The Spiritual Warfare Bible?

Ummm isn't the Bible in and of itself suppose to be used for Spiritual Warfare? Isn't it rather redundant afterall the Bible being God's Word and a "sword" ...ah, marketing.

Simple Outline of the Bible

I came across this simple outline of the Bible and thought to share. (Don't know the source but thought a good insight)

I. God creates the heavens and the earth and all things in them, including mankind. Found in Genesis 1 and 2.

II. Mankind, alone, rebels against God's authority. Found in Genesis 3.

III. God moves through history to re-establish His authority over all creation. This is from Genesis 4 through Revelation 22.

I'm a Big "Patrick Roy" Fan.

I admit I'm a Patrick Roy fan ...so big that my oldest daughter if born a boy would of been named after him. (No lie - Wayne Gretzky Fess was too cunning and so we liked the name Patrick and Roy after my middle name and Grandfather hence the name though Valerie didn't know until later it was a famous player)

so Roy being named the AVS new coach is just the right thing to do. It adds to the list of great players now GMs or Coaches like the CAPS Coach - or the TB's GM Yzerman, or great coaches like Wayne ...(OK maybe the Great One had a bad time) I'm a big fan of OVIE too seeing him drafted in NC. But really one of the greatest goaltenders ever to coach ...(BTW I still have his rookie card and though I have some dislike of the HABS and AVS) Patrick Roy will bring name, fame recognization for the AVS. So congrats and kudos to the AVS. (IT could be worse at least you don't have Barry Melrose coaching ...what was TB thinking?)

Old Versus New

On Sunday I mentioned (Hebrews 8) Old versus New and here is what I mentioned:






Old Covenant Vs. New Covenant
Gifts and Sacrifices for guilt of sin Self-sacrifice by guiltless Christ
Physical Building where One goes to worship Reign of Christ in hearts of believers
Limited promises Limitless promises
External standards Internal Standards
Limited Access to God Unlimited access to God
Legal Cleansing personal cleansing
Obey the rules serve the living God
Forgiveness earned Forgiveness freely given
Repeated yearly completed by Christ’s death.
Human effort God’s grace
Available to some. Available to all.

Meeting the Governor of Virginia and other Oddities ...

Yesterday the Family spent the day at the Virginia War Memorial and to visit Hollywood Cemetery. We heard the Governor speak and had just by chance to meet him and his wife. It was a highlight and history lesson for my children.

The odd thing to me was that we were there to honor men and women who served and sacrificed for our country and here are those serving in the military serving us (Common people) Water. Shouldn't I be serving them? Giving them water on this day of remembrance and honoring their fallen companions and friends?

Maybe that is what I need to be doing more. Serving people: water. The Living Water. How about you?

Book I"m Currently Reading - Taking your church to the next level.

Next Door Savior - A Review

Just finished Reading Max Lucado's Next Door Savior.

I admit I'm an avid reader of Lucado's. I like his style. Very simple to the point. The point of the book's premise is easy that our Savior wants to know us. Our great Commander In Chief wants a relationship with us. Max takes scriptures, stories and helps point us to well, Jesus.

This book helps not dumb down the gospel but simplify it to let us know that Jesus - 100% God and also 100% man understands us and what we go through.

Junior 2 week of Camp - Oak Hill Christian Service Camp

I'm going ...how about you?

Hebrews Sermon Series

Controversial surrounding a Terrorist ... or Why we should love our enemies ....

By now you've heard that last month there was a bombing in Boston. And in central Virginia one of the terror suspects was buried a few miles from where I currently live. So why the controvery?

I. No one wanted a shrine for a terrorist.

II. It is always hard to bury bad people.

III. We can identify with Bad people - for without God's grace so go I.

IV. We need to love our enemies. The end of Romans 12 reminds us of this and to show kindness even to those who mean you harm. Ultimately God will be the Judge.

V. There are 3 things that make up a person. 1. Physical makeup (Genetics) 2. Environmental Influence (Peer pressure, music, TV, internet (Afterall millions aren't spent on a 30 second commercial for nothing)) and Thirdly - The Will. You choose to sin or not ... Ultimately we all will answer to the Creator for our sins ...and if in God's Grace - covered by the blood of the Lamb.

VI. We like Swift Justice ... I'd never forget in 1998 after Christmas finding out that a co-worker of mine from KB Toys was robbed, and murdered and his naked body left in his home ... I wanted justice and revenge to the two men who did that to my friend and co-worker. I was angry, hurt and later forgiveness came.

I'd never forget the faces just days after 9-11 in NYC of those who asked us "Have you seen this person?" or looking at the shrines and wanted the answer to the question ..Why?

I'd never forget wanting swift justice for the DC Sniper and two gas stations in Ashland, and Fredericksburg that I had just been and the scareness of those few weeks.

And I could go on .... but God ultimately delivers.

VII. It reminds us of our past. We have fallen. We have made mistakes. We need forgiveness. The journey is never easy. Our pride gets in the way. We can say "Not in my backyard ..." why because of the reminder of pain, past hurts, and a reminder it could of been us. In some ways we have hurt people, maybe not "Deadly bombing" but our words, our actions, our own sinfulness have hurt people (Sometimes doing even more damage) ...Aren't you glad there is a Saviour?

My job isn't to point people to myself but to Jesus. Anyone with me? Let's love God and others together.

May the 4 be with you.

Current Sermon Series: Hebrews

So far it has been on the Greatest Commandment, Palm Sunday, the Resurrection and a study through Hebrews.

Wednesday nites have included: Favorite Memory Verses (and testimony), Names of God, and a Current "One Another" series on lessons for Christian Discipleship.

Our Summer Sermon Series will be topical: "Not a Fan."

What are you teaching on?

Books I'm reading

I'm in the midst of Re-Reading the Hobbit and just finished Vince's book (alot to chew on there to be a renegade) What are you reading?

The One Ring

Cooperative Learning and Its Implications for the Church.

A reader of mine sent me this article on Cooperative Learning


seems to me this is almost like Youth Cartel's Open Source meeting or even some of what discipleship needs to look like in the context of the church of group support, learning, and modeling it.

Thoughts? what do you think Cooperative learnings implications for the church is?

Each church attender has different variety of learning styles and so to win one we become different styles so we can reach one. Taking people from where they are to where they need to be.

Thoughts?

HT to Kerry Walsh for the Article.