“How do I know if this is the kind of relationship that I really ought to have? And I'll tell you what it is: you can agree on what the real self is and what the dross is. That means, as you talk to one another, and in your relationship, as you spend time together, you find that in talking... let's take the man's point of view for a minute... as you talk this woman, not only does she have a terrific insight into who you really ought to be- who you can be, the glory self, the thing God wants you to be, the best about you- not only does she see it, but in some ways, she sees it to some degree better than you do. And as you speak to her, you find that you get a better idea of who you should be and you get ignited about it, you get passionate for it. In other words, the bottom line about knowing whether this woman is a good enough friend to marry is does she make you want to be holy? Does she give you a vision of what you could be in Christ that excites you so much that you want to get there, and do you find that you know it better and want it more by being with her? And the real test is knowing, does it work backwards? In other words, if she is the one that helps you see it and she is the one who knows you, your glory self, but you don't do a very good job of helping hers, then again, that is detrimental. But if it is happening both ways- if the visa is truly verse, if you can agree on what that real self is, if you can agree on what is dross and what is metal- you got the makings of a friendship on which to base a marriage... with windows on eternity." ”
— Timothy Keller, Marriage Series “Marriage and Friendship”
6 ways to screw up your life through dating
- Don’t set any physical or emotional boundaries. Don’t let regret be the only “souvenir” Boundaries are a blessing.
- Spend all your time daydreaming about love and no time pursuing Jesus
- You try to find your significance through one guy/gal after another.
- You are seeking advice from single friends. “You can’t lead somewhere to where you haven’t been” Instead, seek advice from married people, those who are experienced in relationships. Surround yourself with wise people.
- Date people who are not christians or christians who say they are but don’t live the life. 2 Corinthians 6:14
- Buy all the lies that our culture is selling. Make sure you hold onto the truth.
My REACH is a Reflection
It’s not always comfortable or convenient to reach out for something.
Jonah experienced this first hand. In Jonah 1:1-3, God called Jonah to go and bring His message to the people of Nineveh. Jonah wasn’t comfortable with this proposition. It wasn’t convenient either. So he split.
The amazing truth weaved throughout the story of Jonah is that God is continually reaching out to Jonah. God was also wanting to reach out to the people of Nineveh.
Our willingness to reach says a lot about us. Our reach is a reflection. As Christians we are called to reach UP and to reach OUT. When we reach UP we find our source that empowers us to reach out.
Here is a simple thought I have been thinking about:
It’s hard to reach OUT without reaching UP.
It’s hard to continue to reach UP and not be moved to reach OUT.
A few years back I saw the movie the iHeart Revolution. I heard a quote that has stuck with me…
“If what we are doing in our churches isn’t making a difference in the street we drive down to get there, then maybe we are missing the point.”
As the church we must remember the key to us reaching out to the world around us is first found in reaching UP. But if we find ourselves simply reaching UP each week, without a stirring to reach OUT, something might need to be adjusted…quickly.
My REACH is a reflection of…
Priority
Whatever is important to me, I will find a way to reach out to it.
Motivation
I have to be motivated to reach. No motivation will usually result in no action.
Insight
If I understand how the reach will help, encourage, strengthen, build, etc. my life, I will be willing to take the effort to reach.
In our student ministry, Eastridge Youth, we have a simple vision: Know Jesus and Make Him Known. It is why we exist. It is why we do what we do. Even within that vision both sides of our REACH are expressed:
Know Jesus (UP), Make Him Known (OUT)
Our source for reaching OUT is found in reaching UP. Why Not Reach?
Worship Matters
Today’s sermon was the first of a new series we’ll be doing at my church for the next couple of months. And despite the fact that we have only begun this series, the sermon today was so very much applicable, so comprehensive. It’s this kind of preaching that I miss, the kind I don’t hear very often.
I thought I’d share my notes with you guys. Maybe you’ll find it applicable, maybe you won’t. Regardless, it is something that all Christians should meditate upon, for it involves every part of who we are and what we do. I might also make this a regular thing, posting my sermon notes from church. They’re so valuable to have, as reminders, things to learn from, things to reflect upon. Enjoy!
Passage - Luke 24:33-53
What is worship?
- Definition - a response to what God has done for us
- Verse 52 - first time people worship Jesus as God
- the disciples finally see Him fully resurrected
- to see Jesus is what causes us to worship
What makes Him different from others who rose from the dead? Why should we worship Him?
- Verse 44 - Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Bible
But what about distractions?
- We must turn to God for help deal with those distractions and refocus our minds.
- We must engage in those distractions and fears
- When Jesus resurrected and visited his disciples, he engaged them to prove to them that he was in fact back from the dead
- in the same way, Jesus engages the fears that keep us from focusing our hearts on him
So what is God’s purpose in worship?
- He meets us so that we can receive Him
- It is a two way street
- He comes to open our minds so that we can take part in the story as well
This fits our understanding of the Gospel. It is a two way street. Jesus came to us so that we could be part of His Kingdom.
What is the impact of worship?
- Joyful obedience
- Continual worship
*These two things go hand in hand with each other. My pastor used television to illustrate this notion. When we watch a certain TV show on a regular basis, we are naturally inclined to act a certain way. When we see the same commercial over and over again, it is more likely that we will buy into those advertisements and whatever they are selling. The ritual of watching and what we watch will inevitably shape who we are. Similarly, continually worshiping God influences us, and worshiping God allows us to joyfully obey his commands. So long as we consistently praise Him, worship Him, confess to Him, and give our lives up to Him, we will find ourselves willing to carry out whatever he asks of us.
So I hope that my notes were cohesive enough, lol. And it’d be awesome to hear your thoughts too, so don’t be shy! God bless :)
Love Song: A Study in the Song of Solomon
dbcmedia.orgI went through this sermon series over the summer I was in Pittsburgh with a group of sisters from ACF, and we had formed an accountability group of some sort. That summer, God was really challenging me a lot on the whole concept of dating, marriage, and intimacy, not only because of my past, but because of not really sure how to look towards the future regarding that issue. In many ways God reshaped my view towards boundaries, Christian dating, and what it looked like to be single or to be in a relationship. We ended up not being able to finish it that summer, but it was reintroduced to me the other day, and I ended up listening to the whole series during the 16 hours I was at work yesterday. While Tom Nelson had me laughing for a good 6 hours with his jokes and impersonations, it really made me think about a lot of things too. In some ways good, but in some ways not so good too (but that’s more of a personal focus than a reflection on the series).
Overall, it’s a really great series studying the Song of Solomon, and looking at what the Bible says about attraction, dating, intimacy, and marriage. Go listen!
