On April 17, 2009, Helio Castroneves was acquitted of tax evasion. He was staring down up to six years in prison if found guilty. Can you imagine the whirlwind of emotion that would go through your head if you thought you were about to lose your freedom? Freedom isn't something we often think about. We have it, and we take it for granted. Once something happens that puts that freedom in jeopardy, everything changes.
Racing was the last thing on Helio's mind just weeks ago. All he cared about was his freedom. He was granted his freedom, or as he says "his life back" on April 17th. Just 37 days after he got his life back, he got back to his "regular" life driving race cars at over 200 miles per hour. It was the Indy 500. The biggest race of them all. Everyone knows the Indy 50o. People who hate racing know the Indy 500. It's that big of a deal. For an open wheel racer, it is the ultimate. Helio had previously reached that pinnacle twice, in 2001 and 2002. Now, after his life took turns that he never would have imagined, he was back at the wheel in the greatest race of them all.
He won. 37 days ago he didn't even plan on being in the race. He just hoped to be able to live his own life, free from the bondage of prison. On Sunday, he once again reached the absolute top. In our world it would be like getting to the point in our careers that we had always wanted to be. Achieving the ultimate goal that we had always set out to achieve.
Things were different this time for Helio in victory lane. He had been there twice before, but never under this circumstance. The only reason I have said what I have said to this point is because of this: the passion, the raw emotion that comes out of this man in his post race interview is just amazing. Check it out on this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlrtlH8U3Yc. If you don't want to watch it all, just forward to the 3:15 mark. The passion that this guy has for his fans is inspiring. The arms up with fists clutched moving them back and forth is victory at its best. You can not beat raw emotion. He thanked the people in his life and his fans for giving him his life back.
This victory was more than just about winning a race. Helio was also celebrating his life, his freedom. It made me think about regular ol' folks like us. We should celebrate like this. We should celebrate with our friends when great things happen to us. Our friends are our fans. We shouldn't have to almost have our freedom taken away to celebrate having it. We need to celebrate the everyday victories in life. When something great happens, party. Be thankful for it. Celebrate like you just won the Indy 500 because in your life, it might just be as big. Celebrate your life. Celebrate your success. Celebrate that job promotion. Celebrate with you friends when great things happen to them. Celebrate with your friend when he realizes that his loved one is going to be okay. Celebrate with your friend when she gets out of rehab and finally realizes that she can stop. Celebrate with your husband when he finally gets the respect and honor that you have always known he deserves. Celebrate with your wife when she realizes that everything is going to be okay! We all make each others life's happen. Without our friends/fans, where would we be? I think we should not only be there for our friends when life is kicking their butts, but also when the opposite happens. Celebrate the big victories in life. Celebrate the small victories in life. Celebrate having a life. Just celebrate! It's okay to do it. You don't have to win the Indy 500 to have a big party. Celebrate what you are thankful for as if it might not always be that way because, it won't always be that way. As you know, life is full of ups and downs. We all have bad things that happen to us. But at the end of those bad things, we need to celebrate coming through on the other side. I guarantee you when Helio thought he could loose his freedom, he wasn't thinking about the bad days in his life. He was just thankful for having a life and being free to do with it as he pleased. That's why you see the passion, the emotion, the relief in him after the race.
Look, maybe a few months ago you were diagnosed with cancer. Maybe yesterday you found out that the cancer is gone. Maybe today you realized that you were going to be a grandpa and you felt like celebrating because you were going to be able to be part of your grandchild's life. CELEBRATE. That is a pretty drastic example of bad going into good. It doesn't have to be that drastic to celebrate. It could be something as little as getting an A on a test, passing a physical, or finally get getting the lawn mowed.
All I am saying is celebrate the life that has been given to you because who knows when it will be gone or taken away.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Squeeze pt. 3 of 3: Squeeze Happens
Pain and suffering: We want to avoid it but sometimes we intentionally choose to go through it because we think what will come out on the other side will be worth it.
*****BODY PIERCING AND TATTOOS
*****WORKING OUT/EXERCISE
-We shouldn't be surprised when bad things happen because sometimes we bring it on ourselves!!!
-God does not allow bad things to happen to us in order to benefit someone else. We sometimes choose to believe that way in order to provide context to the situation.
-We will never find answers by looking in, but instead by looking up.
*3 Big Dots that God gives us to understand the pain and suffering in our lives: In the beginning, in the meantime and in the end.
*ROMANS 8:18-32
*In the beginning - Romans 8:18-21
- 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
*BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A BROKEN WORLD; A SIN INFESTED WORLD*
*In the meantime - (ROMANS 8:22-25) 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
- Whenever you choose to become a follower of Jesus, God's spirit is instantly brought in to you. He has not yet changed our bodies. But one day, if we hold on, we will experience the redemption of not only our minds, hearts and souls, but also our bodies.
- In the meantime, we have to live in a broken body in a broken world.
- Whenever life squeezes you, look ahead. Go to God for hope to continue on.
*(ROMANS 8:26-27) 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
- God understands that as humans, we are weak and we need help.
- One day we all will go through something so painful that we will get down on our knees and the words just won't come because we are in so much pain.
- It's OK to not know what to say, because God is there and he will know what we need. He gives us the words even when we can't communicate or think them.
- We don't have to worry about today or tomorrow. God is going to give us strength.
- Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.
*(ROMANS 8:28-32) 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- Good things will happen in the midst of painful situations. God is present in the midst of painful situations.
- God feels our pain because He has seen it for Himself. Remember the Cross!
- God has the power over sin, sorrow and death.
- Jesus died on the cross; He knows, sees, feels and understands our pain, because
He has been there Himself.
- He will be with us in the meantime, and one day in the end He will make everything new.
- That truth doesn't make the pain go away, but it makes it easier to endure!
- Why doesn't God just end all of the pain now? Because it would also end peoples opportunity to enter into a relationship with Him. God is patient. He doesn't want
people to live separated from Him.
- God is with us, and He will give us the strength for today, and we can hold on to the hope for tomorrow.
- If we understand this, we will realize that your suffering is the shortest route to God. In our pain, we will discouver His presence and come to know Him in a way we never have before.
- In the beginning, sin entered the world. In the end, it is going to be removed from the world. But in the meantime, God really is with us. Remembering that is what brings hope!
LISTEN TO THE SERMON FOR YOURSELF:
http://tinyurl.com/r37ked
*****BODY PIERCING AND TATTOOS
*****WORKING OUT/EXERCISE
-We shouldn't be surprised when bad things happen because sometimes we bring it on ourselves!!!
-God does not allow bad things to happen to us in order to benefit someone else. We sometimes choose to believe that way in order to provide context to the situation.
-We will never find answers by looking in, but instead by looking up.
*3 Big Dots that God gives us to understand the pain and suffering in our lives: In the beginning, in the meantime and in the end.
*ROMANS 8:18-32
*In the beginning - Romans 8:18-21
- 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
*BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A BROKEN WORLD; A SIN INFESTED WORLD*
*In the meantime - (ROMANS 8:22-25) 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
- Whenever you choose to become a follower of Jesus, God's spirit is instantly brought in to you. He has not yet changed our bodies. But one day, if we hold on, we will experience the redemption of not only our minds, hearts and souls, but also our bodies.
- In the meantime, we have to live in a broken body in a broken world.
- Whenever life squeezes you, look ahead. Go to God for hope to continue on.
*(ROMANS 8:26-27) 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
- God understands that as humans, we are weak and we need help.
- One day we all will go through something so painful that we will get down on our knees and the words just won't come because we are in so much pain.
- It's OK to not know what to say, because God is there and he will know what we need. He gives us the words even when we can't communicate or think them.
- We don't have to worry about today or tomorrow. God is going to give us strength.
- Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.
*(ROMANS 8:28-32) 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- Good things will happen in the midst of painful situations. God is present in the midst of painful situations.
- God feels our pain because He has seen it for Himself. Remember the Cross!
- God has the power over sin, sorrow and death.
- Jesus died on the cross; He knows, sees, feels and understands our pain, because
He has been there Himself.
- He will be with us in the meantime, and one day in the end He will make everything new.
- That truth doesn't make the pain go away, but it makes it easier to endure!
- Why doesn't God just end all of the pain now? Because it would also end peoples opportunity to enter into a relationship with Him. God is patient. He doesn't want
people to live separated from Him.
- God is with us, and He will give us the strength for today, and we can hold on to the hope for tomorrow.
- If we understand this, we will realize that your suffering is the shortest route to God. In our pain, we will discouver His presence and come to know Him in a way we never have before.
- In the beginning, sin entered the world. In the end, it is going to be removed from the world. But in the meantime, God really is with us. Remembering that is what brings hope!
LISTEN TO THE SERMON FOR YOURSELF:
http://tinyurl.com/r37ked
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
SQUEEZE pt. 2: One Squeeze at a Time (5.17.09) [do the next right thing]
*Matt continued his Squeeze series Sunday, with part 2 of 3.
*He started off by asking a question that many of us struggle with: Is God Here and Does He Even Care?
*Is God even present in the middle of our difficulties?
REAL-LIFE APPLICATION TO BIBLE STORY : GENESIS 37:23-28, 39:1-23
* Before Matt proceeded into the Bible, he gave a little background on the life of Joseph:
o Abraham-------Isaac--------Jacob------------12 Sons (one was Joseph)
o Jacob played favorites and Joseph was his chosen one. He gave Joseph a multi-colored coat so everyone would know who Jacob’s fav was.
o Joseph had dreams where he was the head man and his brothers were zeros who bowed down to him.
o Joseph thought the dreams were coming from God and he started treating his brothers as if his dreams were reality.
o His brothers, obviously, were not too fond of Joseph.
o One day, Jacob sent Joseph out to look for his brothers who were away. The brothers saw him coming from a distance and thought “now is our chance to get (kill) him!”
o The story picks up at Gen 37:23-28
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." His brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.
* Joseph was only 17 years old when this occurred.
* He was sold to be a slave for 20 pieces of silver.
* All of his special treatment his father had given him was suddenly gone and his life was changing in an instant.
* What motivation does he have to continue to believe that God is with him?
*Moving now to Genesis 39:1-6
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites (A) who had brought him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, (B) and he became a successful man, serving [a] in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful, (C) 4 Joseph found favor in his master's sight (D) and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. [b] 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. (E) The LORD's blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority; [c] he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
• Notice that Joseph found favor in his master’s eyes and became his personal attendant!
• Joseph was thinking “since I am here, I might as well do the right thing and be the best slave I can be.”
• Also notice that the Lord blessed the Egyptian household because of Joseph and the Egyptians didn’t even believe in Christ!
• Joseph never whined and complained “why me, why me….” He kept doing the next right thing because he knew God was with him.
*Genesis 39: 7-10
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After some time his master's wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, "Sleep with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?"
10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.
• So, Joseph was tempted day after day after day by this woman and he continued to do the next right thing and tell her no.
• Joseph refused to sleep with her because his master had been so good to him and withheld nothing from him.
• Joseph eventually refused to even be in the same room with the woman, and she progressively got more and more upset.
• So……Genesis 39:11-18
11 One day Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants was there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 13 When she realized that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called the household servants. "Look," she said to them, "my husband brought a Hebrew man to us to make fun of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside."
16 She put Joseph's garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to sleep with me, 18 but when I screamed for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside."
*Genesis 39:19-23
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—"These are the things your slave did to me"—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king's prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
Joseph in Prison
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph's authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him, and the LORD made everything that he did successful.
*Joseph believed!
* Joseph really believed that God was with him despite all the bad things that were happening to him.
* Notice that last verse: The Lord was with him and made everything that he did successful. That is amazing. Although Joseph might not have always been in the best of situations, (he was obviously being squeezed) he still believed God was with him and he continued to do the next right thing.
* THE REST OF THE STORY: After 13 years of being a slave/prisoner, in 1 day, he went from being head of prisoners, to being 2nd in command over all of Egypt!
* God had a plan, and Joseph believed even when life was squeezing him. He had no idea what God’s plan for him was, but he knew there was one and he knew that God was always with him so he continued to do the next right thing.
* God was able to use Joseph because he kept believing and doing the next right thing even when he was being squeezed!
*Daily Life Application
o Our job, just like Joseph’s, is to do the next right thing because God is with us.
o Do the next right thing as if you are certain God is with you, because He is!
o God gives us the strength to make it through the day.
o We need to take life one day at a time, one squeeze at a time.
o God is preparing us to impact the lives of people all around us!
o Holding onto the truth that God is there gives you hope, strength, and wisdom.
o We have to trust that God is with us even when we can’t see it.
o WHEN WE DO THE VERY THING WE LEAST FEEL LIKE DOING, WE HAVE OUR GREATEST VICTORIES OVER SATAN!
Listen to the sermon:
http://tiny.cc/BDKrm
Squeeze pt 1 sermon from 5.10.09:
http://tiny.cc/LFIUv
*Matt continued his Squeeze series Sunday, with part 2 of 3.
*He started off by asking a question that many of us struggle with: Is God Here and Does He Even Care?
*Is God even present in the middle of our difficulties?
REAL-LIFE APPLICATION TO BIBLE STORY : GENESIS 37:23-28, 39:1-23
* Before Matt proceeded into the Bible, he gave a little background on the life of Joseph:
o Abraham-------Isaac--------Jacob------------12 Sons (one was Joseph)
o Jacob played favorites and Joseph was his chosen one. He gave Joseph a multi-colored coat so everyone would know who Jacob’s fav was.
o Joseph had dreams where he was the head man and his brothers were zeros who bowed down to him.
o Joseph thought the dreams were coming from God and he started treating his brothers as if his dreams were reality.
o His brothers, obviously, were not too fond of Joseph.
o One day, Jacob sent Joseph out to look for his brothers who were away. The brothers saw him coming from a distance and thought “now is our chance to get (kill) him!”
o The story picks up at Gen 37:23-28
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." His brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.
* Joseph was only 17 years old when this occurred.
* He was sold to be a slave for 20 pieces of silver.
* All of his special treatment his father had given him was suddenly gone and his life was changing in an instant.
* What motivation does he have to continue to believe that God is with him?
*Moving now to Genesis 39:1-6
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites (A) who had brought him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, (B) and he became a successful man, serving [a] in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful, (C) 4 Joseph found favor in his master's sight (D) and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. [b] 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. (E) The LORD's blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority; [c] he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
• Notice that Joseph found favor in his master’s eyes and became his personal attendant!
• Joseph was thinking “since I am here, I might as well do the right thing and be the best slave I can be.”
• Also notice that the Lord blessed the Egyptian household because of Joseph and the Egyptians didn’t even believe in Christ!
• Joseph never whined and complained “why me, why me….” He kept doing the next right thing because he knew God was with him.
*Genesis 39: 7-10
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After some time his master's wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, "Sleep with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?"
10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.
• So, Joseph was tempted day after day after day by this woman and he continued to do the next right thing and tell her no.
• Joseph refused to sleep with her because his master had been so good to him and withheld nothing from him.
• Joseph eventually refused to even be in the same room with the woman, and she progressively got more and more upset.
• So……Genesis 39:11-18
11 One day Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants was there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 13 When she realized that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called the household servants. "Look," she said to them, "my husband brought a Hebrew man to us to make fun of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside."
16 She put Joseph's garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to sleep with me, 18 but when I screamed for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside."
*Genesis 39:19-23
• THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH!
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—"These are the things your slave did to me"—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king's prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
Joseph in Prison
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph's authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him, and the LORD made everything that he did successful.
*Joseph believed!
* Joseph really believed that God was with him despite all the bad things that were happening to him.
* Notice that last verse: The Lord was with him and made everything that he did successful. That is amazing. Although Joseph might not have always been in the best of situations, (he was obviously being squeezed) he still believed God was with him and he continued to do the next right thing.
* THE REST OF THE STORY: After 13 years of being a slave/prisoner, in 1 day, he went from being head of prisoners, to being 2nd in command over all of Egypt!
* God had a plan, and Joseph believed even when life was squeezing him. He had no idea what God’s plan for him was, but he knew there was one and he knew that God was always with him so he continued to do the next right thing.
* God was able to use Joseph because he kept believing and doing the next right thing even when he was being squeezed!
*Daily Life Application
o Our job, just like Joseph’s, is to do the next right thing because God is with us.
o Do the next right thing as if you are certain God is with you, because He is!
o God gives us the strength to make it through the day.
o We need to take life one day at a time, one squeeze at a time.
o God is preparing us to impact the lives of people all around us!
o Holding onto the truth that God is there gives you hope, strength, and wisdom.
o We have to trust that God is with us even when we can’t see it.
o WHEN WE DO THE VERY THING WE LEAST FEEL LIKE DOING, WE HAVE OUR GREATEST VICTORIES OVER SATAN!
Listen to the sermon:
http://tiny.cc/BDKrm
Squeeze pt 1 sermon from 5.10.09:
http://tiny.cc/LFIUv
Monday, May 18, 2009
ORANGE
theorangeconference.com
I attended the Orange Conference in
Along with the main sessions, I went to 4 breakout sessions. Some were better than others, but here is what I got out of them.
ORANGE BREAKouts
1
What Happens When Volunteers Go
This was about getting parents involved with what goes on with their child/children at their church’s children’s ministry.
* Four things that would change in children’s ministry if parents got SERIOUS about their ROLE spiritually:
1. We would start connecting with parents EARLIER to clarify their ROLE right from the start.
o Help them to IMAGINE the end according to Deuteronomy 6: 4-6 (4 "
- After their child is BORN, recruiting PARENTS to serve in our ministry would be seen totally DIFFIRENT than it is now.
*Serving would be viewed as free TRAINING for their role at home. Serving would make it possible for parents to KNOW what was presented on SUNDAY so the LEARNING could go on all week long.
3. Ministry environments would be BETTER resourced as PARENTS saw the needs FIRST hand.
*RENTERS don’t paint, don’t decorate, don’t WORRY about how the carpet looks…but OWNERS do. If parents understand the SIGNIFICANCE of the Sunday morning experience as they see it first hand, they are going to start acting like OWNERS.
* This generation of CHILDREN is known as the
4. Huge WINS would occur as two INFLUENCES combine to make a BIGGER impact.
* VOLUNTEERS would be convinced of the IMPORTANCE of their ROLE. They would take it SERIOUSLY, yet feel RELIEVED that they are not responsible for these children spiritually.
* PARENTS would be convinced of the IMPORTANCE of their role, but would feel RELIEVED that they don’t have to parent alone.
HUGE win for the kids. Both the parent and the SMALL GROUP LEADER could be working on the same FAITH skills at the same time so the learning DOUBLES in impact. Kids would take spiritual matters more seriously, because mom and dad think it’s IMPORTANT too.
2
Death By Ministry
The title of this breakout was a little strange based on what the breakout was about. It should have been titled “emotional health” because that is what it was about.
Emotional Healthy Person – someone who has discovered the love of God and is recovering from any pain in their past.
*Emotional health is hard and takes time
Emotional Health is Hard (components)
- Requires looking inside
- Vulnerability and authenticity produce raw feelings
- Not many people celebrate this kind of work
- The results aren’t instant
- You’re human
Emotional health takes time
- Patience is a must
- Emotional health can be circular v. linear
- Old wounds may need to be dug up or healed
- You aren’t the only driver moving your life towards emotional health
- You’re human
The Promise
- Emotional Health is possible and leads us to freedom and wholeness.
- 2 Peter 1:3
- Growth in the Faith
- 3 For His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
Roadsigns to Emotional Collapse
- Emotional Imposture – person who is fake, not compassionate, says ‘oh I’ve been there’ but really has no clue how you feel.
- Emotional Corpse – a person who does not feel anymore; emotionally desensitized.
- Emotional Faucet – people who have control issues; go from hot to cold; can turn emotions on/off at will.
- Emotional Toxin – a bipolar-like person; they are either really high or really low.
- Emotional Oblivion – a person who has a sense of confusion. They know they can feel, but they don’t know where the emotion is coming from. They are unable to locate the source.
- The speaker asked us to identify which one the previous we struggle with at times. I identify with the emotional corpse. Sometimes, with all the hate and bad things that happen in life and in the world, I just get numb to it all. If we don’t stay focused on Jesus and the ultimate goal, then we just stop feeling.
Good Health Roadsigns
- Discovery of the love of God again thru prayer, forgiveness and acceptance
- Recover from the pain of the past. Do this with a trusted guide/friend
- Embracing your story. Embrace the author, plot, unique characters and that you are the co-author.
Learning to Live with a Limp
- Living with a limp is fully embracing our unique limits. When we accept our humanity and become aware of our sinfulness, we can then live out of an authentic deep need for Jesus.
Moving Forward
- be honest with God
- be aware of yourself
- be vulnerable with others
3
NERVE TO SERVE
This breakout was about getting the children in our children’s ministry to get out there and serve in the community and the world; to have the heart of a servant, just like Jesus. Nerve to Serve is a group that is a part of a church’s children’s ministry. The ladies who spoke broke it down like this:
WHERE THEY STARTED
- They asked this question: Do the children in our ministry really understand what it means to have a servant’s heart?
WHERE THEY WENT
- Matthew 20:28
- “That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage."
WHAT COULD KIDS DO IN THE COMMUNITY?
- The kids wanted to belong to a club that made a difference
- The staff talked to kids about what Jesus was about: meeting needs, healing, etc.
- They asked the kids “What does it mean to be Jesus with skin on?”
- Example: Kids decided to clean church. They filled the need of the church and cleaning staff (day off).
- The staff asked the kids how they felt when they were cleaning.
- The kids responded really well to it. No gripping, complaining. They realized what they were doing was serving others just like Jesus did and it made them feel good. They saw that they were serving and doing the right thing.
WHAT THE CHURCH STAFF SAW (DEBREIF)
- Kids came up with ideas to serve on their own. For example, starting a tutoring program.
- Kids saw first hand that not everyone was as blessed as they are.
- This promoted creative thinking in the kids about what could be.
- They saw an organic desire to make a difference originating from the children, not the staff.
- They saw excitement from the kids about meeting needs and understanding what that means.
4
HOW
This breakout was about core essentials. It is a non-prof org started in 1998 by Reggie Joyner. Here is what it is about (coreessentials.org):
- Core Essentials is a character education program, designed for grades K-5, that provides simple, straight-forward tools allowing schools to quickly incorporate character education into the curriculum.
The program provides a "value of the month" focus that encourages individual classrooms, the entire school, and every family to emphasize the same aspects of each value. Core Essentials is designed to synchronize the home and school by presenting values on which both can agree.
We believe it takes an INWARD attitude to influence OUTWARD behavior. That's what we mean by values. A value is an inward belief or attitude that affects someone's outward behavior. The values that Core Essentials emphasizes are common attitudes that every parent and teacher wants children to learn and demonstrate.
Values affect behavior by helping you . . .
- treat others right
- make smart decisions
- maximize your potential
- Core Essentials® is a non-profit organization and was begun in 1998 by concerned parents and teachers who wanted to help kids by providing quality character building resources to schools.
The first Core Essentials program was launched in partnership with Chick-fil-A® in about 24 elementary schools in the metro
Core Essentials, Inc., is the parent company that develops these resources and others that encourage character in our youth.
- What We Teach
Core Essentials is a simple, affordable, nine-month, downloadable character education program designed for K-5. Core Essentials provides straight-forward tools allowing schools to quickly incorporate character education into the curriculum.
· Core Essentials is the result of the combined efforts of a dedicated group of teachers and parents. These materials are designed to inspire you and equip you to teach these values so that each student will . . .
• treat others right
• make smart decisions
• maximize their potential
· The program provides a "value of the month" focus that encourages individual classrooms, the entire school and every family to emphasize the same aspects of each value. Core Essentials believes that there is a foundation for values that can be shared regardless of ethnic, religious or cultural differences.
· Our goal is that time devoted to preparation for implementation of Core Essentials be 15 minutes or less. We present a “value of the month” program instead of a “word of the week” program because children need time and space to understand character issues.
· The Core Essentials program is structured around a three-year plan that emphasizes nine different values each year, based on a nine-month school year.
Highlights from the breakout:
· 34.8 million children spend 1080 hours at school per year
· Cost is $175, which seemed relatively inexpensive to me
· Another interesting topic an elementary art teacher brought up was bringing kidstuf into the school. She went to a church that did kidstuf and thought it would be great to use in the elementary school she taught at. She talked to the powers that be, and organized it with the church to start doing kidstuf performances at the school. Naturally, terms about God/Bible had to be omitted from the performance, but the core value/concept was kept, so students still learned the important virtue, just without using “church terms.” It was wildly successful, and many other churches/schools are doing it now.
· I would love to be able to do something like that in this area. I don’t know how probable it is that we could do it, but if we have enough people at church who know people in the schools, it is possible to do something like this.
· I think it’s a great way to show character education to kids. It presents it in a fun way that kids can relate to and learn from. And, once the kids find out where they can get more of it, it will help bring kids and parents into the local church that performs kidstuf.
· I have contacted a lady in
· Just and idea….but I like it!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Squeeze, pt 1 (5.10.09) What do you do when life squeezes you?
Matt started a new series called Squeeze yesterday at the Journey( theepicjourney.com ).
-Reason for the Series: To try to help us answer the whys and whats in our lives.
-Pt. 1 What Do You Do When Life Squeezes You?
*James 1:1-4
--Times are tough and it is easy to get down, but there is something amazing happening right now that God is doing in your life. You can't see it now, but He is in the middle of bringing something incredibly good out of the difficult times in your life.
--Tough times (when our faith is tested) help us grow and persevere and develop patience.
--We are interested mostly in being happy. God is mostly interested in making us Holy. For us, it's about developing comfort, for Him, its about developing character. He wants to develop in us the character of Jesus Christ.
--We will go through some of the same tough times Jesus did, and we are being prepared for those times.
--We need to learn a lesson instead of just getting the pressure relieved in our lives.
--How we respond to the pressures in life makes all the difference.
--There is a purpose/plan behind all of the problems. Not all prayers are always answered because God has a different plan.
*James 1:5
--How do we hold on to the perspective that God is using the trials in our lives to fulfill His purpose?
--We have to have wisdom. If we lack it, we should ask God for it and it will be given to you.
--We have to lean hard into God and recognize that He is always with us.
--Everything changes when we see life from God's perspective.
--Our point of view: everything seems hopeless. God's point of view: it is an opportunity to quit worrying and life by faith. Quit trusting in us, and depend on Him.
--God strategically places people and events in our lives.
--When we begin to see from God's point of view, everything changes.
--Seeing life from His point of view does not make life easy or take the pain away, but it gives you the strength and the hope to endure.
--PRAY FOR WISDOM early and often!
--God gives generous to all without finding fault!
--You will have patience, perseverance, and become mature and complete, not lacking anything!
Listen to it!:http://tiny.cc/PD1sp
Monday, May 4, 2009
30 Days to Live (4 of 4): Where do you stand with God?
Yesterday, Matt concluded the 30 Days to Live series by discussing where we stand with God. He talked about how a lot of people wonder if they are doing enough to spend eternity in Heaven. Matt touched on how good/religious people don't go to heaven just because they are good/religious. Matt talked about a passage in the Bible where Nicodemus was wondering the same thing: How do I get into Heaven?
Here's what Jesus had to say about the topic:
John 3: 1-7
1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him." 3 Jesus replied, " I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, " I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
John 3: 14-17
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. 16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
So, just as the snake was raised up, Jesus was raised on the cross, and when you believe that , you will have eternal life with Him.
Matt did a neat little visual about putting our trust in Jesus. He used the stool as an example of how we put our complete trust in that stool when we sit on it. We don't stand from a distance and trust in the stool, and we don't just put part of our body on the stool and trust it. We put our entire weight on the stool and we trust that it will hold us up. That's what we have to do with Jesus. He wants us to put all of our trust in Him, not just certain parts. He wants us to put our trust in every aspect of our lives in Him. We have to put everything we are and everything we have into Jesus because that is why He did what He did. Jesus doesn't just want part of our trust/faith. He wants all of our trust/faith.
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