Attention to details

I was so embarrassed.  There in my PowerPoint presentation was a rosary.  Why hadn't I seen it earlier?  I guess it is because I don't always pay attention to details.  I would make a terrible witness.  What was the colour of hair? Did she wear glasses?  What colour was his eyes?  What was he wearing?  I can seldom answer these questions because I don't pay attention to the details.
I taught mathematics and in mathematics I always stressed the importance of details.  Signs, brackets, equal signs, etc.  The details always are important in mathematics but they are also important in life and certainly in Bible study.
In the parable of the prodigal son if you miss the details you miss much of the message of the parable.  The father was watching for his son, the father ran to his son, and so much more.  There is always truth at the surface but as you dig deeper into the Word of God you will discover greater and greater riches.  I need to learn to pay attention to details.

Attention to Details

I am so embarrassed.  Why?  I will get to that in a moment but first I must write a confession.  I am terrible about paying attention to details.  When someone asks whether a person had glasses, what colour of hair, what they were wearing, I am afraid that I come up short.  That can be embarrassing when I don't notice that my wife got a hair cut or a new outfit. 
However, as a mathematics teacher I was a stickler for details.  Proper introduction to problems, proper use of equal signs, etc.  As a Bible teacher I also must be a stickler for details.  I know that you can gather truth from a casual study of the Word but the real gems are found in the details.
So why was I embarrassed?  I found a nice template for my PowerPoint lesson on Sunday.  The problem was I didn't check the details.  There lying on the Bible was a rosary.  Why didn't I notice that before but I didn't.  Most people didn't notice but some did and I must say thank you to those who pointed it out to me.  I have to be more careful about the details.

This Fall

A week from this Sunday we will be back in class.  I plan on continuing my series in 1 Corinthians.   We will begin with gender roles, look at issues re authority, communion, spiritual gifts, body life, resurrection, giving as well as many other issues.  Many of these issues are hot button issues.  Our own denomination just changed the policy re women in ministry.  This should lead to discussion but where else but in the church should you be able to disagree yet fellowship and worship together.

Now is the time

I have been thinking and praying about what to teach in the fall. The following are the options that have been going through my mind. I have not yet decided so if you have any ideas I would appreciate any comments. These are not in any particular order.

1. Exodus
2. Prayer life of Elijah
3. Luke
4. 1 Corinthians
5. 1 John

Those of you who know me know that I have a real love for teaching the Old Testament but we do need to have a proper balance.

Happy New Year

I haven't posted in a few days as I have been extremely busy with other things. Next week I hope to begin posting on Daniel as we begin a new series a week from Sunday on that wonderful Old Testament book. In the past year we studied from Hebrews, Philippians, Jonah as well as the Lord's prayer. It was a great year and I learned much. Now I am looking forward to another great year.
Have a blessed and prosperous New Year and spend time with God and His Word.

Fruit or Gifts

The Bible talks about both the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. The fruit is singular and all Christians are to have the fruit. The reason that it is singular is that Jesus is my love, joy, peace, etc.
The gifts on the other hand are plural as there are many gifts but one Giver. The fruit is given to glorify Christ in the life of the believer while the gits are given to build up the church. Though all Christians have at least one gift many times they are not obvious to others.

There are some very gifted people who do not display the fruit of the Spirit. They become arrogant and proud, they are unloving and impatient. However, because they are lacking in the fruit of the Spirit they bring glory to themselves and not to Christ.
Many times churches are looking for a pastor who is gifted but they need to concentrate on the one who shows the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

Wild fire or controlled fire

Mike has been teaching about the Holy Spirit and there are many people who would like the fire of the Holy Spirit in their lives but they want Him as a controlled fire. The Holy Spirit is a fire but He is a wild fire that cannot be contained.

Report Card

Mike told us yesterday that Dr. Luke gave a progress report about the church and the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the book of Acts. Check these out in Acts: 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:6; 19:20; and 28:30 - 31.
So how were they doing? They did well as they depended upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit and not on man's plans or visions.

Computer Crash Therefore Change of Plans

The one who is doing the graphic layout for our study guide had a major computer malfunction on Friday therefore we have decided to delay the lessons on Hebrews for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile I would like to look at some issues involving the objections that people have to Christianity. I will start listing those tomorrow.

Peace in the storm

Mike taught us about having peace in the storm this past Sunday morning. The first point was to have a proper view of heaven. The second was the presence of the Holy Spirit and the third was God's church.
Jesus told His disciples in John 16 "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." The Holy Spirit comes as our counselor and our comforter but we see Him as making us comfortable from the storm not comfortable in the storm. Often we view the Holy Spirit as a fire and He is but He is a wild fire not a controlled fire. We often want the fire of the Holy Spirit but we want Him contained in our fire place. That is far from who the Holy Spirit is. Do we really want the wild fire of the Holy Spirit?

Whatever happened to heaven?

Yesterday Mike started his series of Sunday morning lessons on the Holy Spirit. He began in John 13 - 17 and he taught about peace in the storm. The first point was from John 14:1 - 3. Heaven.
We don't think about heaven much these days. Let me make three points why I think heaven has faded from our thoughts, our teaching, our preaching, our singing, our worship etc.
1. Affluence has brought us in this life what former generations could only anticipate in heaven.
2. A creeping paganism invites us to accept death as the culmination of life on earth, not as a violent transition into an ongoing life.
3. The older, biblical images of heaven have lost their appeal.
Take time to read Randy Alcorn's book called Heaven. He may not know everything about heaven (who on earth does) but he will challenge your thinking about heaven.