August 1st, 2008 Today is my mom's bday. I got her some stationary for thank you notes, she uses those sorts of things often so I figured it would be a good gift. Anyway, I am currently on my way up to New York. We go up north every summer for about a week to visit my aunt eileen in syracuse and also go up to our camp along the St. Lawrence river. I am sure I have talked about it before in journal entries. So I am sure I will have plenty of time to catch up on lost journal entries. Some of these updates will be old sermon notes (actually probably most of them). For instance, for today I am going to be putting some Psalms that I read during Providence's H20 Class one morning when I was helping out. We were studying the Psalms all summer. I learned a lot, I just wish Dave Owen wasn't on sebatical (spelling?), so I could have had the pleasure of hearing him speak! Anyways, here it is. Psalm 119:169-176 Let my cry come before you, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word! Let my plea come before You; deliver me according to Your word. My lips will pour forth praise, for You teach me Your statutes. My tounge will sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are right. Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments. August 2nd, 2008 These are notes from a bulletin from Providence Baptist Church sermon notes from June 15, 2008. "Is it OK to Ask... "How Do I Hear from God?" - I Peter 1:22-2:3 MEDITATING ON GOD's WORD 1.Meditate on Scripture - A train of thought needs a track on which to run or else it will run off in every direction and end up going nowhere while making great haste to go everywhere. Make sure that your meditation is on track with God's Word. 2. Meditate with Structure - Just a sentence must have some structure to qualify as such, so a structure must apply to meditation so the thoughts take on form in order to be distinguished from ramblings. 3. Meditate in Systematic manner - Without a method to our meditation on Scripture, a systematic manner or process, we will waste much time and have little to show for our efforts. Here are some suggestions to follow: Paraphrase the passage - Dissect and reconstruct the passage - Emphasize different phrases and words while reading aloud - Isolate suggested themes and topics not central to the main thesis for seperate and individual consideration - Comparethe passage with related topics and texts - Define the terms used - Cultivate a context for understanding by noting attributes of God suggested by text 4. Meditate in Solitude - Meditation cannot be a team effort or group project but a practice only to be developed alone before the Lord. 5. Meditate in Silence - Distracting noise competes with the quiet voice of the Lord and should be avoided whenever possible. If noise is unavoidable, the Lord can create an oasis of calm about you and speak through the silence of His own stillness. INTERPRETATION QUESTIONS The Navigator's Ministry offers excellent resources to help believers lern how to hear from the Lord through His word. In order to assist leaders of small groups, they have put together a list of discussion questions that help arrive at the meaning of a passage of scripture. I have found them very helpful in personal Bible study as well. Here are 12 categories of questions and examples of each. 1. Synonyms - What are some words or phrases that mean the same things as _____? 2. Definitions - In a sentence or two, what do you think _____ really means? 3. Differences - What do you think is the difference between ______ and _____? 4. Similarities - In what ways would you say that _____ and _____ are alike? 5. Opposites - What do you think is the opposite of ______? 6. Relationships - What do you think is the relationship between _____ and _____? 7. Examples - What is the biblical example of _____? What are some examples of _____ that you have seen in everyday life? 8. Why - Why does this verse say _____ when other passages emphasize _____? 9. Explain - How would you explain _____ in this passage? 10. Extremes - Which one of these do you feel is the most (or least) _____? 11. Quantity/Quality - How significant do you think _____ really is? To what degree do you think ___ should be _____? 12. How - How might our response to _____ affect the way we _____ others? APPLICATION OF THE WORD: How to write a 5 Point Application 1. Verse - Record the reference of the verse of the passage that has impressed you about making a personal application 2. Truth - Briefly state the truth of the verse of the passage that impresses you. 3. Need - State how you feel that you fall short in relation to the truth that impressed you. 4. Intent - State specifically what you intend to do toward having your life changed in this area of need. Keep the action simple. It should be a simple step toward improving your life in this area of need. 5. Checkup - State how you will make sure you accomplish the simple goal you have set. You may want to write a note and put it in a prominent place in your office or home until you have completed your application. you may want to tell a friend, your husband or wife, or a relative what you intend to do and have them check up on you. August 3rd, 2008 I have just noticed that none of these sermons are going to be in order, but they are old so its not too important, haha. Here is one from June 8th, 2008 from David Horner at PBC: "Is it OK to Ask.."How do I Hear from God"? I Peter 1:22-2:3 1. Building well on a solid foundation (2:4-6) a. Christ Himself is the cornerstone and foundation (I Cor. 3:10-11) b. Elementary principles are the building blocks (Heb. 5:12-14) 2. Feeding consistenly on a Biblical diet a. Finding value in the Word as the key to treasuring it b. Keeping our purity through the Word (Ps.119:9-11) 3.Increasing our understanding of the Word (II Tim 2:15) - Our lives should reflect our understanding of the Word. 4.Following through with an application of the Word. (James 1:22) *Example: Looking into a mirror, we see our imperfections such as messed up hair, unstraight tie, etc. and we fix them. This principle should also be applied by looking in the Bible (mirror) and fixing ourselves to be more like Christ. This idea can only truly be applied if we value scripture. Truth > Experience -Psalm 4:6-10 - Be Still August 4th, 2008 hese are sermon notes from May 25th 2008 from Matt Schoolfield at Fellowship Raleigh: Gospel Faithfulness: I Cor. 15:1-5 Three Reminders about the Gospel of Jesus Christ 1. We must be faithful WITH the Gospel of Jesus Christ (v.1-2) a. preaching the Gospel b. having received the Gospel c. standing in the Gospel d.being saved by the Gospel -Isaiah 53:5-6 2.We must be faithful FOR the Gospel of Jesus Christ (3a) -It must be of "First Importance" 3.We must be faithful TO the Gospel of Jesus Christ (3b-5) -v3. "delivered what I received" a.God b.Mankind's Sin c.The person AND work of Jesus Christ d.Our response (of faith and repentance) August 5th, 2008 These are sermon notes from Feb. 11 2007 by David Horner at PBC: Solomon: The Need to Finish Well I Kings 3:7-9 1. Exalted Position with humble heart -David's choice and charge 1:35 -Solomon's worship and wisdom 3:3 -God's pleasure and provision 3:10-11 2. An Inherited Holy Ambition with a holy heart -Fulfilling the dream of His father 8:17-21 -Pleading for the favor of the Lord 8:28-30 -Honoring the name of the Lord 5:5 -Rejoicing in the glory of God 8:10-11, 59-61 -Accepting the promise/warning of God 9:3-7 3. A Sequenced advantage with a hopeless heart -From disciplined instruction. Prov. 2:2-5, 4:23 -To divine love. Song of Songs 2:16 -To destructive seeds: improper worship 3:3, disastrous experimentation Ecc. 2:10-11, multiplying wives 11:1-3, accumulating wealth, Deut. 16:16-17. How to waste a Great Beginning 1. Small compromises 2. Shifting Loyalties 3. Selfish Choices 4. Shameful Cynicism August 6th, 2008 These are sermon notes from October 15, 2006, David Horner at PBC: v "When God is most favored" Psalm 63 -When my heart yearns for created things, my soul can never be satisfied. -Love for the world displaces love for the Father (Ecc. 2:10-11) -Misplacement of affections steals our affections from Christ (Psalm 42:1-2) /////////////////////////////////////////////// These are undated notes from H20 College class from Dave O. Acts 9: The Glorious Conversion of Paul In Paul's conversion we see:v 1. Christ is supreme over those who strongly oppose Him and His church, and He can convert them suddenly (v.1-9) Also see Gal. 1:13-14, Acts 23, Matt. 28:18-20. "The Power is in the Christ and the gospel, and not in ourselves". 2.Christ is sovereign over salvation and can change the direction of one's life immediately (v.3-15). See Also Gal. 1:5, Phil. 1 & 2:13, Proverbs 3:5-6. 3.Christ is our strength and source for all who believe (v.22/31). See also: I Tim. 1:15-16 August 7th, 2008 More sermon notes! From Nov. 5, 2006, David Horner at PBC. "Bring Them to Jesus" Mark 2:1-11 1. Take note of people in need. See Mark 2:3 -Be observant enough to understand -We need to connect people to Jesus 2.Ask God for a way to help -The way of the unconcerned -The way of the faithful -Trust Jesus, love the people 3.Arrange an encounter with Christ -Annointed to preach. See Luke 4:18 -Authority to forgive. See Matt. 28:18 -Power to heal. See Eph. 1:18-21 -Capacity to amaze. See Mark 2:12 ///////////////////////////////////////////////// April 30th, 2006 from PBC. Untitled sermon from Isaiah 66 Unknown speaker (I think Dave O.) -In order to "attract the attention of God", you must know who He is and these 3 theological truths: 1.Remember who God is in spite of a man centered culture. (v1) -See also John 12:41, Isaiah 6:1-3, Isaiah 45:5-6, 21-22 2.Remove pride from our life and cultivate humility. -Humility is rightly assesing ourselves and making much of God instead of ourselves. -Luke 14:11, Mark 10:43-44 -"The reversal of all human ideas of greatest rank" -I Peter 5, James 4:6, Prov. 16:18 3. Revere God's word and read it often (v2) -Psalm 119:105, Luke 16:30-31 He aslo made references to AW Tozer, John Statt, Voltaire, and Jonathan Edwards.