- Read the Word daily.
- Start off my day with the Lord.
- Do and decide with the love of God in mind.
This is my starter plan. This is already in play and I hope for it to evolve as it continues.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Plan1.0
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Grace's Plan
Hello everyone! I hope you guys have a nice Thanksgiving with your families!
This is the guideline that I want to set for myself...
-to have expectations (e.g., when reading the bible, praying, or even for the day) and get something out of it
-manage my time wisely-be productive
-to come to God during good and bad times (not just when I need Him)
-to start and end the day with prayer, reading the bible, or both (I did this for a while, but I became inconsistent)
This is the guideline that I want to set for myself...
-to have expectations (e.g., when reading the bible, praying, or even for the day) and get something out of it
-manage my time wisely-be productive
-to come to God during good and bad times (not just when I need Him)
-to start and end the day with prayer, reading the bible, or both (I did this for a while, but I became inconsistent)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
It's SHOW TIME!
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game plan
I don't really have specifics for my gameplan, but I do have some general guidelines that I'm going to follow in preparation. :OGameplan
- to humble myself before people and before God
- prepare myself for the work ahead
- to not slack off
- to master balance
- to not be distracted
- to keep God first, always
100% until the day we see each other in Heaven. :3
Monday, November 23, 2009
Game Plan
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game plan
just wanted to notify: to encourage posting on the prayer request section, it will be refreshed weekly.i also added a countdown to remind us to STAY STRONG and PREPARE for the upcoming year! :D
speaking of which, mike- where is your example game plan?! now i have no format to copy. XD kidding, kiding...
anyways... about my game plan.
for the remaining days i will, to the best of my ability:
- follow the schedule that i've set for my self
- never procrastinate (i realize that this is almost an impossibility for me.. and that the reason it's not completely impossible would only be the grace of God ^^;;)
- essentially, follow through.
fighting!
Monday, November 9, 2009
good gospel song!
UNEXPECTED FRIENDS : originally by Sandi Patti.
its kinda cheesy now when i listen to it but love their voice!
lyrics:
When the dark closes in so hard
I can hardly see
And the walls of my fortress of faith
Crumble in on me
when it seems like the end
not a measure of strength to spend
I feel the arms of a stranger rescue me
La, la, la...
La, la, la...
When it seems like the end
Not a measure of strength to spend
I feel the arms of a stranger rescue me
Chorus
With some unexpected friends
Never asking where I have been
Just a hand of mercy and words of love
Call me back again
Oh, it feels like home
With unexpected friends
A soothing balm for the wounds
I suffer along the way
A fervent prayer giving courage
And hope for another day
Through the help of my friends
Ones I may never see again
Seems like angels that were
sent by heaven for me
With some unexpected friends
never asking where I have been
Just a hand of mercy and words of love
call me back again
Oh, it feels like home
With unexpected friends
its kinda cheesy now when i listen to it but love their voice!
lyrics:
When the dark closes in so hard
I can hardly see
And the walls of my fortress of faith
Crumble in on me
when it seems like the end
not a measure of strength to spend
I feel the arms of a stranger rescue me
La, la, la...
La, la, la...
When it seems like the end
Not a measure of strength to spend
I feel the arms of a stranger rescue me
Chorus
With some unexpected friends
Never asking where I have been
Just a hand of mercy and words of love
Call me back again
Oh, it feels like home
With unexpected friends
A soothing balm for the wounds
I suffer along the way
A fervent prayer giving courage
And hope for another day
Through the help of my friends
Ones I may never see again
Seems like angels that were
sent by heaven for me
With some unexpected friends
never asking where I have been
Just a hand of mercy and words of love
call me back again
Oh, it feels like home
With unexpected friends
Monday, November 2, 2009
Prayer.
Hello everyone,
I know you guys may be busy but TOO BAD!
Take the time to pray for Ta Rissa. She is sick as we all know and I think it would be comforting for her to know that her fellow brothers and sisters are praying for her especially in times of a physical crisis. Keep her good health in your prayers.
Hope you get well soon Ta Rissa, we missed you on sunday.
VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT READ BELOW!!!
Our fellow church goers, Grace's, Rebecca's, and Sarah's grandma has passed away today. If you guys could please take the time PLEASE take the time pray for all the family members. Every Prayer counts..
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sermon Notes
Hi guys! :D
I'm church-hopping around in SD, looking for a place to settle while I'm at school [PMC is still my home church ;D]. I went to a church called Lighthouse today, and received what I though were really solid sermon notes on the Trinity that I wanted to share. If there is something that's wrong/off/against what PMC teaches, then I would like to ask for clarification on reconciling any differences.
Oh, warning ahead of time, it's LONG. If you plan on reading, make sure you have time. :P
God in Three Persons
Trinity - Triune God
Difficult subject - analogies fail us - can't understand/comprehend it
- shouldn't discourage us from studying it
- importance: remove trinity > Christianity shambles
.- if God decided to reveal Himself, shouldn't we then study what he reveals instead of just leaving it as something we don't understand?
Mini-history
Modalism - Sabellism: God's Father/Son/Spirit is in successive phases, not all three at once [these idea spread because it's difficult/impossible to truly grasp that God as trinity]
- this idea falls at Jesus' baptism [Jesus + God's voice + Holy Spirit Dove], also doesn't explain John 17 - if in successive phases, why does Jesus pray to God the Father?
Arius vs. Alexander: key debate in Christian history on the deity of Christ
Arius- Jesus is only a creation of God, like a glorified angel
Alexander- argues the gospel of John, that Jesus is God
-these debates got so big that the ruler, Constantine decided to host the debates by a large group of bishops to settle the matter.
.-led to: Nicene Creed: One God, Son [God from God, one substance] + Holy Spirit
..- homousias vs. homoiusias: same substance, vs. similar substance [Arius and followers argued/advocated homoiusias]
..- our faith rests on this iota
- eventually got rid of Arius+followers' ideas at Council of Constantinople
.- modern equivalent: Jehova's witnesses- still here in a different form, which argues that Jesus isn't God
Three aspects to Trinity
1) Bible clearly teaches monotheism
- Isaiah 45 - prophecying Babylonian captivity- so sure of it that it's written in past tense and calls out the one who will do it [Cyrus] by name, long before Cyrus even existed.
- when the bible repeats anything, you know there's importance/emphasis: use of 'I am the Lord, there is no other.'
- Shamah [one of the first/many things good Jewish boys will memorize; the passage is called this [sp?]] - Deuteronomy 6 [v. 4-5] - God is one
- John 17:3 - only true God and Jesus
- 1 Timothy 2:5 - one God, one mediator [note: Jesus already in heaven]
- Romans 3:29-30 - since only one God
2) Scripture represents Father, Son, Spirit - All God
- Malachi 2:10 - one Father, one God
- John 6:27 - God Father set His Seal
- John 1:1 - both [with and was] - distinction and unity; v14 - flesh
- John 8:56 - 'before Abraham was, I am'
.- Exodus - God says to Moses - tell the Israelites that 'I am' sent you
- John 10:30-31 - I and the Father are one
- Romans 9:5 - Christ who is over all
- Hebrews 1:1-12 - ties with Genesis 1 - through Jesus, God creates
.- H 1:8 - calling Jesus God
- New Testament shows Jesus as Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit all God
- Acts 5:3-4 - they lied to HS > lied to God
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 - church is the temple of HS > reflects Old Testament - God resided in the temple
.- All distinct but all equally God - none greater than the other
..- not example of Father, Son, Spirit as 1/3 of a whole pie, they are each fully God, each fully pie [same pie]
3) Triune God in Scripture
- Great Commission - how many noted this?: Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - ONE name, singular, of Father, Son, Spirit
- 2 Corinthians 13:14
.- All three in creation [Genesis+John] - all are creator
- all eternal - all involved in our salvation [Father: called each of us before time, Son: sacrificed life for our sins, so that we may live, Spirit: convicted us, so that we would believed]
- this is distinct in our religion/faith
- we ought to worship appropriately - implications
- all true God - distinct
.- 1 corinth - 'worship in spirit and truth' - we have to know about the Trinity and about God/scripture and not just rely on emotions to worship
- shown in the Lord's Prayer Jesus revealed [example of knowing to properly worship/why we need to know about trinity, as shown by Jesus]: need to pray appropriately to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Spirit
- when reading scripture about this/shows this, give though and not just glass over it
God in Three Persons [Part II]
- God was very specific in creation, he could have made everything the same - instead, so many variety in species/types of creatures
- more we understand about God leads to deeper worship
.- also humbles us
- God can be in perfect fellowship with Himself for eternity [breaks argument that God created us because He was 'lonely,' etc]
.- God was fine without us, we're the one who brings sin into the picture
..- truly is it out of God's grace that He calls us; it may actually have been better for God without us and our sin
- each equally God- but distinct from each other
= KEY POINT: unlike how our culture/society is raised to think, submission doesn't mean inferior [ex, how when bible says wives should submit to husbands, doesn't mean that the wife is inferior to the husband in any way]; that there is authority in submission, there is equality. The bible/God teaches us otherwise about what we normally think about submission and equality
Plurality of God
1) Father's position in Godhead [Supreme]
- Psalm 2 - why people say what they do: they have a problem with God, they're bound by His sovereignty [don't people think this way? that becoming Christian means that they'll be limited by a whole bunch of do's and dont's, rules, etc]
.- God set His King > that we should kiss the Son > God put Jesus as King
..- Jesus - if God the Father says to be King, I will be King [just happens to be a nice position XD]
- John 6:35-38 - the will of Him who sent me > His will prevail
.- I will not lose those set for me, for God's will will prevail [Jesus confident in God's will]
- 1 Corinthians 11:3 - God [Father] is head of Christ
- Philippians 2:5 - Son's obedience > raised > not to the top position, but right hand instead, for top is the glory of God the Father, who put Jesus there
- Question: Then why send the son first> spirit second? Why not just the God the Father for his glory?
- accomplished through the Son and Spirit so that we would worship the Son; the Father takes pleasure in us glorifying the Son
- how much more supreme is God the Father, who Son+Spirit submit to Him, compared to us. How much more grace to trust us, we're only sinners, but by the grace to use us, if we submit to Him as head.
2) Even though the Son is co-equal to Father in being, His role is subordinate
- ex. Gethsemane, Matthew 29 - may this cup pass from me, not as I will, but as you will
.- before this event: John and Andrew [think it was these two stated] and their mother to Jesus ask to be put as his left/right hand, Jesus responds: can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? [Jesus Himself asks for the cup to be passed] they foolishly say yes, and they do, for they do suffer for His name, but it is all up to the Father to place anyone in any seat
- does nothing of His own desire, but does all for God's pleasure
.- Jesus, through this/actions, sets an example for man, for us
..- even Jesus had to retreat, away from disciples/etc, to have fellowship with Father
..- Jesus became man for our sin, now has to retreat to pray [compare to the eternity Son had in fellowship with Father, but now as man has to retreat to do so; Also pain on cross: for the Son, who had been in perfect communion with God the Father, now because he took on the sins of man, was separated from God/God turned His face away from His Son because of our sins]
- delighted to do the Father's will
- Jesus is God, but obeys God
- because of the joy set before Him, Jesus obeyed
- [forgot to list the verse] I have become man for you, and will be man for all eternity for you
- gave up perfect fellowship for us
- 1 Peter 1:18-21 - God raised, glorified, exalted Son, but knew before all time that the Son would submit to God
- 1 Peter 3:22 - all bow to Son, who is at right hand of God the Father > who is rightfully on the throne; through equal in every way/same God, Son still submits
- how much more should we submit to the will of the Father?
- Picture of who gets 'front seats' when Jesus arrives: those who get front seats won't be the Billy Grahams, other big name Christian leaders, but probably obscure and unknown people, who have served God faithfully
.- raise nothings to put the shame the somethings [first > last, last > first]
.- encouragement for us: just have to be faithful and humble
3) Although Holy Spirit co-equal to Father and Son as God, subordinate in role and relationship with both
- not a lot about HS in bible, even though He is God
- in humble submission, He directs the spotlight to Son, to whom Father is pleased to exalt
- in prophetic scripture [Revelations, Ezekiel, etc], read a lot about the Father and the Son, nothing about Holy Spirit then
.- He is guiding/strengthening/convicting us now
.- in heaven, there is no sin > so quietly sits down; we have no idea as to what He will do for all eternity. Holy Spirit submits, even though He is God.
- John 14:15 - Father sends spirit, spirit obeys
.- specifically, Jesus sends Spirit through Father
..- Holy Spirit submits to both Father and Son
- Holy Spirit came to glorify son and submit
- came to speak the word of the Son [truth], who speaks from the Father
- Isaiah 61:1-2 - Messaiah annointed by God's spirit; Father deems that Son will be my messaiah
.- Jesus submits to the will of the Holy Spirit
.- Jesus couldn't sin because He walked in the power of the Spirit [not just because He was God, HS played role]
- Son obeyed/humbled Himself/depended on Spirit as a man, over who He had authority over [Son over Spirit]
- to attack the trinity is to eliminate the gospel
- God revealed Himself so that we would know Him; worship and understand Him as He is
- Bible is written by the Holy Spirit - in New Testament studies: the word spirit is usually found near/proximity to bible/scripture/etc
- Also, God is more highly exalted when specifically thanked
.- ex. Painting a picture. To just say 'Thank you God' is to splash on color onto the canvas, but to be specific in who you thank for what God does is to paint within the lines to create a better painting.
Also, I would like to ask for how to reconcile spiritual gifts/expressions of the Holy Spirit, as is shown through PMC, vs. the sola-scriptura churches, which seem to disagree with what is practiced at PMC [or at least give the impression that it wouldn't quite be embraced there, I feel]. Just something that's been bugging me at times. They're like little flies of doubt, which I swat away, but they come back at times. :(
But otherwise, I'm doing well, back on track after a period of slipping [:/]. I hope that you can get the same out of the lecture as I did and appreciate it as I did as well?
I pray that you guys are doing well spiritually, are physically healthy, and mentally not at stress. :3
I'm church-hopping around in SD, looking for a place to settle while I'm at school [PMC is still my home church ;D]. I went to a church called Lighthouse today, and received what I though were really solid sermon notes on the Trinity that I wanted to share. If there is something that's wrong/off/against what PMC teaches, then I would like to ask for clarification on reconciling any differences.
Oh, warning ahead of time, it's LONG. If you plan on reading, make sure you have time. :P
God in Three Persons
Trinity - Triune God
Difficult subject - analogies fail us - can't understand/comprehend it
- shouldn't discourage us from studying it
- importance: remove trinity > Christianity shambles
.- if God decided to reveal Himself, shouldn't we then study what he reveals instead of just leaving it as something we don't understand?
Mini-history
Modalism - Sabellism: God's Father/Son/Spirit is in successive phases, not all three at once [these idea spread because it's difficult/impossible to truly grasp that God as trinity]
- this idea falls at Jesus' baptism [Jesus + God's voice + Holy Spirit Dove], also doesn't explain John 17 - if in successive phases, why does Jesus pray to God the Father?
Arius vs. Alexander: key debate in Christian history on the deity of Christ
Arius- Jesus is only a creation of God, like a glorified angel
Alexander- argues the gospel of John, that Jesus is God
-these debates got so big that the ruler, Constantine decided to host the debates by a large group of bishops to settle the matter.
.-led to: Nicene Creed: One God, Son [God from God, one substance] + Holy Spirit
..- homousias vs. homoiusias: same substance, vs. similar substance [Arius and followers argued/advocated homoiusias]
..- our faith rests on this iota
- eventually got rid of Arius+followers' ideas at Council of Constantinople
.- modern equivalent: Jehova's witnesses- still here in a different form, which argues that Jesus isn't God
Three aspects to Trinity
1) Bible clearly teaches monotheism
- Isaiah 45 - prophecying Babylonian captivity- so sure of it that it's written in past tense and calls out the one who will do it [Cyrus] by name, long before Cyrus even existed.
- when the bible repeats anything, you know there's importance/emphasis: use of 'I am the Lord, there is no other.'
- Shamah [one of the first/many things good Jewish boys will memorize; the passage is called this [sp?]] - Deuteronomy 6 [v. 4-5] - God is one
- John 17:3 - only true God and Jesus
- 1 Timothy 2:5 - one God, one mediator [note: Jesus already in heaven]
- Romans 3:29-30 - since only one God
2) Scripture represents Father, Son, Spirit - All God
- Malachi 2:10 - one Father, one God
- John 6:27 - God Father set His Seal
- John 1:1 - both [with and was] - distinction and unity; v14 - flesh
- John 8:56 - 'before Abraham was, I am'
.- Exodus - God says to Moses - tell the Israelites that 'I am' sent you
- John 10:30-31 - I and the Father are one
- Romans 9:5 - Christ who is over all
- Hebrews 1:1-12 - ties with Genesis 1 - through Jesus, God creates
.- H 1:8 - calling Jesus God
- New Testament shows Jesus as Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit all God
- Acts 5:3-4 - they lied to HS > lied to God
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 - church is the temple of HS > reflects Old Testament - God resided in the temple
.- All distinct but all equally God - none greater than the other
..- not example of Father, Son, Spirit as 1/3 of a whole pie, they are each fully God, each fully pie [same pie]
3) Triune God in Scripture
- Great Commission - how many noted this?: Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - ONE name, singular, of Father, Son, Spirit
- 2 Corinthians 13:14
.- All three in creation [Genesis+John] - all are creator
- all eternal - all involved in our salvation [Father: called each of us before time, Son: sacrificed life for our sins, so that we may live, Spirit: convicted us, so that we would believed]
- this is distinct in our religion/faith
- we ought to worship appropriately - implications
- all true God - distinct
.- 1 corinth - 'worship in spirit and truth' - we have to know about the Trinity and about God/scripture and not just rely on emotions to worship
- shown in the Lord's Prayer Jesus revealed [example of knowing to properly worship/why we need to know about trinity, as shown by Jesus]: need to pray appropriately to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Spirit
- when reading scripture about this/shows this, give though and not just glass over it
God in Three Persons [Part II]
- God was very specific in creation, he could have made everything the same - instead, so many variety in species/types of creatures
- more we understand about God leads to deeper worship
.- also humbles us
- God can be in perfect fellowship with Himself for eternity [breaks argument that God created us because He was 'lonely,' etc]
.- God was fine without us, we're the one who brings sin into the picture
..- truly is it out of God's grace that He calls us; it may actually have been better for God without us and our sin
- each equally God- but distinct from each other
= KEY POINT: unlike how our culture/society is raised to think, submission doesn't mean inferior [ex, how when bible says wives should submit to husbands, doesn't mean that the wife is inferior to the husband in any way]; that there is authority in submission, there is equality. The bible/God teaches us otherwise about what we normally think about submission and equality
Plurality of God
1) Father's position in Godhead [Supreme]
- Psalm 2 - why people say what they do: they have a problem with God, they're bound by His sovereignty [don't people think this way? that becoming Christian means that they'll be limited by a whole bunch of do's and dont's, rules, etc]
.- God set His King > that we should kiss the Son > God put Jesus as King
..- Jesus - if God the Father says to be King, I will be King [just happens to be a nice position XD]
- John 6:35-38 - the will of Him who sent me > His will prevail
.- I will not lose those set for me, for God's will will prevail [Jesus confident in God's will]
- 1 Corinthians 11:3 - God [Father] is head of Christ
- Philippians 2:5 - Son's obedience > raised > not to the top position, but right hand instead, for top is the glory of God the Father, who put Jesus there
- Question: Then why send the son first> spirit second? Why not just the God the Father for his glory?
- accomplished through the Son and Spirit so that we would worship the Son; the Father takes pleasure in us glorifying the Son
- how much more supreme is God the Father, who Son+Spirit submit to Him, compared to us. How much more grace to trust us, we're only sinners, but by the grace to use us, if we submit to Him as head.
2) Even though the Son is co-equal to Father in being, His role is subordinate
- ex. Gethsemane, Matthew 29 - may this cup pass from me, not as I will, but as you will
.- before this event: John and Andrew [think it was these two stated] and their mother to Jesus ask to be put as his left/right hand, Jesus responds: can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? [Jesus Himself asks for the cup to be passed] they foolishly say yes, and they do, for they do suffer for His name, but it is all up to the Father to place anyone in any seat
- does nothing of His own desire, but does all for God's pleasure
.- Jesus, through this/actions, sets an example for man, for us
..- even Jesus had to retreat, away from disciples/etc, to have fellowship with Father
..- Jesus became man for our sin, now has to retreat to pray [compare to the eternity Son had in fellowship with Father, but now as man has to retreat to do so; Also pain on cross: for the Son, who had been in perfect communion with God the Father, now because he took on the sins of man, was separated from God/God turned His face away from His Son because of our sins]
- delighted to do the Father's will
- Jesus is God, but obeys God
- because of the joy set before Him, Jesus obeyed
- [forgot to list the verse] I have become man for you, and will be man for all eternity for you
- gave up perfect fellowship for us
- 1 Peter 1:18-21 - God raised, glorified, exalted Son, but knew before all time that the Son would submit to God
- 1 Peter 3:22 - all bow to Son, who is at right hand of God the Father > who is rightfully on the throne; through equal in every way/same God, Son still submits
- how much more should we submit to the will of the Father?
- Picture of who gets 'front seats' when Jesus arrives: those who get front seats won't be the Billy Grahams, other big name Christian leaders, but probably obscure and unknown people, who have served God faithfully
.- raise nothings to put the shame the somethings [first > last, last > first]
.- encouragement for us: just have to be faithful and humble
3) Although Holy Spirit co-equal to Father and Son as God, subordinate in role and relationship with both
- not a lot about HS in bible, even though He is God
- in humble submission, He directs the spotlight to Son, to whom Father is pleased to exalt
- in prophetic scripture [Revelations, Ezekiel, etc], read a lot about the Father and the Son, nothing about Holy Spirit then
.- He is guiding/strengthening/convicting us now
.- in heaven, there is no sin > so quietly sits down; we have no idea as to what He will do for all eternity. Holy Spirit submits, even though He is God.
- John 14:15 - Father sends spirit, spirit obeys
.- specifically, Jesus sends Spirit through Father
..- Holy Spirit submits to both Father and Son
- Holy Spirit came to glorify son and submit
- came to speak the word of the Son [truth], who speaks from the Father
- Isaiah 61:1-2 - Messaiah annointed by God's spirit; Father deems that Son will be my messaiah
.- Jesus submits to the will of the Holy Spirit
.- Jesus couldn't sin because He walked in the power of the Spirit [not just because He was God, HS played role]
- Son obeyed/humbled Himself/depended on Spirit as a man, over who He had authority over [Son over Spirit]
- to attack the trinity is to eliminate the gospel
- God revealed Himself so that we would know Him; worship and understand Him as He is
- Bible is written by the Holy Spirit - in New Testament studies: the word spirit is usually found near/proximity to bible/scripture/etc
- Also, God is more highly exalted when specifically thanked
.- ex. Painting a picture. To just say 'Thank you God' is to splash on color onto the canvas, but to be specific in who you thank for what God does is to paint within the lines to create a better painting.
Also, I would like to ask for how to reconcile spiritual gifts/expressions of the Holy Spirit, as is shown through PMC, vs. the sola-scriptura churches, which seem to disagree with what is practiced at PMC [or at least give the impression that it wouldn't quite be embraced there, I feel]. Just something that's been bugging me at times. They're like little flies of doubt, which I swat away, but they come back at times. :(
But otherwise, I'm doing well, back on track after a period of slipping [:/]. I hope that you can get the same out of the lecture as I did and appreciate it as I did as well?
I pray that you guys are doing well spiritually, are physically healthy, and mentally not at stress. :3
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