1 Oct 2017 - Too Hungry for Words (pt 1)

Radical ch 2 - Too Hungry for Words (pp. 23-32)

"What if we take away the cool music and cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts re removed? Would his Word still be enough for his people to come together?" - p. 27

"We already have a fairly high view of our morality, so when we add a superstitious prayer, a subsequent dose of church attendance, and obedience to some of the Bible, we feel pretty sure that we will be all right in the end." - p. 32

"The modern-day gospel says, 'God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Therefore, follow these steps, and you can be saved.' Meanwhile, the biblical gospel says, 'You are an enemy of God, dead in your sin, and in your present state of rebellion, you are not even able to see that you nee life, much less to cause yourself to come to life. Therefore you are radically dependent on God to do something in your life that you could never do.'" - p. 32

2 Timothy 4:9-22

30 Sept 2017 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pt 3)

Radical ch 1 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pp. 12-21)

"[W]e are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist Him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle-class, American Jesus." - p. 13

"We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us, because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with." - p. 13 

Some things that are just too long to quote touched on the value of the exchange, the promise of Christ that surrendering everything to Him yields benefit in eternity. For example, in the parable of the field with the treasure, the man sells everything he owns for what appears to be an empty, barren field, but the man knows that in that field lies a greater reward than the value of everything he just sold. That needs to be our approach to Christ. In His demand of sacrifice and His promise of reward, we need to keep the perspective that the eternal reward of Christ is far greater than the sum of all our lifetime possessions and assets.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

"For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves, because they have an itch to hear something new." - v. 3

"But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship , do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." - v. 5

27 Sept 2017 - Someone Worth Losing Everyone For (pt 1)

Radical ch 1 - Someone Worth Losing Everyone For (pp. 1-3)

"I am convince that we, as Christ followers in American churches, have embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical, but that actually contradict the Gospel we claim to believe." - p. 3

2 Timothy 3:10-17

"But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." - vv. 10-13

26 Sept 2017 - What Is My First Step?

A Practicing Christian ch 23 - What Is My First Step?

Questions

1. Look at Acts 2:21-27 and describe some of the healthy characteristics of a local congregation.
1. I'm not sure this is the right passage. Perhaps 41-47?
2. They devoted themselves to meeting, to teaching/learning, to community, remembrance of Christ, and to prayer. They performed miracles. They donated their possessions to the poor. They were joyful in praising God.
2. There is a problem developing in the Jerusalem church in Acts 6:1. What is the problem?
1. The widows of Greek Christians were being overlooked in fvour of Jewish Christians
3. How was the problem addressed in Acts 6:2-7? What was the positive outcome?
1. They appointed specific, trustworthy individuals to oversee that ministry
2. The church continued to grow

2 Timothy 3:1-9

25 Sept 2017 - Do You Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You?

A Practicing Christian ch 22 - Do You Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You?

"I knew I held on to some bitterness against someone, but there was no way I was going to admit I was wrong and ask for forgiveness. I thought the other person should be the one at my doorstep."

Questions

1. How does Philippians 4:8 relate to a Christian having healthy emotions?
1. Paul gives here a list of qualities to use as a checklist or standard of comparison for the things we dwell on. I think this can be particularly useful when addressing "stewing" emotions, like anger, bitterness, frustration, irritation, shame, guilt - all these negative, unpleasant emotions that we feel we can't actually express and so, end up in the emotion pot, being stewed, ruminated on, and dwelt on.
2. Explain what we are to do with bitterness in light of Ephesians 4:21.
1. "Assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth is in Jesus." I don't think this is the scripture intended. Verse 31, maybe? "All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice."
2. It's pretty straightforward, if this is the verse intended. We are to rid ourselves of bitterness.
3. What does the author of Hebrews mean by "root of bitterness" in Hebrews 12:15?
1. I would guess he means any source of bitterness, though the imagery of a root is very appropriate, making me think of a dandelion's tap root - it is extremely long and difficult to remove and, if it is not removed in its entirety, will result in a new dandelion growing back in its place.
   Bitterness is like that. The long root worms itself delicately into deeper corners of our hearts with small filament strands that are difficult to pull up without disturbing the soil, without bringing the contents of one's heart to light, sometimes painfully.

2 Timothy 2:14-26

"The Lord's slave must not quarrel..." - v. 24

But, God... Don't you see the foolishness of this people? The injustice? The idolatry?

"But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. The Lord's slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth" - vv. 23-25

So, God, what you're saying is we need to leave the heart work to you? Just take our time teaching gently and leave the conviction all in your hands? That's hard to do sometimes...

24 Sept 2017 - What's on Your Plate?

A Practicing Christian ch 21 - What's on Your Plate?

Questions

1. How does Philippians 4:4 relate to enjoying and utilizing all the opportunities God sets before you?
1. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice." If we're going to rejoice in something, we celebrate it in its entirety. If we are going to be rejoicing in God, then we are praising him for the fullness of Himself, the blessings He's poured out, the work He has accomplished, and for the blessings and work he will complete in the future.
2. Why do some Christians not move forward when they know God is calling them?
1. Fear and doubt.
1. They fear the response and negative consequences that may come from being a bold witness
2. They doubt the sufficiency and will of God to see His work through and to provide what is needed. So, they say "I can't", because, in their doubt, they see no way it can be accomplished
3. Give an example where you have responded in faith to an opportunity God has given you.
1. Honestly, I'm not sure. For a very long time, I've been a fear and doubt Christian, not one walking in faith, trust, and courage.

2 Timothy 2:1-13

"Keep your attention on Jesus Christ as risen from the dead and descended from David. This is according to my Gospel. I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God's message is not bound. This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." - vv. 8-10 (emphasis added)

23 Sept 2017 - Are You Pretending to Be Someone You're Not?

A Practicing Christian ch 20 - Are You Pretending to Be Someone You're Not?

Questions

1. How have you "put on a mask" pretending to be someone you're not?
1. I try not to do this anymore and just be myself, but I sometimes find myself hedging whenever I find myself doing poorly, whether academically, financially, spiritually, emotionally, etc. I don't want people to realise what state I'm in; I'd rather them think I'm keeping up with the pack.
   Increasingly, though, I find I have more freedom in being transparent of where I am.
2. How can being phony hurt your Christian witness?
1. How we deal with hardship is part of our witness. How can we show the power of God in every situation if we mask the situations in which we need God?
3. Relate 1 Samuel 16:7 to how we sometimes judge others by outward appearances.
1. I mean it's pretty clear. God has indicated that He considers the contents of a person's heart to be of greater value than their external appearance. To judge by outward appearance it to judge incompletely or too early.

2 Timothy 1:13-18

"Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you." - vv. 13-14

Something that stands out here is the example Paul makes of Onesiphorus in contrast to the believers who have left the faith. Onesiphorus, it appears, was a great comfort to Paul in Rome, seeking him out to share in his company and encourage him while he was imprisoned/under house arrest .

20 Sept - Who Do People Say You Are?

A Practicing Christian ch 19 - Who Do People Say You Are?

Questions

1. How do we "pull people down" to our level when we sin?
1. We justify our sins by comparing them to worse or equal sins in others.
2. What does it mean from a Biblical perspective to have a spotless reputation?
1. To have a spotless reputation means that Christ is giving Hi reputation on our behalf, because, "There is no one righteous, not even one." - Rom 3:10
3. Must we attain perfection to have a good gospel witness?
1. No, but we must be willing to be transparent in seeking forgiveness for our faults.

2 Timothy 1:8-12

19 Sept 2017 - Do You Need to Hold Your Tongue?

A Practicing Christian ch 18 - Do You Need to Hold Your Tongue?

Questions

1. According to Psalm 19:14, what we focus on (meditations of my heart) and what we say (words of my mouth) are elated. How are they connected?
1. Well, Jesus himself said that out of the overflow of the mouth, the hearts speaks. What you are dwelling on and investing in will prove itself in your speech.
2. What steps should a Christian take if he or she is prone to saying offensive words or foul language?
1. Hold your tongue. Consider whether what you are about to say is edifying to you, the person you're talking to, or to God. If the answer is "no" to any of those, then perhaps you should reconsider.
3. Is it wrong to lose your temper?
1. Short answer, yes.
2. Long answer, let's take a look at what temper is. Nowadays, we just use temper to mean our anger, but temper, in this context, is a loanword from blacksmithing, it's also used in music. In blacksmithing, after the tool or blade has been shaped, ground, and hardened, it is then tempered, which means is undergoes a second head treatment that prevents the metal from being so hard is shatters with forceful impact and so soft it bends or dents. We see the same meaning applied when talking about tempered glass - it's glass that has been made to be able to withstand extremes of temperatures and rapid changes in temperature. In music, a "well-tempered" instrument is an instrument made and tuned in such a way that it sounds in tune when played in any key.
   So, then, one's temper, emotionally, is the internal fortitude to withstand extremes of emotion. It's theoretically possible to lose one's temper in extremes of sadness or joy, but the expression nowadays refers to that anger that is so intense it surpasses the threshold of one's temper, such that, like a metal that loses its temper, they snap.
   In that context, keep in mind the verse that says, "In your anger, do not sin."

2 Timothy 1:1-7

31 December 2015 + Love Dare Day 27

Reading & Memorising Scripture

Scripture:

• 2 Timothy 2:22

Observations:

So, today's passage discusses what I was talking about yesterday.

So flee youthful passions - It's interesting how lust and desires of the flesh are considered "youthful passions". It's almost as though Paul is saying that a mature believer is set apart by his indulgences and sins... Oh wait...

Also, note that we're to flee them. Paul isn't saying to entertain them, humour them, or any other such thing. Just leave. If you need to step outside for a breath of fresh air and a prayer, do so. If you need to close our eyes, do so. Whatever you do, just flee these temptations.

and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace - In our fleeing sin, we must remember to also pursue God, lest we find ourselves stumbling into another sin. These things, also, are fruits that come from seeking God, righteousness, being one not mentioned yesterday. Righteousness is "The quality of being morally right or justifiable," or, in this case, being in a justified standing with God. We cannot be righteous if we are engaging in sin. Instead, we must be pursuing righteousness in God, the ultimate standard for righteousness.

along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart - Who we associate with will help or hinder us in our pursuit of Christ. Think of it this way: if a recovering alcoholic were to hang around with a bunch of drinkers, how successful do you think he would be? Similarly, we need to be selective about who we allow to come alongside us and spur us towards God. I'm not saying don't interact with the world - Christ told us specifically to carry the gospel to all ends of the earth. I'm saying be selective about who you allow to pour into you. If I spend time with a bunch of guys who regularly objectify women, make dirty jokes, and splurge on porn and/or prostitutes, I will find myself, over time, being dragged down to their level. If I spend time with guys who are actively seeking God and encouraging each other in their own personal relationships with God, over time, my relationship with God will improve.

Application:

What is my behaviour? Am I making lewd jokes, ogling women, or entertaining lustful thoughts or fantasies? These things I need to continue fleeing, keeping a conscious watch on my mind and attitude, to train myself to flee from such things

Am I pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace? These things I need to continue seeking, training myself to move towards God with intentionality not just in my daily time with God, but in times of temptation as I'm fleeing.

Who am I associating with? Are the friends I'm making in class ones who will spur me on towards God? If they are, I need to seek out and deepen their friendship. If not, I need to cut them off.

~ ~ ~

The Love Dare

Day 27: Love Encourages

"Love puts the focus on personal responsibility and improving yourself rather than on demanding more from others."

I love this statement. In the middle of talking about how love allows the other to be human, not burdening them down with your expectations, moving to the idea of living by encouragement, not expectations.

"Don’t you want married life to be a place where you can enjoy free expression of who you are, growing within a safe environment that encourages you even when you fail?  Your spouse does too – and love gives them that privilege."