Okay, I know it's past Christmas, but please indulge me and keep reading since I'd really like some opinions on this particular topic.
Do you (or did you) have a birthday party for Jesus sometime during the month of December?
And if so, why?
I admit I don't understand the purpose of a Happy Birthday Jesus party, and so if you do one I would like to know more about what you do and why you do it?
My biggest question is: What is the purpose?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Slow Start & Gentle Reminder
Here's what happened at my house today:
We slept late. When I woke up to take a barking dog outside I discovered it was 8:55 AM! Yes, that's right, 8:55AM. I couldn't believe it! Sebastian was up and in the kitchen. I ask him if he'd been up long, since normally he comes straight to me when he wakes up. He let know he hadn't been up too long even though he had sat down on the floor for a few minutes in my room. (All I can say I must have really been tired!)
It was almost another hour before Katherine awoke to join us. Our day wasn't starting out well and certainly not on schedule, but somehow we managed fumble through breakfast.
After we cleaned up from breakfast and I had my caramel latte, we sat down to begin our school day.
Then the day continued to go down hill! Katherine was grumbling about her lessons, and Sebastian wasn't trying with his math lesson. I was at my breaking point and we had just started!
I yelled at them. I was angry. I was at my giving up point. It was terrible!
I took time to count (to some high number) before stopping our lessons. I ask the kids to meet me in the living room where I did what I knew I should have done the second I felt frustrated.
We sat on the floor in the living room where we held hands and prayed. I prayed for a spirit of calmness to come over us. I prayed for forgiveness. I asked my kids forgiveness.
Our day went on and we finished all but a couple assignments. There was time to play outside and enjoy the warm & beautiful weather. We even made it to the library, which was on my to list for the day!
I can't say the rest of my day was stress free, but God used this morning to remind me I must come to him for my strength. I can't do it on my own or in my own strength, but God can!
God has given me (& Wes) the responsibility to raise a godly man & woman; however, I can't do it on my own. I must rely on God, and He gently reminded me of that today.
We slept late. When I woke up to take a barking dog outside I discovered it was 8:55 AM! Yes, that's right, 8:55AM. I couldn't believe it! Sebastian was up and in the kitchen. I ask him if he'd been up long, since normally he comes straight to me when he wakes up. He let know he hadn't been up too long even though he had sat down on the floor for a few minutes in my room. (All I can say I must have really been tired!)
It was almost another hour before Katherine awoke to join us. Our day wasn't starting out well and certainly not on schedule, but somehow we managed fumble through breakfast.
After we cleaned up from breakfast and I had my caramel latte, we sat down to begin our school day.
Then the day continued to go down hill! Katherine was grumbling about her lessons, and Sebastian wasn't trying with his math lesson. I was at my breaking point and we had just started!
I yelled at them. I was angry. I was at my giving up point. It was terrible!
I took time to count (to some high number) before stopping our lessons. I ask the kids to meet me in the living room where I did what I knew I should have done the second I felt frustrated.
We sat on the floor in the living room where we held hands and prayed. I prayed for a spirit of calmness to come over us. I prayed for forgiveness. I asked my kids forgiveness.
Our day went on and we finished all but a couple assignments. There was time to play outside and enjoy the warm & beautiful weather. We even made it to the library, which was on my to list for the day!
I can't say the rest of my day was stress free, but God used this morning to remind me I must come to him for my strength. I can't do it on my own or in my own strength, but God can!
God has given me (& Wes) the responsibility to raise a godly man & woman; however, I can't do it on my own. I must rely on God, and He gently reminded me of that today.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Rant for the day
How does God speak to us?
Through His Word, also known as the Bible. Reading and studying the scriptures is key. Hearing the Word preached from the pulpit is vital as well, and I mean preaching from the Scriptures not topical feel good sermons. Yes, God does speak through the reading & hearing of His Word. If you need something else to hear from God then YOU could be the problem.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:16-21
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 Timothy 6:20-21
Read all of of 2 Timothy 3 & 4.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, an exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wonder off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Throughout my life I've sat under many different pastors with very different preaching styles and personalities. There are pastors who I've learned a great deal from and love hearing them preach. Some pastors I haven't enjoyed listening to because I found myself getting bored during the sermon. Then there are pastors who tell a wonderful story, but I find myself not learning anything of substance. A few others spend a great deal of time explaining the history and the Greek or Hebrew of the text, and I've found myself wondering why that was important.
I didn't know the difference between an expository, topical, or topical expository sermon. What I knew was whether or not I liked the sermon and how it made me feel.
Praise the Lord, He began to show me how immature and ignorant I am! I shouldn't be asking the questions "Do I like this sermon or how does this make me feel?" instead I should ask "Is what I heard biblical?"
Unfortunately many Christians would rather hear "What does this scripture means to me?' sermons without first asking "What does this scripture mean?" I know I did.
I've heard my husband say many times that you must first know what the verse means. After you know what the verse means in context, you can then make application. If you skip to the application (means to me?) without first knowing the context (what does it mean?) then you are asking for trouble, because you're being subjective.
As I said earlier, I've sat under many different pastors and heard many sermons. Unfortunately I've heard too many sermons where I've been more focused on being critical of how the pastor was presenting the Word rather than asking God to teach me from the reading & preaching of the scriptures.
Through His Word, also known as the Bible. Reading and studying the scriptures is key. Hearing the Word preached from the pulpit is vital as well, and I mean preaching from the Scriptures not topical feel good sermons. Yes, God does speak through the reading & hearing of His Word. If you need something else to hear from God then YOU could be the problem.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:16-21
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 Timothy 6:20-21
Read all of of 2 Timothy 3 & 4.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, an exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wonder off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Throughout my life I've sat under many different pastors with very different preaching styles and personalities. There are pastors who I've learned a great deal from and love hearing them preach. Some pastors I haven't enjoyed listening to because I found myself getting bored during the sermon. Then there are pastors who tell a wonderful story, but I find myself not learning anything of substance. A few others spend a great deal of time explaining the history and the Greek or Hebrew of the text, and I've found myself wondering why that was important.
I didn't know the difference between an expository, topical, or topical expository sermon. What I knew was whether or not I liked the sermon and how it made me feel.
Praise the Lord, He began to show me how immature and ignorant I am! I shouldn't be asking the questions "Do I like this sermon or how does this make me feel?" instead I should ask "Is what I heard biblical?"
Unfortunately many Christians would rather hear "What does this scripture means to me?' sermons without first asking "What does this scripture mean?" I know I did.
I've heard my husband say many times that you must first know what the verse means. After you know what the verse means in context, you can then make application. If you skip to the application (means to me?) without first knowing the context (what does it mean?) then you are asking for trouble, because you're being subjective.
As I said earlier, I've sat under many different pastors and heard many sermons. Unfortunately I've heard too many sermons where I've been more focused on being critical of how the pastor was presenting the Word rather than asking God to teach me from the reading & preaching of the scriptures.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Trust
Trust begins when two people become friends.
As time goes on that trust usually deepens.
It's sad when the trust is no longer there.
When there's not trust does the friendship become an acquaintance until a trust can be rebuilt?
This is where I've been in recent weeks, and I'm still dealing with it.
Lessons I'm learning:
Bridle my tongue
Guard my mind & heart
Fill my mind & heart more with God's Word
Continuing to study in the book of James.
Trust is powerful thing and it's hard to rebuild!
As time goes on that trust usually deepens.
It's sad when the trust is no longer there.
When there's not trust does the friendship become an acquaintance until a trust can be rebuilt?
This is where I've been in recent weeks, and I'm still dealing with it.
Lessons I'm learning:
Bridle my tongue
Guard my mind & heart
Fill my mind & heart more with God's Word
Continuing to study in the book of James.
Trust is powerful thing and it's hard to rebuild!
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