Moral Understanding

People in all cultures seem to ageee that there is a common code of right and wrong.  Objective moral values exist in the world.  Circumstances and justifications may vary, but we all still base this is a similar moral values platform.  They must come from a moral law giver, God.

 

(My thoughts from reading Talking with Your Kids About God.)

Examination of Facts

People look at the evidence, a set of facts about the universe, and coming to terms with explanations.  Believers point to God.   Atheists do not, but it is based on interpretation of the same set of facts.

 

(My thoughts from reading Talking with Your Kids About God.)

Creator God

As legos do not assemble themselves into working products, material that exists in nature doesn't assemble itself into humans/life. 

We require specific things in our environment to exist.  It's built I  just the right way, by God, to provide for our needs.

The possibility that this happened by chance is extremely minimal. Further showing the need for a supernatural or super intelligent creator God.

 

(My thoughts from reading Talking with Your Kids About God.)

"Come and See"

This morning's sermon was about hospitality, vows, and sharing our faith. 

She started in talking about radical hospitality being welcoming and inviting to all.  She complimented our church on our hospitality. 

She then spoke about our commitments and vows we take as we join the church.  They promises are: prayers, presence, gifts ($$), service and more recently the church has added witness.

She then elaborated on witness, which is also known as evangalism.  She talked about had the word has some not so welcoming connotations in what we perceive as evangelism, but evangalism isn't all those things we think of when we hear the word, it's letting our life be the example of Jesus.  It's sharing your faith with someone. 

Only God can save someone; we are just to introduce the people to Jesus.  We need to invite them in.  We are the PR people.

Other Notes from Psalms

I noticed we humans often fear God will forsake us in the reading of prayers and songs in Psalms. 

There is a reoccurring phrase of: you didn't let my enemies laugh at me.

Psalms & the old testament are talking a lot about protecting people and God - I have to believe this is not a physical protection but more peace with what comes from God.  (Psalm 32:10 His love surrounds us; His love is all the protection we need.)

There were several prayers in Psalms for our enemies to fail, be hurt, die, etc.  Wouldn't a loving thing be to pray for them to have a change of heart?  (Hard to do, I know!)

We are not to be afraid, but we are to fear God.

God focuses on 'his people' in the Old Testament.  He crease us and loves us, but to be His people we must choose Him too.

Psalms has a prayer for many needs and situations.

When the Bible says "God said," did he really audibly speak to those people?  Or did he speak so that those things happened in His God, higher than human way?

So much evil action wished on the enemy in Psalms.  Sometimes it's hard to imagine, but my life has been far from this culture or experience a violent enemy so personally.  So I'm not a fair comparison or judge.  Yet is there some thought that non-believers be punished.  David being blessed will bring in more believers because they see his good fortune?

What if the Lord had not been on our side?

Sometimes victory over evil needs to be over myself in the temptation and selfishness. 

Psalm 7

Prayer for fairness had me thinking; what is fair for me as a sinner?  Do I really want that?  Later in Psalms I read more that went along these lines.  Without his forgiveness, there would be no one left for we'd all be punished for our sins. 

David said defend me because I have done no wrong.  Job said he was punished in innocence.  But are they really innocent?  We are human and all fall short of the glory of God?  Are they innocent because of their repentance and sacrifices?  Where they just good Old Testament rule followers before Jesus shook things up?

Psalms

I finished the book of Psalms this morning.  There are many notes, but not a ton of detail.  It is a long book of praise, prayers, requests for protection and more, mostly from David.

• Two ways to live - good & successful v. wicked
• Lord's chosen king - obey & be loyal
• God gives courage & strength to David & sings this to God in the morning
• David's evening prayer - think of things & rest in security of God's safety
• Morning prayer for protection
• Prayer for mercy in trouble times
• Prayer for fairness
• The Lord's greatness
• Son of thanksgiving for victories against enemies
• Compliant about evil people and ask for God to intervene
• Trust in the Lord
• Prayer against liars
• A prayer for God to be near
• The unbelieving fool
• What the Lord demands: trust, honor, respect, no gossip, keep promises, don't take $$ to hurt others or collect interest
• The Lord takes care of his people
• Prayer for protection
• Song for victory
• The Lord's creation: sky & stars tell a beautiful story daily without saying a word
• Prayer for the king
• Thanksgiving for the king
• Prayer of a suffering man
• Lord is my shepherd, strength, leader, comfort, peace, giver
• A welcome for God to the temple
• A prayer for God to guide
• Prayer of an innocent believer
• A song of trust in God
• Prayer in trouble time
• God in a thunderstorm - the Lord's voice is powerful
• Joy comes in the morning
• Thanksgiving of escaping death (David)
• Prayer of faith in trouble times
• It is better to confess sin
• Praise God creator (power, spoke Earth into being) & Savior
• Praise God so everyone understands us
• Praise God who Judges and saves
• Tech the children:
• say no evil
• tell no lies
• do no evil, do good
• seek peace
• work for it
• God is close to the brokenhearted
• A prayer for help - defeating enemies
• Wicked people & a good God
• God will reward fairly
• 27 v. 23-24 - even those following the Lord's footsteps will stumble, but he catches us (thank you!)
• Prayer in time of sickness
• Life is short (seems sad, but we have Jesus & hope)
• Praise & prayer for help - speak truth.
• A prayer in time of sickness
• A wish to be near God
• Prayer for Protection
• Prayer for help
• Song for the King's wedding
• God protects his people
• God is the king of the world
• Jerusalem is the city of God
• Trusting money is foolish - we can't buy life, no payment is enough, we all die
• God wants true worship - God doesn't need sacrifices, we can't bring Him anything that isn't already His, just our hearts; He wants sacrifices from our thankfulness
• Prayer for forgiveness
• God will punish the proud
• The unbelieving fool
• Prayer for help
• Prayer about a false friend
• Trusting God for help
• A prayer in trouble times
• Unfair judges
• Prayer for protection
• Prayer after a defeat
• Prayer for protection
• Trust only in God
• Wishing to be near God - Ch. 63 V. 32- Your love is better than life.
• A prayer against enemies
• Hymn of thanksgiving
• Praise God for what he has done (repent & pray)
• A cry for help
• A cry for God to help quickly
• An old person's prayer for salvation, safety & praise
• A prayer for the King; he helps others
• Realization the wicked may be rich & living happily, but there is no depth or meaning only death
• A nation struggles & prayers
• God is out 1 and only judge
• God always win; he's angry for evil
• Remembering God's help
• God saved Israel from Egypt - a summary
• The nation cries for Jerusalem
• A prayer to bring Israel back
• A son for a holiday
• God lets us make bad choices, free will
• A cry for justice (orphans, poor, suffering)
• A prayer against enemies - don't be silent God
• Wishing to be in the temple, want with your whole being, more than other life, just a glimpse of living with God
• Prayer for the nation
• Cry for help
• God loves Jerusalem
• A sad complaint
• Song of God's loyalty
• God is eternal, human lifespan isn't
• Safe in the Lord
• Praise & thanksgiving for God
• God will punish his enemies
• Must praise & be obedient
• Praise God; He is coming to judge
• Lord is powerful & Just
• Lord is fair & holy, fear him
• Give praise to the Lord
• David promises to rule well with obedience
• A Cry for help from someone suffering
• Praise the Lord of love
• Praise our great creator
• God loves Israel
• God saved many times
• David - a prayer for victory
• A prayer against the enemy
• Lord appoints a king
• Praise the Lord's goodness
• Honest people are blessed
• Praise the Lord's kindness
• god brought Israel from Egypt
• One true God - no - idols - God deserves the credit as out helper & protector
• Thanksgiving for escaping death, salvation from sin
• Hymn of praise
• Thanksgiving for victory
• The word of God is true, honest, good
• Temptation may trip us up, but we must stay true to God
• A prayer for those living away from home in evil/war
• The Lord guards us
• Prayer for Jerusalem
• Pray for mercy
• Lord saves his people "Our help comes from the Lord"
• God protects those who trust Him
• Lord, bring your people back
• All good things come from God
• Happy home
• Prayer against enemies
• Prayer for mercy - or no one would be left if we were all punished for our sins
• Childlike trust in the Lord
• Praise for the temple, a home for God
• Love of God's people
• Temple guard's praise the Lord
• Only our God saves, not idols!
• HIS LOVE CONTINUES FOREVER
• Israelites in captivity were wanting to sing happy, but they couldn't and didn't want to forge Jerusalem
• Hymn of thanksgiving
• God knows everything, when I stand, when I lay, in the womb; He is always with me
• Prayer of protection from evil
• A prayer not to sin
• A prayer to not be killed - life may lead to you
• A prayer for victory
• Praise God the king
• Praise God who helps the wear
• Praise God who helps his people
• The world should praise God
• Praise God!
• Praise with music

Nature & God

God's word is seen in nature. Heavens declare his glory. He is supernatural and the creator of the world.

We can see his beauty around us.

 

(My thoughts from Talking with Your Kids About God.)

The Hiding Place

 

 

I finished reading The Hiding Place last night for the first time.  It tells the story of atrocities of World War II, but when I think of the book, more than that I think of it as an amazing story of faith, love and prayer.  The TenBoom family was committed to their faith and exemplified love for others throughout the story in way that made God's presence known.  They risked everything for the love of others.  

Leadership

A few month back, I attended a seminar for work called Growing Leaders.  Holly Moore was the presenter and she was wonderful to hear speak.  Much of what she talked about resonated with my time in the McDonough Leadership Program at Marietta College. 

I took a few notes through her presentation; I've captured some snippets of it below.

• She opened with talking about people having a leadership mindset.  There are situation leaders and leaders who grow their leadership mindset. 
• Email is for information, not emotion.
• "Wise leaders play chess, not checkers as they manage relationships."  People move and interact like chess pieces, all different and unique and should be managed as such.  People are not all alike like checkers that move in the same way.

I enjoyed her presentation for the day so much that the following week I emailed the Dean of the program at Marietta and told him that the seminar I attended reminded me so much of my time at McDonough as she talked about situation leaders and growth mindsets.  When I think about what concepts and theories I learned in college that I think about any apply today in the workforce, far and away it is the concepts that I learned in leadership. 

That email led me to being connected with director of communication and brand management at Marietta, which led me to being a featured alumni on the website!

152

Elinore has a favorite number. 152.

Anytime you ask for a number of anything it is 152.

Resolution for 2018

2018 Goal: solo date night with husband once a month.

A Prophecy Fulfilled

Efficiencies can lead to impatience.  Saving time in everything hurries out pace and causes us to loose patience. 

The name Jesus is Greek.  It was Joshua in the original language, Hebrew.  It means: God will save. 

Jesus spoke truth and caused many people to fall.  The changes he brought was too hard for many.  Yet, the truth he spoke also caused the rise of many because they were looking for Jesus.  

What do we want most?  What do we most for our kids?  The love of Christ.  For them to be followers.  And if that isn't what we want most, it should be!

How long will we wait to encounter Jesus?  We hope.  We praise.  We keep a ready heart.  

(Sermon notes from 12/31/17)