I don’t know if this is creative, or a late night without creative ideas. Anyhow, Andy, don’t get any ideas!!!!
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1 Kings 6:1-38
“Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: ‘Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David. I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel.’”v.11-13
Solomon put great detail in constructing the temple. From the stones, wood, gold, statues and tools, all of these were used in a way to show reverence and awe to God.The temple had a purpose. God promised to that his eternal presence would never leave the Temple as long as one condition was met: The Israelites had to obey God’s law. Knowing how many laws they had to follow, we may think this condition was difficult. But the Israelites’ situation was much like ours today. They were cut off from God for failing to keep some small part of a law. Forgiveness was simply provided for all their sins, no matter how large or small. As you read the history of the kings, that law breaking was the result, not the cause, of estrangement from God. The kings abandoned God in their hearts first and then failed to keep his laws. When we close our hearts to God, we soon lose his power and presence.
Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
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Blogs from C3 Conference
Tony Morgan has been posting outines and zingers from the C3 Confernce at Fellowship Church. Here is some great stuff that Perry Noble said Thursday.
Here are some of the insights from Perry’s session. Thanks, Joe, for sharing your notes.
Environment matters
-Matthew 17:1-3
-If you are preaching at or working for a church that you would not otherwise attend, WHY?
-The fire starts in the Senior Pastor’s heart. If the Sr. Pastor is not fired up, why would anyone else be?Vision matters
-Matthew 17:4-7
-Peter wanted to stay on the mountain forever. He couldn’t see past the current events.
-You’re only as deep as the last person you served.
-You may say that we are not deep. What you really mean to say is “You don’t confuse me enough.” I can confuse the crap out of you.
-Listen to the one God gave the vision to – and God gives that to the Senior Pastor!
-Matthew 17:7 “Get Up!” – Get up! “Don’t be afraid!” Operate by vision and not voting.
-We want the back door of the church to stay open. The church is the body. If the back door of the body stops up, it is not good! We want the back door to stay open.Jesus matters
-Politicians can’t help the nation, Jesus can!
-Matthew 17:8 – When they looked up, they saw no one but Jesus. That is our goal – that people show up to our church and see no one but Jesus! -
Will Friday’s Lights DIM?
This is one of my families favorite TV shows. We DVR it every friday night and watch after our festive nights if we go out! Great show if you aren’t watching it!
First it was a talent show. Then it was a Friday night time slot when most high school football fans are well, at a high school football game. Now, it’s the recently ended writer’s strike, not the suspension of Brian “Smash” Williams that is threatening to upend the Dillon Panthers’ chances to repeat as state champions.
Like Tim Riggins, one of the show’s strongest characters, Friday Night Lights just doesn’t seem to get any breaks.
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1 Kings 3:16-28
“Then he said, ‘Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!’” v.25
Solomon’s settlement of this dispute was a classic example of his wisdom. This wise ruling was verification that God had answered Solomon’s prayer and given him an understanding heart. We have God’s wisdom available to us as we pray and request it. But, like Solomon, we must put it into action. Applying wisdom to life demonstrates our understanding.Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
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Teens who watch wrestling take more health risks
I grew up on this stuff and I am pretty normal, but that was back in the day. I wonder what they say about the UFC?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Teenage fans of TV wrestling are more likely than their peers to be aggressive or take chances with their health, a study suggests.
Researchers found that among 2,300 16- to 20-year-old Americans, those who watched professional wrestling were more likely to be violent, smoke or have unprotected sex — and the more they watched TV wrestling, the greater their odds of taking such risks.
However, he told Reuters Health, it is “definitely possible” that TV wrestling affects teenagers’ behavior. In an earlier study, Wolfson and his colleagues found that teenage girls who watched wrestling were more likely to get into fights or carry a weapon at a later point in adolescence.
In general, researchers believe that children can become desensitized by violence in movies, TV and video games — particularly when those portrayals downplay the consequences of violence. A steady dose of media violence may also influence young people’s perceptions, priming them to take other people’s words and actions as hostile and to react aggressively.
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Day 6 – Drank Pepsi
I know, I am a slacker. I totally didn’t have a desire today to not drink pepsi. Went to get fast food through a window and just couldn’t compel myself to ask for milk in the drive thru. Then hooked up with the family at chick-fil-a for a piece of cheese cake and yet again got a small soda. Why is it so addicting?
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National Youth Ministry Conference
Well, I wish I was there . . . but I am still in Texas! Many of my friends are and it would be so fun to hang out with them, so they better take good notes!!
Going to Student MInistry Conferences are so fun and refreshing. Its fun to get away and refreshing to learn that I am not alone when it comes to my ministry journey. REALLY, only other youth workers can relate to the stories, good and bad, passion to see God do something big in and thru the life of a teenager, as well as understand the hurt, lonelyness, excitement, joy and all the other emotions we experience from day to day, (more like minute to minute). I am sure it will be exciting and I am looking forward to hearing stories of what is going on!!
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1 Kings 3:1-15
“‘Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?’” v.7-9
What a great request from a humble and honest leader. When given the chance to have anything in the world, Solomon asked for wisdom – “an understanding heart” – in order to lead well and to make decisions. We can ask God for this same wisdom. Notice that Solomon asked for understanding to carry out his job; he didn’t ask God to do the job for him. We should not ask God to do for us what he wants to do through us. Instead, we should ask God to give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to follow through on it.Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
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Day 5 -No Pepsi
Well, It hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would. The good news is I haven’t had the pulsating headaches that I normally get when I haven’t had my morning soda. However, I must admit that I have had two glasses of SODA at lunch on Sunday and Tuesday. I think this thing will be kicked easier than I thought.
By the way, Sunday night we went to our new favorite Restaurant, Texas Roadhouse!! YUM, YUM!!!!! When the waitress took our drink order, she looked at me very weird when I said I wanted milk. When she brought it to the table she told me she had never had an adult order a glass of milk for a drink before. I thought that was strange! But honestly, it did make me feel like I was a health buff. FYI, a glass of milk and a steak go together very well!!!
Dan Gould 