Well, another week has come and gone (at least in school terms) and life has gotten busy. REALLY BUSY! I've already had one group presentation and have two more (all in the same class, mind you) in the next two weeks. That doesn't include the major projects, papers and presentations in my other two classes. All that said, I am trying to figure out the secret to "time-management"...if you have the secret, help me out!
Also, have you ever noticed how often we react to situations in poor ways when some good time management would help? I am usually the worst at procrastination. Really, I am. But so far this semester, I am fairly close to the mark in my reading. I am not stressed out (well, at least I don't know it yet...I always feel the stress long before I know it is there...my neck and shoulders tell me!). Hopefully I am learning to procrastinate when it comes to procrastination...meaning, I'm getting stuff done when I should. We will see as the semester goes forward.
What things stress you out the most? How do you deal with stress? Or do you deal with it?
lory
PS. Tomorrow I will post the Sunday school info from last week. It takes a while to post and I don't have that much time tonight.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 11, 2009
Here is the outline for last Sunday's lesson...sorry it has taken a while. School has started! lmh
THE PROLOGUE
*This is GOD'S revelation to the APOSTLE JOHN.
*"The time is near..."
-Some say this means that the things described in Revelation are about to happen. (kind of a futuristic idea)
-Some say it references the return of Christ that so many believers waited on. (with emphasis on destruction of the current world and the reign of Christ and His kingdom.)
-Still others say this phrase is a means of hope for the people, calling them to remain faithful in the face of trials. (I tend to hold to this idea.)
SEVEN CHURCHES
*Each of the churches receiving letters were given good news and bad news with the outcomes should they continue or should they return to God.
EPHESUS: Ephesus was known for their hard work and perseverance in the midst of persecution. They did not tolerate wickedness from those in the church and they tested what was taught in order to make sure it followed what they knew to be true about Christ. However, they had forsaken their first love. They forgot what they should have been and the result was dire. They would be stamped out!
SMYRNA: This congregation was afflicted and in poverty, both of which were seen as good and proper things for the church of Christ in that era. But, they had liars in the synagogue. They were told not to fear. Although prison was coming, they would receive a crown of life. (Note: A crown of life seems to us to be a great reward, but for them it probably meant death was coming. In this era and in future generations believers would greet each other saying, "May you receive your crown!" In effect, they were telling their friend, "May you DIE for the sake of Christ!" As a martyr, one who dies for their religious beliefs, they would be seen as heroes and worthy of a "crown.")
PERGAMUM: They has remained true to the name of Christ, and yet they had some serious charges brought against them. They held to false teachings. They were faithful, but to things that weren't true. These false teachings included issues of sexual immorality, food offered to idols, and pagan ideas. If they turned around, they would receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name on it.
THYATIRA: This church was known for their deeds, love, faith, service, perseverance and growth since initially starting the faith journey. But, they tolerated Jezebel (which means sexual immorality and food for idols). Those who continue will suffer, but thse who return to God wil have authority over nations and the morning star.
SARDIS: A few people in this congregation are worthy and clean, but for the most part, people are doing their own things. They have a reputation for being alive, but they are spiritually dead! If there is no change, destruction will come like a theif in the night. If they do change, their names will be written in the book of life.
PHILADELPHIA: This church kept the word and did not deny the name of Christ. They endured patiently as they were persecuted and as false teachers tried to lead the astray. There is NO bad news mentioned for them!! Their reward will be a crown, the name of God and the new City. They will be a pillar in the new temple.
LAODECIA: This group is neither hot nor cold. In fact, God says he will spew them from his mouth. They have material wealth, but spiritual poverty. There is NO good news for this congregation!! For those who overcome, they will sit at the throne with God. (Note: Being lukewarm was not a good thing. It's like Velveeta. It's good cold..well, some would say....and it's great hot. But room-temperature Velveeta is gross! It is not good for anything. Basically, the church at Laodecia is not good for anything in the spiritual world because they are lukewarm! So, God says he will spew them....which literally means "throw up" or "hurl"......that is how serious God is about being lukewarm!)
All of these churches can teach us something about how we live our lives. Yes, we are looking at the historical and contextual frameworks for Revelation in this series, but we MUST see how it informs our own faith practice as well. So, are our churches mostly filled with the good news or the bad news of these ancient churches? Are our personal lives filled with things God wants or despises? Am I living in a faith of good news, or bad news?
May 2009 be a year of change and growth as you seek to be what God would have you be.
THE PROLOGUE
*This is GOD'S revelation to the APOSTLE JOHN.
*"The time is near..."
-Some say this means that the things described in Revelation are about to happen. (kind of a futuristic idea)
-Some say it references the return of Christ that so many believers waited on. (with emphasis on destruction of the current world and the reign of Christ and His kingdom.)
-Still others say this phrase is a means of hope for the people, calling them to remain faithful in the face of trials. (I tend to hold to this idea.)
SEVEN CHURCHES
*Each of the churches receiving letters were given good news and bad news with the outcomes should they continue or should they return to God.
EPHESUS: Ephesus was known for their hard work and perseverance in the midst of persecution. They did not tolerate wickedness from those in the church and they tested what was taught in order to make sure it followed what they knew to be true about Christ. However, they had forsaken their first love. They forgot what they should have been and the result was dire. They would be stamped out!
SMYRNA: This congregation was afflicted and in poverty, both of which were seen as good and proper things for the church of Christ in that era. But, they had liars in the synagogue. They were told not to fear. Although prison was coming, they would receive a crown of life. (Note: A crown of life seems to us to be a great reward, but for them it probably meant death was coming. In this era and in future generations believers would greet each other saying, "May you receive your crown!" In effect, they were telling their friend, "May you DIE for the sake of Christ!" As a martyr, one who dies for their religious beliefs, they would be seen as heroes and worthy of a "crown.")
PERGAMUM: They has remained true to the name of Christ, and yet they had some serious charges brought against them. They held to false teachings. They were faithful, but to things that weren't true. These false teachings included issues of sexual immorality, food offered to idols, and pagan ideas. If they turned around, they would receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name on it.
THYATIRA: This church was known for their deeds, love, faith, service, perseverance and growth since initially starting the faith journey. But, they tolerated Jezebel (which means sexual immorality and food for idols). Those who continue will suffer, but thse who return to God wil have authority over nations and the morning star.
SARDIS: A few people in this congregation are worthy and clean, but for the most part, people are doing their own things. They have a reputation for being alive, but they are spiritually dead! If there is no change, destruction will come like a theif in the night. If they do change, their names will be written in the book of life.
PHILADELPHIA: This church kept the word and did not deny the name of Christ. They endured patiently as they were persecuted and as false teachers tried to lead the astray. There is NO bad news mentioned for them!! Their reward will be a crown, the name of God and the new City. They will be a pillar in the new temple.
LAODECIA: This group is neither hot nor cold. In fact, God says he will spew them from his mouth. They have material wealth, but spiritual poverty. There is NO good news for this congregation!! For those who overcome, they will sit at the throne with God. (Note: Being lukewarm was not a good thing. It's like Velveeta. It's good cold..well, some would say....and it's great hot. But room-temperature Velveeta is gross! It is not good for anything. Basically, the church at Laodecia is not good for anything in the spiritual world because they are lukewarm! So, God says he will spew them....which literally means "throw up" or "hurl"......that is how serious God is about being lukewarm!)
All of these churches can teach us something about how we live our lives. Yes, we are looking at the historical and contextual frameworks for Revelation in this series, but we MUST see how it informs our own faith practice as well. So, are our churches mostly filled with the good news or the bad news of these ancient churches? Are our personal lives filled with things God wants or despises? Am I living in a faith of good news, or bad news?
May 2009 be a year of change and growth as you seek to be what God would have you be.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Some thoughts for tonight...and apologies.
First, the apology. This week as school gets under way, I am falling behind in blogging about the Sunday school lesson. It will be up by Friday night...or Saturday! Sorry to keep you waiting. (Actually, does anyone read this at all?? If you do, leave some love in the comments!)
Now for some thoughts. Tonight we talked about a very hard parable Jesus told. In Matthew 22, he described a wedding banquet given by a king for his son. The guests were invited and none came. In fact, they killed the servants who came to invite them. So, the king sent other servants to invite everyone they found, even those on the streets. As the party began, the king noticed one guy was not dressed properly. (Remember, folks were invited from everywhere, even off the streets) In his anger, he had the man bound and cast out into the darkness. What a harsh picture!
There are many disturbing things about this parable. I am not sure about all the answers to questions that I have. I may never have answers that satisfy my head and heart. But, as we talked about all the possible meanings of various lines and different characters, I realized several things. 1) I know so very little. About the Bible. About life. About ministry. About myself. 2) Sometimes scripture is hard. Hard to read. Hard to understand. Hard to grasp. Even hard to believe.
And yet, as we talked several truths were evident (whether they were really in this particular text or not is another matter!). 1) We have a task to do...namely, share the gospel and make disciples. 2) We can get so caught up in keep the "rules of our faith" that we miss the actual faith part. We are so religious that we ignore our relationship with Christ.
So, are you sharing gospel with people? Are you following rules or living in a relationship?
(By the way, rules aren't all bad, except when they replace the relationship!)
Now for some thoughts. Tonight we talked about a very hard parable Jesus told. In Matthew 22, he described a wedding banquet given by a king for his son. The guests were invited and none came. In fact, they killed the servants who came to invite them. So, the king sent other servants to invite everyone they found, even those on the streets. As the party began, the king noticed one guy was not dressed properly. (Remember, folks were invited from everywhere, even off the streets) In his anger, he had the man bound and cast out into the darkness. What a harsh picture!
There are many disturbing things about this parable. I am not sure about all the answers to questions that I have. I may never have answers that satisfy my head and heart. But, as we talked about all the possible meanings of various lines and different characters, I realized several things. 1) I know so very little. About the Bible. About life. About ministry. About myself. 2) Sometimes scripture is hard. Hard to read. Hard to understand. Hard to grasp. Even hard to believe.
And yet, as we talked several truths were evident (whether they were really in this particular text or not is another matter!). 1) We have a task to do...namely, share the gospel and make disciples. 2) We can get so caught up in keep the "rules of our faith" that we miss the actual faith part. We are so religious that we ignore our relationship with Christ.
So, are you sharing gospel with people? Are you following rules or living in a relationship?
(By the way, rules aren't all bad, except when they replace the relationship!)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Do you really care about folks?
This past week Tiffany and I went to a retreat in the Hill Country of Texas. It was a wonderful time of reading, reflecting and refreshing. As we talked about the week, we realized that we now had life-long friends...after just one week. On the way home, we shared stories from the week and realized what an amazing group of people gathered there and lived life together that week.
So, why did I title this post "Do you really care about folks?"...well, because each person at this retreat showed how much they cared by the little things they did. One man used peoples' names in the middle of talking to them, making the conversation personal and intentional. Another guy continued to ask questions (even on the last day) in a genuine effort to get to know each person there. One of our leaders encouraged us by mentioning specific things we said (even days earlier) as he expressed his appreciation for the participation. One woman shared her experiences because she knew it would help those in the room. They cared, but the ways they cared were a part of their normal lives. They care, not just about people at a retreat, but all people.
So, do you really care about folks? How do you let them know? What can you do to let people know you are concerned about them?
Seek to truly care about people. Your life will be richer and the lives of those you meet will be richer.
So, why did I title this post "Do you really care about folks?"...well, because each person at this retreat showed how much they cared by the little things they did. One man used peoples' names in the middle of talking to them, making the conversation personal and intentional. Another guy continued to ask questions (even on the last day) in a genuine effort to get to know each person there. One of our leaders encouraged us by mentioning specific things we said (even days earlier) as he expressed his appreciation for the participation. One woman shared her experiences because she knew it would help those in the room. They cared, but the ways they cared were a part of their normal lives. They care, not just about people at a retreat, but all people.
So, do you really care about folks? How do you let them know? What can you do to let people know you are concerned about them?
Seek to truly care about people. Your life will be richer and the lives of those you meet will be richer.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 4, 2009
This past Sunday, we began a series on the book of Revelation. It is important to know that the treatment of this book/work/writing will be from a historical/literary standpoint with applications made to life today. It will NOT be an attempt to place current leaders/countries/etc. into the text to make it a vision of the present-day world. While we can learn many things and find meaning for our lives today, we must remember it was written to a specific people in a specific situation for a specific reason..all of which we will look at through the coming weeks. Below is the outline for the first lesson.
Revelation—Part 1*
(Historical and Literary Context of the Apocalypse)
Historically
*Revelation was written during a time of CONFLICT between the church and the Roman Empire.
*It was written from the island of PATMOS where John had been exiled for his faith. (1:9)
*The author is concerned by persecution of saints for refusing to ACCEPT EMPEROR WORSHIP.
*This persecution and conflict actually began within JUDAISM. The government continued on with this practice.
41 AD--HEROD AGRIPPA instituted persecution of Christians.
49 AD--CLAUDIUS expelled "Jews" from Rome
64 AD--NERO killed Christians for a fire that destroyed Rome.
(He probably set it himself and needed someone to blame!)
81-96 AD--DOMITIAN followed in the footsteps of Nero.
112 AD--TRAJAN received a letter from Pliny the Younger asking what to do about believers. His response was to continue the cruelty already in place.
* The date generally given is 95 AD, during DOMITIAN'S reign.
Literary Context
* The category Revelation falls into is:
~LETTER--with salutation/closing….seven churches
~PROPHECY--according to 1:3
~APOCALYPTIC--which means "revelation" in Greek
~CRISIS LITERATURE--which is typical of apocalyptic literature.
*John's goal is to encourage the believers to be faithful even in the direst of circumstances.
Structure of Revelation--The Road Map
I. Prologue (1:1-8)
II. Prophet's Call (1:9-20)
III. Message to the Seven Churches (2-3)
IV. Heavenly Vision (4-5)
V. Seven Seals (6:1-8:5)
VI. Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19)
VII. Great Conflict (12-14)
VIII. Seven Bowls of Wrath (15-16)
IX. Fall of Great City (17:1-19:10)
X. Victory of Christ (19:11-20:15)
XI. New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
XII. Epilogue (22:6-21)
*The bold/all caps words are the answers to the blanks in the weekly handouts.
Revelation—Part 1*
(Historical and Literary Context of the Apocalypse)
Historically
*Revelation was written during a time of CONFLICT between the church and the Roman Empire.
*It was written from the island of PATMOS where John had been exiled for his faith. (1:9)
*The author is concerned by persecution of saints for refusing to ACCEPT EMPEROR WORSHIP.
*This persecution and conflict actually began within JUDAISM. The government continued on with this practice.
41 AD--HEROD AGRIPPA instituted persecution of Christians.
49 AD--CLAUDIUS expelled "Jews" from Rome
64 AD--NERO killed Christians for a fire that destroyed Rome.
(He probably set it himself and needed someone to blame!)
81-96 AD--DOMITIAN followed in the footsteps of Nero.
112 AD--TRAJAN received a letter from Pliny the Younger asking what to do about believers. His response was to continue the cruelty already in place.
* The date generally given is 95 AD, during DOMITIAN'S reign.
Literary Context
* The category Revelation falls into is:
~LETTER--with salutation/closing….seven churches
~PROPHECY--according to 1:3
~APOCALYPTIC--which means "revelation" in Greek
~CRISIS LITERATURE--which is typical of apocalyptic literature.
*John's goal is to encourage the believers to be faithful even in the direst of circumstances.
Structure of Revelation--The Road Map
I. Prologue (1:1-8)
II. Prophet's Call (1:9-20)
III. Message to the Seven Churches (2-3)
IV. Heavenly Vision (4-5)
V. Seven Seals (6:1-8:5)
VI. Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19)
VII. Great Conflict (12-14)
VIII. Seven Bowls of Wrath (15-16)
IX. Fall of Great City (17:1-19:10)
X. Victory of Christ (19:11-20:15)
XI. New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
XII. Epilogue (22:6-21)
*The bold/all caps words are the answers to the blanks in the weekly handouts.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sabbath and Retreat
This morning I was pleased to find that TBC's Spiritual Formation/Prayer Time focused on Sabbath. I am not good at practicing this, at all! I would much rather run fast and never slow down. However, I have had opportunity to rest and reflect in the past week. It has been a welcomed time of discovery and understanding.
My resting and reflecting has all been in preparation for a retreat/conference I am attending this coming week. I leave tomorrow for the hill country of Texas: Kerrville. A group of about fifteen are headed to the Lutheran retreat center there to spend time reflecting on "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching" (or, Teaching, in my case!). I have read some wonderful novels and great short stories to prepare. I will let you know how the week turns out when I get back.
And, Sunday school outlines will be up by next Sunday...stay tuned.
Lory
My resting and reflecting has all been in preparation for a retreat/conference I am attending this coming week. I leave tomorrow for the hill country of Texas: Kerrville. A group of about fifteen are headed to the Lutheran retreat center there to spend time reflecting on "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching" (or, Teaching, in my case!). I have read some wonderful novels and great short stories to prepare. I will let you know how the week turns out when I get back.
And, Sunday school outlines will be up by next Sunday...stay tuned.
Lory
Thursday, December 18, 2008
New Year's Resolution
Yes, I know that the New Year is a ways off. (Well, not really, but we haven't made it to Christmas yet!)
Anyway, I want to list some of my New Year's resolutions here for the world to see..even though no one reads this.
1. Blog at least three times a week on life, faith, church, school, etc.
2. Work on working out.
3. Faithfully read my assignments for class. (I don't know if I have EVER read a whole assignment!)
4. Try to read one book a week that is NOT related to school. (If you have suggestions.....let me know!)
That's all for now.
Anyway, I want to list some of my New Year's resolutions here for the world to see..even though no one reads this.
1. Blog at least three times a week on life, faith, church, school, etc.
2. Work on working out.
3. Faithfully read my assignments for class. (I don't know if I have EVER read a whole assignment!)
4. Try to read one book a week that is NOT related to school. (If you have suggestions.....let me know!)
That's all for now.
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