If anyone wants to know ;)

 

Well thanks for sharing a little bit of yourselves with us!

 



My Oh My those Markhams!

 

 

As I could not use my favorite picture of them (it was in the slideshow) I thought this was pretty fun!

 

Mark and Rebecca love to travel together. They are taking a big trip this Spring!

 

In the evening they enjoy watching Alaska the Last Frontier on TV.

 

They receive their energy boots from lots and lots of coffee.

(We all relate..,)

 

Their favorite memory together (besides having children, besides their wedding) is their trip to Hawaii!

 

They love chocolate cake.

 

"Outside the Lines" would be the name of their book.

 

While Rebecca enjoyed receiving a silver locket from Mark, Mark enjoyed receiving approval to buy his own gift.

 

To Mark and Rebecca:

 

Thank you for keeping your answers clean.

Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us.

 

I hope you both know how much you are loved and admired in our crazy group!

 



Tempted to Compromise: Daniel 1

When is compromise good?

When is it bad?

List three to four temptations you presently face?

Today, few of us face the temptation to deny Christ, yet daily temptations to compromise our commitment to Jesus are just as serious.  The seemingly small decisions we make carry with them far-reaching consequences in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Having been exiled to Babylon, Daniel was offered a good education and this one in a lifetime opportunity required a small compromise.

Read Daniel 1

What tactics were used not only to train these young men but also help them to blend into Babylonian culture? (vv. 4-7)

In what ways are we pressures to conform to our surrounding culture?

Daniel and his companions accept the education offered by Nebuchadnezzar, the possibility of attaining top positions in the pagan empire and new names.

Why do you think they agreed to these things but refused the king’s food? (v. 8)

Why might it have been easy for Daniel to rationalize this seemingly trivial compromise?

In what small ways are we tempted to compromise our lifestyle or beliefs?

How does Daniel show his trust in god when he makes a creative arrangement with the chief official? (v.v. 8-14)

What creative alternatives might you propose when you find yourself in a situation that ask you to compromise your convictions or beliefs?

God honors the trust and obedience of the four young men (vv.15-20) which allowed Daniel to continue in his future ministry.

In what ways does our obedience in “the little things” have far-reaching implications in our service to Jesus?

How can Daniel’s example help you respond to one temptation to compromise you are facing today?

In praying for His disciples Jesus says “My prayer is not that you take them out of this world but that you protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:15) Pray that God will give you wisdom and discernment to be in the world but not of the world.

Christians will often go to one of two extremes, they will either not even attempt to cooperate with what they consider to be a pagan system while others cooperate to the point of losing their distinctiveness.  Let us avoid the extremes and be productive to our desire to be faithful witnesses to Christ.