Well I know that it has been a while since my last post, hopefully that will begin to change. For those of you who don't know I have had the privilege of teaching Sunday school for Campus Outreach's college class over the course of the semester. We have been going through Galatians and what I am going to do, in this blog post, is post up my Sunday school lessons for your enjoyment. You might be wondering why I even bother to record them? Well there are a few reasons: First, it has been very beneficial for me to hear myself speak. It is one thing to have someone give me feedback on something I said, it is a whole new ballgame to actually hear it as well. Second, I have a droid and it has the capability of being able to record so why not. Finally, there are a select few people out there who miss my lesson and would like to hear them (Shocking I know). So there you go. They aren't the greatest quality considering that they are recorded on my phone, but they get the job done.
I will continually be updating them as we progress through the book.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Gotta Love a Blog with a Good Sense of Humor
Earlier today I got to read one of the most intriguing blogs that I have ever read. It made so much sense and has really helped me in understanding why so many Christians struggle so much. So in order to help those struggling Christians out there I think this may be answer that you are looking for... hope you enjoy:via The Blazing Center by Stephen Altrogge on 9/15/10
There have been times when certain individuals have made fun of me and my love for Apple products. In my interactions with this individual, who happens to be pastor I work with, I have chosen not to retaliate. Why? Because I know one, simple, profound truth: Apple products actually make you a better Christian.
Is this really possible, you ask? Yes it is. It’s more than possible, it’s true. Here’s just a few reasons why:
Apple Products Don’t Tempt You to Anger and Despair
You’ve been working on an important presentation for the last hour, furiously typing away on your PC. Suddenly, without any provocation from you, a mysterious error message appears on the screen. Due to you pressing the enter key too many times, your computer must now shutdown and erase all the work you’ve done over the last hour. You want to scream. Then you do. You momentarily contemplate hurling your laptop out the window. You’re angry at the world, then at your computer, then at Bill Gates. Then you sink into a pit of despair as you realize that you must recreate what you just lost.
Apple helps you flee from temptation.
Apple Products Are An Evangelism Tool
You’re sitting in a coffee shop, sipping on a latte, when you see a hip looking guy a few tables over reading a Bible and writing in a Moleskine journal. You can tell that he’s puzzled, and you ask him if he understands what he’s reading. “No I don’t,” he says. “Can you help me?” You grab your backpack and sit down at his table. He tells you that he’s reading in John 1, and you say that you’ll pull it up on your Bible software. You pull out your Dell laptop and place it on the table in front of you. The hip guy looks at you, then looks at your computer, then says, “You know what, I think I’ll just keep reading myself. Thanks.”
Apple helps you be missional.
Apple Products Reflect God’s Creativity
Take a moment and look at that HP laptop sitting on your desk. What words come to mind? Behemoth? Clunky? The size of battleship? A clear result of God’s curse upon humanity? Uglier than a wookie? Now look at your iPod. Sleek. Beautiful. Possibly unaffected by the fall.
Apple helps you see God’s creativity.
Apple Products Give You More Time For Prayer
How do Christian PC users spend approximately two-thirds of their days? Booting and rebooting their computers. They would pray but their prayer list was on their computer, which just locked up. And caught fire. Time to reboot.
Apple furthers your devotional life.
Apple Products Are Biblical
Let me connect the dots for you. How did Eve sin? She ate fruit. What is Apple’s logo? An apple with a bite out of it. Coincidence? I think not. Clearly, Apple is seeking to do some culture making and restore what was lost in the fall. They are redeeming the apple.
Are you seeing my point? If you want to grow, go get an Apple product.
Do any PC users care to defend themselves? Do any Apple users want to add to the list?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Greatest Miracle
“So Jesus then said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead…’ ”
By the time Jesus got to Lazarus four days had passed. Many were so upset to see Lazarus dead, Martha even said that “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” She was convinced that if Jesus had been there that her brother would have lived and everything would be joyous and happy. However, here is Jesus arriving on the scene four days late witnessing the mourning and all the people gathered to comfort those who are hurting. We see Jesus going to the tomb of Lazarus and saying, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me” then with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The very next verse proclaims that “the man who died came forth”, it was unbelievable Lazarus was now alive, back from the dead!
What a story! So incredible to see the authority and power of Christ! How his words have such power to give life. It is crazy to think that Christ has not just raised Lazarus from the dead, but everyone who has faith in Him. You see Lazarus is no different than every human being. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins”, meaning that we to are dead just like Lazarus was in the tomb. Lifeless, no ability to respond, no ability to care, nothing just completely dead. All men are in this state spiritually according to the Bible. All men are dead in their sins and because of this all men are under the wrath of God (Romans 1:18-19, 3:9). However, just like Lazarus, the words and power of Christ have and can change the status of a man. What do I mean? Just like Christ was able to command Lazarus to walk out of that tomb so to is He able to call forth the spiritually dead and give them life. If any man is in Christ that person is a new creature! He has been raised from the dead! His life has been forever changed, because he has been resurrected from the dead.
This has so many implications… Paul said in Romans 6:12-13, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” We are called to present ourselves to God like those who have been brought alive from the dead. Our lives are not our own, they have been bought with blood. So praise the Lord that He does not wait for us, rather gives us life in order that we may respond with faith, love, and obedience to Him. This is the greatest miracle ever and it is because of this that men can be transformed by the gospel.
By the time Jesus got to Lazarus four days had passed. Many were so upset to see Lazarus dead, Martha even said that “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” She was convinced that if Jesus had been there that her brother would have lived and everything would be joyous and happy. However, here is Jesus arriving on the scene four days late witnessing the mourning and all the people gathered to comfort those who are hurting. We see Jesus going to the tomb of Lazarus and saying, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me” then with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The very next verse proclaims that “the man who died came forth”, it was unbelievable Lazarus was now alive, back from the dead!What a story! So incredible to see the authority and power of Christ! How his words have such power to give life. It is crazy to think that Christ has not just raised Lazarus from the dead, but everyone who has faith in Him. You see Lazarus is no different than every human being. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins”, meaning that we to are dead just like Lazarus was in the tomb. Lifeless, no ability to respond, no ability to care, nothing just completely dead. All men are in this state spiritually according to the Bible. All men are dead in their sins and because of this all men are under the wrath of God (Romans 1:18-19, 3:9). However, just like Lazarus, the words and power of Christ have and can change the status of a man. What do I mean? Just like Christ was able to command Lazarus to walk out of that tomb so to is He able to call forth the spiritually dead and give them life. If any man is in Christ that person is a new creature! He has been raised from the dead! His life has been forever changed, because he has been resurrected from the dead.
This has so many implications… Paul said in Romans 6:12-13, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” We are called to present ourselves to God like those who have been brought alive from the dead. Our lives are not our own, they have been bought with blood. So praise the Lord that He does not wait for us, rather gives us life in order that we may respond with faith, love, and obedience to Him. This is the greatest miracle ever and it is because of this that men can be transformed by the gospel.
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