Bored Questions

Only because every one else is doing it...and I don't want to work on my paper...as interesting as it may be...  

three names you go by
1. Kev
2. Mr. Gunn
3. General

three parts of your heritage

1. Irish
2. German
3. Scottish

Three Things That Scare You
- In the mountains alone
- Having someone see me for who I really am
- don't know what else

Three of Your Everyday Essentials
- Fruity Pebbles
- clothing
- toothpaste and toothbrush

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now
- Fatboys hoodie
- Jeans
- two wrist bands ("Fight Hunger and Homelessness" and "Promise Keepers")





Three of Your Favourite Bands or Musical Artists
- SKillet
- Relient k
- Audio Adrenaline





Three of Your Favourite Songs
- "How Deep the Father's Love"
- "OH Praise Him" (...in honor of Abby and other fellow fatties)
- Whatever else that sounds good with good lyrics





Three Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love)
- Honesty
- There when needed and someone to talk to
- whatever else would be a good thing to have in a relationship





Two Truths and a Lie
- I love Denver.
- I kinda like spending all my time at the library.
- I am not procrastinating on homework.





Three Things about the Opposite Sex that Appeal to You
- Good sense of humor
- Outdoors person
- Godly person who enjoys theology questions





Three of Your Favourite Hobbies
- riding my bike
- coffee shops (or hanging out in similar setting)
- Frisbee or soccer





Three Things You Want to do Really Badly Right Now
- Preach
- Hang out with roommates and go on a roadtrip to IN & Out
- be done with school

Three Places You Want to go on Vacation

- Scotland
- Rome
- Israel

Three Things You Want to Do Before You Die


- Skydive
- Rock Climb an amazing cliff
- something else really hardcore and extreme




Three People I want to take this quiz
-Other people procrastinating on work or really bored
-My family
-My friends and roommates









Well, I suppose it is time to go work on my paper...I guess...since that is done and I can't really find anything else to distract me here...

Icons?

working on a research paper on icons in the early church (1st century)...but my question to all of you is this:

What is your opinion of icons in the church?

Icons are statues, pictures, or images of some kind and can range from Jesus Christ himself, to the virgin Mary, to the saints.

Let me know what your opinion of icons in sanctuaries....does it create an intimate place, or place of reverence to worship God? does it "create the mood" for worship and reverence? what about our white walled, pictureless sanctuaries with florescent lighting...what kind of worship setting is that?

Opinions please...

Back from Break

wow...break was good and very much needed...didn't really have any responsibilities this past week...forgot what that was like...have had a lot going on this year...it was good to be home and have nothing to really worry about...

Church today was good reminder...to focus on what God has done for us and remember the blessings...reminded me of this sermon that I had put together from the summer...so...here you go...enjoy! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and an amazing break...time for the final stretch...only two weeks of regular classes...then finals...whoa...two weeks...scary to think about...I have a lot to do in those two weeks...anyway...here's the outline...

I. Background

a. Genesis

i. Creation Account

ii. The Fall/Eating of Apple

1. Entering of sin into world

iii. Story of Cain and Abel

1. Cain kills Abel

iv. Increased wickedness
v. Noah Called to Build Ark
vi. The Flood Story
vii. Abram (Abraham)

1. God's covenant with him

a. Promised a child

viii. Sara

1. God's covenant with her
2. Bears child

ix. Abraham and Isaac

1. Father called to sacrifice son

a. God's faithfulness

i. Imagine making such a sacrifice

1. God made that sacrifice with Christ on the Cross
2. Refer back to hymn

x. Joseph

1. His faithfulness
2. Has dreams, later sees those dreams and in second command to Pharaoh

b. Exodus

i. Moses called to deliver people
ii. The ten plagues
iii. Israelites delivered out of Egypt

1. Released from slavery
2. God splits the sea

iv. Layout of the Tabernacle
v. Moses on Mt. Sinai

c. Leviticus

i. More on the Tabernacle
ii. The Sacrifices

1. Names the sacrifice, purpose, and how to carry out the sacrifice

iii. Laws and ordinances for the people

d. Numbers

i. The Tribes and tasks assigned to each tribe/clan
ii. Set out with the Tabernacle

1. Follow cloud by day, fire by night

a. This is God's presence among the people

II. Brings us to Chapter 11

a. Other Complaints of the people

i. Exodus 14:10-12
ii. Exodus 15:22-24
iii. Exodus 16:3-4

b. Numbers 11-First-two complaints in Numbers (About 4th complaint altogether)

i. Vs 1-3: Reason is uncertain, fire outside edge of camp
ii. Vs 4-6: Now no meat, been eating manna
iii. Vs 7-see Also Exodus 16:3-4
iv. Moses cries out, can't carry burden alone

1. God's faithfulness
2. They are given meat, Moses is given help

c. Numbers 14-Second complaint in Numbers

i. Chapter 13- Land of Canaan reached, spies sent out to scope the land

1. Reports of strong and fierce people vs 28

ii. Chapter 14:

1. Vs 1-4: People want to go back to Egypt, complain God brought them out here to die.
2. Vs 5-19:Moses and Aaron plead for the people, and ask for God's Mercy and Grace
3. Vs 20-28: God offers forgiveness
4. Vs 29-38: Consequences of the people's actions
5. Vs 39-45: People take things into their own hands and fail.

III. Application

a. People continually forgot what God had done

i. The Plagues in Egypt

1. Deliverance from slavery and bondage

ii. The Parting of the Sea

1. Spared them and waters crushed the armies of Pharaoh

iii. Previous miracles in the dessert

1. Providing water and manna

b. We Forget God's miracles in our lives

i. The Cross

ii. Miracles and workings in personal lives

IV. Challenge

a. Write in your Bible, things that God has done for you

i. In times of sorrow, loneliness, hurting, suffering, whatever, reflect on these things and remember God's faithfulness.

ii. Remember what God has done for you, focus on those things, and don't focus on what you don't have!
iii. To many times we focus on what we don't have, or what God hasn't done, we must wait upon Him. He is all knowing and has complete wisdom. He knows what is best for us.

b. Prayer

i. Thank you Lord for who you are and your faithfulness...Thank you for always being there for us in the past and continuing to do so in the future. Lord, help us all remember you, especially this holiday season...help us to remember the glorious birth of your son, his life, and his sacrifice. Thank you for your love. Help us to remember our blessings, and wait in you for things we hope for. In your holy name, Amen.

Homeless people never cease to amaze me

Homeless people never cease to amaze me...they have amazing stories...and a great sense of humor...wish you all could have been there tonight to hear what they were saying...

"How old are you guys?" Diesel asked.
"20" we replied.
"dang...you guys are young ones still. Isn't it past your bedtime?" asked Jody.
"Oh wait...yeaup...it's about that time. We better get going."

They kept joking about that all night. They also joked about their "housing". Said I was standing in their kitchen, and the bathroom is at the dumpster. He had a whole floor plan for the sidewalk. It is awesome to see they can still joke around and have a good time, even though they are living on the streets. Homeless people know how to really and truly live! They look out for each other...Jody was carrying around a bag of stuff because another homeless guy was picked up by the police. They were holding it until he was released, so he had something to cover up with. They lend each other their blankets. They know what it means to help out a brother or sister in need, even though they themselves are in need.

This is why I want to write a book...to capture moments like these and show people that the homeless are more than that (homeless), the are people too with stories, with lives, with humor, and with needs, with emotions...they need us...people...to talk to...to be with...to pray with...amazing!

Sister Mary

You go sister...you guys have got to check these articles out...Sister Mary sounds amazing...She is trying to stop homelessness (that's why I am over excited about this)...and sounds like she has done a lot for the homeless thus far...God, can I leave and help her, now? No, I can't, I need to stay here and finish school comes the reply.

Anyway, here are some links to go check out:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10055262
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=658b662b-dccd-4208-bc39-1d73b0db7805&f=email







http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/2005/11/more_about_sist.html
http://www.projecthome.org






Thanks Dad for sending me that email...the things I would have missed out on (the above article) if he didn't send me the link...if I could only find the time to sit down and watch the news...to become smarter...but no...I have to hear these from somebody else...and most of the time from a homeless person...I have the resources at my finger tips and yet the homeless are the ones who knows what is going on around the world...why is it like that? why do we take our possessions and blessings for granted?

Just talked to my brother who helped out a homeless man today in Pheonix...wasn't expecting that...way to follow the Holy Spirit bro.

Started the book I want to write...about homeless people and such...just got an introduction...I hope the rest comes together...in God's timing and according to His will...

Denny's, FIRE, and Grandparents

Make sure to see my sermon outline at the end of this babbling.
Been a good weekend...Thursday went well...stayed late at Denny's...good times...budget review for FatBoys Friday morning...and went to FIRE...amazing time there....good job Shanna...keep up the good work. It reminded me why I want to do full-time ministry...to be amidst the chaos and know that God is in complete control (the irony of that, yet truth).

Lunch with Grandparents...good times...love you guys. Star Wars Marathon Friday and Saturday evenings...good movies. Ultimate Frisbee game...against Mines (other schools didn't show)...it was rough with the wind, but good (minus my drops and few bad throws).

Church this morning...amazing! Anderson reminded me why I am suffering through Greek, to go back to the original text and find the things that we miss with the English translations!!!

Fun pictures (more to come later)...

Here's the reason for this post... a new sermon idea that I have had in mind for a while, and recently confirmed and inspired to type out because of God's work through Anderson!

The text for this sermon is: Matthew 27:45-54.

John 19:30 "When Jesus had received the wine, he said 'It is finished.' Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (NRSV)
Introduction:
I remember I was once asked a question: "If God is all powerful, why can't he simply forgive sins? Why did he have to forgive through Christ?"

• I am going to attempt to answer this question, and explain the purpose of, and need for, Christ.
• The Birth of Christ:
• Born of a Virgin in a sinful family
• Matthew 1
• Because he was born of virgin and begotten by God, He was not in the same sinful state as his ancestors
• Born to a poor family
• Joseph was a carpenter, not a king.
• The family were not of any great significance (not until Christ's birth)
• The Life of Christ
• Faced temptation, yet resisted (Matthew 4)
• Lived a sinless life
• Lived among the servants and needy, not a life of a king or hero (see the Gospels)
• The Death of Christ
• Purifed man of their sins
• John 19:30 - paid the price for sin in full
• Matthew 27:46- Christ feeling sin for first time...the absence of God (God had to turn away..he could not see his son with the sin and suffering he went through)
  
• .Romans 5:18 - Sin entered the world through one man, and sin was conquered through one Man
  
• The "Problems" of the Pharisees
• Christ was not born of a noble birth - there is nothing royal in a barn
• The Pharisees were expecting a king
  
• Christ was not a king - He lived among the poor and needy
• The Pharisees thought the Messiah would be a great king or hero
  
• Christ did not redeem the people from this world as the Pharisees thought He should - Christ did redeem us from sin as the prophets say
• Christ died - The Pharisees didn't think the promised Messiah would die
• Why did Christ have to die? Why Can't God just forgive?
• God is Just And Merciful
  
• Through Christ, God can show justice, and yet at the same time show mercy.
• God is never changing...He is always the same.
• If God is always the same...ALL of His attributes and characteristics must ALWAYS be present...including both mercy and justice (though the two seem to conflict).
• Through Christ, God can show both attributes
• Christ died to pay the debt...we must accept his payment on our behalf (mercy)
• If we do not...we are condemned as the Scriptures say (justice)
• If God simply forgave and Christ did not die...there is no justice.
• Christ also offers us a visual aid (an example to follow)...Christ showed us the New covenant and way to live..
• Christ also showed us that God is a personal God...God is not foreign and distant, but close and relational...compassionate...and God can relate to us...
• This sermon doesn't do its justice...there is more to expound upon...more to say...and this is simply an outline...each underlined main point can be elaberated on and so much time can be spent on each point...this is simply a quick over view...
• Father...We thank you for your love and sacrifice at the Cross...for your love and compassion as shown through us through your son Jesus Christ...forgive us of our sins and help us to fully understand what happened on Calvary...so that we may be better equipped and can understand of how marvelous you truly are...continue to reveal yourself to your people...be with us this day...In your name, Amen!

Go in peace and may God be with you...spend time with your Redeemer today!

George Gray

George Gray

I have studied many times

The marble which was chiseled for me—

A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.

In truth it pictures not my destination

But my life.

For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment;

Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid;

Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances.

Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life.

And now I know that we must lift the sail

And catch the winds of destiny

Wherever they drive the boat.

To put meaning in one’s life may end in madness,

But life without meaning is the torture

Of restlessness and vague desire—

It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.

Edgar Lee Masters

This is also located in Wild At Heart, which I just finished and a poem that stuck out to me while reading the last chapter. I finished the book...which now means that I am searching for another book to read. Any good suggestions? It's funny, I remember my list of books to read was full of books, but I can't remember any of them right now. Please send me your suggestions...also take note of my profile pic. all of you CCUers, the guys in SnowMass 101 would like our shelves back...please return them.

And thank you all of you outreach leaders for a good week of encouragement....I have so many cookies right now...it is simply amazing...

Feeling sick...

Currently Reading
Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
By John Eldredge
see related


Been an interesting week...wasn't feeling good most of the week...and really tired.

Didn't want to go to FatBoys for a while this week, but I did and it rocked (as always).  Some ministry leaders joined us (thanks guys for your encouragement this week)...as well as Chris...who lead Fatboys the past couple of years before I did...it was good to see him again...


Small group...not a lot of people...but what can you do...still serve as if you had a large group and not let numbers affect the ministry...

Feeling much better now...even though i was out in the cold while sick...and talking to homeless people...not quite sure how that happened.

Got a busy weekend ahead...but all is well...looking forward to the weekend.