Acts Sunday, the Will of God

Pastor Booker 

The Will of God 

When our submission to Scripture turns from self-exalting to Jesus exalting, we begin to understand the will of God. 

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. 

95% of our life is unpremeditated. In other words, we are acting out before we think. 

Luke 6:45 - out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 

God is more concerned about your character, heart, and transformation than about our knowledge of His will. 

I'd like to hear the Biblical basis for that. It sounds like He's putting words in God's mouth. *shrugs* 

We want to know the answer so we can move forward. God wants us to move forward so we can be in the answer. 

We want a crystal ball more than we want transformation. We don't want to just sit at Jesus' feet and say take my life. 

I wanna sit at Your feet

Drink from the cup in Your hand 

Lay back against You and breathe 

Feel Your heartbeat

This love is so deep

It's more than I can stand 

I melt in Your peace 

It's overwhelming 

How do we get our heart in the right place so we're making the right decisions? 

We have to train to hear His voice. Are we near the Shepherd? 

There is a lot to pray about. 

Don't be concerned with where you're going, just be concerned that it's with Jesus. 

One for all? Nope, all for One.

Pastor Booker Acts Sunday 

Matthew 5:14 

The church is many. You cannot light up the whole world with one candle. 

Acts 2:42-47

They broke bread together - they were called to be a light together. 

There is something wrong with our culture that values our individualism, and often we place very little value on the body of Christ. "Identity" always has to do with the individual. It continues to be a crisis because we're looking at identity from the wrong perspective. The identity of the community should be elevated above the identity of the individual (interesting, because of the game theory thing that says if you consider the importance of the group as a whole instead of your own personal interests, you might end up better off than simply "every man for himself" might make you.) essentially, selflessness. We focus so much on ourselves and we don't take into consideration OTHERS, even if they are in our group. 

Do we value personal identity over community relationships? 

It's hard for us to imagine valuing the community over ourselves because it's so ingrained in our culture. We have very little corporate identity. 

A quarterback's goal is for the TEAM to win, not for himself to win MVP or to get 50 touchdowns or something like that. 

2 Samuel 15:18

Our ability to be the bride of Christ is directly tied to our ability to do great things. The more we're together, the more we accomplish. 

"Omari is better than the rest of us."

-- Pastor Booker 

As amazing as he is, he can accomplish more with the people than he can on his own. 

Other cultures realize the importance of the community. 

(unrelated, I think there is a major number of problems in the US that sets us apart from other countries. It makes me wonder what role we will play in the end times, and where we appear in Scripture. Unless the US doesn't even exist when the Tribulation begins. Somehow. Hmm.)

Romans 12:1 

Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your body as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. 

Go on to read verses two and three. 

Romans 12:3

THIS VERSE ENCOMPASSES BOTH WHAT I LEARNED AT BR'S ABOUT HUMILITY AND ALSO IN GREAT TEXTS ABOUT BEING A WATER BOTTLE OH MY GOODNESS

It's literally TELLING us to be humble. To not think of ourselves as higher than we are - it's not telling us to think lowly of ourself or to recognize that we are of less important than the people around us. Not at all. It's saying to think of yourself with SOBER JUDGEMENT. THATS HUMILITY. 

And the water bottle thing, it says IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEASURE OF FAITH GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. He's given us each a certain amount of faith. But He fills us to completion - none of us are lacking His presence in ANYTHING. But some of us may have more faith than others because it's what God has apportioned us - it also doesn't mean our faith can't GROW. But we won't be at the same level as everyone else. 

Harris Creek, the Dreamer

Brady Herbert

Genesis 37:1-11

Why are we focusing on this story? 

The story of Joseph stands out in Scripture because: 

1. It covers a lot of material; 14 chapters. It answers an important question from Genesis 12 (verses 1-5 where God restarts His relationship with humanity through Abraham). The first part of the blessing was through Abraham and Isaac, then Isaac has Jacob and Esau. Through Jacob another promise is fulfilled because his descendants turn into a great nation (12 sons...the 12 tribes of Israel) AND the question: will God bless these people so that they can be a blessing to the all peoples on earth? 

2. The way that God chooses to work in the story of Joseph. It's much different than how He works up until this point. He speaks very directly to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob but that's not the case in the story of Joseph. He works in a different way. He works behind the scenes. 

What is common for believers today is to feel like God is absent. I wonder why this is? Is this our fault? I mean is it a result of our own incompetence of the proper way to worship and carry on relationship with Him? 

Genesis 37:1-4

The story of Joseph. 

"Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons." 

Well that creates angst right here. And then he goes and makes him an ornate robe. 

What the first four verses tell us is that Joseph is a little immature. He's 17, and a little spoiled, and he's also a tattletale. He brought his father a bad report about the brothers. 

I dont know about that. A tattletale? Mmmmmm. I question it. I mean, there's a difference between a tattletale and someone simply wanting to tell the owner of the sheep if his brothers are not working properly. In some cases that's okay. I don't really see the idea that he's this millennial spoiled brat but... Eh. 

What was actually important about this robe was not the color or decoration, but the length of the sleeves. If you have longer sleeves you are in upper management. Just like scrubs show you're a member of the medical profession - someone will longer sleeves makes it clear that they are boss or manager of everyone working in the field. 

Basically, the intern gets promoted to boss. 

Verses 5-11

I feel it's very hard to actually determine Joseph's attitude throughout this. He told his brothers and his father the dream... But if he really had the dream, then he could have either been bragging or he could have honestly been saying hey this is what I dreamed. 

Okay, so I think he probably was aware of all the bonuses he was getting, and he was aware of him being kinda over his brothers - probably a little prideful, and a little smug sometimes - 

The pastor says that the way it's communicated is where we see some immaturity. He says "look" three times; he thinks his brothers will be excited about this but they really hate him and are probably not listening to him.  

There is an inane about of depth in this story. We could spend a lot of time talking about the human error in this story, but if we end there we'll miss the point the text is trying to tell us. 

Joel 2:28

"I will pour out my Spirit on all people"

Peter in Acts quotes it and one of the primary ways God works. 

When God shows up in this way for this purpose it's up to us to respond faithfully to these dreams. 

Dreams will disturb our reality. 

"The dream is the unsettling work of Yahweh, it's unsettling things in Joseph's life and the world around him. It's saying that the present reality will not work any longer. That's perceived as threatening by people who are in control." 

There are people that LIKE the current setup. 

Any God-given dream will create conflict in your life, and it will cost you dearly. It's tempting to ignore these visions from God because of the pain that goes with it. 

You have no idea what the end game is when God gives you a vision for your life. Those dreams are not just for ourselves. 

The question we have to address is this:

Is there a God-sized dream that you've been given that you've either set to the side or given up on altogether? 

...what is my dream? 

Nathan asked me that once. I didn't have an answer. 

"The dream gives definition to our lives and influences the steps we take. Daily we make choices that are either in alignment with or contrary to our dream. God has given us a dream for our lives and that's no accident." 

Quiet Times, Acts Sunday

Omari Head 

THE LAST ONE 

(Until next year.) 

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world. 

How to spend time with Jesus. 

The very thing that got us freedom keeps us free. Why do we always forget that? 

Mark 1:35-39

It's really. Really. Really important to have a quiet time. Wahh. I've always struggled with it. And it has to be in the MORNING. 

There are no distractions. I have to set aside that time. 

"He went off to a solitary place", so he went to the place he could focus. Where he was alone and away from the noise of life. 

Matthew 6:5-8

The hypocrites would pray in public in the synagogues. Don't pray for the advantage of others seeing you pray. You should want to pray because you want to talk to God, and it shouldn't matter that nobody knows you're doing it. It's your relationship with Him, not mankind, that should be growing. 

I violently wish I could express in words how glorious and beautiful God is, and how I see Him in each little thing I come across. In my friends, in the leaf that falls and hits me on the head when I'm hammocking, in the clouds, in thinking about the tiny little processes going on in the blade of grass that I use to whistle. He just pervades His creation with this strength that I can't explain, and I can't explain how I'm reminded of Him and how He loves us constantly. It hits me so hard but no matter how I try the words I say don't do Him justice, because no words can, but... I just want to sit in His presence and appreciate it all. Appreciate His massive love for us and the way He reveals Himself in the subtle subtle ways that so often we look over. 

Anyway. 

When you are light... Light is meant to be seen. It's meant to guide others. Are we walking as light? 

When I'm before people, am I light? 

When I'm with Jesus and nobody else, am I light? 

Ooh I love Jesus Calling. 

Five minutes with the Lord. 

1. Thank God. For everything. 

2. Praise God. Declare who the Lord is. (ABC's)

---those first two things put Him on the throne, and humbles us---

3. Confession. Ask for forgiveness. 

4. Pray for others. 

5. Listen to the Lord. 

Acts, On Freedom and Bondage

Pastor Booker

Acts Sunday 

I wanna sit at Your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand

Lay back against You and breathe

Feel your heartbeat

This love is so deep

It's more than I can stand

I melt in Your peace, it's overwhelming 

Ramah is going to Israel! 

2 Samuel 7:23 

Jeremiah 30

In the last 100 years, SO many prophecies about Israel have been fulfilled. WWII re-established the nation of Israel. 

Romans 1:16

YOU are the light of the world. 

We have a certain way we should live our life - for the love of God to flow out of us. 

How do we get ourselves there? 

It's not just learning it. Sometimes there are things that need to happen in our lives to make us free enough to set other people free. Now, we will never be truly free until we see JESUS. The best Christians we know still have issues - but freedom is a big deal, the more we have of it the more JESUS flows through us. 

Our freedom will be the result of what we choose to believe, what we confess, what we forgive, what we renounce, and what we forsake. And NO ONE can do those things for us. We have to change our thinking. Our minds have to be constantly transformed by the truth of God's word. Too many Christians accept salvation without transformation. 

What are you holding onto of the old life and the old thinking that you are simultaneously trying to carry along with your life with Christ? 

Without acknowledgement that there is an enemy and we are in a battle, we are still in bondage. The enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy in our lives. 

We're free, but we keep walking back into bondage! What we do when we walk out the doors is what shows if we can maintain that freedom. 

"He who conceals is sins does not prosper - but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." 

Proverbs 28:13

Ezekiel 14:6

In a public profession of faith, the church would say "I renounce you satan". You break your hold and your ties and your agreement with them. 

Renouncing means you give up your right to something; you give up its claim on your life. 

Satan is JUST as real as JESUS is. And there are all kinds of ways that he tries to tear us down. Other religions, for instance, like Brandon always says. 

Have you ever seen, heard, or felt a spiritual being in your room? 

I remember that time Sarah talked about.. Maybe seeing a spirit in her room. But it was probably a demon... 

Do you have recurring nightmares? 

An imaginary friend? 

Voices in your head? 

Repeating nagging thoughts like I'm worthless, dumb, ugly? 

Have you ever made a secret vow or pact? 

Have you ever been involved in any satanic ritual of any kind? 

Have you ever attended a concert or listened to music about satan? 

^^i wonder if this includes literature and media like movies that are about satan. "Ghost Rider" comes to mind. I would think it is included 

Lies. 

Do you know how you know what's true as a believer? 

God's Word. 

There are many things we want to be true, that aren't. 

What we FEEL isn't what's true. But what God's Word says is true, is true. 

Is there anything you've developed your own truth about that's contrary to the Word of God? 

James 4:7 

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Purify your hearts. 

When you realize there is a struggle, then THAT is the time to lay down at the cross and cry out for help - whatever it takes to be free. 

When we are discouraged, it will ALWAYS go back to something we're believing that's not true. 

Ways we are deceived by the world:

Believing that acquiring money and things will bring happiness. 

Believing excess of food and alcohol will make us happy. 

Believing an attractive body or personality will get us what we want. 

Believing gratifying our sexual lusts will meet our lasting satisfaction. 

Believing we can sin without any negative consequence in our life. 

Believing we can hang out with the wrong people and not become corrupted. 

Believing there are no consequences on earth for our sin. 

Believing we have to measure up to some standard in order to feel good about ourselves. 

What are you deceived in? 

(There are thousands more that we didn't list) 

We deceive ourselves by hearing God's Word and not doing what it says, and thinking we are sinless. By thinking we can radically follow JESUS, and still walk in filth and junk. 

YOU are deceiving yourself if you think you can still follow JESUS and hold on to one sin because it's "not that bad". 

Unforgiveness. 

If we do not forgive people, we get tortured. 

Mark 11 - unforgiveness has a huge impact on our ability to live a life of faith. 

Ephesians 4:26 - do not sin when angry. Don't let the sun go down on your anger - that's a foothold of the devil. 

"I forgive you, I just don't like them." 

If you still have anger or bitterness toward them, then you're not free. 

Well.. I mean my dad comes to mind whenever unforgiveness is mentioned; I just don't know that it's actually the issue. Im indifferent. Im not mad, I'm not upset about anything. He's never done anything to me personally. Im simply content with his absence, and don't have a desire to bring him into my life because of his choices.. *shrugs* I don't agree with a lot of what he does. And, I have a heavenly Father. He simply isn't a need that I have, there is no role he can fill that God hasn't already. I don't have any resentment.

Hebrews 12:1

Let us throw off EVERYTHING that hinders us. Everything. 

"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your struggle against sin." 

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. 

Acts Sunday Morning

Pastor Booker

Matthew 5:14

"You are the light of the world..." 

Let our light shine in SUCH A WAY. Not just any way, don't just follow the crowd. A specific way. 

It's hard to set people free in JESUS when we're struggling with our own personal freedom. We have the weight of the things we're carrying. These issues are on the forefront of our thought process, and so we have a hard time serving Him. Our first thought should be JESUS, not the trials we're going through. 

The battle we are engaging in is a battle of the mind, because our mind is not saved yet. We have the same memories and insecurities that we did before. Our mind is still, in many ways, the same mind that we had before. (Basically, it's a Battle of Wits. Don't go up against a Sicilian.) 

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to the patterns 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. 

What is the difference between saying you can "test and approve" His will instead of "learn to know" His will? Because NLT says that you will learn to know it, but I think that's much different than the one that I memorized (above). Mine is more like we have to discover it, but NLT sounds more like God will teach it to us. I think both have an element of truth... We can't figure it out without Him. 

Ephesians 4:22

1 Corinthians 2:14

In 2:16, it's saying we have the ABILITY to receive truth. We cannot misinterpret this when it says we have the mind of Christ. 

What is your first thought about who you are? Because it should be that you are a child of God. That He loves you, and it's amazing. 

All of us, if we are accepted into the family, are Godly. We are of God, we are His children. Just like an earthly family, the way we act cannot change our acceptance in the family. We might not ACT like we are part of it, but it doesn't change who we are. That is something that can't be taken from us. 

Bondage is any area of our life that is out of control. Any behavior or sin in your life that you cannot stop. Where there's bondage, there needs to be freedom. 

Matthew 3:7

John the Baptist speaking. "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance." 

***note to self, look up lexical considerations on the term "repentance" and "repent". The Greek word metanoeo seems to have some discrepancies in differences of how it's translated, and just from looking at Google it looks like it may not be entirely correct. 

In this life, constantly renew your mind, that you would be able to live out the things He's called you to. 

Acts Sunday, February 15

The Urgency of Evangelism

Jeremy

Matthew 25:14-30

Context: Matthew 24, where JESUS is talking about the signs of the end of the age. Verse 42: you don't know what time the Lord is coming. 

Note: look up the answer to the question of why Yahweh is not used in the New Testament (or just inquire if it is or not) 

Are you living your life in expectation of Christ's return? 

Revelation 22:20, He's coming quickly! How does John respond? Amen. Let it be. Come Lord Jesus. 

In our country we're so comfortable, we think we know the right answers, and we know it so well, that we are just on auto response. But what about our heart? Not the mind answer, but your heart. Proverbs Ch. 4 says guard your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

JESUS says it is not what goes into a man that defiles him- it's what comes out of a man. 

Whatever our heart is truly about, it will be known because it will be seen in how we live our life. 

A tidal wave is coming, and some people have been building a sandcastle on the shore. Instead of preparing for his kingdom, we've been preparing for ours. Our heart will betray us. 

Be watchful and pray, lest you fall into temptation. 

^^^Does "fall into temptation" mean to succumb to it, and sin? Why shouldn't it just say fall into sin? Temptation is not wrong, but giving into it is. I wonder why it uses that diction as opposed to using the term sin. 

Matthew Ch. 25:14 =

Three points to get out of this parable. 

1. We have been entrusted with something, the kingdom of God. 

2 Corinthians 5:18

We are ambassadors for Christ 

What are we doing with what He has entrusted to us? We've been given this commission, and if tomorrow is not guaranteed, how are we spending today? 

We need to start storing up treasures in heaven. 

2. At some point, we'll stand before JESUS and give an account of what we've done. 

Ezekiel 33:8-9

Oh man. 

Well that's intense. 

Are we proclaiming the truth or did we bury it? Beneath football and our house and our car- how could we? Why would we do that? 

We have a responsibility to all who have been entrusted to us. 

3. There is an unequal joy in sharing the Gospel. 

Do you think about standing before JESUS, and Him saying "well done"? 

***well done, well done, im GONNA chase You Lord, im GONNA show the world Your love. I'll run, I'll run, im gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

We live in a world that is broken and hopeless and we have a message of ETERNAL life. We don't have silver and we don't have gold but what we do have we give to you. 

The most lasting thing we could ever do is tell others about JESUS. 

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:17)

Acts Sunday

Acts Sunday, February 8

Troy {Bolton}

Psalm 103

There are five things stated that we should bless the Lord for, but we will focus on the fact that God forgives all your iniquities. 

We should not forget all of His benefits. Sometimes we still live a life as if we are trapped and in chains. We need to live a life completely free from sin. 

Three types of sin: iniquity, transgressions, sins. 

Iniquity derived itself from a word that means "warped, distorted, or bent" 

You can say you don't struggle with lust, but there IS something else that you bend towards. That's your iniquity. This is the inward stuff, the things we keep in secret. 

When you have something going on in your head all the time, satan uses it against you, constantly. 

The place of God's Word is the place we need to be, because if we don't then we'll never do ministry outside. 

He has not punished us according to our thought life. 

"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds, by His wounds we are healed." 

Transgression- from where we get our word trespass. To go beyond a limit. 

This is when pornography turns into adultery, or anger and malice turn into a fist fight. 

How far has God removed our transgressions from us? As far as the east is from the west. Infinitely. 

Verse 9

He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever. 

If God removes your sin, then He has absolutely nothing to accuse you of. 

He has not dealt with us according to our sin. 

Sin- to miss the mark. 

What's the mark? Jesus Christ. He's the standard. So we've all missed the mark. Sin is also lawlessness. 

Lamentations

It is through the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed... His mercies are new every morning. 

Romans 8:31

Passion, session 6

Session 6, Louie Giglio

February 1

Hebrews 10

We began with "it is finished", but it's closing with "it has just begun". 

Tetelestai. What's finished? The system. Sin. Shame. Self. 

One more thing is finished. Satan's power and reign is finished. 

Sitting down- a posture that indicates you are finished with the work you have to do. JESUS sits down at the right hand of God. He finished the work He came to do. 

In Acts, when Stephen was proclaiming JESUS, he was about to die and He looked up in heaven and He saw JESUS standing in heaven. He acknowledged that you have done well and have accomplished what He had for you to do. 

Jesus is seated, but He's not yet reclined. When He's REALLY finished He will put his feet on the footstool of our enemies, and He will be reclined forever and ever. Satan is done. 

The big miscalculation on the part of the enemy is that if they shut JESUS down they can shut everything down. But when Jesus was dying He was shutting THEM down. This reminds me of the chronicles of Narnia, how they thought that the death of ASLAN was such a significant and triumphant event when really He had a plan and knew that He was winning the entire time. 

He's talking about football and that's the best. He said the referee's hands went up... And they stay thereee, and they stay thereee... But yeah, laquan treadwell who plays for ole miss had a touchdown but he broke his ankle... There was so much celebration, but it was complex with the fact that he was seriously hurt. We're gonna win, but treadwell got seriously hurt... And JESUS died. It wasn't a fakeout. He died. What the enemy didn't fully understand was, they weren't killing JESUS, Jesus was killing them. Something did die that day, and it was the reign of satan. At the end of the story JESUS sat down, and in the final chapter He's going to recline and the enemies will be made His footstool and all will be completed. 

Even after a snake is dead, you can still get snakebit by the fangs. And that's the enemy. Satan is dead but we can still step on his mouth and get the poison of his fangs. How creepy is that? He's dead, but he's still talking. We don't understand that he's dead. "He roars around like a lion, seeking someone to devour". He's making us think that he has more power over us than we have over him. But he doesn't. His days are numbered. 

***greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city*** 

Treadwell didn't get the touchdown. 

Upon further review, the ball didn't break the plane of the endzone. Auburn recovered the ball. Upon further review... The enemy did not make it into the endzone. He did not score the final score. Upon further review, TETELESTAI. 

Passion Session 5, You Are Awful

Session 5, Matt Chandler 

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity

Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity 

Bread of heaven broken for me

Cup of salvation held out to drink 

Romans 

You are awful, you are a hypocrite, you ARE a sinner; but look at how awesome God is. Let go of yourself and stay gazing at the Lord. 

He's talking about people living a duplicitous life, teaching the Bible but struggling with doubt and questions. 

Get your eyes off yourself. You're not awesome. You're not greater. The greater you think you are, the more enslaved you are to your perceived greatness. 

Acts 19 

"here's my handkerchief, go touch somebody with it" -matt Chandler 

I'm perplexed, but not crushed. 

Four things about God that will anger your soul. 

Romans 11:33-36

Paul, captivated in the Holy Ghost, pins these verses. 

1. God's transcendent wealth

All power and wealth and all economics belong to Him. 

Deuteronomy 10:14 

The heaven of heavens, not just heaven, belongs to God. His riches are VAST beyond all measure. As far as there is... It's God's. 

"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which JESUS Christ does not call 'Mine'". 

If you are a painter, you are not creating new color. If you are a writer, you are not creating new language. If you are in construction, you can only build what you can afford to build. God's wealth doesn't work like that. He can build whatever He wants from nothing whenever He wants. If He wanted a new color, He could have it. Don't think of the creation as crowded; there was absolutely nothing until God said something. The universe is expanding in every direction. God's wealth is transcendent. He's never in a panic, wondering how to get you through college, worried about what job you'll get... When we understand that, we can have peace. Look at the birds. Just rest in His wealth and security. 

2. He is sovereign in His knowing. 

God knows every word of every language and every paragraph in every book in every library ever written ever. He knows ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. People try to pit science against faith and the overarching matter is that there is overlap that cannot be denied. 

The wisdom of this world is folly in the eyes of God... Let no one boast in man because all truth is yours, and you are Christ's and Christ is of God. 

The Word of God is inerrant. 

I'm not smart enough to argue with scientists, but I can wait until they figure out the things we already know (like that we came from one origin, one man and one woman) 

God knows EVERYTHING that's going on at the microlevel in the universe. My science classes blew my mind enough- I can't comprehend, can't fathom how He could know simultaneously every moment of mitosis and muscle contraction and brain synapse that occurs. AND everything macro, every star exploding and every planet turning. Not only this but every event that has ever occurred that started another event that started another event and how this situation led to another situation and every event that ever occurred in history EVER. 

It's okay to say that you don't know. 

3. How inscrutable are His ways. 

When men in the Bible try to bring God under scrutiny, they become terrified. When Job kinda shakes his fist at God for what's happened, God answers him.. Quite snarkily. Job 38:2... Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge? 

Romans 9:20

Who are we to answer back to God? 

Romans 11:44

Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been His counselor? 

We have to see Him for who He is. He can be trusted for who He is. 

It's not that there won't be a mess, it's that He's there amidst it. He is for us, not against us. He is with us. 

Trying to give to God is like getting an allowance from your father and then buying Him a present with it. He is none the richer. 

He owes you NOTHING. which makes His gracious giving to us unbelievable. He owes us nothing and He has granted us everything. There is freedom there, we get to just chase Him and love Him and marvel in His generosity. 

4. God's glorious self-regard 

God wants to bless you and give to you. But there's something underneath all that generosity that we need to anchor in on- psalm 23:1. The motivation behind all that He does is for "HIS NAME'S SAKE". Everything is for the renown of HIS NAME. Everything is for the glory of God. 

Two reasons God being for God is such a big deal:

1. Since God is for God, all the commands in Scripture are not about taking from me but are about leading me into something better, into life 

He is about the praise of His glorious grace 

Singing is great but if it doesn't roll past singing to the creator of singing then it's wasted. 

Same with art. 

Art is great. But if art doesn't roll past itself to show the Creator of art Himself, the almighty painter of the world who can create colors and gives us the beauty of His creation, then it is for NAUGHT. Art with a lack of focus on His glory is useless. 

2. If God is about God, then it's not about me. 

The more life is about you, the more anxious frustrated combative you'll be. You will not be peaceful, everything is personal when it's about you. When it's not about you, you get to just breathe. 

Our Daddy rejoices in our baby steps :) we're walking, and He is overjoyed! By the grace of Christ, God does not love some future version of you. He doesn't just love you, he likes you! 

Passion Session 4, Temptation

Session 4, Ben Stuart 

This is a strategy session. How do we struggle well? If feels like we're in a war sometimes because we are in a war. The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. 

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.

Spirituality for those in Christ is one movement with two parts. Flee youthful lusts. There are ways of thinking and living that can't be a part of our lives with Jesus. Theologians call this sanctification, the process of being made holy. 

Mortification: we have to kill some of our old habits 

Vivication: bringing to life some things in our relationships and spiritual life

What God knows 

What God does 

What we do in response 

1. He knows you and your will and your tendencies 

James 1:13

Each person is tempted when he's lured by his own desires 

What you think about will be what you care about, and what you care about, you will chase. 

We all struggle. James says we are lured and enticed by our own desires. It's the height of ignorance to say we don't struggle. How does the devil get to you? Become a student of yourself. Watch your life and your doctrine closely. Know the lies you'll believe. Know the dangerous places you can fall. You'll save both yourself and those who look to you for guidance. 

"I watch and I pray that I don't enter into temptation." 

Eliminate the moment. Eliminate the temptation. 

Two steps and a slide. 

He's talking about christian relationships that go too far past the physical boundary. At baby RUTHS we talked about boundaries- whatever boundary we set, our sin nature will cause us to go two steps and a slide past that. And it can lead to places that you never meant to go. Therefore you have to remove yourself from the situation of ever having temptation in the first place. 

James says to look downstream- if you start going this direction, where does is lead, and is that where you want to be?

If you unite yourself with desire, she's going to get pregnant and that baby is called sin. 

James 1:17 

Deception fuels temptation. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. The deception that powers temptation is the belief that God is not a good Dad. Because we believe God and His ways won't take care of us. 

Write your full name on a piece of paper and then draw a line behind it. Then write the first word that comes to mind. 

The best defense against sin is a good offense. The best way to push away the desires of sin is to replace them with a more beautiful thing, with the majesty of God and His love. 

"The all seeing sun has never seen her match since first the world begun"

^lol. Romeo saying this about Rosalind. 

I LOVE THAT HE JUST QUOTED SHAKESPEARE. HES MY FAVE. 

But it's so accurate. Romeo was saying there was nothing better than Rosalind and he was so upset but there was, there WAS a something more beautiful. We say there is nothing more beautiful than sin but there IS. be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Philippians 4:8

Think about God, love God, and chase God. 

Saving private Ryan- the scene on the beach at D-Day. Two types of soldiers. One looks peaceful and serene. One looks agitated and afraid. What's the difference? The soldier that looked calm is dead. Dead people aren't conscious of the battle around them. They don't flinch at a bomb. They don't shy away from shotguns. It's the soldiers that are alive that so acutely are aware of the battle around them. Our struggle is one of our greatest assurances that we are ALIVE. We are not to wallow in it, it's an invitation to FIGHT. 

Passion Session 3, the Workers are Few

Session 3, Christine Kain (spelling?) 

If it's finished and we are the tent of God, what are doing still on earth? 

Options are okay until they're not. At some point you have to cut off the options and commit- this is it, and this is the way I am going. 

1 Kings 19:2

The text tells about Elijah, who is fleeing- because Jezebel threatens to kill him. One person. How many times have we given up on something like ministry because one person has come against us and become angry? 

We are in a fight.. We aren't on a Disney cruise ship, we're on a battleship. And not for very long. Life is but a vapor. We have better things to do in the body than send negative messages to each other. Our only enemy is the devil. 

Anyway, so in verse 13...

Elijah expresses his discontent and he is told to go back the way he came. He is told to go and anoint Elisha as the next prophet after him. 

Within two chapters, Elijah goes from the heart of hearts, to the depths of despair, and then goes to find Elisha and then Elisha drops everything to follow Elijah. 

Elisha is not out looking for a mentor, he is WORKING. God tends to work with those who are already working. 

There is one love language and it's called die to self. 

nevertheless, not my will; but thy will be done. 

1 Corinthians 15:58

Give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... 

Matthew 5:16 

We need to be doing good works... We are between the two advents of Jesus Christ and we have an assignment. 

If we are too busy waiting for all our options and waiting for what lines up to do our work... We are being counterproductive. We are so scared of talking bout work because we don't want to work. 

Ephesians 2:8 

JESUS saved us, completely. It is finished. JESUS did it all. Tetelestai. But we're still here. In heaven it's gonna be awesome, therefore, between Him finishing it and Him coming back what are we supposed to be doing? It is not by works we are saved, BUT we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

At some point we've gotta stop talking and we've gotta start plowing. 

Matthew 9:37-38

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore then pray to the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth workers. 

Where is the generation that says they will co-labor with God? 

Am I bringing everyone home that JESUS put me here to take home? 

Daniel 11:32

Those that know their God will perform great exploits. 

Promotions come from God, he opens doors that no man can shut. But that also means he can close doors. There's some reason that I didn't get hired at pine cove. Maybe there were just other people that needed the position more than I did. Maybe others had more to learn. I just wasn't meant to be there.

He has something else for me. 

Matthew 4 when JESUS called the disciples. The disciples were working, they weren't sitting at the coffee lounge. They were ordinary people. 

Some of us are not willing to kill our oxen and burn our plows to completely follow JESUS, no turning back. No plan B. No longer 250 things on the menu, no longer 87,000 options for drinks at starbucks, it's just JESUS. Elisha went to be a servant. That's the goal. Elisha has performed the second greatest number of miracles in the Bible after JESUS. God used him mightily. 

There are divine alignments for divine assignments. 

Is it enough to be insignificant in God's field rather than being significant in your field? 

Did we do everything He put us on this earth to do? 

Passion Session 2, Francis Chan; the Tent of Meeting

Session 2, Francis Chan 

May I never lose the wonder 

Oh the wonder of Your mercies 

May I sing Your hallelujahs 

Hallelujah, amen 

I love the way Francis speaks, and he is very powerful with his words and body language; but I want to be nitpicky for a second and note that he just pointed out the powerpoints were messed up a little during worship. I don't like that he said that, because I've been there, trying to put words on a screen, trying to make worship as flawless as possible.. And I've messed up, and its AWFUL. If it was bad in my youth group, imagine 13,000 people. I just imagine that him saying that would have hurt the tech people.. They do the best they can, and we shouldn't point out their mistakes but rather acknowledge how talented they are and how blessed we are that we can experience the environment they've been able to create for us to worship in. 

Anyway. 

Francis is praying for our prayer life. 

Does it still blow me away that I get to come into the presence of God and talk to Him? Directly to Him. Picture that. When I pray I get to go straight into His court and talk to the King of all the universe and talk about my troubles and struggles and praises and everything, and He cares. That's incredible. 

Exodus 19:9 

"Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you..."

Also in this passage God was going to meet with the people, but there was a boundary around the mountain. If anybody crosses the boundary, they are to be put to death by stoning. Don't even touch the person. Does that seem extreme? Yes, but it's because of our thinking. It's because we think meeting with God is something that's ordinary. That's common. But the people are FREAKING OUT about this. God is coming to TALK TO THEM. Man is going to meet with God, you don't just do that- we can't even look at Him. We are nothing compared to Him. 

Verse 16

There were thunders and lightnings on the mountain, and everyone in the camp trembled. They stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain trembled. The sound of the trumpet grew louder. MOSES spoke, and God answered Him in thunder. 

^something so intense has become ordinary, or even burdensome. How can we say we might not have time to go up the mountain? Oh we're busy.. It's finals week... How can we NOT want to fit Him into our life?? Something as amazing as this? 

"Seems like the people in your country would rather meet Moses and take a selfie with him, than walk up the mountain.. Don't they know they can walk up the mountain and be in the presence of God? Why would they pass that up?" 

Whoa. When did that tent get on stage? What? I missed that. 

Exodus 33

Moses would go and speak with God in the tent of meeting and the people would WATCH him. 

There used to be something that would prevent us from entering the Holy of Holies... But the veil was torn. We can now enter in. 

He just gave a brief run through of his testimony and the ways that he has run to God both in times of hurt and times of blessing. He's got a cool story. 

1 Peter 4:7 

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober minded, for the sake of your prayers. 

The one thing you want to have together when JESUS Christ returns is your prayer life. Sometimes we think of it as a means to an end (I.e. I will pray so I can have/get/do this) but, no. It's so we can have a relationship with our God. Why do we have such an inability to focus deeply in prayer? We've lost so much of our concentration because we're used to switching from one thing to another. I wonder if we could all focus deeply on God for longer than 2 seconds until we need to post a picture of our Bible on Instagram. I should hope we fight against the many distractions we have. 

Community Group 1, Passion 2k15

Community groups 

John 15

Verse 1 

Israel was often referred to as the vine 

God nurtures is as the gardener 

There is the true vine, JESUS, but there are also false vines. Things that look good that we may get security from, from are false vines. 

This is the last of seven self-descriptions by JESUS that begin with "I am..."

Verse 4-5

How do you abide in Christ? 

I worship. Songs are very powerful to me. And, also, love languages- the natural way I show love is physical touch. If I need to comfort someone I'll put a hand on their shoulder or give them a hug. 

We abide in Him, but he also abides in us. 

PASSION Session 1, Louie Giglio; Tetelestai

JESUS you alone are my hiding place

My all in all

My everything

Passion. 2015. Let's go. 

Louie Giglio

Where JESUS ended His life on earth, our life began. 

JESUS came to be the way maker for us to come into a relationship with our Creator. He is the only person that could bring us from death to life. When He completed what He came to do, He returned to be seated on the throne; but He is COMING BACK. this is not past tense, it's present tense. There is the Coming of Jesus. 

Jesus is coming back. Soon. 

People who live life the most are the people who factor that into their daily decisions. 

How can we get outside of information.. Looking in at the story, but instead knowing we are IN the story. We are in on everything. He was speaking to us. To you and me. We are in the story of Jesus. 

God wants to awaken you to the idea that He has a place in His story for you. 

By God's own power and might, He has spoken into existence everything that exists, and THEN in His desire to share His creation He created man and woman in the very likeness of God. We know intrinsically that we were made for something more- by God and for God, with divinity woven into us. We find our purpose in God. He has given each of us unique gifts, unique abilities, a unique place in life- we all have a role in the never ending story of God. He's the star, but by His grace we are in His movie. 

God has put you on earth in a story that's already going on. It's called history. His story. 

We're looking into our story and our history and learning everything that was true of Jesus is true of us, and it affects our lives. 

John 19:28

Jesus was on the cross for six hours. 

Later, after all this was completed, JESUS said "I am thirsty." After He received a drink, He said "it is finished". With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Three words in English, one word in the language JESUS spoke. Just one word (tetelestai) that he spoke. The people on the ground were able to hear Him. He came to the conclusion of everything He came to do. He spoke that to us. He spoke it over our life, because it's a defining word of who we are, representing the way it launches us into God's great story. 

Words are so powerful. 

I should know from Baby Ruths. 

So many words have been spoken over our lives like abandoned, rejected, divorced. Divorce in my life. When that word was spoken it defined my family structure and how I answered questions and how I answered things on forms. Some people in some form of words are told that they are inadequate or they aren't smart enough or aren't pretty enough. 

Cancer. Death. 

Those words are defining. 

There are positive words too. Engaged, employed, yes. The words DO attach themselves to our sense of worth and value, and our perception. 

You know Tswift? Shake it off? The remarkable thing is, we DONT shake it off. We can't. That's why it's so infectious, why people like it- because we don't shake it off. Aaaand now louie is quoting shake it off. He's fantastic. 

We don't shake it off, because when words come to strangle us, we can't just peel it off with a clever Tswift lyric. 

He thinks the reason she is such a phenomenal artist is because she has tapped into the idea that people are tired of other people defining us by their opinions and their words. 

A lot of us are living out of faults and values that dominate and dictate how we see ourselves. 

Tonight, JESUS speaks to us- tetelestai. It is finished. The Son of God has come to do an amazing thing, and He already accomplished it. His last words are our first words; where our life begins. 

No likes or comments on Instagram or compliments or fame anything will add one iota to your life. 

Jesus died during the Passover. That's why there were so many people in Jerusalem when JESUS died. They came to Jerusalem to remember when MOSES led the people out of Egypt. The angel of death passed over the houses that had the blood of a lamb over their door. Pharaoh was no match for the history maker, God. For centuries afterward, they would celebrate that night. 

Hebrews 10:11-14

"...because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." 

Death had ONE SHOT and it picked the wrong person. 

Death is real, but spiritual death is DONE for everybody who puts faith in the body of the Son of God who took death from us and said it is finished. So finished. So done. 9000% done. 

You know what else was finished? Shame. It was finished right then and there. 

We are spiritual rejects, spiritual failures. The enemy dumps guilt and shame on our life and that's how we operate. 

Our shame and condemnation is finished. Our guilt is finished. He took it. We cannot be defined by it because we've already been defined by the word and truth of Jesus. 

"It's time to blow out the candles on the pity party cake." 

WE AINT HAVIN NO SHAME AND GUILT PITY PARTY AGAIN 

When he said at 3:00pm that it's finished, we severed all ties to the shame we were dragging through life. 

We are not unworthy. 

Tetelestai. 

That is perfect passive indicative. 

Perfect indicates it's an action that's completed, and ongoing; with full effect. He is not going back to the cross. 

Something else was finished. Sin, and the death it wanted to permanently bury us with. We sing because we are not dead. We're not perfect, but we aren't dead. We're not better than everybody else, but we aren't dead. Our first thought when we wake up in the morning should be that we aren't dead. The enemy tried to permanently separate us from God, but we saw JESUS and He gave us the gift of everlasting life. 

We are ALIVE. 

The Parable of the Seed, Omari

REFUGE

Note to self: read Ezekiel 36 through 39

There is a time for everything, ecclesiastes 3

Matthew 13:3

The parable of the sower

Jesus explains himself when he tells this parable. The seed that falls on the good soil goes on to also produce a crop. 

The sower in this passage is both Jesus and us. The sower is not selective. He gives an equal opportunity to all who receive the seed. 

Also, the seed. It's Gods Word. The good news of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we think it ends at salvation, but there's so much more than that. He is a father to the fatherless. A friend to the friendless. His Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path. He shows us the way we should go. 

NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

1 corinthians 10:13 

There is always a way out of temptation. 

The third place the seed fell, it was among the people that want to be in control of their life. They lack maturity. They have promise, the gifts and abilities are there, but their character has yet to be developed. 

The fourth is hearing the Word and following through with it, producing a crop and letting it change their life. 

No one is too good for the seed. There is no such thing as wasting the good news on someone. 

Only thirty percent are going to say yes to the Lord.. Dont be selective. 

Acts Sunday, Pastor Booker

Matthew 5

So in Bible times, the home was very important. It was a place that was open to all, where they would meet in God's name and fellowship together 

Verse 16

Don't live your life so that you are glorified. God should be the one who draws the attention of others looking at your life. 

You can't give what you don't have. If we have the mindset of "God is pleased with me when I share the Gospel" then people are going to realize that, and we should evangelize for that purpose. When a joyful, free disciple goes out as opposed to someone who has not embraced the freedom of God, it's evident JESUS has DONE something in that person's life- and people will want that joy. 

That's how I witnessed first- I had an uncanny joy that my friend wanted, and I was able to tell him it was JESUS. 

Free people make good evangelists; those in bondage don't. 

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom Christ has set us free.. Therefore stand firm in that freedom, and do no let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 

Luke 6:45 

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 

^i was just considering this. How much do I rely on interjections like frickin and cuss and darn and dang and etc? And how does that hurt my witness? When I tell someone not to cuss they can just say "well it's no different when you do it". Thus, I am writing this down to record it- that I will not be doing that anymore. There is no reason for me to get so emotionally worked up over something to where I cannot contrive an intelligent way to say that I am overjoyed or frustrated. 

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom 

Every chain is broken through you JESUS 

Do we understand the freedom that we can have? 

We're trying to tell the world about Jesus, but we're in the same bondage theyre in. We should understand the bondage because we've BEEN there, and we get it. 

John 8:31

...The truth will make you free. 

Matthew 16:24

Matthew 6:3-4

Kelsey told me a thing! 

We were talking after church and I was reading john 14:27 (I had just underlined it) and she said that she really loves that verse. There was a time where she was receiving lots of good things from the world and she was surprised, and she realized that God never said that the world would not give good things. But, God does not give as the world gives. The peace and blessing that God gives is infinitely more valuable than anything the world can give us. 

Thursday Nights at Brooklyn's

BROOKLYNS HOUSE NOTES

yay JESUS

Dispersion- when the Jews were dispersed. First when they were taken to Babylon, then in 135 AD... Since then israel has not been a nation. A lot were killed and others were carried off to other nations. Then the Arabs took over their land. In 1948 israel took over their nation again. 

Diaspora- the bringing back of the Jews 

^the number of Jews in Jerusalem has increased from something like 40,000 to 160,000 in the past ten years (don't quote me)

Genesis 17:7-8

Gods covenant with Israel from the very beginning

It is to Isaac that he promised the land of Canaan. Even if Israel were to give all of Israel to the Islamic world, it wouldn't end the fight; Israel is the "punching bag that satan gets to punch"... Satan goes after God. God is the ultimate target. Israel is the manifestation of God's promises. Go after Israel to get to the God of Israel. 

The validity of what we're discussing depends on the promises of God; if you believe in the God of the Bible, then you must embrace His promises. We are seeing the manifestation of being born again in the situation in Israel. 

Palestine is not in the Bible. Philistine is the name of the land. It was first the Syrians, Babylonians, Greeks, etc. Israelites had a great revolt against the Greeks and they established the Maccabees. Then the Romans came and put an end to it. They rule until 66 AD. There was another revolt. By 70 AD, Jerusalem fell. Then the Romans allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and maintain certain independences until there was another revolt in 130 AD. And it was tragic. They are now embracing someone else as their messiah (some B name) since they rejected JESUS. There's no more temple and no more Israel. 135 AD Jerusalem was leveled, and there was a pagan city built there with some fancy name. The name of the country was also changed to "Syria palestina" (I.e. The Old Testament foes of the Jews) 

The name of Israel was erased. 

Who were the philistines? Sea people from the Greek isles. Nothing to do with Arabs. But if you analyze the name, in Hebrew it means the "invader". The name Palestine was there since 135 AD. The change was embraced and kept until 1948. David (gregoriam?) stood on a podium and told the world that he declared the establishment of the state of the Jews, and it would be called the state of Israel. 

Romans 11:17-21

Isaiah 66:7-8

Can a nation be born in a day?

Diaspora: 

First phase of diaspora, only Judah and Levi returned. 

---------------

What's going on in the Middle East?

Most of the Middle East was created by the Brits and the French. 

ISIS: the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria 

What's the difference between Sunni and Shiites? 

The only difference is who has the right to take over the Muslim world after Muhammad died. The sunni's believe one guy, and Sunni means "one who follows the traditions of the prophet". The follower of Muhammad should be the next one. 

The Shiites believe it has nothing to do with who is capable, but the bloodline of Muhammad. Should be his cousin. "The group that follows Ali" 

Iran created a whole web of secret wars to perpetuate the war with Israel as opposed to America. They're trying from both sides to come against Israel. They started sending ships into the Red Sea with many firearms. 

Watch Syria... Because the destruction of Damascus is a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled; it will start the whole thing. 

^there was lots of evidence for that, but I didn't write any of it down. Take my word for it. 

Romans 11:11-13

Acts, Evangelism; Pastor Booker

Revelation 1:17

God is my refuge 

And He is my strength 

A mighty strong tower 

Protector and friend 

Matthew 5:14

"You are the Light of the world..."

Literally, let your light shine. 

That is something we should all desire; to just exude Him with such intensity that people can't help but notice the effect He's had on our lives. 

When we live out the life of Jesus, it draws people to us. I want my heart to compel me to do things, I want the Church to be compelled to live the life He wants us to live; it's different from just feeling like you need to do something. 

Matthew 9:36

JESUS was distressed at the state of the crowd, because they were lost. I've had that feeling before; where I've been distressed and fretting for people I may not have even met. 

If we move towards Him and pray for Him to give us that heart, He will give it to us. 

God, break my heart. 

I want the foundation of my life to be centered around spending time in Your presence. 

The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. 

There is a HUGE harvest.. Ready, right now. But who's going to go pick it? Now is the time, but there aren't enough people to go get the harvest. We are people of laziness, we want to sit inside and not go out into the fields, while JESUS is going out into the fields. 

Do you want to know about Jesus or do you want to look like Jesus? 

If you look like Him, you're gonna know Him. 

I want to get to a place where I'm not telling people about Jesus because I'm supposed to, but because my heart compels me. That should be one of my strongest desires; why would I not want others to know the JOY that they can receive from the Lord, while so many of them are hurting? God, break my heart for what breaks yours. Give me the courage and compel me to go out and spread Your love. 

That's what I'm doing with my summer. A mission trip. I know it. Pine cove, honors line camp, they both aren't happening because I need to go on a mission trip. 

Jesus is glorified when I live out my life in such a way that people begin to praise Him. 

Nothing is going to change unless our hearts do. 

(To be honest I felt like I just sounded like the Once-ler from the Lorax)

The way to get our hearts to change is to pray. 

Hebrews 12:1

Turn my eyes upon JESUS, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. 

Challenge, that is the entire reason I'm at acts. That's why I'm here. I spent too long at a church that wasn't challenging me in my faith... And now, this is where God wants me. He's taking me out of my comfort zone. Church is not for simply going to hear about Jesus; its to equip us to get out and evangelize. 

John 17:11

"You are not of this world, but you're in it. I've sent you to it."

The Gospel Emancipated; Harris Creek Downtown

Luke 3:3-15

Only about 8% of Americans follow through with their New Years resolutions. 

The comfort of our past, and our previous lifestyle, is far too often a greater pull than anything we strive to become. 

The past is nostalgic. 

As Christians, we can sentimentalize (or make nostalgic) the things of our faith. 

Oh mY GOSH THEYRE USING THE MESSAGE BIBLE NO 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME 

I think he's using the word nostalgic wrong. We can make the things of our faith as habits that we don't want to stray from, but nostalgic? Ehh sentimental MAYBE. But you should read your Bible because it's a sentimental pasttime. I think I'm reading too much into his word usage. 

At this point in history, the Jews had realized God's hand had sort of left them so they were like "okay we have to follow His laws as perfectly as possible" and so they became nostalgic. Ha ha HA I WAS RIGHT. He is using it correctly. Disclaimer. 

A) the Gospel is a mandate, not a sentiment. 

They were in a sentimental posture; does this kind of mean that they were just going through the motions? They were just doing it to do it... Without the recognition of the actual presence of God. 

"Youve only known baylor football to be successful" hahaha dude no way you don't even know 

When you haven't had positive knowledge of God's provision in your life, how natural is it for us to be sentimental and be protected by what's familiar and cozy? 

The Jews were only known to please God through legalism, it was their happy place. (Note to self, define legalism) 

We would rather purport a system and culture and way of worship other than the actual facts of the Gospel. 

*realization* emancipation means freedom. 

B) a lazy Gospel is a liability 

Verse 7:

He calls them a bunch of snakes. Satan comes in the form of a snake. Satan began to re-evaluate everything Eve had come to value at that point. 

To fully live out the Gospel in your life, it requires change. 

Oh, so they use the Message which is a paraphrase of the Bible but they quote Charles Spurgeon verbatim. *silent judgement* 

WORKING DEFINITION

SIT DOWN AND WRITE A WORKING DEFINITION OF THE GOSPEL

that's what he just said. Any baby ruth would recognize the significance of a working definition; a working definition is one that is accurate, applicable, and needs no further explanation. Boom. How do you... Man, that would be an important definition to derive. Lots of discussion. 

I think he shouldn't be using words like nostalgic and sentimental without very clearly defining them. He's just using jargon; defining them once at the beginning isn't enough. 

So what breaks us free from this laziness? How do we emancipate the Gospel from our sentiment? 

Go back to verse 10. "You don't have to read it" awkexcuse you, this isn't 17th century catholicism, I can read for myself thank you 

C) a lazy Gospel is a perverse one. 

Well, yes. It's wrong. It's wrong to simply be going through the motions and doing things just for the heck of i or just to make yourself feel better. It's not about doing things. It's about glorifying God. It's about experiencing him. It's about sharing the good news of the Gospel and telling people that they don't have to live a life without hope. 

Be a person of integrity. 

I'll be honest I kind of missed that entire story he just told. 

He's talking about tax collectors. And coveting. 

WAIT I WROTE IT WRONG. It says "a lovely Gospel is a perverse one" 

Well now I'm thoroughly confused. I would say that he's trying to express that a Gospel that looks comfortable and cozy without any risk is perverse, and not an accurate depiction of the true Gospel. 

Be a blessing to people. 

The Giver makes ya think

So, I watched the Giver today. And it. Was. Phenomenal. I loved it. A lot. It did the book justice (or what I remember from reading it in the 8th grade) 

I thought it was VERY well done, but I wanted to write this down because it was a cool thing that I noticed near the end of the movie. 

I'll try not to spoil the movie. 

When the elders are gathered in the room at the end of the movie (if you've seen it you'll know what I'm talking about), the Chief Elder is talking to the Giver while he is convincing her to stop what was going on. She says several statements, the sentiments of which were basically "it's not worth it to allow love and choice in the world, because when humans are given choice, they always choose wrong- always." And it reminded me of a thing. 

I was in a class this last semester entitled "Faith and Reason". It was one of my favorite classes, ever. Incredibly interesting. One of the topics we discussed in the class was the Problem of Evil. In other words, how could God exist while evil exists in the world? We went through arguments for and against the claim that God exists, using this topic to derive points for each side. 

(Forgive me, let me see if I can type it out. I very clearly stated it about an hour ago, and I talk better than I write.) 

The scene with the Chief Elder reminded me of a certain talk we had. The Chief Elder was basically prioritizing the absence of evil and murder over the presence of love and choice. And the Elders had chosen that life for the people- they didn't give the option for an alternate way of life. God, however, gives us love- He IS Love. He has given us choice. If free will did not exist, we wouldn't have the choice either way of love or evil. That's one argument for the simultaneous existence of God and evil- if God eradicated evil, he would essentially be removing our free will. We wouldn't have the choice to sin against someone or not. By removing the free will to sin though, He would also be removing the free will to love- the love that we show to Him would not be genuine, it would be a false love that was forced upon us in our lack of choice. Is it not so much more meaningful to willingly follow our God, to show Him that He is what we desire above all else? If we lacked that ability to choose, we would acquire the very trait that Jonas came to hate in his dystopian society: sameness. 

"'Have faith', the Giver told me. He said faith... That was seeing beyond. He compared it to the wind. Something felt, but not seen." 

Mission for the Church; Fellowship Bible Church

Colossians 1:26-29
(Click.)

The church's purpose is to...
1. Proclaim Christ
2. Present every person mature in Christ

No parent wants their kid to stay at age 2... And they aren't intended to do so. If they do, something is wrong. God doesn't want us to, either. He wants us to become fully mature. In verse 28 it says that the goal is to present "everyone perfect in Christ". And in verse 29 Paul says that he expends all his energies towards this end, and the energy of the Holy Spirit. He has a passion for it.

Isn't that crazy? How can we change our mindsets to be driven to bringing everyone to spiritual maturity? I think somethings we get too caught up in our own relationships with God; while they are important, I think it's beneficial to realize hey... That person needs prayer. Or ministry. Or Biblical advice.

We should live our life according to this...

L.oving God (with your heart, soul, and mind)
I.nvesting in others (with a Savior focus)
F.ollowing His Word (you can't mature apart from it)
E.ngaging our world (share the love and message of Christ)

"Christ centered movement in your heart"
^in reference to serving in the church. I like the fact that it's a spiritual step forward to realize "Hm, I want to serve my church." The church has poured into you for the years you've gone there and grown up there, (or came to college and you've been there a few weeks) and now you have the desire to give back to it and help it in its mission in any way you can; because you believe in its mission.

^that was how I felt about Pine Cove. Turns out it wasn't how I was supposed to serve the kingdom of God. That doesn't mean I'm not supposed to serve in other ways.

God's Word shapes our...
Comprehension
Convictions
Conduct
It determines our morals, our convictions on who we are and where we came from, what we believe. By extension it shapes our behavior; it will change us in ways we never thought possible.

Questions to ask to enrich your study of the Bible:
1. What is this passage teaching?
2. Why is it here?
3. Lord, how should I respond?

The messengers of Christ embody the message. We are ambassadors for Christ. How did you end up in church anyway? Because somebody probably engaged you.

Well, hey, that's true. I had no idea where I wanted to go to church when I came to Baylor. A friend invited me to Acts the second week of school... Little did I know that I would come to consider it my church home. (But really- visiting churches with my mom to help her find a new church has been fun, but I miss my church!)

If that simple engagement of "hey, wanna go to church with me next week?" can have that much of an impact, just think what would happen if we all did that! If we all went to those strangers, to those people we see that we feel we should talk to, and simply invited them to church, or asked if we could pray for them. I hope I have the boldness to do that.

(Baby Ruth definition of bold: willing to offend.)

The four stages of Christ centered development.
1. Starting
2. Growing
3. Investing
4. Discipling

"A country cultivates what it honors." --Plato

Whoa man. If a country cultivates what it honors, America might be in trouble. (So many cat videos.)

^cat videos aside, a recent topic of conversation I've had is the concept of instant gratification in our country. Because it's just so prevalent. Microwaves, Snapchats, fast food, online shopping. We can literally have anything we want just like that.
But I digress.

Mission:
Glorifying God by living out the life we have in Christ.