My Kind of Salesman!

Thought this was GREAT!!!

Christmas Flash Mob

One more Holiday treat!

Thanks to Pam Houfek for passing this one on to me.

!!!Click Here!!!

We All Wear Masks...

Mine just make me look funny...

                                 Yvette too!

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights - Amazing Grace



Interesting way to communicate the Grace which is so Amazing. Quite an investment in lights, time, energy, talent, money. Kinda easy to forget the real message of the song. 

But, I suppose, it was pretty. 

Quote of the Day

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” 

                                                                                            ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Perspective

A lady name Alice Smith was sitting in the waiting room for her first appointment with a new dentist. She noticed his diploma, which had his full name.

Suddenly, Alice remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in her high school class some 30-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that she had a secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing him, however, she quickly discarded any such thought. This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been her classmate.

After he examined her teeth, she asked him if he had attended Morgan Park High school.

'Yes. Yes, I did.' he gleamed with pride.
'When did you graduate?' Alice asked.
He answered, 'In 1967. Why do you ask?'
'You were in my class!' She exclaimed.

He looked at Alice closely. Then, the ugly, old, bald, wrinkled, gray-haired man asked Alice, 'What did you teach?'

Music...

“Music... will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.” 
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                               ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Tomorrow's Message at Beneva Christian

Come Home for Christmas

God is waiting...come home. 

Jeremiah 3
Matthew 11:28
Romans 15

It's A Miracle!

A woman ran a red traffic light and crashed into a man's car.  Both of their
cars are demolished but amazingly neither of them was hurt.
After they crawled out of their cars, the woman said; "Wow, just look at our
cars!  There's nothing left, but fortunately we are unhurt. This must be a
sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace
for the rest of our days."

The man replied," I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from
God!"

The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is
completely demolished, but my bottle of wine didn't break. Surely God wants
us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she hands the
bottle to the man.

The man nods his head in agreement, opens it, drinks half the bottle and
then hands it back to the woman. The woman takes the bottle, immediately
puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man.

The man asks, "Aren't you having any?"
She replies, "Nah. I think I'll just wait for the police."

Quote of the Day

“We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.” 

                                                           ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

Why God, Why?

Have you ever read the book of Job? Even if you haven't, you probably know the story.

"But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face. The LORD said to Satan, Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.  - Job 2:5-6

There is a divine limitation to Satan's power, and as in the first chapter of Job, God moves the boundaries closer. He says, You can touch him. When Satan uses the phrase, "strike his flesh and bones," Satan is asking for complete access to all of Job's humanity.

Satan believes he can get Job to fall completely, shake Job's faith and cause him to turn from his trust in God and curse Him to His face.

Many people do not accept the story of Job as a real, historical event. They believe this because he endured so many trials. Most reasoning falls along the lines that "God is unconcerned about human life," or that "God doesn't really love his people." It pictures God as ruthless. Job's whole family was taken from him. So, many people cannot accept this as historical record.

These feeling and emotions are what many people struggle with today. They see God as nothing more than a being who thinks and acts like a man. More so they think that God has no more rights than a man. 

Deep down, people think that if a person dealt with another person as God dealt with Job, they would be charged with murder and cruelty. 

It did not occur to them that God could not be charged with these things, because in His hand is all of life. He determines the length of life for everyone.

One of the many reasons we have the book of Job is to show us that there are reasons for and purposes in these trials and sufferings that we do not see. Job could not see what was going on from heaven's perspective...and neither can we! Yet God knows, and has created the purposes.  It seems to me that the test of each and every trial is always to this end.

Your Response to Trouble?

The sight of any trouble strikes terror into the heart of those who do not have faith, but those who trust Him say, "Here comes my food!" 
                                                                                                     - Watchman Nee

Very Funny Christmas Lip Sync

http://www.flixxy.com/kids-lip-syncing-a-wonderful-christmas-song.htm

Prayer for Your Tomorrow

May God bless you with
     a clear dawning,
     a cool morning,
     a warm noonday,
     a golden sunset,
     a gentle twilight,
     a starlit night,

and if clouds should cross your sky,
may God give you the faith to look for
the silver lining.
Amen.

Robert H Schuller - Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living

Theological Term of the Day

Guilt

Guilt is being responsible for and accountable for an offense. Biblically, it is the state of being under a present or pending consequence due to a sin, a breaking of God’s Law. It is also an emotional state as well as legal condition. Guilt feelings are used by the Holy Spirit to inform the sinner of broken fellowship with God (Isaiah 59:2; John 16:8). Because of our guilt before God, we need reconciliation (Rom. 5:6-9).

CARM.org

Prayer for the Day

Saint Patrick

May the strength of God pilot us.
May the power of God preserve us.
May the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the way of God direct us.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Guardian Angel

A Guardian Angel is an angel assigned to protect someone. There is debate within Christianity as to the legitimacy and/or extent of the guardianship by the angelic realm over people as a whole or specific individuals.

CARM.org

For Perseverance

Deep within myself
I have a powerful awareness that
I have made the right decision
and am moving in the right direction.

I will let nothing and no one
deter, detour, distract, depress, or defeat me.
"No man having put his hand to the plow and
looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."

God's spirit is rising within me
now,
making me very determined
to faithfully keep the beautiful promises
I've made.
I will be faithful.
I am reliable.
Thank you, God.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Grace

Biblically, grace is unmerited favor. It is God's free action for the benefit of his people. It is different than justice and mercy. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. In grace we get eternal life, something that, quite obviously, we do not deserve. But because of God's love and kindness manifested in Jesus on the Cross, we receive the great blessing of redemption.

Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Grace rules out all human merit (Rom. 11:6). It is the product of God that is given by God, because of who He is not because of who we are. It is the means of our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). We are no longer under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). (See 1 Cor. 15:11; Rom. 5:2, 15-20; 2 Cor. 12:9; and 2 Cor. 9:8).
In the false view of Roman Catholicism grace is something that can be merited (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 2010, 2027), infused into the soul (CCC 1999), which then enables the individual to perform good works that merit salvation (CCC 2010, 2027).

• Infused:  CCC 1999, “The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification.”
• Meriting Grace to attain eternal life:  CCC 2010, “Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with God's wisdom. These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions.”
• Meriting Grace to attain eternal life:  CCC 2027, “No one can merit the initial grace which is at the origin of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods.”

CARM.org

For Patience

Inch by inch,
Lord,
Anything's a cinch.

Give me more patience,
God.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gospel

The Gospel is the good news that we have forgiveness of sins through Jesus. Specifically, the gospel is defined by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:1-4,  "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."

The gospel comes from God (Gal. 1:10-12), is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16), is a mystery (Eph. 6:19), and is a source of hope (Col. 1:23), faith (Acts 15:9), life (2 Cor. 4:14), and peace (Eph. 6:15).
So, salvation is found in the gospel.  In other words, when a person trusts in what Christ did on earth (lived a perfect life), bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), and died with them, paying the price for our redemption (Acts 20:28; Col. 2:14) according to the Law, then that person is saved from God's righteous judgment.  We are declared right in God's eyes through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

CARM.org

The Prayer of the Righteous Avails Much

At Beneva Christian we have begun many small small groups, Bible Studies, and prayer groups. 

Our food pantry is giving out prayer request cards to all who come in and receive food. Here is the text from one of the prayer cards. 



_______________________________________________________________________
Beneva Christian Prayer Card                                                             Date: 9-27-13

This card is to thank you for your prayers. I filled a card out last year 
when I had cancer (late stage). Thanks to God and your prayers I am 
now cancer free. 

Forever Thankful, 

________________________________________________________________________



Praise God for His goodness and faithfulness!

Prayer for Today

For Courage

I have it!

My fears are going, going, gone!

I feel a mysterious,
calm,
quiet,
tranquil
assurance rising deep within my being.

This remarkable spirit of courage is overpowering me.

It is the very presence of God
working peace
at the core of my invisible soul.

Thank you, Lord.

All my fears are gone.

What a relief!
Amen.
Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Tastes like Bacon

I had turkey bacon and a couple of eggs for breakfast this morning, and I learned something...

If you cook turkey bacon long enough, it can taste a lot like burnt real bacon. :-)

Theological Term of the Day

Golgotha

Golgotha is the name of the place where Jesus was crucified.  The word comes from the Aramaic "gulgulta" and it is referred to in three places in the New Testament:

• Matt 27:33, "And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull."
• Mark 15:22, "Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  
• John 19:17, "They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha."

When Jerome translated the New Testament into Latin he used the Latin word for skull, calvaria, from where we get "Calvary".

There is not definitive concensus on where Golgotha was, but it appears to be outside the city gate (Heb. 13:12).

CARM.org

For Hope

I have a strong, serene feeling
that 
God is planning something good for me today.
I cannot explain it,
but
I have a deep feeling
that wonderful things are in store for me.

I am expecting God to surprise me
with his tender mercy.

He will turn my hurts into halos.
He is guiding my life
in such a way
that whatever happens to me
will prove to be a beautiful blessing.

Thank you, Lord.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Godhead

"Godhead" is a word used to describe the Trinity, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are all one essence.  The Mormon view of the godhead is that there are three separate gods.

CARM.org

Parable of the Four Candles

I shared the following parable at the end of my sermon this week, and several people wanted it. I thought this would be the best way for people to get it. The sermon should be on the Beneva Christian Church website, under "Online Extras" if anyone wants to listen. It was preached on 9-29-13 and titled "Choices." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parable of the Four Candles

There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet where we keep the candles for nights like this...I lit four of them. I was turning to leave with the large candle in my hand when I heard a voice,

"Now, hold it right there."
"Who said that?"
"I did." The voice was near my hand.
"Who are you? What are you?"
"I'm a candle."
I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax.

"Don't take me out of here!"
"What?"
"I said, Don't take me out of this room."
"What do you mean? I have to take you out. You're a candle. Your job is to give light. It's dark out there."
"But you can't take me out. I'm not ready," the candle explained with pleading eyes. "I need more preparation."
I couldn't believe my ears. "More preparation?"

"Yeah, I've decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won't go out and make a bunch of mistakes. You'd be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be...."

"All right then," I said. "You're not the only candle on the shelf. I'll blow you out and take the others!"

But right then I heard other voices, "We aren't going either!"

I turned to the other candles, "You are candles and your job is to light dark places!"

"Well, that may be what you think," said the first one, "You may think we have to go, but I'm busy...I'm meditating on the importance of light. It's really enlightening."...

"And you other two," I asked, "are you going to stay too?"

A short, fat, purple candle with plump cheeks spoke up. "I'm waiting to get my life together, I'm not stable enough."

The last candle had a female voice, very pleasant to the ear. "I'd like to help, "she explained, "but lighting the darkness is not my gift...I'm a singer. I sing to other candles to encourage them to burn more brightly."

She began a rendition of "This Little Light of Mine" The other three joined in, filling the closet with singing....I took a step back and considered the absurdity of it all. Four perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light but refusing to come out of the closet.

For Confidence

It is flowing into me now,
for my conscience is clear.
I have made the right decision.
I am not afraid of problems.
I will face challenges calmly and serenely
for
God is behind me.
He will help me.
If I must go through difficult times,
he will rescue me.
I feel his spirit of confidence surging in my heart now.

With him I cannot possibly fail.
"If God is for me who can be against me?"
I have a strong feeling
that
everything is going to work out just beautifully.

Thank you, God.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

God

God is the supreme being of the universe. He is the creator of all things (Isaiah 44:24). He alone is God (Isaiah 45:21,22; 46:9; 47:8). There have never been any Gods before him nor will there be any after him (Isaiah 43:10). God is God from all eternity (Psalm 90:2). In Exodus 3:14, God revealed his name to his people. The name commonly known in English is Jehovah. This comes from the four Hebrew consonants that spell the name of God.

God is a Trinity, knows all things (1 John 3:20), can do all things (Jer. 32:17,27 - except those things against his nature like lie, break his word, cheat, steal, etc.), and is everywhere all the time (Psalm 119:7-12).

CARM.org

God is Good!

Big thanks to everyone yesterday at worship. Great Sunday to gather together and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to and lead His people. 

I was reminded after the service of the "precious" community we get to experience when we gather together. 

Also, we have a person with the gift of healing in our church and she prayed for me earlier this week...and...my shoulder is all healed up! Praise God!

Thankful for our new members Tavarres and Valerie, and their kids Kevin and Elijah!

Please keep praying for Beneva, our small groups, and our worship services!

For Grace

I have no right, 
Lord,
to ask you to protect me 
from all hurts in life.

But do give me the grace
to 
turn my scars 
into stars.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gnosticism

Gnosticism is a theological error prevalent around the time of Christ.  Generally speaking, Gnosticism taught that salvation is achieved through special knowledge (gnosis).  This knowledge usually dealt with the individual's relationship to the transcendent Being.  It denies the incarnation of God as the Son.  In so doing, it denies the true efficacy of the atonement since, if Jesus is not God, He could not atone for all of mankind and we would still be lost in our sins.

CARM.org

Quote of the Day

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day."

                                                        - Abraham Lincoln

For Peace

Sunshine after rain,
Dewdrops on a rose,
A baby sleeping sweetly in the crib,
A bird drinking from a fountain,
A leaf floating on quiet water, and
A mind focused on God;
Such is the peace I feel
deep within my being
now
as
I close my eyes and think about Jesus Christ.
Thank you, God.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Glory of the Lord

The phrase "glory of the Lord" occurs 38 times in the NASB, 36 in the KJV.  Glory is synonomous with splendor, honor, praise, worthiness, etc.  The phrase is used to describe the manifestation of God's greatness (Ex. 16:10) and is seen as a consuming fire (Ex. 24:17), a cloud (1 Kings 8:11), radiance (Ezek. 1:26-28), and brightness (Ezek. 10:4).  It fills the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and can be seen (Num. 16:42), and can bring fear (Luke 2:9).

CARM.org 

For Forgiveness

Yes, I have sinned.
But this does not mean I am a bad person:
It does mean I am a human being.

Praise God!
Christ has forgiven me and I am saved,
for I have accepted Jesus Christ
as my personal Savior.

I now have a beautiful feeling of peace with God.
For God has not only forgiven,
he has forgotten.
He will never bring it up again!
Thank you, Lord.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Glory of God

The phrase "glory of God" occurs 17 times in the NASB Bible.   The word glory is used to describe honor, praise, splendor, and wonder.  It is used of God and men.  But the phrase "glory of God" is, of course, used only of God and designates God's greatness (Psalm 19:1), mystery (Prov. 25:2), splendor (Acts 7:55; Rev. 15:7; 21:22), a standard of perfection (Rom. 3:23), a goal (1 Cor. 10:31).

CARM.org

Do Something

It's better
to do something imperfectly
than
to do nothing perfectly.

Lord, help me to
overcome my unrealistic perfectionism
without forfeiting my pursuit for excellence.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Fill Me!

O Lord, like the thirsty deer which goes
to drink from the mountain spring;
like the growing flower which turns hungrily
to the satisfying sun;
like the empty pitcher which is carried to the
fountain to be filled;
so I come, O God, knowing
that in this time of prayer
my soul will be filled
with your love and your truth.
Thank you!
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Glory

In the Old Testament the word for "glory" is the Hebrew word   כָּבֹוד "kabowd" which carries the idea of heaviness and weight.  In the New Testament the Greek word is  δόξα "doxa" which carries the idea of opinion, judgment, estimate, spendour, brightness, etc.
It is used to speak of great honor, praise, value, wonder, and splendor.
Glory is spoken of in reference to people (Prov. 16:31) and God (Gen. 49:6; Psa. 3:3).  Glory is given by God (Psa. 84:11) and also is a manifestion of God's greatness and presence that is awesome to behold (Gen. 33:22; Exo. 40:34; Num. 14:10).

CARM.org

Change

People
who never change their minds
are either perfect to begin with
or stubborn forever after.

So I'm willing, wanting, and waiting
to change into the person
you want me to be, Lord.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gihon

Gihon is the name of one of the four Rivers (Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates) in the area of Eden in which the Garden of Eden was placed in the Middle East.

"The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush," (Gen. 2:13)

The river's location is not now known.

 CARM.org

Surprises

Thank you, Father, for the beautiful
surprises you are planning for me today.
So often in my life, when it looked like
the day would be dismal, depressing, and
dark, an unexpected burst of golden
sunshine exploded through a black cloud
sending inspiring shafts of warm,
beautiful sunshine into my life.
Father, it is happening now!
I can already feel the power of
your love, through Christ my Lord.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gentile

Those who are not Jews. Gentiles were used by God to punish apostate Judea (Deut. 28:49; 1 Kings 8:33) and often included in blessings by God upon the Jewish people. "Gentiles" is often used biblically in reference to nations.

CARM.org

Birthday Cake!!!

This year my birthday was pretty much...awesome!

Three small groups and/or Bible Studies all surprised me with cake...Monday night, Tuesday night, and on Thursday night!

Tanya (Music Director at Beneva Christian) lead a parody song called "The Do Ronn Ronn." Yvette, Kathy, and Maggie all sang and danced while the words played. During the song and dance number, a jib jab video played that was quite flattering of me doing things "Gangnam Style." (If you don't know what that is...that is probably a good thing.)

On my actual Birthday day, I woke up to find my house "forked."  I probably had it coming to me, as Melissa (my oldest sister) pointed out from the years I terrorized others with TPing and other pranks.

Later that afternoon, we had a cookout and celebrated with another cake, a strawberry tort cake that Yvette made. Sorry no pic of that cake!

 Monday Night Small Group - Thanks Beth for making the cake!

Tuesday Night Small Group - Thanks to Jon for making the cake and Tanya for decorating it! 

The Purple splotches is the "Holy Spirit." 

Thursday Music Practice - Thanks to Shane and Kathy Dresen for the Cake! 

The Forked Front Yard.

Theological Term of the Day

General Revelation

General Revelation is that revelation of God and right and wrong that is revealed from nature.  It is known by all.

• Rom. 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
• Rom. 2:14-15, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”

General Revelation does not provide enough information for salvation because it is obscured by the sinfulness of mankind.  This is why Special Revelation is needed.

CARM.org

Great Goals

Lord,

Thank you
For great goals!

Let them be my uplifting aims,
But
never let my targets
become ceilings!

Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological term of the Day

Gehenna

Originally, a location southwest of Jerusalem where children were burned as sacrifices to the god Molech. It later became a garbage dump with a continuous burning of trash. Therefore, it was used biblically, to illustrate the abode of the damned in Christian and Jewish theology. Gehenna is mentioned in Mark 9:43ff and Matt. 10:28 as the place of punishment of unquenchable fire where both the body and soul of the wicked go after death. It is apparently the future abode of Satan and his angels (Matt. 25:41).

CARM.org

Thanks...

Thanks to everyone for my birthday wishes, cards, and gifts. Definitely the most memorable gift was the "forking" of my yard!

Had it been toilet paper, I would have lost some friends over it!

(I am still trying to figure out who really did it)

This Moment

Father,
I have a strong sensation
that
you brought me to this moment of prayer
because
you plan to share with me
insights to solve my problems.

So I will go out
and
face the sunlight of a new day
and a new week
crammed with undiscovered possibilities. 
I am encouraged!
I am enthused!
I am more hopeful than I have been in a long time!
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Eden

Eden is the place where the Garden of Eden was located, "And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed," (Gen. 2:8).  It is in this garden that Adam and Eve were created. 

There were four rivers in the land of Eden (Gen. 2:10).  They were the Pishon (Gen. 2:11), Gihon (Gen 2:13), Tigris and Euphrates (Gen. 2:14).  The Garden of Eden is called the Garden of God in Ezek. 28:13.
The Garden was meant for Adam and Eve to till and keep, but they fell and were expelled from the Garden.

CARM.org

Beneva Christian Church

I am so glad to be a small part of Beneva Christian Church!

I really enjoyed worshiping and sharing with everyone yesterday. For those not able to attend or listen to the message online, we talked about the Ancient Covenant Making Ceremony. I appreciate all the kind words regarding the message, but the real neat part is when God uses His word to teach His people. 

The Summer of Psalms has been lots of fun to work through! 

Next week we will have part 2, and conclude with the second half of Psalm 50.

August 4th will be Psalm 91 (one of my favorite Psalms)

August 11th Trent Johnson will be sharing a message on "Not just being a Fan."

On August 18 I begin a 4 part series titled, "Ordinary to Extraordinary." 

Beauty

Thank you, Father, for filling the world with beauty.
I thank you for the beauty of life,
the beauty of love,
the beauty of children, and
the beauty of old people.
I thank you for the beauty of Christ and for the beauty of
any life when Christ is invited through the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, Father, that you have made my life beautiful too.
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gap Theory

The gap theory is the idea that there is a gap in time between Genesis 1:1 in Genesis 1:2.  The gap lasted for millions of years and accounts for the dinosaurs.  This theory was begun by a Scottish minister named Chalmers in 1814.

• Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
• Gen. 1:2, "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Some say that the fall of Satan occurred between these two verses and that the fall resulted in the earth being formless and void, i.e., the cataclysm.  The theory states that Gen. 1:28 gives a hint to this when it says, "And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  The KJV uses the word "replenish" instead of the word "fill" and it is from this word that the theory is said to be validated.  The theory is that there must have been a destruction of the world that needed to be replenished.
The word 'replenish' is mawlay and it means  "to fill, be full, fullness, abundance (participle), to be full, be accomplished, be ended, to consecrate, fill the hand, to satisfy, to fulfill, accomplish, complete, etc.

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Prayer for Today

Sunshine

Like a fresh
burst of golden sunshine that
dissolves the gloomy fog
and makes the glistening grass
sparkle with a green sheen,
so, Lord, you have come
into my mind
at the opening of a new day
assuring me that life is going
to be beautiful.
It's going to be one of my great days - after all!
Amen.

Positive Prayers for Power-Filled Living - Robert H. Schuller

Theological Term of the Day

Gemmatria

Gematria is the study of the numeric equivalents of Hebrew and Greek letters. In both Hebrew and Greek (the languages in which the Bible was written), there are only alpha characters. There are no numeric characters. Therefore, when a Hebrew would want to write a number, he would use the corresponding Hebrew letter.

Hebrew Letter	Hebrew Name	English Letter	Numeric Value		Hebrew Letter	Hebrew Name	English Letter	Numeric Value
א	aleph	silent (א)	1 or 1000		ל	lamed	low	30
ב	Bet	boy	2		מ),ם)*	mem	mike	40 (600)
ג	gimel	god	3		ן),נ)*	nun	new	50 (700)
ד	deled	dog	4		ס	samech	sam	60
ה	heh	hi	5		ע	ayin	silent	70
ו	vav	very, up	6		ף),פ)*	pey	pet, phone	80 (800)
ז	zayin	zebrea	7		ץ),צ)*	tzadi	nets	90 (900)
ח	ches	bach	8		ק	kuf	q, kit	100
ט	tes	test	9		ר	reish	race	200
י	yod	you	10		ש	shin	sam, shem	300
ך),כ)*	chof	kit	20 (500)		ת	tof	test	400

*final form is form of letter found when it occurs at the end of a word. Greek Letter Equivalents

Greek Letter	Greek Name	English Letter	Numeric Value		Greek Letter	Greek Name	English Letter	Numeric Value
A,a	alpha	father	1		N,n	nu	new	50
B,b	Beta	boy	2		X,x	xi	box	60
G,g	Gamma	god	3		O,o	omikron	off	70
D,d	delta	dog	4		P,p	pi	pet	80
E,e	epsilon	end	5					90 is
					R,r	rho	rat	100
			6 is sigma, V final form		S,s,V*	sigma	sam (s,V)	6, 200
Z,z	zeta	zebra	7
H,h	eta	hey	8		T,t	tau	test	300
Q,q	theta	thick (q)	9		U,u	upsilon	up	400
I,i	iota	it	10		F,f	phi	phone (f)	500
K,k	kappa	kit	20		C,c	chi	bach	600
L,l	lamda	low	30		Y,y	psi	cups (y)	700
M,m	mu	mike	40		W,w	omega	orange (w)	800
								900 = sampsi

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