Karmen's Wedding

The Happy couple
We are so happy for both of you.

Unplugged 7/19/2009

This weekend looks like it is going to be a great time to be outside. We will meet at the church at 5pm and head off to CDA to cool off by the lake and have some dessert at Dockside.

Our Discussion:
Hebrews 10:23-25 tells us to not forsake asembling together.
Here are some questions to be asking but don't limit yourself:
What does this look like?
To what point does this become legalistic?
What is the purpose?

Reproof and unconditional love

I have been reading The excellent Wife by Martha Peace and many parts have been convicting, but this one part really stuck out to me this week. The section is about reproof and showing unconditional love to your husband through giving it and receiving it in a gentle, humble, loving manner. If you are not married and reading this it still applies, other people in your life show you your weaknesses and we need to respond to them in a gentle and humble manner. The bible says that we are to help our brothers and sisters in Christ become more like Christ and one of the ways of doing that is to point out the faults and sin to them. It is hard to do this in love, but it is even harder to receive it humble and lovingly. The book gives 4 ways we respond and bible verse showing those are not biblical, they are as follows:

1. You become angry and lash out at them.

Through presumption(pride) come nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom. Prov. 13:10

2. You feel hurt, resentful, and unforgiving.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God is Christ also has forgiven you. Eph. 4:31-32

3. You focus on the things he is doing wrong.
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Mathew 7:5

4. You suffer intense personal hurt.
...He (God) disciplines us for the good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet those who have been trained by it afterwords it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:10-11 emphasis added.

When we do not respond with humility and gentleness when someone reproves us, then we are sinning. Even if the person who is reproving you is doing it in an angry, unkind manner, you are still responsible before God for your actions(how you respond.) So I urge everyone to work on receiving reproof in a loving, gently, humble way this week.

Sermons

Here are some great sermons to listen to that touch on Femininity and Masculinity. We talked about these two subjects on Sunday 6/28/09. Both sermons are by Mark Driscoll and I recommend them both to all of you. They are a steamed video but you can download the video or audio by clicking download in the box in the lower right hand corner.

Women and Femininity
http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/proverbs/women-and-femininity

Men and Masculinity
http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/proverbs/men-and-masculinity

Discussion: Masculinity and Femininity 6/28/09

What is the meaning Masculinity and Femininity, and how should this be displayed by Christians?

If you have ever seen Home Improvement you would know of Tim the Tool Man Taylor. If you haven't seen the show Tim is the sort of guy who has every tool known to man, works on cars, grunts and all the things you would think of in a manly man. Is this the meaning of being masculine? How does the arts play into masculinity?

Women the calling for you Biblically is to care for the family see Proverbs 31, does a picture of the mom off of Leave it to Beaver pop into mind? This is a woman with an apron, baking and cooking, cleaning the house. Is being proper the meaning of being feminine? What about women taking up traditionally men’s role ie military, construction etc.

Does clothing, hairstyle, the way we talk affect a persons masculinity or femininity? What does the Bible say about these the role of men and women, and does this affect ones masculinity or femininity?

Here are some pictures from Erin and Sean's Wedding. I meant to post these a long time ago and haven't have the time. Congrats Erin and Sean, we miss you a lot.

Discussion: Obedience, Respect, and Honoring Parents 6/21/09

We are kicking off our summer session with a BBQ, HS grads, and a new series that will challenge us to think about our world view.

In light of Eph. 6:1 or Col 3:20 and Exodus 20:12 as young adults are we still children and how does obedience, respect, and honoring our parents play into this time in our life.

Please be ready to discuss. Since this is our first time doing this I will give you some direction but don't make this a crutch by just answering these questions.
Is there a difference between honoring and obeying your parents?
Read Gen 2
Are there any other passages that talk about young men or young women?
What does the world say?
Does having Godly parents make a difference?
How does this affect me?

Resources:
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/