I thought last night was fantastic. Good food and great conversation. We looked at Luke 6:24-38 from the message version. I shared about how God was working in my life and setting off little mini-bombs of truth. I have so much to learn!!
"But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get
And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.
And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.
There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests - look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular"
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatement. Don't condemn those who are down, that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people, you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life, you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
I've read this passage before, but this week I read it again and felt so very convicted. Has that ever happened to you? Some shared last night which of these verses (the ones included above and all the way through to v 38) hit them.
It's a very healthy thing to look at and evaluate your life in relation to God's word. Allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal things in your life that need to change can be painful, but brings you into deeper relationship/communion with God. I don't think I do it often enough.
Some didn't share last night and some weren't there last night. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'd love to hear what God is teaching you!!
9 comments:
I posted on this on my blog.
http://youwillnotfoolmegypsy.blogspot.com/
Under the latest post on thoughts. Dont mind the first part. But the second parts sums up what i think about one part of that discussion. Ill try not to be talked-out next time Tammy.
As I was listening last night, pretty much everything in that verse hit me. It really doesn't happen often, I don't mean for that to sound like pride, but it doesn't. Lately I've been bored in church because nothing has been hitting me. But when you read that verse it was like a ton of bricks came crashing down on top of me. Especially the part about popularity, I am totally a people pleaser and I hate conflict. I want people to like me, just like you said.
I never thought that it was a bad thing to be satisfied with yourself. I thought this because it means that we aren't constantly looking for something to satisfy us. I'm still confused about this though.
It was good discussion. But I still have one question, is it wrong to be a cop, someone who enforces the laws of the world and uses force to do so in most cases? The flip side is that they serve and protect those who can't do so themselves, they keep us safe. I'm really confused.
Mandy, I feel the same as you. For me, being popular has been something that I have strived for my whole life! I was one of those kids who had no friends becuase I was different. I'm almost certain that if I had a relationship with someone who could have shown me that it was better to be different, I would not have gone through some of the struggles I went through. I admit that the things I went through as a kid have been key in shaping the person I am today but I was fortunate. I had a whole lot of support from my dad and the church community that we were attending but that was only temporary. I was living in Mississauga ON and all my supports were in Winnipeg MB.
I liked waht Tammy said, that we have the are the ones the kids are looking up to now to show them what is acceptable and what is not. How awesome is it that we have the opportunity to be a significant influence in lives of the next gerneration. I want to challenge us to just be amazing role models for these kids. If we do all we can to live for truth instead of popularity and we can influence even just the kids at Soul, we could start something HUGE!!!
Mandy, your question about police officers is a really good one and I think it would make for an interesting continuation of yesturdays lesson. Especially becuase a lot of us are on our way to chosing our carriers. What are some jobs that could, or already do, conflict with Christian beliefs and practices? Is it right to be in that proffesion if it could put our faith in danger? Is this just another one of those "if you get cold jump off the ice burg" things? How can we evangelize to people if we are in an Christian employment buble?
Well, I could go on and on and on but this is getting rediculous. I think this is the longest post on a blog i have EVER done!!!! Look wat you started Tammy!!!!:P I hope I was successful in making some of you think. I know my head is still spinning from yesturday!
See you all on Sunday!
Mandy, I don't think it's a bad thing to be a police officer at all. I think it's admirable. I feel as though police officers lay their lives down for others and that they are to be greatly respected! In Canada especially police officers do their best to KEEP the peace. Isn't that right?
When you're talking about being satisfied with yourself I think we need to be teachable. My opinion is that when we are no longer teachable that we become full of pride and that is the 'self' that doesn't satisfy.
Anyone else care to jump in?
Talking about last thursdays discussion was very interesting. I always have a lot to say about different verses from the bible mostly because i dont understand them. Personally i see myself almost the same as Mandy, i try and avoid conflict as much as possible. The problem i seem to encounter lots is when i do encounter conflict i take it way overboard, many of my "bad habits/attitudes" seem to come out when i cannot avoid conflicts.
As for the part on pleasing others i really enjoy seeing other people happy. I dont think i take pride or self satisfaction in it but i do beleive that i like to see that i can help whereever i can. Being a non-christian for so long i beleive i have an obligation to god and to myself to make up for lost time. I think that what Tammy said about Deomorph helping out with the home makeover project was awesome. I think as a church we truly are taking holy spirit with us to help this woman and her kids. Although it is just a start i think we all do take pride in seeing the smiles on the faces of the people we are helping and that is a good thing, a huge part of church is community and im proud that were bringing a little more light to a situation where we can help.
Being a Police Officer is a service to society. My career choice is too serve and protect others. I don't believe God has a problem with that. I would love to see someone formulate an argument against a position that involves helping others and protecting many people. I think it would be hard to make a point against it.
Lora said "How can we evangelize to people if we are in an Christian employment buble?"
I have to say that Greg and I are in the Christian employment bubble, as he is a full time pastor. BUT we take care to be involved in both our church and community. We make ourselves known in our kids' school (public school) and Greg is going to be helping coach Curtis's soccer team, just as examples.
We make the choice to not be so immersed in our faith community (church) that it is our sole (no pun intended) focus. Balance, right? Remember when Greg had us link arms in a circle and then face outward and link arms? I guess that's the same point I'm trying to make.
Just my thoughts on the whole idea of simply standing there and taking it when someone slaps you in the face.
I don't think this is necessarily an issue of pacifism vs. defending yourself. I think its more of a pride thing.
A slap in the face has long been viewed as one of the ultimate forms of insult. The act is not so much one of inflicting phyiscal pain, but rather causing emotional pain and embarassment.
My opinion on this verse is that Jesus was telling us to not let our pride and ego get in the way when someone insults us. If you think about it, when we let our pride get in the way, we try and seek revenge or else hold a grudge against someone. It can often lead to regretable actions on our behalf or else highly strained relationships between friends/family/community members.
Instead of letting your pride and stubborness take over and cause destruction, instead we should simply let the insult bounce off us. Turn the other cheek (literally and figuratively). Quite often, insults are only thrown in order to extract some sort of reaction from the target. Why give the insulter the satisfaction of reacting to it?
I think there is a vast difference between insulting someone and trying to physically harm someone or take their life. The intent is entirely different.
I'm going to hijack this thread to start a discussion on something from last night (perhaps whomever is organizing this blogature would be so kind as to start a seperate topic on it?).
Last night we watched a clip from the National in which a reporter went around to a bunch of churches exploring and asking questions. It was in no way confrontational or deceiving...he was asking legitimate questions that any non-believer would have. The one question he asked everyone but was never answered was "What do I NEED to know?"
Ie. What do I, as a non-believer, NEED to know from you that would make me change my beliefs or at least consider Jesus' message?
So what I want to know is how people would answer that question if it was asked to them by a non-believer.
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