YAM eNews Week of April 27, 2003
=============================
IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
Calendar
Coming Up
NewsFlash—Summer Job at TFB
[Your Contribution Could Be Here]—Tana’s Tales from DownUnder
Studying Romans with Pastor Charlie
Suggested Study Plan For Romans
The Gathering—Why Did Jesus Have To Die On The Cross?
Tuesday Bible Study—Big Rocks
Soul Work—Why did Jesus need to die?
=============================
CALENDAR
SUNDAYS
Worship @ 8:45 am—Main Worship Center
Current Study: Pastor Charlie is teaching through Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Gathering @ 10 am—YAM room
Current Study: Tom on, “The Importance of Easter: What it means and what it doesn’t mean”
An online summary is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
Eating together (most weeks) @ 11:45 am—restaurant changes, meet in the patio or see Mike N
TUESDAYS
Bible Study @ 8 pm—YAM room
Current Study: Big Rocks, taught by Laura
An online version is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
=============================
COMING UP
SUNDAY May 4
@ 5:00 pm
SEE SPOT ROCK
visit http://www.seespotrock.com for more info
SATURDAY, June 14
9:00 am to 12:30 pm
UNIQUELY YOU
Trying to figure out what you were made for?
Discover your divine design!
SUMMER EVENTS… at least so far (send in your ideas!!)
Sparks games
Baseball
Weekend retreat
Taco Saturday
Pool Party
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, August 29 to September 1
COLLEGE BRIEFING
Forest Home
In our world we are often faced with hard and challenging situations.
What do you depend on during these times?
Jesus Alone!
…CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS… Colossians 3:11 NLT
Cost: $145, $25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up
Scholarships available, ask Laura or Tom
Visit http://www.gospelcom.net/foresthome/collegebriefing2003.htm for info
=============================
NEWSFLASH—SUMMER JOB AT TFB
Helper for Director of Christian Education (Lynne Foster)
Everything from grunt work to program planning
Ten weeks
$100 (before taxes) a week for a total of ten weeks = $1000
Payday is every two weeks
Contact Lynne Foster if interested:
tfbce@pacbell.net
=============================
[YOUR CONTRIBUTION COULD BE HERE]
HI everybody-
Sorry about the long wait in between messages. I have been very busy these past two months. School is going well. I am staying on top of all of my assignments, which is good. In March, the church put on their Colour Conference, which had 8,000 women at it. I never want to have to feed 8,000 women ice cream again. Talk about a nightmare! I did survive, and have the Hillsong Conference in July to look forward to.
I have learned more about life in the few months I have been here. Not only did we go to war, but I have had to learn to overcome numerous cultural obstacles. Such as everything being closed Friday-Monday on Easter Weekend. It's hard not being able to go to the store over 4 days! Trust me, the cupboard can become empty very quickly! I am enjoying a lot of Australian life. My Australian friends have helped me learn to relax a bit more, which is always a good thing! I am doing my internship with my supervisor Geoff. That is always interesting, because he, and whoever is in the room with us, find my very American sayings funny. Like, they do not say candy, they say lollies. Candy is the name for the woman of the night, not a sugar high. I try not to say that too much! They also call soda, fizzies and french fries chips. So at McDonalds, I have a hamburger and chips.
I have not been to the city (Sydney) very much, but when I have gone, it is a great city, with wonderful night life. I was asked to go to the Pub, but I decided against it. Though it might have been an interesting experience. I am excited about the week break I have in two weeks! My roommates and I plan to go to the city and a day trip to the Blue Mountains. That should be not only fun, but very relaxing. Well I need to get going, and do one of four papers done. Have a great rest of the Semester and I will talk to all of you over the Summer.
Your friend from Down Under,
Tana Rice
=============================
STUDYING ROMANS WITH PASTOR CHARLIE
The Christian View of Life
THE BENEFITS OF BELIEVING
Romans 5:1-11
- WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD, V.1
When you have peace with God:
1. You lose your fear of God, John 15:15
2. You lose your fear of death, Hebrews 2:14-15
3. You lose your fear of doubts, Ephesians 6:11, 16
4. You gain a calm assurance before God even though you are imperfect, Romans 8:1
- WE HAVE 24-HOUR DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD, V. 2
In Roman culture, the term translated “access” was used in reference to those gaining access to Caesar.
In Jewish culture, the term was used in reference to the holy of holies in the tabernacle. This was the inner room where no one could go except the priest, once a year, and only with blood. When Jesus was crucified, the thick, floor to length curtain was split (Luke 23:44-45). The writer to the Hebrews tells us the significance of this. Hebrews 4:14-16 tells believers to enter the throne of grace with confidence.
- WE HAVE A NEW HOPE, V. 2
- WE HAVE A NEW MEANING IN LIFE’S STRUGGLES, V. 3-4
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
- WE ARE FILLED WITH GOD’S LOVE/PRESENCE, V.5
- WE HAVE A GUARANTEED FUTURE WITH GOD, V.9-10
God is absolutely able to keep those he saves, Jude 1:24
No one—absolutely no one, not someone else and not you—no one can take a believer out of Jesus’ hand or the Father’s hand, John 10:27, 29
“Adoption” is one of the words the New Testament uses to describe salvation. In Jewish culture, an adopted child could never be disowned. The relationship was secure. Romans 8:15 tells us that we have received the Spirit of adoption, who testifies that we are God’s children.
Hebrews 7:25 says that God is able to save us completely. And completely means completely.
Those who trust Christ are safe.
--Charlie (lks)
=============================
SUGGESTED STUDY PLAN FOR ROMANS
1. Read a chapter a day. When you’ve finished the book, start over. By the end of the series—about six months—you will have read Paul’s Letter to the Romans eleven or twelve times. How cool is that?
2. Memorize! Three plans:
LIGHT LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2—a total of 25 verses. Memorize one verse a week and you will finish in about six months.
MODERATE LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2 and Romans 12— a total of 46 verses. Memorize two verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
HEAVY LOAD: memorize Romans 12:1-15:13— a total of 71 verses. Memorize three verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
To know it, you gotta DO it!
=============================
THE GATHERING—
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
From Tom:
Today we talked a bit about why did Jesus have to die on the cross. Couldn't there have been some other way? One thing, if this is the way God chose to do it, we can be totally assured this was either the best
way, the only way, or both.
There are some very good reasons why it probably had to be this way. We talked about potential reasons for it being done the way it was. Some responses were, He (Jesus) was human, there was no way we could do enough works to pay for it ourselves, that it would somehow seem wrong if we committed the crime but then "paid" for it ourselves with our own "money" so to speak. These get us pointed in the right direction.
I gave the comparison of different "crimes" and their payment. I started by saying if we were to kill some insects for example, we wouldn't be arrested (in this case we would probably be applauded). But now if someone were to kill say a cat or dog, many people would be upset, and a person could be potentially arrested. The reason is because we attach some value to cats and dogs. They're "worth more" than insects. Taking the next big jump is if someone hurts or even kills a human. Laura mentioned, we could even get in trouble for things we might say to other humans (threats, discriminatory statements, etc). Ultimately, for murder, a person could receive the death penalty for killing someone. Why? Because of the value we place on human life. In fact, being created in the image of God, would give us probably the greatest "value" of any worldly thing. So, for insects, no penalty, cats and dogs, some minimal penalty maybe a little jail time. Murdering someone, life in prison or death, depending on the circumstances. Now, what happens when a crime is committed against God, an infinite being? How does one pay for that crime? How many good works need to be done? An infinite amount??? If someone murdered someone, could they do enough "good works" to pay for that crime. No.
So how does one pay for crimes against an infinite being? Essentially, it takes an infinite being to pay for an infinite crime. But the fact that crimes of humanity were involved, human nature is also essential.
Enter Jesus.
We are helpless in ourselves to pay for our crimes against God. It doesn't matter if it's a lie, we steal something, or we kill someone. Ultimately, the crime is beyond our ability to pay. Therefore, Jesus provided the only way for this to be done. Being infinite in nature, by being willing to act as payment, by "rendering Himself as a guilt offering" (Isa 53:10) He would have the authority to take on our sins and therefore provide the way for our salvation. So all I can say is "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 15:57).
I apologize for having to gloss over some heavy-duty theology. If there are things you have questions about, let me know.
Next week, we will be looking more in depth into 1 Corinthians 15, which teaches many aspects not only of Jesus resurrection but ours as well.
Have a great week,
Serving the Lord,
Tom
=============================
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
[A "Big Rocks" study booklet will be available in a few weeks. Send an email if you're interested.]
Big Rock One: The Word: 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Big Rock Two: God: Psalm 145:17-21; Hebrews 12:4-11
Big Rock Three: Man: Genesis 1:26-31; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4
Big Rock Four: Sin: Genesis 2:25-3:7; Ephesians 2:1-3
Big Rock Five: Christ--Isaiah 9:1-7; John 1:14-18
Big Rock Five: Redemption-- Isaiah 53:10-12
This week: Big Rock Six: Redemption--John 3:16-21
THE MENU
First: Get out your bible and read the passage a few times.
Second: What do you notice—who, what, when, where, how?
Third: Divide the passage into chunks that make sense.
Fourth: Summarize each chunk with a crispy sentence.
Fifth: Using the passage as your guide, try to answer your questions.
Sixth: Ask yourself, “So what?” What difference does/should this passage make in your life?
Here’s a few thoughts from Tuesday:
- In the culture of Jesus’ day “name” meant much more than “personal designation.” A name expresses the essence of the person. It reveals the total character, nature, and destiny. Knowing a name implies relationship. So, what might it mean to believe in the name of the one and only Son?
- Jesus/John uses a series of contrasts to develop a picture of salvation in this passage. See if you can find them.
- Spend some time figuring out all the pronouns. Some are a bit difficult and require some thought.
- Here’s the big idea: God’s sending of his one and only Son to save darkness-loving humanity …results in the eternal life of those who believe and the standing condemnation of those who do not believe.
So what?
- Since we are those who believe in the name of the one and only Son and since we live by the truth, how do our thoughts, attitudes, and actions compare with this reality? How can we put ourselves in a place where change can occur?
- Based on this passage, how would you answer the question, “How can a loving God send people to hell?” Support your answer.
Coming up...
Big Rock Seven: Spirit--Ezekiel 36:22-32; John 16:5-15
Big Rock Eight: Church--Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 4:7-16
Big Rock Nine: Future--Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 20:11-15
[the above preview may change, but it probably won't]
--Laura
=============================
SOUL WORK—Why did Jesus need to die?
If you want to stretch your brain and think a bit more about why the Son of God had to die, read Cur Deus Homo (Why the God-Man) by Anselm. It’s a definite brain stretcher, but it’s good stuff from a great guy. Anselm was the Archbishop of Canterbury and lived from 1033 to 1109.
For those of you looking for something a bit lighter, check out the one pager, Why would God have to die to save people from Himself?
YAM eNews Week of April 20, 2003
=============================
IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
Calendar
Coming Up
NewsFlash—Summer Job at TFB
[Your Contribution Could Be Here]
A Look at the Resurrection with Pastor Charlie
Suggested Study Plan For Romans
The Gathering—No Gathering today, but the donut holes in the courtyard were good!
Tuesday Bible Study—Big Rocks
Soul Work—Resurrection Art
=============================
CALENDAR
SUNDAYS
Worship @ 8:45 am—Main Worship Center
Current Study: Pastor Charlie is teaching through Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Gathering @ 10 am—YAM room
Current Study: Tom on, “The Importance of Easter: What it means and what it doesn’t mean”
An online summary is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
Eating together (most weeks) @ 11:45 am—restaurant changes, meet in the patio or see Mike N
TUESDAYS
Bible Study @ 8 pm—YAM room
Current Study: Big Rocks, taught by Laura
An online version is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
=============================
COMING UP
SUNDAY May 4
@ 5:00 pm
SEE SPOT ROCK
visit http://www.seespotrock.com for more info
SUMMER EVENTS… at least so far (send in your ideas!!)
Sparks games
Baseball
Weekend retreat
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, August 29 to September 1
COLLEGE BRIEFING
Forest Home
In our world we are often faced with hard and challenging situations.
What do you depend on during these times?
Jesus Alone!
…CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS… Colossians 3:11 NLT
Cost: $145, $25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up
Scholarships available, ask Laura or Tom
Visit http://www.gospelcom.net/foresthome/collegebriefing2003.htm for info
=============================
NEWSFLASH—SUMMER JOB AT TFB
Helper for Director of Christian Education (Lynne Foster)
Everything from grunt work to program planning
Ten weeks
$100 (before taxes) a week for a total of ten weeks = $1000
Payday is every two weeks
Contact Lynne Foster if interested:
tfbce@pacbell.net
=============================
[YOUR CONTRIBUTION COULD BE HERE]
=============================
STUDYING ROMANS WITH PASTOR CHARLIE
[NOTE: the Romans study will continue next Sunday]
WHY DOES THE RESURRECTION MATTER?
1. Because of the resurrection, our past can be forgiven. Colossians 3:14; Romans 8:1.
“Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross so I can quit nailing myself to the cross.”
2. Because of the resurrection, our present life can be managed. Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 4:13.
“Maturity is realizing that you cannot manage all that life sends you, but God can.”
3. Because of the resurrection, our future life can be secure.
Two ways to Heaven:
Plan A—I earn it! I live a perfect life!
- Salvation by sincerity: “It doesn’t matter what you believer as long as you’re sincere.” The problem? It’s very easy to be sincerely wrong!
- Salvation by good deeds: “I do good to others.” The problem? Good deeds aren’t the requirement, perfection is.
- Salvation by subtraction: “I give up my bad habits.” The problem? That would mean that all dead people are saved, because they’re not doing anything. I don’t think so.
- Salvation by religion: “I join a church and conform.” The problem? This is kinda like saying that being in a garage makes you a car. Nope.
- Salvation by heritage: “My mom and grandma were Christians.” The problem? Mom and grandma were probably married to, but your marriage (or not) is your choice. Same with salvation.
- Salvation by comparison: “I better than a lot of people.” The problem? God doesn’t grade on a curve.
Plan B—Jesus earns it! He lives a perfect life. I place my trust in Jesus, who earned my salvation through his life, death, and resurrection. 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 17:3; John 3:16
If you’re still trying to get to Heaven on Plan A—it doesn’t work. The only way is Plan B. This is the most important decision of your life. If you’ve made the decision to follow Jesus, sit down right now and tell him that you’re through with trying to get to Heaven on Plan A. Tell him you have decided to trust Plan B—to trust Jesus. Now, tell someone else about your decision, send an email to tfbyam1@hotmail.com and we’ll send you some more information.
--Charlie (lks)
=============================
SUGGESTED STUDY PLAN FOR ROMANS
1. Read a chapter a day. When you’ve finished the book, start over. By the end of the series—about six months—you will have read Paul’s Letter to the Romans eleven or twelve times. How cool is that?
2. Memorize! Three plans:
LIGHT LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2—a total of 25 verses. Memorize one verse a week and you will finish in about six months.
MODERATE LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2 and Romans 12— a total of 46 verses. Memorize two verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
HEAVY LOAD: memorize Romans 12:1-15:13— a total of 71 verses. Memorize three verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
To know it, you gotta DO it!
=============================
THE GATHERING—
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
The Gathering took a break today for Resurrection Sunday. Pastor Charlie taught on the resurrection, so if you need a fix until next week, check out the sermon notes above.
- Laura
=============================
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
Big Rock One: The Word: 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Big Rock Two: God: Psalm 145:17-21; Hebrews 12:4-11
Big Rock Three: Man: Genesis 1:26-31; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4
Big Rock Four: Sin: Genesis 2:25-3:7; Ephesians 2:1-3
Big Rock Five: Christ--Isaiah 9:1-7; John 1:14-18
This week: Big Rock Five: Redemption-- Isaiah 53:10-12
THE MENU
First: Get out your bible and read the passage a few times.
Second: What do you notice—who, what, when, where, how?
Third: Divide the passage into chunks that make sense.
Fourth: Summarize each chunk with a crispy sentence.
Fifth: Using the passage as your guide, try to answer your questions.
Sixth: Ask yourself, “So what?” What difference does/should this passage make in your life?
Here’s a few thoughts from Tuesday:
- Spend some time figuring out the three characters in this passage. The first is the LORD (Yahweh), the second is the righteous servant, and the third is “they.” Identify each pronoun and name/title/description.
- The passage flows in a series of contrasts between the apparently bad and the apparently good. Locate these chunks.
- The first part of the passage says that it was the LORD’s will to crush him. Frankly, this does not seem at all nice. What does this all mean?
So what?
- Two important themes run through this passage: grace and justice. The American Heritage Dictionary defines ‘grace’ as “5. A favor rendered by one who need not do so” and ‘justice’ as “3a. The upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law.” Where do you see these themes in this passage? Be careful. They show up in unexpected places.
- This passage tells us that God upheld both justice and grace when he gave the righteous servant (Jesus the Messiah) as the substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of humans. If God did this for us while we were his avowed enemies, how should we respond to our enemies? How do we balance our responsibilities as the children of God with our responsibilities as citizens of our nation?
Coming up...
Big Rock Six: Redemption--John 3:16-21
Big Rock Seven: Spirit--Ezekiel 36:22-32; John 16:5-15
Big Rock Eight: Church--Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 4:7-16
Big Rock Nine: Future--Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 20:11-15
[the above preview may change, but it probably won't]
--Laura
=============================
SOUL WORK— Resurrection Art
No words today. Check out the art links at:
http://www.textweek.com/art/resurrection_of_Christ.htm
YAM eNews Week of April 13, 2003
=============================
IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
Calendar
Coming Up
NewsFlash—Summer Job at TFB
[Your Contribution Could Be Here]
Studying Romans with Pastor Charlie
Suggested Study Plan For Romans
The Gathering—Side Topic: Why should we to memorize scripture?
Tuesday Bible Study—Big Rocks
Soul Work—Miracles cannot happen
=============================
CALENDAR
SUNDAYS
Worship @ 9:00 am—Main Worship Center [NOTE SPECIAL TIME FOR EASTER!!]
Current Study: Pastor Charlie is teaching through Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Gathering @ 10 am—YAM room
NOTE: THERE IS NO GATHERING APRIL 20—MEET IN THE PATIO FOR FELLOWSHIP AFTER WORSHIP
Current Study: Tom on, “The Importance of Easter: What it means and what it doesn’t mean”
An online summary is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
Eating together (most weeks) @ 11:45 am—restaurant changes, meet in the patio or see Mike N
TUESDAYS
Bible Study @ 8 pm—YAM room
Current Study: Big Rocks, taught by Laura
An online version is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
=============================
COMING UP
SUNDAY May 4
@ 5:00 pm
SEE SPOT ROCK
visit http://www.seespotrock.com for more info
SUMMER EVENTS… at least so far (send in your ideas!!)
Sparks games
Baseball
Weekend retreat
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, August 29 to September 1
COLLEGE BRIEFING
Forest Home
In our world we are often faced with hard and challenging situations.
What do you depend on during these times?
Jesus Alone!
…CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS… Colossians 3:11 NLT
Cost: $145, $25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up
Scholarships available, ask Laura or Tom
Visit http://www.gospelcom.net/foresthome/collegebriefing2003.htm for info
=============================
NEWSFLASH—SUMMER JOB AT TFB
Helper for Director of Christian Education (Lynne Foster)
Everything from grunt work to program planning
Ten weeks
$100 (before taxes) a week for a total of ten weeks = $1000
Payday is every two weeks
Contact Lynne Foster if interested:
tfbce@pacbell.net
=============================
[YOUR CONTRIBUTION COULD BE HERE]
=============================
STUDYING ROMANS WITH PASTOR CHARLIE
The Christian View of Life
How to believe God for a miracle
Romans 4:17-25
Definition of a miracle, vs. 17
- God giving new life to something that is dead
- God creating something out of nothing
Today’s passage talks about Abraham, a man who believed in a God who could do miracles.
THE SIX PHASES OF MIRACLE FAITH
Romans 4:18-22 and Genesis 12-22
Phase #1: God gives you a dream (a goal, a vision)
Genesis 12:1-3
When God called Abraham and promised to make him a great nation, Abraham was 75 years old and had no children. The dream was definitely beyond Abraham.
Phase #2: You make a decision
Genesis 12:4
Abraham packed up his stuff and left for only God knew where.
Phase #3: God delays his miracle.
Genesis 15:1-6
It is 11 year later and nothing has happened. Abram is now 86 years old and he still has no children. God renews the promise and gives Abraham a visual—the stars of the sky—to strengthen his faith.
Abraham responds with doubt, despair, and detour (fathering a son—Ishmael—with Hagar—Sarah’s maid, Genesis 16). By the way, Ishmael is the father of the Arab peoples, and there has been animosity between Arabs and Jews ever since.
Phase #4: You face overwhelming difficulties.
Genesis 17:1-6
Abraham is now 99 years old, and still he has no heir from Sarah. God is setting Abraham up for something completely beyond Abraham’s own ability.
Phase #5: You hit a dead end.
Genesis 22:1-12; Hebrews 11:17-19
The miracle child—Isaac—is born, but 12-15 years later, God asks Abraham to kill the miracle child. So Abraham is at least 112 years old and God is telling him to kill his only son. Ouch!
It comes down to one question: Is God more important than your perception of what God wants?
Phase #6: God delivers what he promised
Genesis 22:13-14
THE KIND OF FAITH GOD REWARDS
Romans 4:17-25
1. Faith in God, not in self, 4:17
2. Faith that is based on what God says, 4:18
3. Faith that faces the circumstances and looks beyond them, 4:19
4. Faith that praises God while waiting for fulfillment of the promise, 4:20
--Charlie (lks)
=============================
SUGGESTED STUDY PLAN FOR ROMANS
1. Read a chapter a day. When you’ve finished the book, start over. By the end of the series—about six months—you will have read Paul’s Letter to the Romans eleven or twelve times. How cool is that?
2. Memorize! Three plans:
LIGHT LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2—a total of 25 verses. Memorize one verse a week and you will finish in about six months.
MODERATE LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2 and Romans 12— a total of 46 verses. Memorize two verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
HEAVY LOAD: memorize Romans 12:1-15:13— a total of 71 verses. Memorize three verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
To know it, you gotta DO it!
=============================
THE GATHERING—
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
From Tom:
Today was an informal but fun Sunday school, where the teachers outnumbered the student 2 to 1. But we had a great discussion. Mainly I brought up the issue of memorizing scripture and "what's the point?" This was a question posed to me by a fellow believer and actually, it's a good one.
Right now I must be brief to meet my editor’s deadline but let it suffice to say that memorizing scripture will help fill your soul in a very special way, especially because the time you must spend in study and repetition.
Laura brought up a great piece of scripture to help us understand why we should spend much time in God's Word ...
Deut 6:4-9 NASU
It is so awesome to dwell in the Word, to which I don't have words to describe.
Try it, it's great.
Have a great week!
Surrounded by the incredible love of God,
Tom
=============================
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
Big Rock One: The Word: 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Big Rock Two: God: Psalm 145:17-21; Hebrews 12:4-11
Big Rock Three: Man: Genesis 1:26-31; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4
Big Rock Four: Sin: Genesis 2:25-3:7; Ephesians 2:1-3
Big Rock Five: Christ--Isaiah 9:1-7
This week: Big Rock Five: Christ-- John 1:14-18
THE MENU
First: Get out your bible and read the passage a few times.
Second: What do you notice—who, what, when, where, how?
Third: Divide the passage into chunks that make sense.
Fourth: Summarize each chunk with a crispy sentence.
Fifth: Using the passage as your guide, try to answer your questions.
Sixth: Ask yourself, “So what?” What difference does/should this passage make in your life?
Here’s a few thoughts from Tuesday:
- First, some definitions (from the Holman Bible Dictionary):
GLORY: weighty importance and shining majesty which accompany God’s presence.
GRACE: undeserved acceptance and love received form another.
TRUTH: that which is reliable and can be trusted; actual fact; correct knowledge; the biblical concept of truth is not conformity to a standard but faithfulness and reliability.
LAW: basically Torah; there are two types: 1) broad categorical laws which set forth general principles (for example, the Ten Commandments), 2) case law, usually in an “if…then…” format (for example, the laws regarding what to do if your ox kills another person’s ox)
- The big idea: The in-fleshed One and Only God, the Word …makes the invisible God to be visible and brings full grace and truth.
- Christian culture, like the Pharisaic culture of the first century, often demands conformity to a community standard for acceptance in the community. Given that Jesus gives the fullness of grace and truth, what should Christian culture be like? In what ways to you demand conformity to a standard? How might your assumptions change in light of this passage?
- The world says that truth is flexible, that it is created through community stories. This passage says that truth is embodied in a person—Jesus Christ. How does this relate the assumption that truth is flexible?
Coming up...
Big Rock Six: Redemption--Isaiah 53:10-12; John 3:16-21
Big Rock Seven: Spirit--Ezekiel 36:22-32; John 16:5-15
Big Rock Eight: Church--Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 4:7-16
Big Rock Nine: Future--Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 20:11-15
[the above preview may change, but it probably won't]
--Laura
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SOUL WORK— Miracles cannot happen
Before we can decide whether or not miracles can happen, we must first define what a miracle is. Basically, a miracle is an event that cannot be normally explained through the laws of nature. In the context of Christianity, miracles are the product and the work of God who created the natural laws as well as the universe.
Read the rest at CARM…
YAM eNews Week of April 6, 2003
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IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
Calendar
Coming Up
[Your Contribution Could Be Here]
Studying Romans with Pastor Charlie
Suggested Study Plan For Romans
The Gathering—The Importance of Easter
Funnies—Peeps Research (just in time for Easter :)
Tuesday Bible Study—Big Rocks
Soul Work—Reasonable Faith
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CALENDAR
SUNDAYS
Worship @ 8:45 am—Main Worship Center
Current Study: Pastor Charlie is teaching through Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Gathering @ 10 am—YAM room
Current Study: Tom on, “The Importance of Easter: What it means and what it doesn’t mean”
An online summary is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
Eating together (most weeks) @ 11:45 am—restaurant changes, meet in the patio or see Mike N
TUESDAYS
Bible Study @ 8 pm—YAM room
Current Study: Big Rocks, taught by Laura
An online version is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
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COMING UP
SUNDAY May 4
@ 5:00 pm
SEE SPOT ROCK
visit http://www.seespotrock.com for more info
SUMMER EVENTS… at least so far (send in your ideas!!)
Sparks games
Baseball
Weekend retreat
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, August 29 to September 1
COLLEGE BRIEFING
Forest Home
In our world we are often faced with hard and challenging situations.
What do you depend on during these times?
Jesus Alone!
…CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS… Colossians 3:11 NLT
Cost: $145, $25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up
Scholarships available, ask Laura or Tom
Visit http://www.gospelcom.net/foresthome/collegebriefing2003.htm for info
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[YOUR CONTRIBUTION COULD BE HERE]
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STUDYING ROMANS WITH PASTOR CHARLIE
The Christian View of Life
What God has done for you
Romans 4:1-16
Main Sections of Romans
Sin—1:18-3:20
Salvation—3:21-5:21
Sanctification—6:1-8:39
Sovereignty—9:1-11:36
Service—12:1-15:13
Read the passage.
The act of God accepting us: People are declared not guilty by God and given a righteous standing before God when they choose to put their trust in Jesus Christ to save them.
[DEFS]
Justified: to be declared not guilty, legally acquitted of all crimes.
Credited: to compute, to count
WHAT WE CAN TO DO TE COME ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
1. We need to stop trying to gain gods acceptance through good works, v. 1-8. (see Genesis 12:2-3 and 15:1-6 for background information on Abraham)
2. We need to stop trying to gain God’s acceptance through religious activity, v. 9-12.
- Abraham got right with God through faith before circumcision was instituted, v. 9 (see Genesis 15 and 17)
- Circumcision is a symbol of faith not a cause of faith, v. 11. (it’s like the USDA stamp on meat; the stamp does not make the meat good, it simply tells us the meat is good
3. We need to stop trying to gain God’s acceptance by keeping the law, v. 13-15. (Abraham was declared righteous 430 years before the Law was given)
4. We gain God’s acceptance by placing our trust in him, v. 16.
KEY REASONS OUR ACCEPTANCE BY GOD IS BASED ONLY ON FAITH
1. So our salvation is God’s gift to us, v. 16
2. So our salvation is guaranteed by God, v. 16
--Charlie (lks)
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SUGGESTED STUDY PLAN FOR ROMANS
1. Read a chapter a day. When you’ve finished the book, start over. By the end of the series—about six months—you will have read Paul’s Letter to the Romans eleven or twelve times. How cool is that?
2. Memorize! Three plans:
LIGHT LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2—a total of 25 verses. Memorize one verse a week and you will finish in about six months.
MODERATE LOAD: memorize Romans 14:1-15:2 and Romans 12— a total of 46 verses. Memorize two verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
HEAVY LOAD: memorize Romans 12:1-15:13— a total of 71 verses. Memorize three verses a week and you will finish in about six months.
To know it, you gotta DO it!
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THE GATHERING—
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
From Tom:
Today we started discussing the importance of Easter. What it means (Christ's Resurrection) and what it doesn't mean (the Easter Bunny).
I feel Easter is probably the most important event in man's history since Creation. It was the culmination of Jesus' ministry and the fulfillment of so much Old Testament prophecy. And as Paul says:
1 Cor 15:17
"...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. "
NASU
Therefore, we'd be no better off now than we were before Christ came. Because Christ Himself said He'd be raised on the third day. From Matthew ...
17:22-23
"And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day." And they were deeply grieved."
NASU
If He hadn't been raised, then it would mean Jesus was either a liar or a lunatic. And we'd have no reason to trust or believe anything He said. Over the next few weeks, we'll be examining much of the evidence showing that the resurrection was in fact historically true. We'll talk about Jesus' burial, the empty tomb, His postmortem appearances, and what I feel is one of the strongest pieces of evidence, was the new found courage and boldness the apostles had to go and spread the gospel.
From John 20:19
19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."
NASU
What changed them so significantly that they went from hiding in this room in fear, to going out, spreading the Word, and be willing to die for their Savior? Would you be willing to die for something you knew was a lie?
If you have any questions, if there are issues about the resurrection that seem shaky to you, if you think you've found the missing key to what really happened, e-mail me and/or bring you hearts and minds to class next week and let's discuss it.
You all have a great week,
His servant,
Tom
ironmantmw@juno.com
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FUNNIES—Peeps Research (just in time for Easter :)
1. Those resilient little birds...
As we plunge into the 21st century, it is time we take a closer look at the technological wonders we create. Here, we try to discover just a little bit more about the world around us through the miracles of science, technology, and preservatives.
We hope you enjoy this educational tour as we work to characterize everybody's favorite Easter candy, the Marshmallow Peep.
http://www.peepresearch.org/
Here’s a research project for anyone who cares to accept it: what in the world do bunnies, chicks, and eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus??
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TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
YAM Tuesday—Big Rocks
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
Big Rock One: The Word: 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Big Rock Two: God: Psalm 145:17-21; Hebrews 12:4-11
Big Rock Three: Man: Genesis 1:26-31; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4
Big Rock Four: Sin: Genesis 2:25-3:7; Ephesians 2:1-3
This week: Big Rock Five: Christ--Isaiah 9:1-7
First: Get out your bible and read the passage a few times.
Second: What do you notice—who, what, when, where, how?
Third: Divide the passage into chunks that make sense.
Fourth: Summarize each chunk with a crispy sentence.
Fifth: Using the passage as your guide, try to answer your questions.
Sixth: Ask yourself, “So what?” What difference does/should this passage make in your life?
Here’s a few thoughts from Tuesday:
- This is a major passage in the study of “but-ology.” Verse one sets the tone: “…in the past…BUT in the future…”
- Not long before Isaiah was prophesying, the northern kingdom of Israel (including Zebulun and Naphtali, v. 1) was taken into captivity by Assyria (in 722 BC). The southern kingdom of Judah was to be taken by Babylon in 586 BC. You can see from this that the future did not look bright. This is where the “but” comes in. Yahweh promises that One is coming who will finally defeat the enemies, who will break burdens, whose rule and peace (presence of wholeness, not absence of war!) will have no end.
- Here’s something to think about: How does this picture of Messiah compare with the picture of Messiah in the Gospels? In Revelation?
Coming up...
Big Rock Five: Christ-- John 1:14-18
Big Rock Six: Redemption--Isaiah 53:10-12; John 3:16-21
Big Rock Seven: Spirit--Ezekiel 36:22-32; John 16:5-15
Big Rock Eight: Church--Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 4:7-16
Big Rock Nine: Future--Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 20:11-15
[the above preview may change, but it probably won't]
--Laura
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SOUL WORK—
Reasonable Faith (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994) William Lane Craig
The origin of Christianity owns itself to the belief of the earliest disciples that God had raised Jesus from the dead. That belief cannot be accounted for in terms of either Christian, pagan, or Jewish influences. Even if we grant, for the sake of argument, that the tomb was somehow emptied and the disciples saw hallucinations - which we have seen to be false anyway - the origin of the belief in Jesus' resurrection still cannot be explained. Such events would only have led the disciples to say that Jesus had been translated, not resurrected. The origin of the Christian faith is therefore inexplicable unless Jesus really rose from the dead.
Source: http://www.afterall.net/citizens/moreland/
