I'm a teacher, such as it were

    The church asked me to teach the High School class.  Who, me?  I've enjoyed the Men's Class so much I really didn't want to leave it.  However, service is my life.  May God's will be done.  Alright, I confess.  I was asked to teach the class a couple years ago, but there was only one kid in it, and it made more sense to me to roll the kid into another class so it would be an actual group.  Now there's more than one kid, and here I am- Sunday School Teacher.  To get legalist, my requirement of "more than one kid" was met by there being a total of two.  One of them is my son.  Small church.  Regardless, I shall do the job to the best of my abilities.

Here's the Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. Problems? Suggestions?


Sunday school 2-5-2012
Colossians 1:9-23


Today's lesson is 'Center of Everything.' For us, Christ is the Center of Everything, but to non-believers that statement is laughable. How do you respond to somebody who claims that Christ is a myth? Have you heard of other claims? wise teacher, one of many roads, it's the heart that matters, every religion has valid truth to glean
At the time this letter was written Collassae was in decline. There is no indication Paul ever visited there. But he felt it important to argue against the mixing of Christianity with other beliefs.
Read Col. 1:9-12
Paul was telling the Colossians to keep Christ at the center, grow in knowledge of Him, and have a faithful walk. Do we know anybody like that?
Why do Christians need to know what they believe?
Have you experience opposition to belief in Christ?
What are some qualities of people who know what they believe?
We must know what we believe so we can testify, evangelize.
Read Colossians 1:15-20
If somebody asks who Jesus is, and why do you believe that, what do you say?
How does you belief in Jesus affect your daily life?
What are you and this church doing to help other understand Jesus and get o know Him?
What more could we do?
Read Colossians 1:13-14, 21-23
V13 "has rescued us from the domain of darkness."
Have any observations about the darkness of sin?
Christians have been delivered from Satan’s domain. The word has the idea of a rescue by a sovereign power.Another place where this same phrase for power of darkness is used is in Luke
22:53, where Jesus spoke of the darkness surrounding His arrest and passion in the same terms. “These words refer to the sinister forces marshaled against him for decisive combat in the spiritual realm.” (Bruce)
The power of darkness may be seen in its effects, and for those who have been delivered . . . from the power of darkness these effects should be less and less evident in the life.
·The power of darkness lulls us to sleep.
·The power of darkness is skilled at concealment.
·The power of darkness afflicts and depresses man.
·The power of darkness can fascinate us.
·The power of darkness emboldens some men.
"conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son"
According to Barclay, the word we can translate "transferred" or "conveyed" had a special significance in the ancient world. When one empire conquered another, the custom was to take the population of the defeated empire and transfer it completely to the conqueror’s land. It is in this sense that Paul says we have been conveyed into God’s kingdom. Everything we have and everything we are now belongs to Him.
V14 what is the analogy that applies to the word "redemption"? We were slaves, Christ paid the price to free us. This is one reason why pleading the blood of Jesus – in the right sense, not in a magical or superstitious sense – has such great significance in spiritual warfare. It shows the “receipt” of our lawful purchase as redeemed people. It's a legal transaction.
One of the great sticky questions of theology is to whom was the price paid? Some say
it was to God that the ransom price was paid, but we were prisoners of Satan’s kingdom. Others say it was to Satan that the ransom price was paid, but what does God owe to Satan? This question probably simply extends the metaphor too far.
V21-22 Anybody have an example of reconciliation?
Belonging to the race of Adam, we are born alienated from God. Then as individuals, we
each choose to accept and embrace that alienation with our wicked works.
"Once you were alienated:" This means that in Jesus we are no longer alienated. The difference between a believer and a non-believer isn’t merely forgiveness; there is a complete change
of status. Of course, it's not just a legal change- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
What is the primary thing we can do that makes us effective for Christ? more knowledge
How can we show we've been redeemed and are reconciled? How are we doing?
Jesus is not only the center of everything, per V17 he holds our atoms together.
Colossians 1:17 He himself existed before anything else did, and he holds all things together.

The Christmas letter is done and it's not even Christmas! Call me Overachiever. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good life.

I was met by Gimlet in the living room this morning. After getting down to her level I said “Good morning, you little pup.” She sniffed my breath and recoiled in horror. It had to be pretty bad to offend a dog.
Per chaos theory, if I was a social butterfly the affect of my dragon breath could eventually cause pandemonium in the Middle East. Don’t look at me, I said, “if.”
It's only a theory anyway. The certainty is that brushing the teeth in the morning is a good thing.

I need to get back in the habit of posting. I was asked to teach Sunday School tomorrow, so here's the plan.


Sunday School 10/2/2011
John 2:1-10
Examples of miracles?- Births. Answered prayer. Biblical examples.
Do miracles have a purpose?
How do we define miracles? Events which unmistakably involve an immediate and powerful action of God designed to reveal His character or purposes. Any event outside of natural law. After the miracle, nature goes back to normal.
What miracles did Jesus do? Their purpose? Glorify God.
Do we ever treat God like a genie who grants wishes? Do we try to bargain?
Read John 2:1-5
John 2:1 On the third day. This hints of the miracle to come with the resurrection.
Running out of wine would have been a social disgrace.
What purpose did this miracle serve? Showed we can take any problem to Christ. Showed life in Christ should be joyous, not desperate.
“Whatever He says, do it” There’s an instruction we should heed.
Read John 2:6-10
He used what was at hand. The servants did what they were told. Because of their obedience they participated in a miracle, and were blessed. Because they were good servants that filled the pots to the brims, the miracle was fulfilled to the greatest measure.
What should be our attitude in prayer petitions? Take everything to Christ, no matter how small it seems. And our attitude towards other’s problems? Help no matter how small the problem.
Is there symbolism in this miracle? No wine- spiritual emptiness, desperation, no joy, lifeless. Wine- joy, blessing
Few people knew of this miracle, why?
As surely as Jesus turned water into wine, he can change the ordinary into the extraordinary, like… fear into courage, loneliness-comfort, sorrow- joy,
Sinners -saints, death- life
Read John 2:11, 1:14, 18
11 “first sign” what was the sign for? the miracle pointed to Jesus as the Son of God
The miracles bring glory to God, what is glory? The Greek word John used, doxa, carried the Old Testament idea of God’s awe-inspiring presence and power exhibited so the evidence of it could be seen. Such a display would cause the honoring of Him. Jesus exhibited God’s presence and power.
What are some evidences of God’s glory in nature? Greatness, majesty, power, mountains, seas, all life, design of cells
How is the glory of God revealed in human life? Transformation of sinners, Christ
What has been your reaction when you’ve seen or sensed the power of God?
　

Don't hate me for this, but I'm going all apocalyptic today. The horror, the horror.


Back in 1970 a book, ’The Late Great Planet Earth’ was published. It caused quite a sensation. People anticipated the second coming of Christ based on Hal Lindsey’s claim that, as per Ezekiel 37, the generation to see the return of the Jews to Israel would see the return of Christ. He explained that a generation was 40 years, based on how long it took for everybody that came out of Egypt to die in the wilderness.
That never made sense to me. In Psalm 90:10 10 “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” So 70 years it is, unless it’s 80. However, 70 becomes more reasonable when it is considered that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Times and events earlier in the Bible are often examples of what’s to come.
So- Israel re-founded in 1948, plus 70 is 2018. Deduct 7 years for the Tribulation and you have the rapture in 2011. There is much disagreement in the Christian community regarding when the Rapture occurs. Some believe it comes before the Tribulation, some believe in the middle, others at the end.
Going back to the Old Testament for an example, the only global cataclysm was the Great Flood of Noah’s time told in Genesis. Noah and his family were sealed in the ark by the Lord and were safe from the flood. Based on that, it would be reasonable to assume the rapture will occur before the tribulation and we’ll be waiting patiently for it to end.
If that’s correct, who is the Anti-Christ? Barack Obama? Maybe. The following is information that was on a YouTube video that is no longer available that gave the original Hebrew words. If the links don’t work, the Strongs Numbers are the last part of the links.
Luke 10:18 And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning falling from the heavens.
Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary (SHD) No. 1299- baraq (baw-rak’) A primitive root: to lighten (lightning) –cast forth http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/1299.htm
　
SHD No. 1300 from baraq; by analogy; a gleam; concretely, a flashing sword—bright, glitter(-ing sword), lightning. http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/1300.htm
　
Isaiah 14:12-19 is regarding Satan, in verse 14 Satan says, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”
　
SHD No.1116 bamah (bam-maw’) From an unused root (meaning to be high); an elevation—height, high place, wave. Also used to refer to the heavens
http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/1116.htm
　
In Hebrew the sixth letter is “waw” or “vau” it can be translated as “u” or “o.” The letter is primarily used as a conjunction to tie concepts together. To join the concepts of “lightning” and “from heaven” a “u” or “o” would be used. The result would be either “baraq u bam-maw” or “baraq o bam-maw.”
The name “Satan” is from Hebrew. (My own note here- we call him Satan, the Jews call him ha-Satan, meaning “the Adversary.”)
Going back to Luke 10:18, using the original Hebrew words Christ used, the verse would be- “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as Baraq O Bam-maw.”
　
What are the odds that any President of the United States would have that name? It’s chilling.
　
Does that mean Barack Obama is THE Anti-Christ? As you can see, the case can be made. He certainly seems to be vain enough. However, in the Apostle’s time there were already some who were said to be anti-Christs.
There’s also the matter of the Anti-Christ proclaiming himself God in the temple. There isn’t a temple on the Holy Mount, there’s a mosque. Perhaps for this to happen a natural catastrophe, like an earthquake, will occur. However, the Israelis gave control of the Temple Mount to the Muslims. It’s unlikely that, even if the mosque is leveled, the Muslims would ever let the Jews rebuild their temple.
Here’s a possible solution. There are stories told of the Temple Priests burying fixtures before the Romans got there and destroyed the temple. The Muslims have been doing major excavations on the Mount.
https://www.bib-arch.org/online-exclusives/temple-mount-destruction-02.asp
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Reo1zw-k_8g
It’s just a guess, but perhaps the Muslims unearth the Temple artifacts and put them in their mosque. If Obama goes to the Middle-East the Muslims could offer him a visit to the Dome on the Rock. No infidel is allowed in there. However, since Barack’s father was Muslim, by Muslim law Barack will always be a Muslim. He would be the first President to go inside. Surrounded by the gold fixtures of the Temple, he might be inspired by his own destiny. Or not. It’s all guesswork on my part.
If not the Anti-Christ, he could be the Anti-John the Baptist preparing the way. He may so weaken the United States economy and military that it is no longer a credible deterrent for him or his successor. The Russians and Chinese may see it as a rare opportunity to seize the middle east and deny us its oil.
Yes, it may all sound like so much gloom and doom, but we’ll be in heaven in joyous fellowship with Christ and singing praises to God. The misery is on earth, not in heaven.
So when would all of this happen? On Rosh HaShanna, the Feast of Trumpets. This year it starts at sunset on September 28 and continues for two days. Assuming it’s all done on Jerusalem time, and that’s eight hours ahead of Central Time, it could happen any time after about noon on the 28th. Short notice, my bad. I’ve been sitting on this since July 2008.
On the other hand, my wife believes that since it was 70 years from Christ’s birth to the loss of the Temple, we should start counting with the year that the Jews regained it. That was 1967. If she’s right, we have another 19 years to prepare.
Considering how the world is teetering on the edge of total economic collapse and descending into chaos, sooner may be the better bet. On the other hand, I’m not confident enough to live as though it’s all ending tomorrow. But I am going to live as though some day I’m going to see Jesus.

http://publicserf.blogspot.comWhine at me: publicserf@yahoo.com-

Joshua had homework. He was to do a poem with a graphic. He wrote the poem, Rachel did the graphic. I think it's rather cute, but I'm the Dad.

A Boy, His Boat A Dragon And A Dream

I grab my things,
and my small dragon.
With flapping wings
and tail a draggin'.
I get the box
that is my new boat
There's room for a fox,
I'm sure it will float.
“It's in the water”
I say it with glee.
Like a prisoner free'd,
from school I will flee.
As a lion roars,
wind started blowing.
As a bird soars,
our spirits flowing.
Under a bridge
we ran like a sprinter.
Then over the ridge
as chilling as winter.
Then on to home
to a friendly fire.
No more to roam
dragon made a pyre.
It wasn't long when
I started to nap.
With a tired dragon
head on my lap.