Sunday, February 26, 2012

NTS_Everyday Faith_02.26.12

LINK TO THE LESSON NOTES = HERE


 Chips to eat ... Why do you come back for more?
- Can't eat just one


 Be Thou My Vision / Ginny Owens (blind)
- I can see clearly now the rain is gone ... washed _______ away.


 Why the garden = Where have we been, where are we now, and where are we going?
- Past Lessons: Lord of Everything, Head of the Church, Grace-Driven Belief
- Personal Faith: Everyday Faith
- And the winner is ... Hebrews 12:1


 Soil Testing = Acidic or Alkaline (see right through ... what to add ... what to take away)
- Approaching relationships and responsibilities

CH / LEADERSHIP, ANDY STANLEY, PODCAST
  • Leaders shape the organization culture whether they intend to or not
  • Leaders think in ways they can count
  • Leaders INHERIT the organization culture
  • The leader adapts to the culture or is shaped by the culture (Thriving on Chaos,   Tom Peters (What are the driving forces behind the organization?  What might be disrupted if intervention is pre-term or an ineffective change is made?  What drives and maintains this health culture?  Why are they great or why are they not great?)
  • No one effects the culture of the organization more than the leader / leader(s)
  • Time in erodes awareness of ... (the longer a leader is anywhere the less aware they are of your surroundings = good, bad, healthy, unhealthy)
  • Evaluations = Members evaluate the organization 
  • There needs to be a tool in place to monitor the culture of the organization
  • Feedback is vital to assess current status (seen, heard, experienced)
  • The longer leaders are in place, the more unclear the surroundings become / leaders allow the culture to continue or are the direct catalysts for change
  • Healthy cultures attract and keep healthy people
  • Unhealthy people are comfortable in unhealthy environments
  • Healthy people have low tolerance for disfunction (leave and cannot stay there)
  • Unhealthy people are not happy in healthy organizational cultures
  • An investment in culture attracts and maintains great people
  • Indicators of an unhealthy culture: 
  • Drama = unhealthy (more drama) / healthy (get the job done and less drama surrounding the objective)
  • Sense of being self-focused = inward vs. outward focused
  • "Sideways" energy = a lot of activity without a lot of progress and productivity
  • The culture of an organization impacts the long-term effect of the organization = productivity correlates with culture 
  • Communication
  • Transparency
  • Unfiltered debate
  • Territorial 
  • Collaboration (in healthy organization structures ... examples): 
  • The boss does not micromanage
  • People don't get their feelings hurt
  • People don't feel left out
  • The boss does not have to be in every meeting
  • Unhealthy culture = buttoned up, red tape, top down (slows down progress and productivity)
  • Unhealthy cultures are slow to adapt to change
  • The churches that grow and change the fastest are the churches that are not focused on their church members
  • Inward focus (he says, she says, why is the boss talking
  • to (him/her)
  • In unhealthy cultures people resist change
  • Necessity = act, react, and flex with the market place
 Why baking soda and vinegar
- Indicators / measurable results
- ALKALINE VS. ACIDIC = HERE

 What do we have to work with? (Colossians 3:5-10)
- Moral climate faced everyday

 What is in the soil?
- In what areas of your life to you feel the most pressing need for renewal?

 What are you going to plant? (Colossians 3:12-17)
- Describe practice ways you can "put on" or "plant" Jesus' love.

 How much work will it take?
- Why is unity important in our relationships?  What happens without it?

 I've never planted a garden ... How do I begin? (Colossians 3:18-21)
- How can practicing submissions strengthen your faith?
- "Obey" vs. "Submission" (vs.18) / gracefully loved and gracefully loving / violates trust and love then also the whole family system

 How do we keep the weeds out? (Colossians 4:5-6)
- Grow in the garden?
- In which situations is it easiest for you to talk gracefully, using language seasoned with salt?  - In which situations is it most challenging?

 How do we keep the pests out?
- Come into the garden from the outside?
- Prayerful defense

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Sunday, February 12, 2012

NTS_Grace-Driven Belief_02.12.12

Balloon = stretching, blowing, tying, popping, lasting, transforming

Penny Lip = what is a penny, who are we, does the penny define our self?

Introduction to Studying the Bible = HERE

The Baptist Faith and Message = HERE



















PIECING LIFE TOGETHER: Blog Link = HERE








Saturday, February 4, 2012

NTS_Lord Of Everything_02.05.12

SS Class Notes = HERE
SS Learning Guide = HERE
Give Me Jesus = HERE

In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, give me Jesus.

And when I am alone
Oh and when I am alone
And when I am alone, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, give me Jesus.

And when I come to die
Oh and when I come to die
And when I come to die, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, 
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.

EXERTS FROM A FRIENDS LETTER AS HE AND HIS FAMILY EXPERIENCE THE SUDDEN LOSS OF A RELATIVE (SNAP-SHOTS OF CHANGED LIVES):
  • As you rise today will you beg of God to give you Jesus?  
  • Thank you Jesus for allowing us to have access to the Holy One who hears our cries.  
  • Your prayers have not gone unheard before the throne of our Father.  
  • Transforming marriages.  
  • Calling the broken and hurting to a restored relationship that can only come through Jesus.  We are watching people, our family, being set free from the lies of the evil one.  
  • Truth is being spoken into each other's lives.  
  • It's a beautiful place today.  
  • ...your partnership in prayer has amplified the cries for help before our King.  We are longing to see restoration.
  • I am so proud of my wife.  
  • ...she has fallen at the feet of Jesus and surrendered to Him and it is so attractive.  
  • Not only did it prepare our hearts for this, but it's drawn us closer in our relationship and it's drawn me to be with Jesus.  
  • And now I am watching a community see Jesus in her countenance, her words and her heart.  She has been strong for everyone else, yet her tender heart needs time to mourn.  
  • Pray for her today.
  • We are unsure what seeds of salvation have been planted, but we trust God is doing a mighty work because of your cries for mercy on our behalf.  
  • May this death bring life!  
  • Give me Jesus!  
WITHOUT KNOWING WHO THIS IS THAT IS SHARING THE TESTIMONY THE CHANGING POWER OF JESUS SPEAKS THROUGH THE MIDSTS OF HURT AND PAIN.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Helping Kids Hide God's Word in Their Hearts


EVERNOTE URL: HERE 

RESOURCES: 
  www.focusonthefamily.com/radio / DIRECT LINK = HERE
  daily broadcast direct = email resources and updates from broadcasts

  • Wellspring = Thoughts, Words, Actions
  • The heart comes first (parents to kids)
  • World's Message = Pride, Seeks the World, Pleasure...adrenaline, Complain about 
  • CHRIST FIRST = Four things..."Red Trees"
  • #1 = PRIDE VS. GRACE TO BE HUMBLE
    • PROVERBS 22:4:
    • Be poor in spirit
    • MATTHEW 5:3:
    • Riches and honor?
    • We are "spiritual preemies"...totally dependant on God for everything
    • JAMES 4:6:
    • JAMES 4:7-12 (ties it all together):
  • #2 = MORE EXCITED ABOUT GOD THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN LIFE
    • LOVE the Lord with all of heart, soul, mind, strength (whole self)
    • CREED: 
      • A. Honor God
      • B. Honor Others
      • C. Honor God's Creation
    • DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9: 
    • The Lord is God...His is one...branded on kid's hearts...teach diligently ALL THE TIME
    • Is this EVIDENT AROUND THE HOME?
    • DUETERONOMY 6:9:
    • KEEP = Live inside of you (me)
    • ABIDE in love
  • #3 = LOVE OTHERS AS I LOVE MYSELF (WOULD LIKE TO BE LOVED)
    • Opposite is often true (teen pleasure...immediate gratification)
    • Go for the EXTREME (d  i  s  t  r  a  c  t  i  o  n)
    • Consider a LIFE EXPERIENCE
    • Make vs. reveal heart
    • The changes is in the heart (living the LIE...)
    • FIVE KEY VERSES: 
      • JAMES 1:19-20:
      • PHILIPPIANS 4:6-9 (MAIN...9):
      • ROMANS 5:3-5
      • MATTHEW 5:10-11:
  • #4 = REJOICE IN TRIALS
    • Thankfulness for ALL things
    • Scripture and FREEDOM
      • GALATIANS 5:13-14:
  • SUMMARY OF THE TOP 4:
    • Humble Self
    • Love God
    • Love Others
    • Rejoice In Trials

Sunday, January 15, 2012

NTS_Fight Injustice_01.15.12





Injustice could be a crux that we get stuck on and develop our own itinerary and plan to address.  We could be GOOD PEOPLE and make light of issues without continuing in our relationship with Christ...what images do we have burned in our minds of Christ?  Do we make Him out to be like us or are we really understanding that we are made in HIS image and He is not made in OUR image?

The idea that we can get angry needs to be monitored:   Are we keeping ourselves from getting angry?  Why is anger beneficial?  How would we handle anger and injustice if we NEW God more instead of knowing more ABOUT God?



STATISTICS ABOUT INJUSTICE: 



Is God "Big Enough"...be reminded and worship because of his promises (ones kept, ones to come) = 










FOR REFLECTION THROUGH THE WEEK:

























Saturday, January 7, 2012

Class Reflection_01.08.12

We are challenged to Walk In The Light...

What does this look like?

We should imitate God's love (Ephesians 5:1-5)


There should be a change in behavior (Ephesians 5:8-12)



We choose wisely...everything (Ephesians 5:15-16)
  • Wise person vs. a fool (Contrast = Proverbs 10:14; 14:3; 16; 29:11)
  • Understand what the Lord's will is = Ephesians 5:17
  • Making the most of time = buying or redeeming time / season, period, opportune moment
A Fragrant Offering (Leviticus 1-3)



More to reflect on this week: