PLAN

So after reading Proverbs, I think having a PLAN is our top priority.

I’ve created this acronym: PRAYER, LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY, NURTURE.

We’ll focus on these aspects and continue to build up spiritually our walk with God, our walk with family, our walk with friends/church, our walk with work/mission in life.

What ways have you planned for this new year?

Continue to grow in these 5 CORE disciplines:
Prayer, Scripture, Fellowship, Serving (missions), Giving.

Not just compartmentalize, but have these core disciplines flowing through us as a natural part of our every day lives.

As a start: M’Cheyne reading plan for ONE YEAR.

And P2R – let me know if you’re interested in joining in this year of fun!

Worship Time – Sunday School

This sunday was special for me. I shared a little at how God was working in my life and since it was Valentine’s day, shared a little how God brought my wife and I together. The sermon was on Husbands from Ephesians how husbands are called to love his wife as Christ loved the church.

We then went to our main study, which I wanted to share a little about what was going on in Haiti. Hopefully we could spur one another on to love and good deeds. Something I had hoped for the high schoolers. We watched a short flick concerning Haiti and went over some brief bible verses.

One of the questions I asked concerning what should we be doing? I shared 1 corinthians 12 where Paul said that if believers were part of one body and that if one part suffers we all suffer. We touched on Micah 6:8 were God desires his people to be people of justice and mercy. We looked at the Great commission and also Acts 1.

One student said something interesting to the effect “not bringing bibles” meaning either bible studies were irrelevant at a time like this or there wasn’t much need for Christians/evangelism. I acknowledged he was partially correct (i.e. the kidnapping missionaries, overly zealous people with lack of resources) but people also need hope. I think with all the relief efforts to bring healing and shalom through physical restoration, medical operations, amputations, rebuilding of infrastructure, etc. People also need the Gospel. Haitians (and us) need to know the supremacy of Christ in these times of crisis.

Hopefully seeing the devastation and hearing the testimonies spurred something in my students. I pray for the Holy Spirit to move them as He has moved me in many ways. Lord, use us and make us instruments for your glory and for your namesake.

Amen.

Time to Worship (Mid-Autumn Summary)

It is mid-October and we are in the midst of the flu/sick season. The past few worship services have focused on work, life, faith.

We started a new Sunday School on Apologetics based on C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. You can follow along here at GentlenessAndRespect.com.

Our family time of worship at home has been stagnant due to illnesses, but it should be the other way around. Our worship should be first irrespective of circumstances.

Recently we have been dealing with the concept of sonship, mercy ministries, and servanthood. May God work in all of our hearts and sanctify his people.

Time to Worship (July Summary)

We are currently beginning the book of Ruth in our nightly bible reading. After finishing Judges we were a bit troubled at how different and “ungodly” many of God’s servants were. Maybe a bit of fresh air, but disturbed nonetheless.

Ruth is someone who is a little bit more in our “scope” of who a servant of God should look like. Anyways, we’ll be surely disappointed when there is sexual sin in her life as well :P

As a family, we’ve been pretty busy. We had a weekend retreat up in CT for a friend’s wedding and back in town for my sister’s wedding. I’ve been listening to various seminary classes I downloaded online from iTunesU.

Theology of Ministry (RTS)
Youth Ministry (Covenant Seminary)

These practical theology courses are bit of a change for me as I shift gears from systematic to practical. The actual application has always been what I enjoy doing and as we examine our lives over the past year, we can see areas where we need a lot of work.

Over the next few posts we’ll examine what we need to do, areas we need to focus on, areas we need to change, areas we need to repent of.

Because we are going through “How People Change” series in sunday school, I felt it would be very good for us as a family to examine what areas of our lives when faced with the HEAT of life are THORNY and what areas we need to go to the CROSS in order to bear FRUIT.

Lord help us all.