2004 Term 1 Week 4 - Two Responses to Life
The chaos of life is inescapable. We either toughen up so that we can’t feel it, or we cry out to God.
Cry out to God or Harden your Heart
Harden
Proverbs 28:14
Hebrews 3:7-19
2 Chronicles 36:13
Mark 6:52, 8:17
Exodus – Pharaoh
Relief and revenge
Cry Out
Treat people well or they may cry out to God. Implies that when life is unfair or hard we are to cry out to God.
Matthew 27:46 – Jesus cried out to God at the injustice of life.
Diagram
Ephesians 4:18-5:20
Haven't figured out this drawing in html yet, so ....
Chaos/Doubt - Can't cope
Ignore/Cover up leading to:
Harden of heart (I Can't be broken)
And so I use others (Ignorant/Insensitive)
And my focus is on self (Indulge/Insatable)
or
Chaos/Doubt - Can't cope
Acknowledge/Cry out to God leading to:
Soft heart (I am broken/sinful)
And so I can love others (Being with them/Being God-like)
And my focus is on God (Thankful)
Monday, February 23, 2004
Monday, February 16, 2004
2004 Term 1 Week 3 (Part B) - Silence in the face of Chaos
Men are silent when confronted by Chaos.
Examples:
Adam (Genesis 3)
Abram (Genesis 12)
Abraham (Genesis 20)
Isaac (Genesis 26)
Judah (Genesis 38)
David (2 Samuel 13)
Chaos is when life requires more from us than we think we have to give.
Examples:
Friend says, “My dad just got diagnosed with cancer”
Friend says, “I went to a funeral on the weekend”
When confronted by situations such as these we don’t know what to do or say. What we do next is our “silence”. For my I change the subject to something else that appears important, though it is just a cop out. Others do humour. They do or say something funny to avoid the situation. Others are speechless, they don’t know what to say so they say nothing. In each case, men avoid speaking into the chaos. Rather we stick to what we can do.
An example of speaking in to the chaos (or entering it) is to ask the person how they feel about their situation. Being with them.
Men are silent when confronted by Chaos.
Examples:
Adam (Genesis 3)
Abram (Genesis 12)
Abraham (Genesis 20)
Isaac (Genesis 26)
Judah (Genesis 38)
David (2 Samuel 13)
Chaos is when life requires more from us than we think we have to give.
Examples:
Friend says, “My dad just got diagnosed with cancer”
Friend says, “I went to a funeral on the weekend”
When confronted by situations such as these we don’t know what to do or say. What we do next is our “silence”. For my I change the subject to something else that appears important, though it is just a cop out. Others do humour. They do or say something funny to avoid the situation. Others are speechless, they don’t know what to say so they say nothing. In each case, men avoid speaking into the chaos. Rather we stick to what we can do.
An example of speaking in to the chaos (or entering it) is to ask the person how they feel about their situation. Being with them.
2004 Term 1 Week 3 (Part A) - Definitions: Believe, Trust, and Faith – with Doubt
The following may happen:
...........Faith
Belief ----------> Trust
^______________|
...........Doubt
(Ignore ........ (dots) - formatting problems)
Doubt may cause you to rethink your original belief.
Example:
Belief = God will protect me from hardships
Faith = Help others because God protects
Trust = Continue helping because God protects
Doubt = Hardships in life come
Belief = God will be with me in hardships
Doubt and Faith
Faith = Certainty surrounded by doubt
Courage and fear. What need for courage if there is nothing to fear? So too what need of faith if there are no doubts?
Reclaim doubt. Doubt is a tool that we as Christian can use to further God’s kingdom. Doubt the world. One of the beliefs of the world is that we need to be selfish to survive life, “I need to look after myself ‘cos no one else will.” The Bible asks us to doubt that belief. The Bible speaks of sacrifice and service and love that is freely given. Even life itself asks us to doubt that. Mother Teresa and others inspire us to consider the merits of service.
The following may happen:
...........Faith
Belief ----------> Trust
^______________|
...........Doubt
(Ignore ........ (dots) - formatting problems)
Doubt may cause you to rethink your original belief.
Example:
Belief = God will protect me from hardships
Faith = Help others because God protects
Trust = Continue helping because God protects
Doubt = Hardships in life come
Belief = God will be with me in hardships
Doubt and Faith
Faith = Certainty surrounded by doubt
Courage and fear. What need for courage if there is nothing to fear? So too what need of faith if there are no doubts?
Reclaim doubt. Doubt is a tool that we as Christian can use to further God’s kingdom. Doubt the world. One of the beliefs of the world is that we need to be selfish to survive life, “I need to look after myself ‘cos no one else will.” The Bible asks us to doubt that belief. The Bible speaks of sacrifice and service and love that is freely given. Even life itself asks us to doubt that. Mother Teresa and others inspire us to consider the merits of service.
Monday, February 09, 2004
2004 Term 1 Week 2 (Part B) - Creation
God is Generous
God made things and they were good.
God made things for people (Genesis 2)
God is Curious
God is curious as to what Adam will name the animals (Genesis 2).
The Fall
Adam sinned by being silent.
Satan put doubt in their minds about God’s goodness. That same doubt still echoes today. The world asks us to consider God’s goodness.
God is Generous
God made things and they were good.
God made things for people (Genesis 2)
God is Curious
God is curious as to what Adam will name the animals (Genesis 2).
The Fall
Adam sinned by being silent.
Satan put doubt in their minds about God’s goodness. That same doubt still echoes today. The world asks us to consider God’s goodness.
2004 Term 1 Week 2 (Part A) - Definitions: Believe, Trust, and Faith
Faith
Belief ---------> Trust
Believe: I believe the chair will hold my weight
Faith: I sit on the chair
Trust: I am sitting on the chair
Belief is abstract. You can believe without needing to act on it. “I believe that Earth is the only planet with life.”
Faith is acting on a belief. “I believe that through God I can bless others, so I will talk to Fred.”
Trust is remaining acting on belief. If faith is like the first step, then trust is all the steps that follow.
Faith
Belief ---------> Trust
Believe: I believe the chair will hold my weight
Faith: I sit on the chair
Trust: I am sitting on the chair
Belief is abstract. You can believe without needing to act on it. “I believe that Earth is the only planet with life.”
Faith is acting on a belief. “I believe that through God I can bless others, so I will talk to Fred.”
Trust is remaining acting on belief. If faith is like the first step, then trust is all the steps that follow.
Monday, February 02, 2004
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