thursday night bible study

what God?

2004-05-21T10:48:00.000-04:00

what are you doing? what do you want. lately, between an empty bible study and a plagueing feeling that i am wasting away (which i know is just a lie sent by the deciever)i want to know what He wants from me. where do i go? when there are so many options around me and i know which one to take. yet, if i knew what He wanted or had no options to choose from i would long for the ignorance i have now.

its funny how we just run around thinking we know what will make us happy when ultimately nothing will. the only thing i feel we can hope for is peace. which he can give abundantly and from that peace we find joy in Him and His spirit.

so, i sit here wondering what to do and where to go and yet i am still and silent waiting.

because i am tired of "good" ideas to make sure everyone knows the name of Jesus, but i dont want just "good" ideas and i dont want people to simply know His name but ultimately know Him. I WANT TO KNOW HIM.

i had a friend one time say this (and i feel like God said this through her) ,"what do you KNOW God wants you to do? do that and look at Him and if He wants you to change directions then you will know instead of leaping on a guess."

i know God wants me at the place i live in now.
i know God wants me at the jobs i have.
i know God wants me at the church i am at.
i know God wants me at Joshua Cup every Thursday.
-though i know He was okay with me missing yesterday-

so, i will keep plugging away at what i know and let Him worry about what i dont, and ask Him to give me the faith and courage to stay where i am silent and waiting.

back in black

2004-05-19T18:48:00.000-04:00

well, today is my birthday, and i am 23. bible study has not been very active. for the last two weeks i have a complete no show. this is okay, God will do what He wants to do. i will continue to show up until God tells me to stop. tis week however i will be going to snellville, ga to go see my mother. i plan to try and get back to updating my blog. i apologize for the lack of such, but the computer moved out and took my roomate with it. i am now surrounded by people i can bum a couple of minutes of internet from, so hopefully i can reach my internet bible study. in fact a message board might be in our future, a totally online bible study, idont know. just remember...

be free in christ
God is bigger than any mistake you can make
and you dont have to please anybody

luv
djr

anouncements

2003-11-13T22:49:00.000-05:00

next week
my very bestest friend Angel, who some of you onine know from publictrust.blogspot.com, will be joining bible study, so make sure you make it

nov 25
soem people who used to come to thursdaynightbiblestudy will be putting on a once o month bible study which is supposed ot be really in depth at Joshua Cup, i will let you know what time, when i do, and i will be making a special post about what went on and was discussed that night.

Discussion again

2003-11-13T22:47:00.000-05:00

It was just Jason and myself. A small group again. Felt it best to just sit and talk. We talked about Adam and eve for the most part tonight.

-we talked about other people on possible other planets. Many times I have been presented with this question before and I have always believed this: all creation is made to give glory to God, so what does that? There aren't other planets with intelligent life, that means God picked our mud ball to give life too out of all the planets out there and he picked us, with all of our ecosystems and seasons and the tilt of the axis which are the little idiosicricies that give our planet the ability to support life, that gives me more reason to praise Him, though I could have been brought to life anywhere else, I am here, and praise God for it. The other side to this discussion is: there ARE other planets with intelligent life on them, I would say the same thing that Jodi Foster's dad said in the movie Contact, "a huge waste of space"

-we talked about the fall and its relation to salvation and God's plan of bringing man to that final 180 where we are with Him again. It was while I was reading Romans, like, really for the first time when I read it and got it, that God was showing me some things about the garden and such that God is trying to get us back to that innocence with salvation. He showed me a piece of the relationship that Adam had with God. What did Adam know outside of what God had told Him before he ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam relied on God for everything He did. And when he ate of the tree, he then began to start wanting to think for himself, there for making a distance between himself and God.

-Jason said something that was pretty cool, that I hadn't thought of before, and that is that the idea of having knowledge is that we WILL make the right decisions. Which isn't true. That if we tell kids about AIDS or condoms that they will use this knowledge to make the right choices. This isn't true, especially in a society that screams in unison through art, poetry, and music to be lead with your heart and feelings. The idea that if we have the knowledge of good and evil we will then make the best decisions with this knowledge. But the problems you run into is that we don't and wont always make the best decisions, which is why God knew and wanted us to be lead only by Him.

change up

2003-11-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

this week it was just three of us, pam, myself, and a new guy ryan who said he had some questions about God, so we talked and read the first chapter of Romans. I didnt take notes because i didnt want to make it uncomfortable for him, and i didnt see any need to go to Hosea and talk about the middle of a book he had no idea about and everyone was going to have to catch up on anyway.

we talked about God and His existance and how faith holds into believing into Him. We talked about what ideal perspectives we each come from. We talked about right and wrong and who gets to decided which is which.

what do you think about these subjects and what would you have said?

leave comment.

Hosea: chptr 5 > please read before proceeding

2003-10-30T22:05:00.000-05:00

this time, i took notes and did some research.

my notes:

vocab words------------------------------------------------

- Mizpah - this was the temporary capital of the Isreal nation after they had been taken captive in II kings 25:23, 25. it also means lookout point

- Tabor - a levitical city in Zebulun. Now the Levites were descendants of Jacob's son, Levi, who were set apart by God to be the ministers of religion. *there was corruption in the religious structure of Isreal at this time, and the leaders were encouraging it.

- Ephraim - is a Tribe of Isreal and a city named after the second son of Joseph, adopted by Jacob after Joseph's death. The tribe was blessed by Moses, was exalted by other tribes, so there was a spotlight of almost celebrity on them. The name means doubly fruitful.

- Gibeah - mound or hill this is the city of Saul, the first King of Isreal.

- Ramah - elevated spot this is where Samuel the prophet is buried.

verses to concentrate on are...-----------------------------------------------------------
3
5
9
13
15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3-
God know who we REALLY and knows what we REALLY do.

5-
Ephriam is an example of a fallen pastor. People looked up to Ephraim like a congregation to a pastor, a teenager to a rockstar, or a parent to Dr. Phil. all of these people will fall, sellout, or misguide at one point, because they are all fallible. God is ever constant and never wrong. But beware you heros, you idols, you leaders of men, you will be acountable for what you do, and more so than those you lead. James 3, my accountability chapter for ministry and leadership, read the tongue part in context of what you say as a leader and teacher.

9-
God will betray all lies and break all illusions and make all truths known to all in the end.

13-
we always go to alternatives to God, but the only one who can do anything, is GOD.

15-
i read this verse and it makes me sad. That it takes absolute ruin for us to go to God. Why does prosperity blind us to our source of prosperousness. why does plenty make us drunk with self sufficient dreams. That now that i have my head above water, now i can do what i want to do, and then God knocks us down, drowning in our sorrows and we beg Him then to bring us up for air, only to again go on our own, when there is only one boat in the water, and guess who the skipper is?

this is the chpter when God announces His verdict on the people of Isreal. this is where he shows us His plan to win her back. dont make God go out and chase you like a shepherd chasing after a rebelious lamb. Go to Him even when your days are sunny and your stomach is full of His blessings, and cuddle to his face, letting you wool get caught on his beard and lick His cheeks and fall asleep in the warmth of His lap dreaming up ways you could let Him know how much you appreciate Him.
wow.

Hosea: chptr 4 > please read before proceeding

2003-10-23T21:36:00.000-04:00

verses to concentrate on are-------------------------------------
6
7
12
14
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6-
i dont believe ther si sucha thing as a ahollow person. i think this is a title we hve given out to too many people it does not fit, but i ask you how can a creature made in God's image can be shallow. now, do i believe there is sucha thing as i person who willfully doesnt look into his or her own soul? yes. afriad of what shame or guilt we might let ourselves feel for the things we do, we turn a blinded eye to our true hearts. i think that is the kind of attitude God is talking about when He says His people are ignorant, i think they are ignorant to what is REALLY going on around them, and this is because the leaders arent encouraging them to look at themselves. As leaders and accountability partners we are to make people look at who they really are, though there is only so much you can do.

7-
i will turn their glory into shame. i love that part. if you mess with the horns you are going ot get the bull. God will NOT be mocked.

12-
lol
i just picture God having this absolute face of disbelief when He says, "a peice of WOOD tells them what to do." but if we look at the big picture, we let things even worse than that make our decision for us. God is the only thing that we can rely on when we need someone to run to.

14-
i love how God says He will not punish the daughters who become prostitutes, but the men who go to the prostitutes. Men need to step up, because we are the leaders, no matter what this age of uber- feminism would like to belive. i am not an anti-feminist, but i do think the bible opposes alot of the things that the feminist manifesto preaches. the bible right here puts the weight of His judgement on men, not the women. i think that could mean that we do have some role of leadership. The private first mate isnt held acountable if the ship sinks, the captain is.

now God is pleading that Isreal not infect the rest of the Jews with thier prostitute ways. God wants to isolate this problem, deal with them personally by stripping His blessings away, and then when they cry out to Him like they did in Egypt, He will then build them up again.

Hosea: chptr 3 > please read before proceeding

2003-10-16T21:03:00.000-04:00

these are notes lost, so i will remember the most i can about what we talked about, but as usuall when i go to post these meetings i will probably recieve something more as well.

i forgot to talk about this last week, but chapter two was Hosea talking about Gomer at the same time God was talking about Isreal, and thats why it says that "God told me to love her " like He loves Isreal. Hosea bought Gomer back for 23 ounces of silver, i wonder if thats how much Jesus was sold for to the Pharasees by Judas. It depends if a piece of silver is an ounce , because Jesus' betrayal price was 30 pieces of silver.

again i feel the shame of an adulterer.

Hosea: chptrs 1 & 2 > please read before proceeding

2003-10-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

this weeks bible study roll call is...
Aaron, Jason, Heather, Meredith, Pam, and me, Jacob

This whole chapter really cant be broken down, i think close study on the chapter as a whole is very important.

pam- are these kids she is having Hosea's?

jason- maybe, maybe not

meredith- it does say, "bore him"

jason- either way she had 3 kids

-i think it is a definte possiblity that the kids werent his, becasue these kids were all named after things God wanted to say to Isreal for giving Him bastard fruits.

pam- i think it is cruel for God to make Hosea, a great man for God to marry a harlot, who has no inhibitions about such things.

jason- dramatic illustration

-God had to marry a Gomer. It is all to His glory, i mean He hardened pharoahs heart towards God so that God could prove a point to Isreal.

pam- that would totally put me in emotional turmoil, if i could not trust my spouse and
they especially gave me no reason to trust them

- what would YOU do if God told you to "throw away" one of the most precious descisons you thought you would ever make, like who you are to marry? would give THAT up for Him, or would you tell Him He could have it all, but that.

jason- i think there are 3 levels to this book, and that is PERSONAL, what you can apply personally, HISTORICAL, what happenned to Isreal and why, and lastly PROPHETIC, when this was written it was all prophecy

aaron- Jezreel is where Jezebel died (II Kings 10:1-17)

jason- the church is the bride fo christ and right now we are definitely a Gomer to His Hosea

- We are definitely Gomer right now.

chptr 2

jason- verse 7 reminds me of the Prodigal son.

pam- temporary fix to a permanent problem

jason- verse 8- the part that she didnt know that i had given it to her really touched me

- verse 7- this makes a picture for me, of the lady who looks from man to man to take car eof her needs and always is left lying in the dust eventually, she might have a man take care of her for a time, but eventually she is left lying in the dust.

- verse 10- God will leave her expose to all who she really is and no one will rescue her form Him, who can?

- i really like this chapter because of the honesty that i feel even now pouring out from God. He almost reminds me of a rejected, but ever loyal lover, "she hurt me, but i will still fight for her". Because He talks about how much she just rejected His hand but He still wants her. in verse 14 He says He will win her back, wow. who are we to be loved by Him. He who daily gives us a new and precious gift in each sunset or deep breath, in each drop of whatever confort we recieve. wow. i stand amazed at His love for us. right now i am filled with almost self loathing as if i cheated on my girlfriend. i want to call God on the phone and tell Him I'm sorry. I want to drive by His house and stand outside of His window until i see His bedroom light come on and plead with Him to come outside so i can hold Him until He forgives me. i want to send Him flowers with a note that reads "i am so sorry, and i will love you always the best i can, luv, djr"

i think i will

Hosea

2003-10-09T18:07:00.000-04:00

the new book we will be starting is Hosea. this is a book that pictures our relationship with God, the way He feels about us, whether it be his love for us or his view on how we repay his love with bastard children of other gods. this book is a special book to me because it really really shows you how far we are from being able to love God the way he should be loved. In this book Hosea, through God, and his own marriage stirp away the nice things we label the idolotry that goes on. We try to tell ourselves that its okay to omitt God in this area and it grows and God points out to us in this book what we are really doing, and what the nation of Isreal was doing while at the same time calling themselves "God's People" and expecting the same blessings for it. Now i dont mean to put emphasis on deeds, but deeds usually show us how you really feel. If you say that you are God's child, and yet you live your own life for yourself, then how can you expect God to honor that? Again, in my articulation i am not making myself clear.

Just be.

Be who you are, and see what comes out. If God comes out, if Godly fruit comes out of your body, then you know you are His. I am His. If all that comes out is selfish fruit, then you know where your heart, REALLY is. I think we blind ourselves on purpose to who we really are. If you are a really introspective person, then you know who you really are. And pray for God to rule you entire life, and He will. But remember to always....

just be

who you really are

because you cant hide that person from God.

an e-mail from my stepmother, Tonya, had some comments about the last post

2003-10-09T00:44:00.000-04:00

I have some comments in here. If you have anyone
who wishes to ask me things feel free to give my
email address. Girls may feel more comfy talking
to another girl. love Tonya

---------------------------------
why do we believe what we believe? is it
because we feel like it is right, because it is
what we would like to be right, or what we want
to be right? the seeking of truth is one of the
two pillars of my ministry, the other is more
personal, sincerity. sincerity, to me, is a
sense of personal truth, what you find true about
yourself and a holding on to that. What you
truly feel, who you truly are, and what you truly
want.
____________________________________
What YOU truly want is probably more into the
soulish realm - people are truly products of
thier environment. We must agree with God that we
are more than what people have said about us and
spoken over us since birth. After God revealed
some areas in my life - I found out that the
things - I thought I wanted were not really what
I wanted at all.TFR
______________________________________

once you have answered these questions you can
then go outside yourself and seek out TRUTH
itself. but the road to truth is tricky and full
of lies and deciet. magic tricks that will draw
your attention away from what is real. you will
be attacked by what you feel and desire truth to
be, but you must look past these facades and hold
onto the rope that God WILL give you if you only
ask. the rope is tied to Truth, and it goes
through everythi!ng but.
but dont fear, you are given tools to reach
Truth. you are given knowledge, wisdom, and most
importantly, faith. knowledge will be concrete
evidence that you can compare what you see to.
wisdom, will be the force that tells you when to
pull knowledge out, and faith will be the knot
that keeps the rope attached.
truth is not realative.

___________________________________________
TRUTH is VERY relative to how we veiw things as
individuals. Not GOD'S truth but our truth - we
often veiw things one way as God veiws them
another.

My Truth (example) I am an orderly person so for
me - cleaning the house and having it looking a
certain way - is a TRUTH for me to feel good and
relaxed at home.

For someone else this may not be so.

For God's TRUTH (example) we are worth far more
than even we ourselves can imagine. God's truth
is sometimes and often overlooked by us because
we have poor self image. This is a tactic satan
will use to keep us from doing what God wants us
to.

A Good rule of thumb is - if guilt or
condemnation are a feeling attached to something
then it is not from God.

Sometimes we make ourselfs feel guilty for things
- God doesn't. He asks us to correct it and move
on not wallow in the problem.

As for knowledge, wisdom, faith: knowledge is
knowing facts about something, wisdom is the
ability to go beyond the facts and put the
knowledge into action and adapt that knowledge to
knew situations, faith is walking on things
unseen that only your spirit man can sense. Your
spirit man will tell you things that your mind,
body, or emotions couldn't know without divine
intervention or impartation of such knowledge.

(example) Say there is someone in your office -
and your a young attractive female. You have a
warning on the inside of you about this person -
even though in the natural you have nothing with
which to base this feeling towards them. You are
not mad at them but you just feel like something
is wrong. Months later you find out that they
tried to force themselves on some other lady at
the office. God was trying to warn you about
them.

Some people brush these small signs off, but I
have come to learn that these small everyday
steps are the ones that take us closer to God.
When you get these small promptings act on them.
Sometimes they are as small as picking up
something for someone - to staying away from a
dangerous situation. God may ask you to pray for
a stranger that you don't even know. Sometimes we
miss miricles because we don't do what God asks
of us.TFR

____________________________________________

and you CANNOT dissprove truth. that is how you
know its face. so you have to take what you
beleive, or think, or feel, and put it on the
table and try to dissprove it. and whatever
doesnt pass the test, throw it out and start over
where the last theory stopped.
the verses that i use for accountability in the
ministry is the entire third chapter from James.
and it ends with a point that keeps me on my
toes. it says that heavenly wisdom is open to
reason, and humble. i dont come at you as the
last authority on God or even truth. i open my
self to you that i am wrong. that the God of
Christendom is not real, and that all i believe
is false. i will leave these options open to you
if you will do the same on your side and i will
seek out what is true with you, and see what we
find. i have done this over, and over, and over
again, and still have come to know that God is
real, that Jesus is real, that He is the narrow
gate to Truth.
you question God, you question the bible? Fine.
You should. Trust no one. But, do it in search
of pure, undilluted truth.

--
Posted by derrick ryals to thursday night bible
study at 10/7/2003 01:53:00 AM

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=====
love Tonya

__________________________________

tobar68@yahoo.com
is her e-mail

truth: it IS what you believe isn't it?

2003-10-07T01:53:00.000-04:00

why do we believe what we believe? is it because we feel like it is right, because it is what we would like to be right, or what we want to be right? the seeking of truth is one of the two pillars of my ministry, the other is more personal, sincerity. sincerity, to me, is a sense of personal truth, what you find true about yourself and a holding on to that. What you truly feel, who you truly are, and what you truly want. once you have answered these questions you can then go outside yourself and seek out TRUTH itself. but the road to truth is tricky and full of lies and deciet. magic tricks that will draw your attention away from what is real. you will be attacked by what you feel and desire truth to be, but you must look past these facades and hold onto the rope that God WILL give you if you only ask. the rope is tied to Truth, and it goes through everything but.
but dont fear, you are given tools to reach Truth. you are given knowledge, wisdom, and most importantly, faith. knowledge will be concrete evidence that you can compare what you see to. wisdom, will be the force that tells you when to pull knowledge out, and faith will be the knot that keeps the rope attached.
truth is not realative. and you CANNOT dissprove truth. that is how you know its face. so you have to take what you beleive, or think, or feel, and put it on the table and try to dissprove it. and whatever doesnt pass the test, throw it out and start over where the last theory stopped.
the verses that i use for accountability in the ministry is the entire third chapter from James. and it ends with a point that keeps me on my toes. it says that heavenly wisdom is open to reason, and humble. i dont come at you as the last authority on God or even truth. i open my self to you that i am wrong. that the God of Christendom is not real, and that all i believe is false. i will leave these options open to you if you will do the same on your side and i will seek out what is true with you, and see what we find. i have done this over, and over, and over again, and still have come to know that God is real, that Jesus is real, that He is the narrow gate to Truth.
you question God, you question the bible? Fine. You should. Trust no one. But, do it in search of pure, undilluted truth.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 12 > please read before proceeding

2003-10-02T13:58:00.000-04:00

this was a small week of heather and i.

we will give you our translation and summary that we came up with.

1 Fear God now, in your youth, so that you may enjoy the rest of your life.

2 for if you don't remember God now, you will later as he sends clouds and darkness.

3 for there will come a day for all men, when rulers shall bow and strong men shall kneel, and the workers shall stop and those who observe shall grow sad.

-at first glance you might think "End Times", but if you read this in context of the chapter and the book, that isnt really as strong of a subject as death is, and i think the author is trying to relay the message that those who do not fear God, but fear themselves instead will one day, at some time realize that they were wrong, because we are weak, fallible, and ultimately finite creatures, but God is not. so, i think he is referring to those of power, strength, those who have a life's work, and those who maybe observe the world like, an artist, a philosopher, or a scientist. (that last part is merely personal speculation though)-

4 (the town that doenst remember God will close its doors and the sound of its life will grow low and their hearts will lift at the slightest sound o f joy they hear (for they have none in their lives)

-again, remember this is the example of what life is without acknowledging God-

5 without God, fear is intensified. For now you know you will die, as your mourners walk about the streets.

6 remember God before ruin comes into your life

7 And dust will return to dust and our spirit will return to God, who gave it.

-see, in context, the message is that if you do not bring your attention to God now, God will bring attention to himself. it doesnt matter what we believe, truth is truth, and God is truth-

8 "Nothingness, nothingness", says the Preacher," all is nothing"

9&10 the preacher is a wise man, who seeks out God and writes about His wisdom

-and now we switch to someone who does remember God and encourages others to do the same.-

11 the words of a wise men help to build a great foundation from which to build upon

12 remember though, that the seeking of knowledge is endless (you will never know everything)

13 when it is all over, remember to fear God and keep his commandments

14 for God will bring his judgement on everyone, for He knows all that goes on

-a side note is that some think that those last two verses were added on later by the counsil who put the cannon together, so that it didnt end so abruptly, but no one knows for sure-

Ecclesiastes: chptr 11 > please read before proceeding

2003-09-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

this week we were joined by meredith, aaron, pam, and the return of Jason Payton.

verses we focussed on:

1-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1-4
aaron- give the things you have to others who need it more than yourself, put it out there like a lifeline and these lifelines will come back to you

jason- "pay it forward"

aaron- 4 is about watching things pass by and not doing anything

5
meredith- everything happens fir a reason

6
work the hardest you can at whatever you do, for you do not know what will do well and what won't

7&8
jason- there will be light days and there will be dark days as well, rejoice in both.

9
meredith- God sees all and hears all

be free, but realize that God is who you will be accountable to

10
meredith- cast all of your cares on Him
jason- ...because it matters to Him
aaron- speak to Him as a freind

take Him with you through your life

the proverb of the day

2003-09-24T16:10:00.000-04:00

17-20
we should not wish evil or harm on ayone for the sake of their dispair. praying that God will do something big in thier lives so that they might come to the full knowledge of who and what he is is a different story. but to laugh and rejoice in the falling of another brother of humanity, is wrong and doesnt come from a heart full of the love of christ. you are no different from your enemies. you are no more righteous nor evil. God can see you snicker when your enemy is robbed and will then turn the tide your way. But this should not be your incintive for loving your brother. God knows all, and sees all. God will judge this person when the time comes and will you as well. your enemy oppresses you and it hurts, but God loves them just as much as he loves you, and you dont deserve his love, provision, nor salvation any more than this person. So pray for your enemies and love them through thier evil, inspite of it, because of it, they need it.

luv
djr

Ecclesiastes: chptr 10 > please read before proceeding

2003-09-18T10:01:00.000-04:00

this week we were joined by meredith, aaron, heather, and a new person who used to come a little over a year ago, pam

verses we focussed on:

1-20
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1
a little mold can ruin the whole block of cheese.

2
there is a symbolism of right and left, right meaning on God's favor and left God's judgement. it reminds me of the parable of the goats and the lambs that Jesus told in Matthew. it also makes me think that verses like this one are why people in the middle ages thought that left handed people were of the devil.

3
pam- a fool will be found out to be just that, a fool

it reminds me again of another verse in the new testament, "you shall know them by their fruits"

4
meredith- patience, will put great errors to rest.
pam- so dont get angry and say things you dont mean

5-7
meredith- God's idea of what is good and what is bad, is totally backwards from what we think. People who should have been rulers have been found in the servants quarters and people who should be in jail are found with crowns on their heads.

but we should not worry, because God will be the final judge of these people and where He has placed them and what they have done with what He has given them.

8-10
pam- dont take experience for granted, and act in arrogance.

there are alot of people out there who think, "i have done ths for many years, i am perfect at his act. I am beyond mistakes." and from that can come pride and as we know, pride cometh before the fall. this verse is merely explaining that no matter who you are that you are not beyond danger, no matter how long you have spent time around it, you might be a better fireman than i, but you can still burn if fallen into the fire.

meredith- everything is meaningless, even experience.

11
no one NEEDS a reason to do anything,i think is one point that you can take from this verse, but in context it is setting you up for the next two verses, that a fool doesnt need to make a point to speak.

12-13
heather- a fool speaks just to hear himself speak, in hopes of actually making sense.

14
meredith- rambling redundancy, is all you get from a fool.

meredith- a fool will talk about things that just arent important, much like the differenc between hanging out with christian friends and non christian friends, and the things you talk about. the conversations i have with christian friends actually have more substance, because of the source of the conversation, but with my non christian friends all we talk about is what we think, and when you know you are full of crap without God, then the conversation tends to show it.

15
the city is the source of a job and income, and the fool will work all day at things that will bring no result, because he doesnt even know how to get to the city to get a job that will actually do him some good.

16-17
pam- feast= drunk. you feast to drink wine, the ruler that does this in the morning wont get anything done, becasue all he wants to do is have fun and not work, even make himself unable to work, but the ruler who eats to grow strong to become an even better ruler.

18
aaron- the fool lacks sense and shows off how lazy he is. he thinks he is wise in his laziness.
meredith- this verse is almost like the same verse in the last chapter, that a little foolishness can bring down the whole house.
aaron- also cross reference, proverbs 18:2, 13:8.

19
when he says money will fix everything in this verse i dont think he means that money is always the answer, but becaus eof the earlier verse, he has been talking about getting a job and how that means income and how income can solve most of your living problems, like bills and lifestyle expenses and such. the point being that you cant have fun all of the time, you have to go out and get a job and make money.

20
meredith- God is everywhere and hears everything you say.
heather- you never know who is standing around when you say soemthing that could be incriminating and you never know where that person's lyalties lie.

chapter summaries

meredith
fools can't hide, they will be found out.
foolishness leads to destruction.
God's view is very different from our own.

heather
fools are lazy, and get nowhere.
a fool will be seen by his lifestyle.

pam
how much better it is to be wise.

this chapter's focuss was on work and play. that a fool will want to lay all of the time and the wise man knows when to work and play.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 9 > please read before proceeding

2003-09-11T11:45:00.000-04:00

this week we had a fairly larger crowd: Meredith, Aaron, Matt, and Heather, also every now and then, Adam.

verses we focussed on:

1-10
12
17-18
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt-
9=the world is meaningless, and the guy who did great things in his life has the same outcome as the guy who did nothing his whole life. We all die in the end and all we can do is enjoy the time we DO have.
7-8=i thouhgt this was a commandment at first, but i realize that it is more like a conclusion. There is nothing you can do that is really going to make a difference so you might as well have a good time doing whatever it is you DO do.

Meredith-
5-6=i realize how much time i spend worrying, and realize that there is no point to it, anyhting i do will eventually be forgotten no matter what choice i do make.
12=you don't know WHEN you are going to die.
2=everyone is going to die

Aaron-
1=who cares what others think, you can't control what others think of you and you never know what they really think anyway. its like a girl and her closet, who sits in front of the mirror, trying on everything in the closet waiting to find that one outfit that she thinks everyone will really like. why spend all of that useless time and energy in trying to please others. We should enjoy whatever it is we do no matter what it is even if no one likes it.
6=these opinions they have will all pass away in the end anyway.
17=no one cared about the wiseman even though he had the words of salvation in his possesion. their feelings of what is popular was almost their destruction.
10=with God on your side, you CAN enjoy whatever you do.

chapter summaries:

matt
have fun while you are here, and have no regrets.

heather
you only have one life, so enjoy it and worry only about whats important.

meredith
everything we do is meaningless, but everything God does isnt.

last words
i feel that this chapter is about popularity, and the folly in concerning ourselves with it, because when everything is over with , it doesnt matter what the majority think about anything, because God is infinite, and people and thier feelings are finite. so just enjoy your life and your lot and ignore the people on the sidelines.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 8 > please read before proceeding

2003-09-04T10:34:00.000-04:00

this week i was joined with aaron adn meredith

verses we focussed on:

1
6
8
11&12
15
13-15
7&17
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1
i feel like this verse is almost saying, "who can know truly what ANYTHING means?" there is alot of debate what this verse means and that verse means and even i have trouble, when we can know exactly hwat it means if we pray for God to reveal it to us, but God also has his timing. we all see shades of grey by ourselves, but God had a black in white in mind when he wrote the bible. so lets look for the black and white and not be content with our shade of grey. and if you have a closer image than i, then let me put my pride aside and look for the truth.

6
-aaron-
even if your heart weighs you down, things will all come together

i sort of disagree with this one because of context. i feel like it is saying that becasue there is time and judgement, that the misery comes. and i think it is saying that man is sad because of his lack of real control.

8
no man has power over his own death. evil will not likely give up those of whom it takes.

11&12
-aaron-
people think they can get away from punishment because of how long it takes to reach them some time, but there time is coming. it is better to fear God.

15
-aaron-
enjoy life

again we hear a familiar statement.

13-15
-meredith-
these verses are so true. especially 14 and 15 which i never think about. you know, to enjoy life

i feel 14 is the verse that says,"crap happens"

7&17
you cant know EVERYTHING, no matter how hard you try, and besides, increase of knowledge is to increase sorrow, and even if you id know everything, it would all be vainity.

i think this chapter is about timing, and how all will be judged and dealt with, so dont worry. just go about your merry way and if someone puts a bump in your way then just walk over it, get past it and go on having a good time.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 7 > please read before proceeding

2003-08-28T23:21:00.000-04:00

this week was julie, aaron phillips, and i

verses we focussed on:

1
2-4
5
6
8
9
10
13
14
18
19-22
25
26
29
--------------------------------------------------------------

1
a good name is more pleasureable than perfume. trust is more important than flare. trust will get through this life a lot easier than who you look good too.

2-4
its better to mourn than laugh. because in times of mourning are the times when you reflect and take inventory of your life and whats important. when you go to a funeral parlor is really when you begin to fathom your own mortality, as opposed to chucky cheese where you are locked in the moment and the fun in that moment. when you are hurt is when healing can take place.
-julie- v3 - you cant be happy all of the time

5
in wise instruction is truth. when you are drunk and happy you speak from the air and talk of things of vainity, but when wise scolding takes place it is grounded in truth and stable in soberness

6
- aaron - crackling thorns are annoying.
this will eventually very quickly get OLD and tiresome.

8
it is better to be at the end of a journey than at the beginning, becuase at the end you can look back and know what lies behind you, choosing what to keep and throw away, where as at the beginning you have no idea what lies ahead and have to take it ALL in. that is why patience is better to have than pride because you will wait to see whats in store instead of claiming to already know and really have no clue.

9
be slow to anger

10
- aaron - dont worry abou tthe past, because you cant change it, move on
move on from the journey and be at peace with its history. learn and move.

13
awesome is His creation for no one can undo it. look at one of the laws of thermo dynamics -matter can neither be created nor destroyed. science once again proves God awesome presence

14
- julie - take the good times with the bad

18
- aaron - avoid extremes
why take sides? go for the best of both so that you seek out truth and the best with no prejudices. dont be double minded but dont be one dimensional either.

19-22
wisdom is power. and be wise in this, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And dont take everyhting you hear so seriously, for he with out sim cast the first stone.

25
always seek out the wisdom in things for this is where God lies.

26
- aaron - beware of women who want to trap you with charm and looks.
beware anything apealing to the eye or touch and refer back to the first verse of this chapter, that a good name is better than any appealling product. it is better to be with someone because of their character than thier waist size. its better to be friends with an honest man than with the cool guy at school or work.

29
- aaron - God tells what we need to do, and we still try to find our own ways of doing things
Go with God and to the rest?
SO WHAT!!!

- julie -
i feel this chapter is more like a "proverbs" chapter, in the fact that it gives me some wise advise to live by.
- aaron -
i feel like hes just complaining

this is a chapter of seeking out of wisdom. he has set out to do this very thing. to find what is real and to expose what is deceptive and fake. the author has spent 6 chptrs showing you what isnt real and is now tryign to tell you what is. and if you dont agree with me just remember...

all is for nothing

so what?!!

2003-08-25T03:08:00.000-04:00

and god spoke the world into being
and god flooded the whole earth
and god parted the red sea
and god kept daniel safe in the lions den
and god healed the sick

and god took care of my finances
and god kept me safe in the bad neighborhood
and god gave me a place to live
and god gave me food to eat

which one of these do you not believe? sure its easy to read the bible and say that god did all of those things because we know that we are SUPPOSED to believe those things. if you showed up in a circle of christians and said that you did not believe those things then all hail would break loose.but lets face it, if you cant believe the second group how can you ligically believe the first. are you telling me that god is powerful enough to speak the world into being but he cant take car eo fyour money, no matter how badly you are at keeping it? you dont really.i'm sorry, but i am going to step out of this pc box for a sec and call it for what it is. God is telling you right now what he wants you to do, or God has already told you and you didnt like it or the consequences you predict will come from it.

so what?

get over it. get over yourself. God wants me to take a stand, but it will be hard. so? where is you focus? on yourself. "this will be hard on me" if you believed that God will tak ecare of yo no matter what, ESPECIALLY if he told you to do something, then you resonse would be "WOW, what is God going to do to get me through this, because this looks hard and its going to take His power to get me through it" i'm sorry, is that to church lady for you? then yoou tell me what your attitude really shoud be. i am tired of God talkign to me and me trying to rationalize myself out of havign to do it. i mean i can come up with some really good reasons. some really unslefish reasons, atleast thats what i call them, "unsellfish" when really it is just camoflage for me to lay over the fact that i really dont want to do what God has for me to do, and maybe if i am thinkign of someone else then God will let me slide." what the crap is your problem. i think Gods is not only big enough to take care of your problems he can take care of others as well. i mean are you so arrogant to thinkk that without you in someone's picture the whole jenga game is coming down? i mean who are you to presume that the jenga game DOESNT need to come down? i think God's got this one.

but...
so what?
but....
so what?
but...
SO WHAT?
but...
SSSOOOOO WWWWHHHHAAAATTTTTT!!!!!!!!???????

i dont care and neither does God. you see, because here is the crazy thing about God's soveriegnty.... your going to do it. ask jonah. it isnt a matter of whether your going to do it, but when and how hard do you want it to be.

sorry

2003-08-25T02:42:00.000-04:00

sorry i didnt update it sooner, but i have been pretty busy with work and the roomates using the cpu.

Ecclesiastes: shptr 6 > please read before proceeding

2003-08-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

this week was just jennifer pruitt and i

1-3
5
6
7
8
9
12
-------------------------------------------------------------

1-3
this is my thoughts on this verse
that the evil the author sees over and over again is a man not truly enjoying his treasures or a man with treasures that take no joy in the man. with the first example it seems that the rich man just wont enjoy his own increase, and in the second man to have so many children and at the end of his life have no one give him a proper memorial means no one cared, so that his treasures take no joy in him. the only part about the furst man is the fact that it says that god gave him all but teh ability to enjoy it. does that mean he didnt even possess the possibility, or that he wouldnt take it.
i dont know

5
i think this is a morbid picture. the misscarried baby. that it is better for him, because he hasnt witnessed any of this. it makes sense from the author's logic though, because he said that with the increase of knowledge so comes the increase of sorrow, so if the baby know nothing, then he can rest easier because he has nothing to greive about.

6
what does the end of this verse mean?

7
this goes with 5:10. except it adds that our blessings are given a meaning, that they are to be enjoyed and used.

8
another reference to the fact that intelligence and wisdom have no wight over your fate.

9
i really like this verse because i think it says to concentrate on what you DO have.

12
the ending has altered a bit. before he was telling us what was good for a man to do, and now he asks who really knows what is good for man

this chapter is about the vainity of having great wealth of all kinds and not being able to really enjoy it. we all strive for different things, but what for? to have them? so what? this should not be our motivation every morning, because we could gain the whole world and still crave more. whats the point? you became a lwyer or a doctor, good job, where is God in you life. i dont care if you a tycoon, a doctor, an electrician, a retailer, a manager at a chucky cheese, or a fry cook at johnny v's. if God isnt your motivation, then every thing you have or do is vain, for nothing. and you wont be able to enjoy it because you are truly only using that stuff to replace god, and you cant.

a breif thought on Ecclesiastes

2003-08-15T14:22:00.000-04:00

i was thinking about how like, revelutionary the writings in this book really are. i mean we caome in a time in history after alot of thinkers who have been able to share with us some thoughts that have really opened doors for us. i mean the age of reason and such were alot more important than i think we give them credit for. in a culture much worse than the depression go back and try to put your self there and realize where they lived, the conditions, kill or be killed, you produce hard and driven people. people who appreciate everything they have, who have to survive day by day in the desert. and here comes a man who realizes that its all vain. a man comes up and asks the question, whats all this for? one of the earliest philosophers. its for nothing. god is all. you know i had someone tell me one time that there are people who are so consumed with survivla that they dont have time to worry about spirituality. i think thats crap. i mean if that were true, that you CAN be just trying to live and never really give thought to God, then why would God, who created the world, man, and created the fight for survival, why would he make it so hard, you cant focus on him, in fact i have found that you HAVE to find him. but i dont know. i mean just really try to imagine the thoughts that were going through the author's head when pen met paper. God inspired it, but he still had to understand it.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 5 > please read before proceeding

2003-08-14T11:09:00.000-04:00

this week, we had a whopping attendance of 4. yeay! God is so good.

1-2
4-5
10
11
12
15
18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1-2
i really like the very beginning of this chapter. when coming before the lord be in the spirit of listening and not speaking unto the lord. you are not going to tell him anything he doesnt know. you ever been around a kid who was trying to impress you by showing you how to tie your shoes? and when you smile and nod they still insist that you pay attention? yeah, thats what its like, except we dont know how to "tie our shoes". he knows. he knows.

aaron phillips said to cross reference:
proverbs 10:19
20:25
17:28
isaiah 30:15
matthew 3:8

4-5
whatever you say to God, he is keeping track. it is better to not say anything at all then to talk big and do nothing. i think these verses are for those who believe they can pass off their spirituality by talking big in front of God. those who pray the prayers that are really sermons. the people that think God wants to hear poetry or a good praise song, and pass that off as a hunger for him. they are fools. this is a fools sacrifice. come to god ready to listen to what he is saying, he is always trying to speak to us, it is only a matter of, are we listening or not.

10
greed is never satisfied. the only thing money will do, is priduce a hunger for more. the root of all evil is the love of money. anything can be money, because anything can be bartered. gold, silver, wheat, wood, food.

11
once you acquire this behemouth of wealth, the only thing you can do with it really, is look at it. even if you buy something, your are still looking at money.

12
the more you have, the more you have to worry about.

15
you punched in naked, and you'll do the same when you punch out.

18
and we return to another favorite ecclesiastical catch phrase, eat drink and enjoy your labour. but now he adds that this is really all you get for being here and in the next verse claims that this is the gift of God.

i think this chapter is less vain, and yet tries to throw a very selfish, yet popular even to this day, but a very selfish attitude about just consuming. i think that we as an american culture that since the 50's has become a consumer driven nation, i think we could really use some of the teachings from this chapter alone. that you only need what you need and give the rest to some one else who needs it.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 4 > please read before proceeding

2003-08-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

no one showed up, so this is me flying solo here.

1
3
4
5
8
9-12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

1
i really liked this verse because it says that those beingn opressed and those opressing, neither find comfort in their stations, and it is almost as if he is saying there is no fufillment. if you are being taken advantage of, or if your are theone taking advantage of others you wont find comfort in that.

3
this is a real somber verse, saying that he appreciates those who have not even been born yet because they havnt witnessed the evil of this world yet. that is deep, man. who knew the bible could sound like a cure song.

4
that people envy us for our riches and sometimes fro our problems and stryfes. but they dont mean anything. i mean we dont pick what is handed us. god does. so why look at us for these things when we had nothing ot do with them.

5
anyone have any clues?

8
even though, your intentions are noble per se, doesnt mean its not vain. there are only two choices. though i feel like his point is do do the work and live life for the sake of it and not to benefit anyone. i dunno.

9-12
these verses are the traditional verses encouraging people to to gathr a upport base. we need it. i have a friend who recently moved to california and god is giving her a support base already. we need encouragement, accountability, and support, just to make it day to day in our christian walk. this is one of the purposes for church. not to just congregate, but to encourage. hebrews 10:25

i think this chapter is another aobut what this world is full of .... vainity adn vexation. but we can make it better with friends. all is vainity.

sex: after christ & before marriage

2003-08-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

why do we letit happen?
i am not coming to you as an outsider. i understand the emotions and ideals behind such things. so, there is no confusion of judgement or piety or blind arrogance, i am going to share something with you. something that anly one other person knows as far as i know. it is a dark thing and only satan wants things in the dark.

for mature readersplease skip this paragraph if you dont want to read it, it might be found to be inappropriate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i have only had one real girlfriend. we went out for 2 years. even thought it took us about one year to graduate our physical relationship to a level that i regret, we got there. the first date, we made out fro 50minutes, should have been a red flag, but i was a kid in a candy shop who didnt know what sugar was. we even wrote a list of rules... that we broke, one by one. till one day, i couldnt take it, i was consumed by my insecurity. i am not confident in my manliness (gesturing nod). we were making out one day and i just opened up my pants and asked her, "is it too small?" she said no in a reassuring tone and then went to touch it. from that moment on our physical relationship turbo boosted to places it really really didn't need to be. but i was scared. i was scared that if we did get married would it be enough. God made me, and God made my future mate, and God knows what is enough. but that wasnt good enough for me. it became a neccesity fro us, maybe just me. every time we came together, i had have some physical act. i was addictied and consumed. we then came to the place of oral sex. this is where it really gets bad. it hurts to just type this. one day we were at my house adn i asked her if she would go down on me. she said her neck was really sore, and that she didnt think she could do it. i told her she could sit on the florr with her back leaning on the couch and i could do it for her. she agreed. my head was so fuzzy with lust that i cant tell you whether her response was that she was really okay with it or not, because i didnt care. at the time. i then did it and came in her motuh, i was so deep that she almost choked when i did. i stepped back and asked her if she was okay, and after a few coughs she said she was.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

she got up to go to the kitchen for a glass of water, and i just stayed there in afetal position almost paralyzed with self loathing. how could i do this to her. how could i be so overcome with lust that i forget everything else.

it started out as a physical representiion, a way ofg expressing our love for one another and it morphed into this horrible horrible monster, it turned me into a horrible monster. i felt,a nd feel like dirt. i keep that feeling so that when i need to realize what i truly am, i can open it up and look at myself and realize thats what my flesh looks like. dirty, naked, and revenous. my fingers shake right now.

so realize i am not here to judge or look down on anyone. i want to understand and isolate this thing. i want us all to. but i cant make you, you have to want to.

recently i found out some things about some friends of mine. christian friends. i wasnt ready, to find out they have sex. these people know better, just as i did. why do we let ourselves be caught in these situations. why do we let ourselves join ourselves to people who we KNOW god has not called us to be with, so that when you do wake up, IF youwake up, you have to cut yourslef from them. but after joining yourselves so hard, you cant just let go like a note in the wind. to this day i feel her. swimming inside me. never leaving.

how?
i look back at my situation, and i realize that it was because i loved her with every fiber in my body. or did i? what is love? totall reckless abandonment for another person. utter sacrifice. would i sacrifice my time? yes. would i sacrifice my money? yes. would i sacrifice my talent? yes. would i sacrifice my resources? yes. woudl i sacrifice my spirit? yes. would i sacrifice all of this for her? no. really? think about it. i was seeking fullfillment. this world is full of lies, and in this world of lies you wear a suit of deception. christ doesn't always FEEL like the ultimate fullfillment. so we seek it out in other places. or maybe you just find it. i have always been one to find validity in others. i pick who i listen to, but i still let those people validate me and how i even feel. she gave me confidence. if someone like her thought i was special, then i am. i no longer had to impress anyone but her, and that didnt take much. christ thinks im special and it doesnt take a thing. but where was he? i couldnt hold him. i have to look too hard to see his smile. LIES!!! i am not lonely anymore. LIES!!! i love her. LIES!! we will be together forever. OH, REALLY??... LIES!! she makes me fell comlete. LIES!!! god is the only one who completes. and he knows who will be together. and he loves, you crave. you were never lonely, when they were laughing at you i was whispering in your ear aobu tmy love, but your flesh wouldn tlet you listen. just as your flesh wont let you see my face. come to me in worship... and i will hold you. i have always been right there.
how did i get there? i lost faith. i was with someone that didnt hunger after god. i didnt hunger after god, and only god.

i was talking to another firend of mine, and she said that we can still do these things adn maybe still be praying about it. and i cant see that happening unless we arnt listening or want to listen to what we are hearing. mybe god is being silent, but if he is, why are you doing anything. sex and physical relationships, and relatioonships in general are big things. dont connect yourself with anybody until you hear him. and after you have, and he says yes, then always remember that your relations hsip is between 3 people and not just 2.

the aftermath
now i look at those times and use them as a comparison sheet to what god DOES want. but i am still here with an open wound. every time i see a petite pale blonde, my heart stops. i saw her, with her new husband and i couldnt breathe. i connectted myself to her so hard that when she came by one day and said it was over and walked away it was liked she riped my arm from its socket. i try everyday to give it to god. to let him be my new arm. some days i make it, some day i dont, but i know that he can make it everyday. god is our completer. in a society that barages us with two lies. that sex is good and freeing and that you arnt sombody if nobady loves you. sex is good, but not freeing. just doing the stuff i did do, doesnt make free, in fact i have to fight chains of grief, regret, self condamnation, and have that faith that even in those moments i was and am righteous. that god dosent blush at my acts even though i do.

what do we do with this
we rejoice. we praise. that he does find us righteious in those moments means that he must be the most gracious and merciful god, and how can i love a god who can love thereal me. the me that woudl do that to another one of his children. i praise god fro savign a sinner like me. i praise god everyday. and i lean on his spirit so that i dont have to feeel like that again. i assemble with others so that i can be encouraged to believe this. i encourage others that they too are righteous.

i felt lead ot type this
mybe it was for me. maybe it was for you. but know that god loves YOU. the you in the dark, and remember that he tells us this to keep us form harm, not to bring it.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 3 >please read before proceedding

2003-07-31T23:34:00.000-04:00

the verses that stood out to us, are...

1 to 11
13
14
19
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 to 11
God has an order to things. there is a time for all things under heaven, and God knows when those times are. the cycle continues no matter what we do. and we have such a distorted view of these things so that we don;t know what God is going to do.

13
Life is a short adn precious gift, and you might as well enjoy it while you are here, because there is nothing you can do thats worth missing out on you life for.

14
Godis the only thing that can do anything that is worth anything, because his work is eternal and complete, it will not wither no matter how long its there adn you can't improve on something that the author of "perfect" does.

19
Is this a verse for vegans and their ilk? men and beasts all die.

the theme for this chapter seems to be that the world turns, seasons come for all things and change into the next. life... death, all things have a purpose as well and only God knows when teh right time and purpose is, and no matter what He chooses they are, it is beautiful. i also think something we should keep in mind as we continue ths book is whether or not the author beleives in an afterlife. it doesn't seem that he does.

the local church

2003-07-30T22:44:00.000-04:00

i just got back from bible study at church, and it was really good. it made me think aobut how much i get from this church and its people. i have been bitten in the butt really hard EVERY time i have put myself into a church. which makes me realize that is what has happened to my father adn those like him in my family. confusing the line between God and church and putting, i think, their faith into the wrong place. the church is the bride fo christ, but it is not christ. i have a cousin in the ministry, who i met for the first time on my last birthday, and when he asked me what church i went to, i told him i didn't go, which was the truth at the time, wel, he got upset and walked into the next room, and began to tell my other cousin that i didn;t go to church and we HAVE to get jacob in church. this really upset me. i mean i am used to people geting upset that i usually do not go to church, but to go into the next room where i can hear you and talk about me like that, really pissed me off. so i got up and went into the room where he was and began to ask him, why? why, is it so important that i MUST go to a church. i know hebrews 10:25, i told him, and i honor that, in fact every thursday, if i don't show up, there is no assembling of the saints. he then said that i needed accountability, and i responded, that i do,i have a very close friend who i tell everything to, adn she keeps me acountable, even to the point that she pisses me off, beacuse she is right. adn he told me that itsn't the same. he begqan tot ell me how the church is the bride of christ, and i countered that the CHURCH IS the bride fo christ, but not neccesarily is THE church the bride fo christ. i mean, i am not going to tell someone to go to church or not to go to church. all i know is i go because God has been telling me for about 2 years now to find a church adn ground myself into it. i finally harkened and decided to go to grace christian fellowship. i don't think it woud have mattered which church i went to, but i knew some of the staff adn the secretary is a friend of mine. but because he told me to go doesn't mean he wants yo to go, and just because i feel the way i do doesn't mean he doesn't want you to go either, yo have to pray and ask God to direct you in all that you do, and that includes church. as long as you DO assemble and have a christian support base that you can rely on, you have nothing to fear. my view on the sabbath is that most of the christian world has it wrong to begin with so just pick out one day that you can rest and reflect, and that is your sabbath, for me it is thrusday, becasue it is an easy day to ask off consistently and i have the bible study anyway. always remember that you are free in christ and you can go where ever adn do whatever the spirit leads you to do, just make sure its the spirit you are listening to and not your flesh. romans 6 & 7
god bless
djr

Ecclesiastes

2003-07-28T17:45:00.000-04:00

ecclesiastes is a great book in the perspective of freedom in christ. because yo have to realize that you are, have, and can do nothing that will make you any differenet than those around you. you are really basically no different than anyone, even you do think you are better, richer, cuter, or more righteous. because, but for the grace of a soverign God, there go I. you have nothing save your free will, and even that is debated, everything else is again the product of a powerful and sovrign god, who can give and take away all you have. and there is nothing you can do outside of God, so there is no opportunity for you to be any different. no wthat might seem sad, or depressing, in fact the author says that the more he realized this the more his sorrow increased. i think it should make you feel sad, if you thought that these things were possibly untrue to begin with. but if you realize that this was all true before you rwere even thought up, then it releases you from any expectation from being anything than what you really are outside of christ. God knew you couldn't be anything outside of him, and so when you rove him right, you have no need to feel guilty, because you are just living up to your potential anyway. As a lady at my church bible study says, "you came from dirt and you can't expect much from dirt", but this as another church bible study guy said, "this forces you to boast only in the cross", and that is exciting and awesome.

2003-07-28T14:03:00.000-04:00

the first blogg i post i want to give you a little bit of an idea what this is and what we do, this is not a bible study that will TELL you what the bible says, that is not the purpose of it. i mean to help nurture your own relationship with God and christ. i will challenge you to question what you believe because you cant dissprove the TRUTH, and if you find fault in what you believe then you must then discard it and seek what IS the truth. you must read the bible for yourself and let God be your ONLY moral compass. i will counsel i will advise but ultimately you must listen to HIS voice. now that is said let us begin...

i will try to have a new entry atleast every thursday night or friday morning

Ecclesiastes: chptr 2 >please read before proceeding

2003-07-24T15:24:00.000-04:00

the verses that stood out to us, are,...

10
14 &15
19 & 20
24
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10
this verse reminds me of what Paul said, all is permissable but not all is profitable.

14 & 15
no matter who yo are, what yo got, or what you know you are all going to die
all is vainity
all is empty
all is nothing

19 & 20
control. something we as men crave. but why, our time here is limited and whether we want to or not, whn we are releived of whatever control we have which we will all do someday, the person behind us can undo all that we have done. look at presidents, alot of the decisions that bill clinton made can easily be undone by george w.
all is vainity
all is empty
all is nothig

24
our time on earth will mean nothing to anyone else besides ourselves, so we might as well enjoy it.
then how come we won't let ourselves do this, well atleast without perverting it? in fact we find ways that make our own lives less enjoyable. religion, debt, and rebellion. be free!! God's word, just said to enjoy yourself, of course it continues and reminds you that this of course...
is vainity
all is empty
all is ntohing

i think we get the major theme here.
all is vainity
all is empty
all is nothing

but you already knew this... why should this sadden you. you know that you a man journeying towards destruction, until one person made a seperate path, christ, and invited you to come, and then picked you up, so that you did none of the walking yourself, because as a creature of destruction you have not the will nor the power to walk the path of life.

remember if you disagree with anyhting i have said, please challenge me, and we will find out what the Word says togther.

Ecclesiastes: chptr 1 >please read before proceeding

2003-07-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

the verses that stood out to us, are...
2
9
13
18

2
all is vainity. there are only two choices in this life... God or self, so anyhting done not for god is for self, and that is vain, plus anything worth anything is done with God. so all is vainity.

9
there is nothing now that wasn't then. times have changed trends, technology, and borders, but people are all the same and have been since adam and eve, we share the same longings, needs and difficulties, just in different forms.

13
everyone is searching for the truth, and you can translate truth as wisdom. but what sucks for man, is that we have to search it out. there is very little black and white, in fact we all seem to have our own shade of gray. i was thinking about this because all of the creatures in the spiritual realm KNOW what is wisdom, because wisdom is knowing the truth and what yo do with it. the angels knw what is f God and what is not, as well as demons, but this is not always so clear for us, and so we have to experience folly sometimes in order to see what wisdom is. we have to walk in darkeness so that we might know what light is, but those in the spiritual realm know what light and darkness is, the distiction for them is so clear that we must look like big fat retards.

18
in much wisdom and knowledge is much grief and sorrow. why?

this chapter is a set up for the fact that all is for nothing. we can build no building tall enough, paint no picture beautiful enough, and make no socciety perfect enough to mean anything worth a damn. for all will be destroyed. all will be wiped away. all will be forgotten....