Tag Archives: Bible Study

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Men’s Topic #7: TRUST in Him

Here is a GREAT summary from Dave about Men on the Path:

Let me start by saying I really miss seeing some of you guys on Wednesday mornings.

Bucky always gives us a little information about the culture of the time so we can better understand the meaning of the scripture verses we talk about. One part of his explanation really got my attention. Bucky explained how, in Jesus’ time, a man proposed to a woman by offering her a cup. If she drank from the cup, it meant she accepted, the engagement began and the man would then go home to build a room onto his father’s house. It made me think, so how did we go from offering a cup to a mandatory three carats? Why does a woman need such a big, bright, shiny object, and, why do we feel the need to give it to her?

Last Wednesday we discussed the first six verses of John 14, which starts with, “Do not let your hearts be troubled; Trust in God; trust also in me,” and ends with, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes through the Father except through me.” How do Jesus’ words bring comfort to your heart as you read and reflect on them? Think about it for a few minutes. For some on Wednesday, going to heaven meant seeing loved ones again while others talked about true freedom from worries and fears, and about seeing God’s face.

These verses are great messages for us as we live in Orange County – an area where so many are hearts are troubled because of their trust in the things of this world (i.e. the real estate and the stock markets). This is southern California, right? Aren’t we supposed to be “the place” where everyone wants to live so housing values should never decline? And the stock market; when is the last time it went spiraling downward like this? If we cannot trust in our real estate and stock markets then what can we trust in? Well, we can trust in God’s promise He has a plan for us that is bigger than anything this world has to offer. He has prepared a place for us in heaven. All we need to do is be born again; become a new creation. In reading, “My Utmost for His Highest,” this morning it said we are not born again and our souls are not saved unless our hearts no longer desire the things of the past. Quite a different approach than, pray a prayer and go to heaven. Personally, I choose to believe Oswald Chambers. When you believe in your heart, change will come and fears will subside. When God looks down is He able to tell the difference between your lifestyle and the non-believer’s? Maybe we should go back to offering cups.

In His Service,
Dave

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Men’s Topic #1: Where is your treasure?

Here is a GREAT email from Dave summarizing Men’s Topic #1 (and I have added 2 audio’s–Bucky’s teaching points and the debrief insights time): Where is your treasure?

The passages from Matthew that we talked about Wednesday are among my all time favorites. (For those unable to attend we covered Matthew 6: 19-34. You may wish to take a moment and read it before going further.)

Bucky covered so much this morning as he talked about Jesus’ Life Investment Strategy:

  1. One of the key words in these passages is “treasure.”  When we hear that word most of us think in terms of physical things – material possessions; but Jesus meant it as the order of the heart.
  2. We all have a treasure box – our hearts. What do you have in your treasure box? (“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”)
  3. We tend to organize our lives around our investment strategy. We need to organize it around God’s Kingdom and all else will follow. (“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you as well.”)
  4. It is impossible to treasure two things equally. We cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom. It does not work; one will eventually dominate. (“There shall be no other gods before me.”)
  5. The treasure isn’t something we get when we die (like some prize); it is here and now. The Book of Matthew is the Gospel of the Kingdom and it tells us the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now. We can have the eternal, abundant life today. Something Cynthia and I do each morning is pray together and one of the prayers we use is the one Dr. Bill G. gave us a few months back.  Ask Bill or me if you’d like a copy.

So, what does God treasure? He treasures people, relationships and the creative order of things. As you re-read these passages look for how God tells us about how He takes care of all things that honor Him. Don’t be afraid to take that step. Tell God you want to turn your life over to Him (“thy will be done”). “You will find rest for your soul.”

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Men on the Path: September 24

I hope to have a weekly summary post (hopefully with some audio) of our time together at our men’s group. I missed yesterday, but Dave has sent me a great summary! (Don’t forget to go to uberlumen.com and sign up for the updates by email and itunes podcasting):

As soon as I saw the scripture reading for the Men of the Path was about Peter walking on water (when Peter temporarily trusted in God and forgot about his fears) it reminded me of the John Ortberg book, “If You Want to Walk on Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat.” What a title, huh? If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. Bucky took that passage on fear and turned it into a positive by leading us into a discussion about risk. As one member at our table so aptly put it, you have to be willing to give something up when you take a risk. Getting to know God personally, enjoying His presence here and now is a risk. Most of us are afraid of what God might do. Another person at our table reminded us that everything we have (career, family, etc.) belongs to God. God wants us to have those things (not to excess) but also know He can take it at anytime. So we are to worship and honor Him first; everything else (yes, even that thing that just crossed your mind) is secondary. So, how do you spend your day, your week? What are your priorities in life? Write down your schedule for a typical week. What are you willing to give up for God?

In His Service,

Dave

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Why Go to Men’s Group? What is in it for me?

Join me in listening to an interview with Gene who gives a GREAT example and IMPORTANT reasons to join us at Men on the Path this coming Wednesday morning at 6:45am-8:00am.  

  • WHEN: Wednesday’s from 6:45am-8:00am
  • WHAT: We are going to be looking at the TOP 10 things men need to know
  • WHERE: North Park Community Center 

Note: it is best to enter the housing complex off of Portolla because then when you go through the gate the club house where we are meeting is straight ahead of you. When you enter at the Portola gate tell Jim, the guard there, that you are attending the Pathways meeting.
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Love your Enemies

I recently had a conversation with a friend at work who mentioned that a skeptic friend of his pointed out that the God of the Old Testament seems to be a different God from the New Testament using the classic example: O.T.=eye for an eye; N.T.=turn the other cheek.

Here is a classic Mike Erre sermon from the sermon on the mount in which he explains this supposed contradiction.

Take home: eye for an eye laws were VERY progressive at the time and were created by God to promote societal justice whereas turn the other cheek teaching of Jesus was what we as individuals should continue to strive to do.

Here is another great summary of eye for an eye laws vs. turning the other cheek

As always, please share with us your thoughts!

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Men on the Path: Men’s Group on Wednesday’s

Get READY! We are starting a new adventure as men on the path together.  

  • WHEN: Wednesday’s from 6:45am-8:00am
  • STARTING: September 24, 2008
  • WHAT: We are going to be looking at the TOP 10 things men need to know
  • WHERE: North Park Community Center (NOTE: It is best to enter the housing complex off of Portola Parkway because then when you go through the gate the club house where we are meeting is straight ahead of you.


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Men of Influence: Men’s Group on Friday’s

There are 2 men’s groups that I know and love.  One meets Wednesday mornings and the other on Friday mornings–both meet from 6:45am-8:00am.  The Friday morning group meets at Mariners Church, room 204 (see map).  I have been a part of this amazing, life changing group for almost a decade.  If you are free on Friday’s…join them! They are going to be looking at a GREAT book this season: Jack Hayford’s book, “Prayer is Invading the Impossible” The group starts September 19, 2008.


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Evil and Suffering Sermon #2 Luke 13:4

This is Greg Boyd’s final sermon on evil and suffering his preaching on Luke 13. He makes 3 KEY POINTS in this sermon:

#1. collapse the judgment–don’t blame the sufferer and don’t blame yourself for the suffering. We don’t know squat! As C.S. Lewis said to a colleague who was trying to comfort him with Lewis’ own theological answers to evil and suffering after his wife Joy died: ‘Shut up, it’s just a bloody mess.”
When we judge or look for blame for a tragedy, it forces us to conclude that God is just, and therefore we must blame the individuals involved in the tragedy.  Or we must conclude that God is unjust, and we must blame God for the tragedy.  But God doesn’t cause the messes; He brings purpose to the messes!
The one suffering often feels horrible and that they are to blame which causes us to label ourselves a murderer or a whatever and that makes us “not a verb that we did but a noun that we are!”
We must live in the now because God is in the now.  No blaming but asking God how He can bring good out of this tragedy.  Every mess is an opportunity to bring healing and something good out of it.  In a time of suffering, we must be quiet, listen and ask how would you, God, have me respond to this mess?
#2. in the face of tragedies don’t judge, just respond–Are you turned and walking in the kingdom? Don’t try to figure it out! Just bring healing! HOW CAN GOD BE GLORIFIED IN THE MESS?
#3. God’s response to tragedy is always about healing never about condemnation–We live in a demonic war zone…demonic forces play a big part of suffering….
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wordpress 2.6 and podpress 8.8 don’t mix

Coming soon! (If? When? the new version of podpress comes out to fix the problems between wordpress 2.6 and podpress 8.8) I plan to do a 10 part audio series on the VERY BEST men’s group topics of all time and an audio series on the best learnings from how to win friends and influence people!

Any other topics of interest? Let me know!

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John 9:3

3 great points made by Greg Boyd:

  1. Some people use this verse to say that God is sometimes the source of evil but we must look at the entire Bible and note that based on what the Bible says about God being good, this verse is the exception and not the rule
  2. There are unseen evil forces at work
  3. the original Greek of this text  states: “…But let the works of God be displayed in him…”  Therefore it does not say that God caused the man to be blind but his blindness lead to God’s goodness being displayed
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Evil and Suffering Sermon #1 Luke 13:4

Another GREAT sermon by Greg Boyd! I wish that I had heard this during my times of suffering.

KEY POINTS:

  • Evil and suffering is not from God
  • God is good
  • Don’t ask why but ask ‘to what end’ (26:45)
  • Ask God ‘How should I respond in this situation?’ & ‘How can God be glorified in this situation?’