How can I enjoy Media as a Christian? was the title of his elective.
Media gives us images of things we've never experienced.
What are we letting in without a filter and discernment?
-Romans 12:2
We treat movies, music, and books passively -- it's affecting us whether we know it or not. We should actively filter media through the Bible.
Creation (Gen. 1:31) - Fall (Gen. 3:7) - Redemption (Gen. 3:15)
We were made to hear this story and celebrate it. God has given us a couple of things to guide us.
-Ex. 20:12 - parents
-Rom. 13 - government
-Rom. 14 - discernment
We are to be looking for these things in everything.
If you like something that you can't tell your parents, you probably like it for the wrong reasons.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Kurt Cooper Part 1
Moses:
-Born under persecution-babies being killed
-Raised by Pharaoh's daughter
-Led Israelites out of slavery
-Led them to the promised land
-Parted the Red Sea
-Hit rock=water
-God gave him unusual command over nature
-10 commandments-gave God's law to the people
-burning bush
Jesus:
-unusual command over nature
-parted the Red Sea
-Herod was killing babies
-led his people out of their slavery to sin and to heaven
We need someone like Moses but BETTER. Jesus Christ is the answer to our question. We were made to find Jesus everywhere.
Philippians 4:9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, thing about these things.
You don't have to feel guilty for liking excellent things because excellent things point to Christ.
-Born under persecution-babies being killed
-Raised by Pharaoh's daughter
-Led Israelites out of slavery
-Led them to the promised land
-Parted the Red Sea
-Hit rock=water
-God gave him unusual command over nature
-10 commandments-gave God's law to the people
-burning bush
Jesus:
-unusual command over nature
-parted the Red Sea
-Herod was killing babies
-led his people out of their slavery to sin and to heaven
We need someone like Moses but BETTER. Jesus Christ is the answer to our question. We were made to find Jesus everywhere.
Philippians 4:9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, thing about these things.
You don't have to feel guilty for liking excellent things because excellent things point to Christ.
Blake Smith Part 3
We will see God as he is in the new heaven and new earth.
What's wrong with us?
-Mind: faulty view of who God is, who I am, what the world is.
-Emotions: If I could set the rules, life would be perfect.
-Will
We don't have the capacity in our soul to celebrate life and enjoy God all the time. We get bored having to sit to long and listen about God. You will not long for heaven until we are tired of the turmoil within ourselves. Everything that we have had happen that harms us we have done to someone else -- Jesus will solve that delimma. We need to be stripped of our pride. We need to be freed of all our problems. We need to be made new.
HELL:
Moves in the direction of brokenness, not restoration. It's separation from God. Hell is God finally giving us everything we want...living out from under his sustaining power.
Matthew 8:12-weeping and nashing of teeth
Matthew 18:8-9-far better to enter kingdom of God maimed than into hell whole
We want to live life the way we want but God won't do it.
Fire consumes and destroys -- you are always moving towards frustration.
The good in this world is a little taste of heaven.
The bad is a little taste of hell.
What's wrong with us?
-Mind: faulty view of who God is, who I am, what the world is.
-Emotions: If I could set the rules, life would be perfect.
-Will
We don't have the capacity in our soul to celebrate life and enjoy God all the time. We get bored having to sit to long and listen about God. You will not long for heaven until we are tired of the turmoil within ourselves. Everything that we have had happen that harms us we have done to someone else -- Jesus will solve that delimma. We need to be stripped of our pride. We need to be freed of all our problems. We need to be made new.
HELL:
Moves in the direction of brokenness, not restoration. It's separation from God. Hell is God finally giving us everything we want...living out from under his sustaining power.
Matthew 8:12-weeping and nashing of teeth
Matthew 18:8-9-far better to enter kingdom of God maimed than into hell whole
We want to live life the way we want but God won't do it.
Fire consumes and destroys -- you are always moving towards frustration.
The good in this world is a little taste of heaven.
The bad is a little taste of hell.
Blake Smith Part 2
We should long to be rescued from our present condition. We should long for a day when the world is made right. We are broken people living in a broken world. We will never long for heaven until we realize how broken the world is and how much suffering is in the world. The reality is that this world is not what we think it is when we long for something more.
What is heaven?
Heaven is the restoration of this world. It is both a physical and spiritual restoration. It's evidence that the world is good.
Physical Restoration: Revelation 21:1
Jesus longs to heal us from our sinful disorder, his kiss brings total healing. In Rev. 21:1, heaven is called the New Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a place of worship for God's people. The temple was in Jerusalem with the Ark or the Covenant -- God's presence was there. The new city, God will be with his people. The world that God is talking about is a place where cultures can come together with mutual respect, mutual unity, and mutual worship. When we were kicked out of the garden, we lost the wholeness of God. Heaven will be here, the earth will be renewed.
What is heaven?
Heaven is the restoration of this world. It is both a physical and spiritual restoration. It's evidence that the world is good.
Physical Restoration: Revelation 21:1
Jesus longs to heal us from our sinful disorder, his kiss brings total healing. In Rev. 21:1, heaven is called the New Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a place of worship for God's people. The temple was in Jerusalem with the Ark or the Covenant -- God's presence was there. The new city, God will be with his people. The world that God is talking about is a place where cultures can come together with mutual respect, mutual unity, and mutual worship. When we were kicked out of the garden, we lost the wholeness of God. Heaven will be here, the earth will be renewed.
Blake Smith Part 1
Sorry, there are going to be a lot of RYM notes on here, but I loved it and I want to post!!
What happens when I die?? Heaven and Hell
Satan wants us to live a life of fear, Christ wants to free us from that. Death, sickness, rejection, failures are all a breath away. We have come face to face with a reality where a world is broken. We long for a world that isn't broken.
Our heart responds with the baseballs of this world in 2 ways: 1) rejoice in heaven and anticipate God's return or 2) try to recreate paradise on earth.
We try to create for ourselves a place of protection. the Garden of Eden was perfect but it has been lost.
So what are we looking for? We are looking for the kingdom of heaven restored. That will only happen when Christ returns. The worst thing we have ever done is recreate paradise. We desperately want to be happy now so we try to recreate paradise. We aren't patient enough to wait for heaven. God isn't in the business of providing for us what we think we need to be happy.
GOD HIMSELF CAN PROVIDE CONTENTMENT.
What happens when I die?? Heaven and Hell
Satan wants us to live a life of fear, Christ wants to free us from that. Death, sickness, rejection, failures are all a breath away. We have come face to face with a reality where a world is broken. We long for a world that isn't broken.
Our heart responds with the baseballs of this world in 2 ways: 1) rejoice in heaven and anticipate God's return or 2) try to recreate paradise on earth.
We try to create for ourselves a place of protection. the Garden of Eden was perfect but it has been lost.
So what are we looking for? We are looking for the kingdom of heaven restored. That will only happen when Christ returns. The worst thing we have ever done is recreate paradise. We desperately want to be happy now so we try to recreate paradise. We aren't patient enough to wait for heaven. God isn't in the business of providing for us what we think we need to be happy.
GOD HIMSELF CAN PROVIDE CONTENTMENT.
Richie Sessions Part 3/4
Psalm 1 talks about 2 types of people: 1) living people and 2) dead people.
Living People: living people are like trees planted by streams of water. They grow stronger every day. They are full and have meaning and get nutrients from God's word.
3 ways to get nutrients from the Word:
1) meditate on the Word- to meditate means to MUTTER the words. When you really love something, you memorize it and then talk about/quote it. We should do this with God's word!! To meditate on the Word also means to UNDERSTAND the Word. And finally, to meditate means to ABSORB the Word into your life. the Word only means something when it becomes true in your life and you can apply it.
Revelation 21:4- one day, we won't hurt anymore, we won't cry anymore, we won't have death anymore.
MAKE GOD'S LAW YOUR DELIGHT!!
2) Stand under the Word- the Bible is the adventure story -- it's ALIVE. You have to watch and believe and see the Word.
3) the Word has to wash your feet- Jesus washed the disciples feet in slaves clothing and to see him washing your feet will help you believe in the God of wonders beyond our galaxies. Washing feet was a disgusting and low job for one to do. People walked everywhere so feet got really nasty and Jesus got down and cleaned the dirtiest part of us. Everyone has secrets but Jesus came to wash our dirtiest parts!!
The Bible gives us 3 things: DEPTH (haha, not death), stability, and durability.
We begin to look like Jesus, he was fully human.
We need to be firmly planted by streams of water. To have depth is to look at your life and see what really matters. As you grow to look more like Christ, you begin to laugh at what you WERE.
Fear of Rejection: God will always accept you...ALWAYS -- Psalm 27-- this is our identity.
It the rugged Jesus that carried the cross, was friends with lepers, and LOVES us. It wasn't that delicate Jesus we have pictures of with the beard and the long flowing hair.
We need to be CAPTIVATED by the beauty of Christ!
Christians will face hardship but stability is to be firmly planted in the truth that Jesus is our hero!
WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME??
-The things we are so afraid of are NOTHING compared to Christ. He made the wind and the waves obey him.
-We are going to face storms but Jesus is in our boat.
Verse 3: It's not always going to be in season. When it seems like Jesus isn't working is when our roots go down deeper.
SO WHAT?
-read your bible
-be involved in church and Sunday worship
-realize that God is FOR you, not AGAINST you -- Jesus DELIGHTS in you!!
Living People: living people are like trees planted by streams of water. They grow stronger every day. They are full and have meaning and get nutrients from God's word.
3 ways to get nutrients from the Word:
1) meditate on the Word- to meditate means to MUTTER the words. When you really love something, you memorize it and then talk about/quote it. We should do this with God's word!! To meditate on the Word also means to UNDERSTAND the Word. And finally, to meditate means to ABSORB the Word into your life. the Word only means something when it becomes true in your life and you can apply it.
Revelation 21:4- one day, we won't hurt anymore, we won't cry anymore, we won't have death anymore.
MAKE GOD'S LAW YOUR DELIGHT!!
2) Stand under the Word- the Bible is the adventure story -- it's ALIVE. You have to watch and believe and see the Word.
3) the Word has to wash your feet- Jesus washed the disciples feet in slaves clothing and to see him washing your feet will help you believe in the God of wonders beyond our galaxies. Washing feet was a disgusting and low job for one to do. People walked everywhere so feet got really nasty and Jesus got down and cleaned the dirtiest part of us. Everyone has secrets but Jesus came to wash our dirtiest parts!!
The Bible gives us 3 things: DEPTH (haha, not death), stability, and durability.
We begin to look like Jesus, he was fully human.
We need to be firmly planted by streams of water. To have depth is to look at your life and see what really matters. As you grow to look more like Christ, you begin to laugh at what you WERE.
Fear of Rejection: God will always accept you...ALWAYS -- Psalm 27-- this is our identity.
It the rugged Jesus that carried the cross, was friends with lepers, and LOVES us. It wasn't that delicate Jesus we have pictures of with the beard and the long flowing hair.
We need to be CAPTIVATED by the beauty of Christ!
Christians will face hardship but stability is to be firmly planted in the truth that Jesus is our hero!
WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME??
-The things we are so afraid of are NOTHING compared to Christ. He made the wind and the waves obey him.
-We are going to face storms but Jesus is in our boat.
Verse 3: It's not always going to be in season. When it seems like Jesus isn't working is when our roots go down deeper.
SO WHAT?
-read your bible
-be involved in church and Sunday worship
-realize that God is FOR you, not AGAINST you -- Jesus DELIGHTS in you!!
Richie Sessions Part 2
Psalm 19:7-11
The world is always changing but the Word of God stays the same. God never had a beginning and he created time...everything he says is eternal. Here are 2 things to look at: 1) authority of God's word and 2) Power of God's word.
God's word is sweeter than honey. Back then, honey was extremely precious, only kings could afford to have it. Verse 7 says his testimony is PURE. God has authority to talk about whatever he wants and in any way he wants. His perspective on anything is a true perspective. God's testimony is eternal and unchangeable. Verse 8 talks about the precepts and commands of God, which says that God can tell you that you're wrong.
Verse 9 talks about REVERENTIAL fear of the Lord. Basically, that means when God speaks, you SHUT UP and you LISTEN. *Job 38* Reverent fear is pure. It's right. It's good. We should want a reverent fear of the Lord.
Verse 7 talks about the Law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul. Our souls are THIRSTY. Nothing is enough (Law of Diminishing Returns, anyone??) Our souls need to be quenched and the word of the Lord can quench it's thirst.
Listen to the God who NEVER moves, NEVER changes. Bring light to the eyes-- it lets you see who you are. The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever.
The world is always changing but the Word of God stays the same. God never had a beginning and he created time...everything he says is eternal. Here are 2 things to look at: 1) authority of God's word and 2) Power of God's word.
God's word is sweeter than honey. Back then, honey was extremely precious, only kings could afford to have it. Verse 7 says his testimony is PURE. God has authority to talk about whatever he wants and in any way he wants. His perspective on anything is a true perspective. God's testimony is eternal and unchangeable. Verse 8 talks about the precepts and commands of God, which says that God can tell you that you're wrong.
Verse 9 talks about REVERENTIAL fear of the Lord. Basically, that means when God speaks, you SHUT UP and you LISTEN. *Job 38* Reverent fear is pure. It's right. It's good. We should want a reverent fear of the Lord.
Verse 7 talks about the Law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul. Our souls are THIRSTY. Nothing is enough (Law of Diminishing Returns, anyone??) Our souls need to be quenched and the word of the Lord can quench it's thirst.
Listen to the God who NEVER moves, NEVER changes. Bring light to the eyes-- it lets you see who you are. The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever.
Richie Sessions Part 1: JR high RYM
This week at jr high RYM, Richie Sessions led the talks at night. I'm going to blog a few highlights from my notes.
Luke 24:13-32 = the road to Emmaus
"We are around Jesus all the time, he surrounds us...so why is he not AMAZING to us?" -R. Sessions
We are in constant need. We need Jesus to reveal himself to us because he is always walking alongside us. Richie made 2 points: 1) Jesus is the hero of the Bible (vs. 24-25) and 2) Jesus is your friend at the table.
In verses 24-26, Jesus tells them they are foolish to not see the entire Bible is about Christ (start with Genesis 3:15 for example. Also Numbers 21, Deuteronomy, Isaiah 7 & 53). The whole bible itself is about Christ.
When you look at cultures around the world, especially our culture, you will find that everyone loves superheros. Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Flash Gordon...the list goes on. Have you ever wondered WHY the world loves superhero stories?? It's because we all need a rescuer. Everyone is scared and this world is in dispair. We have sins, failures, fears, insecurities...we need to be rescued from that. The Bible tells the story of the true Hero/Rescuer. Have you ever noticed that every superhero is similar to normal humans? Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne...they are all somewhat normal. Jesus lived here, died here, rose from the dead here. He became man. The scriptures are Christ revealing himself and they are true because Christ DEFEATED death.
Jesus conquered death. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven but the place he wants to be is HERE. With us. With filthy, dirty, sinners. No one is more significant that Jesus and he wants to be with us and we can find him when we read the Word of God. The most important thing Jesus did was bring us home; he is a FRIEND to sinners.
Luke 24:13-32 = the road to Emmaus
"We are around Jesus all the time, he surrounds us...so why is he not AMAZING to us?" -R. Sessions
We are in constant need. We need Jesus to reveal himself to us because he is always walking alongside us. Richie made 2 points: 1) Jesus is the hero of the Bible (vs. 24-25) and 2) Jesus is your friend at the table.
In verses 24-26, Jesus tells them they are foolish to not see the entire Bible is about Christ (start with Genesis 3:15 for example. Also Numbers 21, Deuteronomy, Isaiah 7 & 53). The whole bible itself is about Christ.
When you look at cultures around the world, especially our culture, you will find that everyone loves superheros. Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Flash Gordon...the list goes on. Have you ever wondered WHY the world loves superhero stories?? It's because we all need a rescuer. Everyone is scared and this world is in dispair. We have sins, failures, fears, insecurities...we need to be rescued from that. The Bible tells the story of the true Hero/Rescuer. Have you ever noticed that every superhero is similar to normal humans? Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne...they are all somewhat normal. Jesus lived here, died here, rose from the dead here. He became man. The scriptures are Christ revealing himself and they are true because Christ DEFEATED death.
Jesus conquered death. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven but the place he wants to be is HERE. With us. With filthy, dirty, sinners. No one is more significant that Jesus and he wants to be with us and we can find him when we read the Word of God. The most important thing Jesus did was bring us home; he is a FRIEND to sinners.
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