Author's Note .
Author ;
Janice
A random member will be picked to write one entry each month.
This week's Guest Writer ;
To Be Announced
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Finally,i changed the skin.I was getting tired of the previous one.=)10th February 2007,Saturday {Service}
"We are in the world but not of the world."
Negative attitude {Win the lost in the dying world that will perish anyway}
>Stay away from the world
>Culture is of the devil
>Marriage is necessary evil
>Asceticism : austere living
>Monasticism : withdraw from the world
>Church is sacred,world is profane
3 meanings of "World"
1. God created order for His own enjoyment.
{Colossians 1:17}
{Revelation 4:11}
2. Physical lands or nations
3.Realm of wickedness and prideful rebellion against God.
{Genesis 2:15}
Biblical Defination of Culture
Culture is any human effort in the world to unearth its treasures and creatively bring them into the service of man for the enrichment of human existence for the glory of God.
Culture <---> Cultus
Work <---> Worship
Perspiration <---> Inspiration
Battleground <---> Holy ground
"Culture is religion externalized."
"Culture is the secondary enviroment which has been superimposed upon nature by man."
-Henry Van Til
Common Defination Of Culture
Culture is the shared beliefs,values,ideas,attitudes,assumptions,customs,practices and social behaviour of a particular group,nation or people.
Culture is the intellectual and artistic acheivement of a society.
"The world as created was an unfinished symphony." -Henry Van Til
{Genesis 1:27-28}
{Psalm 8:4-5}
Culture is comething progressive.
{Genesis 2:19} - the beginning of all sciences
{Genesis 2:23} - the beginning of the arts
{Genesis 2:15} - work is not the result of sin
"It was necessary for men to occupy themselves with work. Why? Because it was not in man's nature to be useless blocks of wood!!"
The harder you work,the more richer and prosperous you will get.
God's Work-------Man's Work-------Role
Creation-------"To tend"-------Prophet
Preserving--------"To keep"------Priest
Governing--------"To subdue"--------King
{Psalm 24:1}
{Genesis 3:16}-Sorrow and pain
{Genesis 3:17}
{Genesis 3:19} - hard frustrating labour
{Romans 11:29}
{Genesis 4:16-22}
We live out the cultural mandate 24/7.
"Lifeboat theology" ~the world is a sinking ship
{Genesis 9:1} - the theology of restoration
God is always creative and colourful.
{Ephesians 2:8-9}
{Ephesians 2:10}
{1 Corinthians 15:45}
Imagination is the canvas in which creativity is painted on.
{Exodus 31:1-2}
{Exodus 31:3-5}
Through Christ,all things were:
>created
>sustained
>reconciled to the Father
{1 Corinthians 3:21-23}
{Matthew 5:5}
{Revelation 21:24-26} - high esteemed and valued culture
{Revelation 14:13}
"If i knew the world was going to end tomorrow,i would plant a tree today." -Martin Luther
"Preach the gospel constanly,and if necessary,use words." -Saint Francis
9th February 2007,Friday {Cellgroup Meeting}
Building a strong prayer life
When we understand prayer,we will realise its importence.
{Luke 11:1}
Prayer is very important.
You are praying to a god of more than enough.
We must come before Him boldly.
Prayer is an essential thing because it unleashes the power of God in our lives.
Without the power of God,all our efforts will be in vian.
A clever person will depend on the power of God.
We might not be experienceing the power of God because we might asking the the wrong way.
{Luke 11:5-10}
Jesus wants us to know that if we ask,we will receive.
{1 John 5:14-15}
{Mark 11:23}
We must -
1.Ask.
>God wants us to have the faith to ask Him for things.
2.Believe
>Believe that God will give it to you.
3.Persist
>Dare to approach Him again and again for it.
4.Receive in faith
{Matthew 7:7-8}
{James 1:5-8}
We may have doubts,but our faith must be stronger.
Our attitude determines our altitude in life.
The way we approach God is our attitude.
The was we approach God will determine our sucess.
Prayer is not about twisting the arm of God,its about believing in someone who hears and answers our prayers.
Prayer brings us back to God.
When you pray,you are communicationg with God.
{Luke 11:8}
3rd February 2007,Saturday {Service}
The fire and the field of missions
Jesus sent us just like the way His Father sent Him.
{Acts 16:6-10}
We are all "sent ones".
Missionaries= Sent ones
{Acts 9:15-16}
Every believer is a missionary,a preacher of the Word of God.
{Acts 9:6}
God has told every believer to go into the world.
Going doesnt mean leaving only,it means moving forward.
{Acts 22:14-16}
The gospel is the power of God for salvation for the world.
Everyone is entitled to Jesus Christ.
We are witnesses about the resurrection power of Jesus.
{Acts 22:17-21}
Missions means leave from whereever you are,go and preach the gospel to the world.
God will protect you in all circumstances.
We can preach anytime,anywhere,under any circumstances.
{Acts 26:15-19}
{Acts 28:28}
27th January 2007,Saturday {Service}
{Mark 4:21-25}
Whatever value you place on what you hear will determine its impact on your life.
Your life doesn't change magically,it changes by your response to whatever you hear.
Whatever gets your attention gets you.
{Matthew 6:25-30}
Out of your identity comes your sense of worth.
Low self-esteem can't exist if you dun value yourself.
If you are not satisfied with yourself,you will try to imitate others.
God has made us unique and distinct in our own way.
People will never value you the way God does.
The value people place on you depends on their emotions.
Your greatest value in life is your value to God.
We are all driven by value.
{Ephesians 2:10}
Workmanship = poema(poetry)
Poetry comes in many different forms.
Poetry is used for making statements.
We are God's statements.
God is expressing Himself through us.
{Psalm 138:7-8}
We are the works of God's hands.
He will not abandon the works of His hands.
{Psalm 139:13-18}
{Jeremiah 29:11}
If you dun know your value,you will end up using your life doing something cheap.
You are valuble to God.
26th January 2007,Friday {Cellgroup Meeting}
Building a life that impacts culture
{3 John 1:2}
God wants us to prosper.
If we neglect some areas in our lives,we will not be successful.
We need to be strong -
1. Spiritually
{Proverbs 3:6}
Priorities :
1.God
2.Family
3.Church
We must be commited to God
{Matthew 6:33}
Strength in the spiritual dimension depends on:
-Bible
-Prayer
-Ministry
>Using whatever gift God has given us to serve Him and others.
-Church
2. Practically
{1 Tessalonians 4:10-12}
Our work is our ministry
3. Physically
{1 Conrinthians 6:19-20}
Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
We must take care if ourselves in order to serve God.
4. Financially
{Deuteronomy 8:18}
We must plan on how to spend our money wisely.
5. Emotionally
Being strong emotionally is having every part of our lives under control.
{Hebrews 13:5}
6. Relationally
A win-some person is someone who gets along with people well.
In order to get along with people well,we must-
1. Learn to listen
2. Be interesnted in people and their word
3. Make people feel important by serving them
4. Learn to smile
5. Learn to have a big heart
6. Respect others
7. Use the person's name
8. Learn to be polite
{John 15:12-14}
^.^Janice~
