David - Lows - working on duck decoys. Some are tough. Hi - did some tough guy moving stuff. Getting ready for transition.
Ahren - hi - wrist is getting better. Still painful but much better. Low is not knowing. Leaving it all up to God.
Jesse - car broke down. Fixed it which is great. Will be doing warehouse work. Pray for transportation.
Kevin - parents forgot about daylight savings. Reminded them It was.
Amy - quarter is wrapping up. Stressful. Get a week off soon. Please pray for India team (my mom and Kari's family.)
Linda - had fun rescuing a bull on Cord road. Elizabeth did science Olympiad. Won 1st place in chemistry and team won.
Sarah. - high - kids are off. Last week we prayed for lottery. Karis is 6th. Still a long shot. Kids are feeling better.
Steve - recruitment and bookings for houseboats. Sleep. Like the spring weather.
PRAY FOR KARI AND THE FOLKS ON THE INDIA TRIP!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sunday March 11, 2012 - Mathew 14 - Gennesaret
We did a quick summary of the latest events in Christ’s ministry. We talked about the gut wrenching news Jesus received about John, the feeding of the 5,000, and then the healing of folks who reached out to touch him at Gennesaret.
We shared how Gennesarets were not exclusively covenant folks but instead were outside of the covenant. They would carry the label – pagans.
When we read about the religious folks getting hung up on his disciples not washing their hands properly, we discussed at how tempting it is to miss the work of the gospel by getting focused on petty differences. We asked ourselves if we at times perhaps seek petty differences to hide from the power and call of Christ on our lives.
When we read about the disciples sharing that they were concerned about the Pharisees being offended, we shared how the disciples appear to some extent more concerned about how they fit in with the religious folks and less concerned about the incredibly unprecedented miraculous acts of Christ – 1. Feeding the 5,000. 2. Healings at Gennesaret.
We were challenged to ask ourselves are their times where Christ is working in our lives and we ignore His presence because of our concern of His person and grace appears offensive to the influential.
We read in Mathew 26:31-33 where Jesus said that when he goes to the cross all His disciples will be offended.
We acknowledged that perhaps when Jesus asks us to take up a cross of another, even an enemy, we are offended and choose to distract with petty things so we don’t have to bleed mercy in love for those who persecute us.
We mentioned I Corinthians 9:19-23 as a theme to this passage. Jesus calls us, through His grace in us, to be all things to all people. We acknowledged that this challenge will always be offensive until we’ve gone to the cross, seen the heart of God poured out through Christ crucified for us. We then suggested that we will be free from being personally offended when and only when we have been crucified with Christ and no longer live but Christ lives in us.
We shared how Gennesarets were not exclusively covenant folks but instead were outside of the covenant. They would carry the label – pagans.
When we read about the religious folks getting hung up on his disciples not washing their hands properly, we discussed at how tempting it is to miss the work of the gospel by getting focused on petty differences. We asked ourselves if we at times perhaps seek petty differences to hide from the power and call of Christ on our lives.
When we read about the disciples sharing that they were concerned about the Pharisees being offended, we shared how the disciples appear to some extent more concerned about how they fit in with the religious folks and less concerned about the incredibly unprecedented miraculous acts of Christ – 1. Feeding the 5,000. 2. Healings at Gennesaret.
We were challenged to ask ourselves are their times where Christ is working in our lives and we ignore His presence because of our concern of His person and grace appears offensive to the influential.
We read in Mathew 26:31-33 where Jesus said that when he goes to the cross all His disciples will be offended.
We acknowledged that perhaps when Jesus asks us to take up a cross of another, even an enemy, we are offended and choose to distract with petty things so we don’t have to bleed mercy in love for those who persecute us.
We mentioned I Corinthians 9:19-23 as a theme to this passage. Jesus calls us, through His grace in us, to be all things to all people. We acknowledged that this challenge will always be offensive until we’ve gone to the cross, seen the heart of God poured out through Christ crucified for us. We then suggested that we will be free from being personally offended when and only when we have been crucified with Christ and no longer live but Christ lives in us.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Prayers 03/04/2012
Ahren- - hi low - surgery went well and I can move my thumb more. Went to Celebrate Recovery. It was great and my brother might come too now. looking for work or school.
Sarah - kids have been sick. Pray for school options. Home school.
Kari - getting zero sleep. Hectic. School, work, family stuff to leave for trip. Pray for scheduler at work. Leave Friday for India.
David - duck decoy is going well. Ultra high is my wife said that my duck looks better than the ones at Walmart. Low - reminded of loving family and bride like Christ loves the church.
Linda - high - spent yesterday with Dave. Low - Dave ate all the chocolate. Prayer if that house options can be pushed back a few months.
Kevin - high - got a good grade on my calculus test. Had to endure 10 minutes of whining by people about the easy stuff.
Steve - bookings. Staff training. Trust that God is good. Compassion for family.
Sarah - kids have been sick. Pray for school options. Home school.
Kari - getting zero sleep. Hectic. School, work, family stuff to leave for trip. Pray for scheduler at work. Leave Friday for India.
David - duck decoy is going well. Ultra high is my wife said that my duck looks better than the ones at Walmart. Low - reminded of loving family and bride like Christ loves the church.
Linda - high - spent yesterday with Dave. Low - Dave ate all the chocolate. Prayer if that house options can be pushed back a few months.
Kevin - high - got a good grade on my calculus test. Had to endure 10 minutes of whining by people about the easy stuff.
Steve - bookings. Staff training. Trust that God is good. Compassion for family.
Sunday March 4, 2012 - Mathew 14 - Walking on The Water
This morning we read about Jesus sending the disciples into a storm.
We quickly made the connection that perhaps Jesus still sends His disciples into storms (situations beyond our control.) We talked about how through trapping Israel between Egypt's Armies and the Red Sea allowed Israel in a special way to see salvation.
David Long suggested that perhaps situations beyond our control put our eyes, ears, and hearts in a position to see the Lord's salvation today. We mentioned David Crowder's song "Here is Our King," Romans 8:20-21, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's writings from prison, to suggest that in a storm of darkness, confusion, and death Christ reveals His light, His faith, and Life.
We paraphrased Romans 8:20-21 by saying all creation is groaning. Help! We need a savior. As we look to the celebration of His resurrection soon, we couldn't help but imagine that perhaps every morning, Christ, by the work of the Spirit says to our cry for a savior, "Ready of not, here I come."
St. Francis of Asisi captures Christ heart which extends His salvation to us every moment and every day with His words, "what you are looking for, is what is looking."
In the storm, what you are seeking, is seeking you. What you are longing, is longing for you. What you are pursuing, is pursuing you.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave. . . .for you."
In the storm, what you are seeking, is seeking you. What you are longing, is longing for you. What you are pursuing, is pursuing you.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave. . . .for you."
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday February 26, 2012 Mathew 14:13-21
Amy made a powerful observation at the start of the study. As we read the scripture she commented that remembering that Jesus was "tempted in every way" (Hebrews 4:15) made the passage particularly painful and powerful.
During our discussion we asked ourselves, what if we had a close relative who was a spiritual leader? What if they were so close to us that they actually had baptized us? What would we do if someone close to us and part of our spiritual story was murdered? How would we react upon just receiving the news that they were beheaded and their head was being paraded at a party on a platter?
During our discussion we asked ourselves, what if we had a close relative who was a spiritual leader? What if they were so close to us that they actually had baptized us? What would we do if someone close to us and part of our spiritual story was murdered? How would we react upon just receiving the news that they were beheaded and their head was being paraded at a party on a platter?
We used these questions to understand the pain and sacrifice of Christ as he allows a crowd of needy people to interrupt his retreat to a "lonely place."
Christ, tempted in every way, goes to a lonely place after hearing the news of John''s death. His retreat is interrupted by a crowd of the hungry, needy, and broken.
Instead of rebuking the crowd as the disciples finally were ready to do "SEND THEM AWAY!" Jesus serves. He serves compassion, healing, and a banquet.
We marveled at the compassion of Christ. In His time of brokenness and profound pain his heart goes out to others .
We wondered at what it means for God to use His Church in times of brokenness to create an incredible banquet out of our poverty.
We noticed that when we offer our poverty and brokenness to Christ He transforms it into a banquet that's not only more than enough for His church (Mathew 14:13-21) but more than enough to fill the entire creation (Mathew 15:29-39.)
Christ, tempted in every way, goes to a lonely place after hearing the news of John''s death. His retreat is interrupted by a crowd of the hungry, needy, and broken.
Instead of rebuking the crowd as the disciples finally were ready to do "SEND THEM AWAY!" Jesus serves. He serves compassion, healing, and a banquet.
We marveled at the compassion of Christ. In His time of brokenness and profound pain his heart goes out to others .
We wondered at what it means for God to use His Church in times of brokenness to create an incredible banquet out of our poverty.
We noticed that when we offer our poverty and brokenness to Christ He transforms it into a banquet that's not only more than enough for His church (Mathew 14:13-21) but more than enough to fill the entire creation (Mathew 15:29-39.)
Prayer Requests 02/26/2012
David – Doing a bible study. David is studying I Samuel. That’s my high. My low is that my darn shoes are too tight. Need more hours at work. My hours that were cut are showing up in my paycheck. Use Linda’s email for the blog.
Evan – Still looking for a job.
Kevin – Had my first test and got an “A.” The teacher kind of annoys me. Teacher constantly saying to take notes which is annoying. Her teaching method bothers me.
Stephen – High – feel energized and passionate. Low – sick kids but get they are getting better. Pray for recruitment for houseboats and for bookings.
Amy - Lot of studying to do. Very time consuming. Please pray. High – other than that. Things are going really great. Being reminded constantly how complex everything is. Evolved. Did it on their own. Darwin – only reason he wanted to prove natural selection. Didn’t think a creative have a purpose to create such a diverse.
Evan – Still looking for a job.
Kevin – Had my first test and got an “A.” The teacher kind of annoys me. Teacher constantly saying to take notes which is annoying. Her teaching method bothers me.
Stephen – High – feel energized and passionate. Low – sick kids but get they are getting better. Pray for recruitment for houseboats and for bookings.
Amy - Lot of studying to do. Very time consuming. Please pray. High – other than that. Things are going really great. Being reminded constantly how complex everything is. Evolved. Did it on their own. Darwin – only reason he wanted to prove natural selection. Didn’t think a creative have a purpose to create such a diverse.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday February 12, 2012 - Mathew 14:1-12
On Sunday we talked about the death of Whitney Houston. We shared how in some ways she was like a queen of soul or R&B. Kind of like Jimmy Hendrix was the king of guitar. Michael Jackson the king of pop. Elvis – The King. We compared them with Mathew's account of Herod the King in Mathew 14.
We discussed how it is reported that Elvis Presley near the time of his death was heard (I think by his driver) to say “it’s hard to be the king.” “It is so hard to be the king.”
We shared how these examples (Whitney, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Jimmy Hendrix, and Herod) illustrate that perhaps being rich young rulers or kings isn’t just hard, but it’s almost like hell on earth.
We discussed how Christ is a king who comes from another kingdom. Maybe demanding our rights, our control, our way, is asserting our own sovereignty of our personal kingdoms which is the territory of our heart. Perhaps Whitney Houston, Herod, and the Kings are emblematic of the death and decay that comes with demanding our rights and protecting our hearts from Christ’s person and call.
We left feeling challenged to accept that the all powerful King really does lay down His life fore His enemies and unfaithful bride. We asked ourselves if our hearts recoil or accept Christ's Kingdom which bids us to take up His cross and announce His kingdom through body broken and blood shed in us and through us.
We discussed how it is reported that Elvis Presley near the time of his death was heard (I think by his driver) to say “it’s hard to be the king.” “It is so hard to be the king.”
We shared how these examples (Whitney, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Jimmy Hendrix, and Herod) illustrate that perhaps being rich young rulers or kings isn’t just hard, but it’s almost like hell on earth.
We discussed how Christ is a king who comes from another kingdom. Maybe demanding our rights, our control, our way, is asserting our own sovereignty of our personal kingdoms which is the territory of our heart. Perhaps Whitney Houston, Herod, and the Kings are emblematic of the death and decay that comes with demanding our rights and protecting our hearts from Christ’s person and call.
We left feeling challenged to accept that the all powerful King really does lay down His life fore His enemies and unfaithful bride. We asked ourselves if our hearts recoil or accept Christ's Kingdom which bids us to take up His cross and announce His kingdom through body broken and blood shed in us and through us.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Prayers 2/12/12
Aaron - surgery not covered. Dr. Appealed. He pushed it through.
David - fighting a cold. Building cool duck decoys.
Linda - rest.
Amy - midterms right now.
Kari - no time for work and school. Getting along with sister. Wants to go treasure aching.
Jesse - pray for friends attitude.
Kevin - Lot of time with school. Overall school is going well.
Steve - pray for bookings and recruitment.
Linda - mesmerized by Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. God has a hold of your life so good. Praying to be holy.
David - fighting a cold. Building cool duck decoys.
Linda - rest.
Amy - midterms right now.
Kari - no time for work and school. Getting along with sister. Wants to go treasure aching.
Jesse - pray for friends attitude.
Kevin - Lot of time with school. Overall school is going well.
Steve - pray for bookings and recruitment.
Linda - mesmerized by Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. God has a hold of your life so good. Praying to be holy.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Today's Reading - Mathew 14:1-12
Matthew 14
John the Baptist Beheaded
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
John the Baptist Beheaded
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
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