Lecture 1: Psalm 84:5
- Pilgrimage: Someone who goes on a journey with the hope of encountering God. - E.T. Wright.
The physical, outward journeys also reveal things on the inside. The recurring theme in the Bible is that God is saying, 'I'm not in that comfortable house, I'm out here in the scary waters.'
- Reflective Practice: Often we wonder, what just happened to me? If we reflect back to back frequently, we would be less surprised or confused. Test comes first and lessons come after. If you're making the same mistakes, maybe it's because you're not reflecting often enough. Investigation, Incubation (pause and simmer).
- My calling is to first and foremost, to follow Jesus. What is the point of doing anything if you're not called to do it? Better yet, what is the point of doing what you're called to do, if you're not following Jesus?
Lecture 2: "The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain.
- The reason the farmer takes his 8 year old son to work is not to just train him and impart knowledge, but it's because he wants a relationship. Similarly, God doesn't just call us to do, but to be. ie. Joseph.
- There are different callings for different seasons, perhaps preparing us for the ultimate calling. You build character while being faithful to doing the things in front of you. For each season, be faithful to the next steps (studies/work/marriage). During the preparation time prior to being released to your long-term calling, be sure not to get stuck in passivity/comfort. This preparation phase may be comparable to clearing up the security line at the airport before the take off, to make sure there are no explosives on-board. There are pastors who get up in the air, thousands of feet just to find that they have been carrying explosives.
- Do we go through the phases of our lives - preparation, releasing, fulfillment - just to fulfill our American Dream? Are our involvement in godly works incorporated in achieving our American Dream and not of God himself?
Lecture 3: Call To Be In Missions (Not the Disney Version)
- Christians are more confrontational because they "care" and have higher expectations/standards. Missionaries often leave the mission field because of other missionaries.
- Questionable reasons for calling for missions: Way to appease guilt, boredom, adventure, or unsure of their calling.
Lecture 4: Call To Be In The Market Place
- The attitude in which we pray to God, who wants to meet us daily and have an ongoing relationship, is often wrong. Two minutes of binge praying won't cut it.
- A diamond in the darkness shines brighter. Just like Daniel, who was known for his excellent work in his position. Be excellent in carrying responsibility, trust, diligence, integrity etc. They add value.
- Principles in the Market Place:
1) Luke 19:17 - Be faithful in the small and be trusted with much.
2) Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for working for the Lord."
3) Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy." The difference between slavery and freedom is rest. Do you trust him while everyone else is working?
4) Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first his Kingdom and his Righteousness."
5) Deuteronomy 8:18 - "It is He who gives ability to produce wealth". Tithing is a law? It's pre-law because Abraham gave 10% of what he owned prior to Moses' laws. Pre-tax on tithing or after tax? Do you want blessings over the money that's pre-tax or after tax?
Lecture 5: Jesus' invitation to us - Come follow me... where? The next right step.
- We may stop seeking today, if God told us what the complete picture looked like. Again, he longs for a relationship. There's purpose and meaning behind trusting in God when we take the next small step in obedience/faith.
- Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's handiwork, but Paul never tells the Ephesians exactly what they're called to do, but rather tells them their identity. This is because we're individual creation of God. We're not mass produced. There's beauty in uniqueness (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:12-16).
The secret of the Poet's (God's) heart... "The place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need."
Saturday, 9 January 2016
Week 8: Relationships
Lecture 1: 1 John 2: 3-6 - Know Him if we obey his commands; 1 John 5:3 - commandments are not burdensome.
- Commandment 1 through 4 is about how to relate with God. Commandment 5 through 10 is about relating to others. When asked, what is the greatest commandant, Jesus summarized by saying love your God, and love others as yourself (Matthew 22: 37-40).
- The foundation of all things are often based on relational issues. How you love God directly affects how you love others. To love is to take risks. How much you're willing to get hurt in order to show love is the depth of your love. ie. the cross.
Lecture 2: Matthew 5:21-22 - Even anger towards another is murder; Proverbs 18:21 - Power of life and death are on your tongues.
- The rice experiment: speaking love/hateful words brought about physical results.
- Renewing of the mind - Imagine when Cinderella got married, the day after on her honeymoon, did she go back to cleaning the house? That's all she knew previous to her transformation. We need to renew our minds and take every thought captive. We don't believe in the lies that we need to go back to our old ways. We're adopted in the citizenship of Jesus Christ.
- Taking offense is like walking in the middle of a bunch of hooks laying around and being yanked by them. When someone yells at you with hurtful words, rather listen to their heart. What they're really saying is, I need love!
"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead me to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison" - Nelson Mandela.
"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead me to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison" - Nelson Mandela.
Lecture 3:
- Sexual sins, like a steel rod, when you first bend it, it becomes easier to bend the next time. Also leads to other sins, to anger, bitterness, etc. God teaches us how to feel and master emotions (proper use of emotions). Be angry without sinning.
- Dating/Courting, principles fail when you're selfish in the relationship. The point is that when you're having a relationship with someone, you really don't know what to expect. It always goes back to if you trust God and who you are in your identity (Proverbs 3:5). Dating/Courting, in what I understand, is not the search for the best partner to make you whole, but is the search for the partner who you can best glorify God with together. (Some worship God best with a partner and some are given the gift of celibacy)
- It's all about timing. For DTS, you don't proactively seek since it's time to devote yourself to learning. Also, if you're struggling with a sin, it may cause you to seek refuge in a relationship or other things as a substitute.
Lecture 4:
- Jesus was said to be tempted of all things, but chose to live a sinless life. He was probably tempted sexually, but knew that it wasn't his calling to be married. He's saying, he has experienced it all and have overcome. He can help us because he can relate.
- How important is marriage? It is the building block of society. He could've made 1,000 people when he created us, but he meant for us to be a family. The enemy attacks by destroying family, the nucleus of this world, and one by one destroys society.
- Sex outside of marriage destroys trust. Dude said he had his needs, so the girl gave in before marriage. After being married, the dude went away for a business trip and she's wondering who's meeting his needs now? There were no typical modern day ceremonies in the OT, but sex was a form of the covenant of becoming one.
Saturday, 26 December 2015
Week 7: Holy Spirit
Lecture 1: Holy Spirit is With, In, Ahead, Upon
With- Conflicts the idea that the Spirit is somewhere else It's not Him who shows up, but we must show up to him. We recognize His presence. Matthew 1:23 Immanuel - God with us. Genesis 28:17, Psalm 139: 7-8
Ahead- Holy Spirit already ahead living in that moment. He is present, current, and future and is actually pulling us towards the future. What arrogance to say we're going to bring God onto other nations.
Upon- The dominant manifestation was through the Father in the OT, Jesus in the NT, and Holy Spirit from Acts onward. When the Spirit comes upon you, how will you respond, with an audience of one? Maybe it's not God making us to to act certain ways when he comes upon you, it's how we individually react from those experiences.
In- Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put my Spirit in you" 1 Corinthians 3:16 "Spirit dwells in you".
Spiritual adultery: if you put something or a desire above God (family, ministry, marriage). Don't try harder, but surrender and empty. Let him in.
Lecture 2: Holiness = Put God First - Love Others - Flee Sin - Pursue God's Will
Put God First- Romans 1:25 - Worship the creator, not the created. Luke 7:36-39 - It's not the theologian who God loves more, it's the worshiping in submission of the sinful woman.
Love Others- Thomas Merton: Corrupt forms of love wait for the neighbor to 'become a worthy object to love' before actually loving. - Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they're worthy.
Flee From Sin- 1 Timothy 2:2 - Flee the evil desires in you. 1 Corinthians 6:20 - You are not your own, honor God with your body. Lust does not operate linearly. It grows exponentially. It's a life style of surrender and submission. Holiness is a gift from God that protects us from harm. How comfortable are you being different? Sexually?
Lecture 3: Spiritual Gifts.
Prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy. (Romans 12:6-8)
The 9 Spiritual Gifts: (1 Corinthians 12: 1-14)
Five Fold Ministry: Prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor, teacher
- pastor: passion for discipling, usually in one place. (Ezekiel 34)
Prophecy: Filter and test prophecies and hold onto what is good. Ask is it Biblical? (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
Speaking in Tongues: Purpose is to edify and build ourselves up. When we prophecy, we speak to man, when we speak in tongues, we give praise onto God.
Lecture 4: Holy Spirit is in the business of reconciling relationships, restoring justice, and redeeming beauty."Not to snatch people away from earth to heaven, but to colonize earth with life of heaven"
"Don't be so heavenly minded that you can't accomplish earthly responsibilities"- David Cowie
- It's part of our calling to care for the environment. It affects the poor when we do nothing to stop climate change.
- We have the wrong theology if we believe that we have a ticket to heaven, so it doesn't matter what we do on this earth. He's going to restore and renew this earth.
Community is... Jesus in the center > Behaving > Believing> Belonging. What if the mass migration issue is not a threat, but an opportunity? What if Christians dared to love the homosexuals? Love Wins.
With- Conflicts the idea that the Spirit is somewhere else It's not Him who shows up, but we must show up to him. We recognize His presence. Matthew 1:23 Immanuel - God with us. Genesis 28:17, Psalm 139: 7-8
Ahead- Holy Spirit already ahead living in that moment. He is present, current, and future and is actually pulling us towards the future. What arrogance to say we're going to bring God onto other nations.
Upon- The dominant manifestation was through the Father in the OT, Jesus in the NT, and Holy Spirit from Acts onward. When the Spirit comes upon you, how will you respond, with an audience of one? Maybe it's not God making us to to act certain ways when he comes upon you, it's how we individually react from those experiences.
In- Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put my Spirit in you" 1 Corinthians 3:16 "Spirit dwells in you".
Spiritual adultery: if you put something or a desire above God (family, ministry, marriage). Don't try harder, but surrender and empty. Let him in.
Lecture 2: Holiness = Put God First - Love Others - Flee Sin - Pursue God's Will
Put God First- Romans 1:25 - Worship the creator, not the created. Luke 7:36-39 - It's not the theologian who God loves more, it's the worshiping in submission of the sinful woman.
Love Others- Thomas Merton: Corrupt forms of love wait for the neighbor to 'become a worthy object to love' before actually loving. - Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they're worthy.
Flee From Sin- 1 Timothy 2:2 - Flee the evil desires in you. 1 Corinthians 6:20 - You are not your own, honor God with your body. Lust does not operate linearly. It grows exponentially. It's a life style of surrender and submission. Holiness is a gift from God that protects us from harm. How comfortable are you being different? Sexually?
Lecture 3: Spiritual Gifts.
Prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy. (Romans 12:6-8)
The 9 Spiritual Gifts: (1 Corinthians 12: 1-14)
Five Fold Ministry: Prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor, teacher
- pastor: passion for discipling, usually in one place. (Ezekiel 34)
Prophecy: Filter and test prophecies and hold onto what is good. Ask is it Biblical? (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
Speaking in Tongues: Purpose is to edify and build ourselves up. When we prophecy, we speak to man, when we speak in tongues, we give praise onto God.
Lecture 4: Holy Spirit is in the business of reconciling relationships, restoring justice, and redeeming beauty."Not to snatch people away from earth to heaven, but to colonize earth with life of heaven"
"Don't be so heavenly minded that you can't accomplish earthly responsibilities"- David Cowie
- It's part of our calling to care for the environment. It affects the poor when we do nothing to stop climate change.
- We have the wrong theology if we believe that we have a ticket to heaven, so it doesn't matter what we do on this earth. He's going to restore and renew this earth.
Community is... Jesus in the center > Behaving > Believing> Belonging. What if the mass migration issue is not a threat, but an opportunity? What if Christians dared to love the homosexuals? Love Wins.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Week 6: Hearing God's Voice
Lecture 1: John 3:6
- The absolute best that flesh can produce is flesh, but Spirit gives birth to Spirit. What would happen if there was no communication between the King and the Heir, the Father and the Son, the Bride and the Groom, One friend to Another (John 15:13). The disbelief and the lies affect our ability to communicate with Him even if its just one drop of disbelief. Like the flavoring of vanilla, spreading throughout the whole batch of bread, the essence of disbelief carries over to our thoughts when we try to hear God's voice.
- Why is it important to hear God's voice? We don't know what's good for us. God wants what is best, but when we come to him with a prideful posture of our heart, which He opposes (James 4:6), we think this is disapproval. Or He is with-holding from us. But when we come to him in humility, you HEAR him and KNOW what's best. How you approach (humility) is key to hearing God.
Lecture 2:
- When we signed up for Jesus, we signed up for war. The enemy is smart, he has been in this game for a long time. When the enemy targets the foundation of our faith, our tower of beliefs collapses. What would you do if you were Satan? You would try to break the Holy Spirit from us because all truths are revealed through the Spirit. The importance of Holy Spirit is EVERYTHING. However, to us, Holy Spirit is closer than close. He is in us.
- God's language: Humility - 1 Peter 5:5-6, Proverbs 3:34.
The Son's language: Surrender - Luke 9:23-24, John 10:17-18
The Spirit's language: Obedience - Matthew 4:1, Acts 5:32
- When you are holding onto self-preservation, you are lucky to see God move in your life.
Lecture 3:
- He is not governed by our temper tantrums or our urgency. He speaks in His time and is not restricted by our deadlines. Jesus healed the bleeding woman on his way to heal someone else, He deliberately waited until Lazarus was completely dead, when he could've raised him up from the dead instantaneously. There's very little willingness to be still in our generation. (Psalm 46) - Be still.
-Application: 1. Examine a passage 2. What stands out 3.Ask Holy Spirit, how does this apply 4. Ask Holy Spirit, what you're inviting me or leading me to do in response to this. Then linger for a bit.
- Parenting is hard. Relationships are hard. But you have no right to hold on to your grudges on your parents or on others when Jesus went to the cross naked, beaten, and tortured and saying 'Father, forgive them for they don't know what they're doing.'
Lecture 4:
- Obedience is ours to do, the results are not up to us. Cheyne (lecturer) was at a grocery store and felt Holy Spirit asking him to pray for a lady. The lady refused, but he still thinks that he did the right thing. The language God Speaks: humility, surrender, and obedience.
- What if prayer is not praying to God, but prayer to God WITH God? From Him, through Him, to Him. If we can hear His voice, He will give us what we need to pray for. He prays with you because Holy Spirit guides us, and He answers you. For all things are his.
Lecture 5:
- Intimacy is the underlying reason for all the miracles and gifts from God. The purpose of all things, including miracles, is for us to find intimacy with the Lord. Matthew 7:22 - They perform miracles, drive out demons, and prophecy in His name, but God will say 'depart from me, I never knew you'. They didn't have intimacy with God, they were false teachers.
Find intimacy with God (Isiah 50:4-5).
- It's never God that's the problem when intimacy is broken with Him.
Intimacy cycle: Repent => Intimacy => Break in Intimacy => Repent
Don't let the enemy fool you into thinking you can't hear God. In Romans it says God speaks as if it were and we are given the authority to speak things into being.
- The absolute best that flesh can produce is flesh, but Spirit gives birth to Spirit. What would happen if there was no communication between the King and the Heir, the Father and the Son, the Bride and the Groom, One friend to Another (John 15:13). The disbelief and the lies affect our ability to communicate with Him even if its just one drop of disbelief. Like the flavoring of vanilla, spreading throughout the whole batch of bread, the essence of disbelief carries over to our thoughts when we try to hear God's voice.
- Why is it important to hear God's voice? We don't know what's good for us. God wants what is best, but when we come to him with a prideful posture of our heart, which He opposes (James 4:6), we think this is disapproval. Or He is with-holding from us. But when we come to him in humility, you HEAR him and KNOW what's best. How you approach (humility) is key to hearing God.
Lecture 2:
- When we signed up for Jesus, we signed up for war. The enemy is smart, he has been in this game for a long time. When the enemy targets the foundation of our faith, our tower of beliefs collapses. What would you do if you were Satan? You would try to break the Holy Spirit from us because all truths are revealed through the Spirit. The importance of Holy Spirit is EVERYTHING. However, to us, Holy Spirit is closer than close. He is in us.
- God's language: Humility - 1 Peter 5:5-6, Proverbs 3:34.
The Son's language: Surrender - Luke 9:23-24, John 10:17-18
The Spirit's language: Obedience - Matthew 4:1, Acts 5:32
- When you are holding onto self-preservation, you are lucky to see God move in your life.
Lecture 3:
- He is not governed by our temper tantrums or our urgency. He speaks in His time and is not restricted by our deadlines. Jesus healed the bleeding woman on his way to heal someone else, He deliberately waited until Lazarus was completely dead, when he could've raised him up from the dead instantaneously. There's very little willingness to be still in our generation. (Psalm 46) - Be still.
-Application: 1. Examine a passage 2. What stands out 3.Ask Holy Spirit, how does this apply 4. Ask Holy Spirit, what you're inviting me or leading me to do in response to this. Then linger for a bit.
- Parenting is hard. Relationships are hard. But you have no right to hold on to your grudges on your parents or on others when Jesus went to the cross naked, beaten, and tortured and saying 'Father, forgive them for they don't know what they're doing.'
Lecture 4:
- Obedience is ours to do, the results are not up to us. Cheyne (lecturer) was at a grocery store and felt Holy Spirit asking him to pray for a lady. The lady refused, but he still thinks that he did the right thing. The language God Speaks: humility, surrender, and obedience.
- What if prayer is not praying to God, but prayer to God WITH God? From Him, through Him, to Him. If we can hear His voice, He will give us what we need to pray for. He prays with you because Holy Spirit guides us, and He answers you. For all things are his.
Lecture 5:
- Intimacy is the underlying reason for all the miracles and gifts from God. The purpose of all things, including miracles, is for us to find intimacy with the Lord. Matthew 7:22 - They perform miracles, drive out demons, and prophecy in His name, but God will say 'depart from me, I never knew you'. They didn't have intimacy with God, they were false teachers.
Find intimacy with God (Isiah 50:4-5).
- It's never God that's the problem when intimacy is broken with Him.
Intimacy cycle: Repent => Intimacy => Break in Intimacy => Repent
Don't let the enemy fool you into thinking you can't hear God. In Romans it says God speaks as if it were and we are given the authority to speak things into being.
Week 5: Idenity
Lecture 1:
- Lucifer, who is described to be a perfectionist (Isiah 14 & Ezekiel 28) falls and takes 1/3 of the angels with him (Rev 12). Because of a lie, man opened the door for Satan to have the legal right to rule the world, and still is the ruler of the fallen world. Jesus was crucified and Satan was defeated, but not yet destroyed.
- Jesus is the firstborn of a new race and He is currently seated in heaven, 100% man, 100% God. Genesis 1:26 'let us make them in the image of us." Jesus is in us on the earth and we are also in Him, in heaven. Our seats in heaven were secured even before we were born (Ephesians 1:4)
Lecture 2: Church => Ekklesia = Group Called Out. Do not live in the world anymore.
- Church is His (Jesus) Body, the fullness of Him are Christ bearers. God needs us to do the work, as the head is paralyzed without the body (Ephesians 1:24).
- Church people in the past and students at school learned by routine because it was easy to do.
ie. 2x2 = 4 2x3 = 6 2x4 = 8... We don't do this in our church because it leads to conformity and God works way too personal to each and everyone of us.
Lecture 3: Everything Jesus did, He did it in Father's Authority John 5:19&30
- Fundamental Christian Teaching is in Luke 16. We are called to be faithful in the smallest things, in others' things, and the natural. By doing the smallest things you will be faithful to the greater things, in others' things you will be entrusted to what is yours, and to the natural you will be faithful in the works of the supernatural. Jesus held on to this teaching and was rewarded. Be faithful.
- Uniqueness of man:
Ephesians 1:4 - He chose us before the creation of the world.
Deuteronomy 32:9 - The Lord's portion is His people.
Psalm 8:6; 115:16; 149:4 - Takes pleasure in his people.
1 Corinthians 3:16 - We are God's people and His Spirit dwells in us.
- We are eternal companions of Jesus Christ
Lecture 4:
In Christ: It's our responsibilities to "initiate" or knock/seek (pattern)
John 10:9 - Our call to walk in to his gate first.
Matthew 7:7 - Knock to go in
- We act first because he gave us the authority to do so, and He "cannot" violate His free will for us.
John 15:1-10 - Abide in me and I will in you.
James 4:8 - Come near and He will come near.
Christ In:
2 Corinthians 13:5 - Do you know he lives in you?
Romans 8:10 - 'if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life.'
Galatians 2:20 - Not who I that lives, but Christ who lives in me.
Colossians 3:16 - Word of Christ dwells in you
Colossians 1:17 - In Him all things hold together.
Lecture 5: 2 Corinthians 5; Romans 12:1-2
- 'Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ'. Be transformed in the mind if you want to go from strength to strength. We do not need to do something drastic only when we're in the dry season. Fasting and confessing sins to others are effective in being transformed by the renewing of the mind.
- God has given us the robe of righteousness (Isiah 61:10). But it is our responsibility to keep them clean (Rev 22:14). Justified => Just as I am. Sanctification => Separated, Set apart.
- Lucifer, who is described to be a perfectionist (Isiah 14 & Ezekiel 28) falls and takes 1/3 of the angels with him (Rev 12). Because of a lie, man opened the door for Satan to have the legal right to rule the world, and still is the ruler of the fallen world. Jesus was crucified and Satan was defeated, but not yet destroyed.
- Jesus is the firstborn of a new race and He is currently seated in heaven, 100% man, 100% God. Genesis 1:26 'let us make them in the image of us." Jesus is in us on the earth and we are also in Him, in heaven. Our seats in heaven were secured even before we were born (Ephesians 1:4)
Lecture 2: Church => Ekklesia = Group Called Out. Do not live in the world anymore.
- Church is His (Jesus) Body, the fullness of Him are Christ bearers. God needs us to do the work, as the head is paralyzed without the body (Ephesians 1:24).
- Church people in the past and students at school learned by routine because it was easy to do.
ie. 2x2 = 4 2x3 = 6 2x4 = 8... We don't do this in our church because it leads to conformity and God works way too personal to each and everyone of us.
Lecture 3: Everything Jesus did, He did it in Father's Authority John 5:19&30
- Fundamental Christian Teaching is in Luke 16. We are called to be faithful in the smallest things, in others' things, and the natural. By doing the smallest things you will be faithful to the greater things, in others' things you will be entrusted to what is yours, and to the natural you will be faithful in the works of the supernatural. Jesus held on to this teaching and was rewarded. Be faithful.
- Uniqueness of man:
Ephesians 1:4 - He chose us before the creation of the world.
Deuteronomy 32:9 - The Lord's portion is His people.
Psalm 8:6; 115:16; 149:4 - Takes pleasure in his people.
1 Corinthians 3:16 - We are God's people and His Spirit dwells in us.
- We are eternal companions of Jesus Christ
Lecture 4:
In Christ: It's our responsibilities to "initiate" or knock/seek (pattern)
John 10:9 - Our call to walk in to his gate first.
Matthew 7:7 - Knock to go in
- We act first because he gave us the authority to do so, and He "cannot" violate His free will for us.
John 15:1-10 - Abide in me and I will in you.
James 4:8 - Come near and He will come near.
Christ In:
2 Corinthians 13:5 - Do you know he lives in you?
Romans 8:10 - 'if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life.'
Galatians 2:20 - Not who I that lives, but Christ who lives in me.
Colossians 3:16 - Word of Christ dwells in you
Colossians 1:17 - In Him all things hold together.
Lecture 5: 2 Corinthians 5; Romans 12:1-2
- 'Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ'. Be transformed in the mind if you want to go from strength to strength. We do not need to do something drastic only when we're in the dry season. Fasting and confessing sins to others are effective in being transformed by the renewing of the mind.
- God has given us the robe of righteousness (Isiah 61:10). But it is our responsibility to keep them clean (Rev 22:14). Justified => Just as I am. Sanctification => Separated, Set apart.
Week 4: Father Heart of God
Lecture 1: Zachariah 3:17 He delights in me. Ephesians 2:2 He loved us and sent His Son. Romans 8:38-39 Nothing can separate us from His love.
- Most fathers that have kids were not qualified to be dads, they just grew older and ended up having children. Children are not taught who they are by their dads and identify themselves by comparing with others. When we get to know God, we are able to know ourselves better and He says that we are awesome in His eyes.
- Learn to love who you are by learning who God is. We are made in his image: second commandment - love yourselves as you love others.
Lecture 2: John 14; Matthew 5,6,7; Psalm 139 - read to see how God feels about you.
- While the pharisees stay to the scripture, we need to encounter the God of the Bible. The whole existence of Jesus was to bring you into intimacy with the Father, God.
- Misconceptions of God: 1) Angry 2) Disappointed 3) With-holding 4) Hard to Please 5) Boring [the wildest thrill you can have is to live only based on what He wants you to do].
- Repentance <= Sin you choose <= Brokenness => Injustice from Someone Else => Forgiveness
When you sin, you repent. When someone else sins against you, you forgive the injustice. Repentance is a joyful response because God wants to convict us and say "hey, that's not me. Come find me." Jesus lived a sinless life and died the greatest injustice death.
Lecture 3: 1 Corinthians 13 - God's Biography of How He Loves; Ephesians 1:17-20 & 3:14-21; Galatians 6:1-2 Carry Each Other's Burdens.
- Learn to Love God. Would theology help to love God more? If we're constantly stuck at one part of the scripture, would He say "well done my good and faithful servant?" We should rather learn to be quick to love. Paul said to pursue faith, gift of prophecy, but most importantly, Love.
- Receive from the heart. If you are a thinker, a logical person, how are you supposed to think your way out of your emotional scars and pains. Receive healing from the heart. Jesus wept when Lazarus died... I wonder if he weeps as we are hurting. Study how Jesus loved, then we can see more of the Father heart of God.
Lecture 4: Galatians 3:25-29; 4:1-7 Spirit That Calls Out 'Abba, Father"; Romans 8:15, 2 Corinthians 10:3
- Don't mind sharing about personal sins because it is not who we are anymore. Don't care what people think about it because it is no longer me. How others think about me does not define who I am, because my reference point in who I am is no longer in others. Care how God thinks of you.
- We are no longer orphans because we have been adopted by the Spirit which calls out 'Abba, Father'
- Changing to be more like Christ starts with your mind (Romans 12:2). The transformation takes place (2 Corinthians 10:3) with the spiritual warfare, where we use the divine weapons to destroy the strongholds the enemy controls and by taking captive every thought by the knowledge of God. We are fully equipped for the battle. Darkness goes away when you walk in light by repenting and being open. (James 5:16) 'be transparent' it will heal and set you free.
- Most fathers that have kids were not qualified to be dads, they just grew older and ended up having children. Children are not taught who they are by their dads and identify themselves by comparing with others. When we get to know God, we are able to know ourselves better and He says that we are awesome in His eyes.
- Learn to love who you are by learning who God is. We are made in his image: second commandment - love yourselves as you love others.
Lecture 2: John 14; Matthew 5,6,7; Psalm 139 - read to see how God feels about you.
- While the pharisees stay to the scripture, we need to encounter the God of the Bible. The whole existence of Jesus was to bring you into intimacy with the Father, God.
- Misconceptions of God: 1) Angry 2) Disappointed 3) With-holding 4) Hard to Please 5) Boring [the wildest thrill you can have is to live only based on what He wants you to do].
- Repentance <= Sin you choose <= Brokenness => Injustice from Someone Else => Forgiveness
When you sin, you repent. When someone else sins against you, you forgive the injustice. Repentance is a joyful response because God wants to convict us and say "hey, that's not me. Come find me." Jesus lived a sinless life and died the greatest injustice death.
Lecture 3: 1 Corinthians 13 - God's Biography of How He Loves; Ephesians 1:17-20 & 3:14-21; Galatians 6:1-2 Carry Each Other's Burdens.
- Learn to Love God. Would theology help to love God more? If we're constantly stuck at one part of the scripture, would He say "well done my good and faithful servant?" We should rather learn to be quick to love. Paul said to pursue faith, gift of prophecy, but most importantly, Love.
- Receive from the heart. If you are a thinker, a logical person, how are you supposed to think your way out of your emotional scars and pains. Receive healing from the heart. Jesus wept when Lazarus died... I wonder if he weeps as we are hurting. Study how Jesus loved, then we can see more of the Father heart of God.
Lecture 4: Galatians 3:25-29; 4:1-7 Spirit That Calls Out 'Abba, Father"; Romans 8:15, 2 Corinthians 10:3
- Don't mind sharing about personal sins because it is not who we are anymore. Don't care what people think about it because it is no longer me. How others think about me does not define who I am, because my reference point in who I am is no longer in others. Care how God thinks of you.
- We are no longer orphans because we have been adopted by the Spirit which calls out 'Abba, Father'
- Changing to be more like Christ starts with your mind (Romans 12:2). The transformation takes place (2 Corinthians 10:3) with the spiritual warfare, where we use the divine weapons to destroy the strongholds the enemy controls and by taking captive every thought by the knowledge of God. We are fully equipped for the battle. Darkness goes away when you walk in light by repenting and being open. (James 5:16) 'be transparent' it will heal and set you free.
Week 3: World View
Lecture 1:
Belief Progression: Thoughts/information => Ideas => Run through Reason, Morality & Imagination => Yields Behavior, Attitude, Actions.
- If your whole belief system is based on just appeasing God, it wouldn't be sustainable. You will burn out. It should be about growing your relationship with Him.
Lecture 2:
- Challenge your Christian assumptions so you get a more sound, accurate belief system. Wish to know the nature and character of God? Study Jesus' life.
Lecture 3:
- John 16:13. Jesus will leave and Holy Spirit will guide you into all truths. Due to massive translation variants and "errors" within the scripture (multiple versions available...which one is correct), it is difficult to say that the Bible equals God. People throughout ages have misquoted, abused, and even adjusted the Holy Bible to their liking. The common fundamental truths are that the deity of Christ, the fall of man, the death and resurrection of Christ, His need for redemption, salvation by faith, which the Bible makes clear. But each of the books compromising the New Testament were conditioned by the culture of the day: the language, the social mores, the political influences, the philosophies, and other religions from two thousand years ago. The point is to deduce the original intended meaning from the author. The Book brings truths and life into peoples lives and God reveals himself through scriptures. However, in a way, the scripture can be perceived to be subservient to the Holy Spirit since the book itself is not God and all truths are revealed through the Spirit. We believe that Holy Spirit is God.
- The book by itself is ineffective and Holy Spirit without the Word is incomplete. Be balanced in the scriptures and in the Holy Spirit on your devotion onto God.
Lecture 4:
- Context is most important if we want to know the meaning. Paul's message on women teaching/pastoring was intended for the uneducated at the time, specifically to that region and that specific church. The same Paul writes in other parts of the Epistles regarding equal rights that women have at the time.
- Hermeneutics means to take the original meaning of the text then bringing it forward two thousand years and seeing how it applies today. Do not allow minor details in our theology divide us because we have hard time trying to apply the message to our lives today. It isn't Holy Spirit's desire to divide the body of Christ.
Lecture 5:
- Challenging the assumptions of our definition of marriage (1 Corinthians 7). Paul addresses the issues of marriage to a very corrupt city, where some women were sold like a merchandise. Ask how this can be applied to us today.
- Most influencers today are the loudest, but many of them heard most of the their stuff from their 3rd grade teachers and never challenged or questioned why. It must be understood that God's word for us must be living and dynamic. If we fear questioning and looking at what the message really says, we lose the true essence of its value.
Lecture 6:
- How do you govern the Holy Spirit? The Institutional Church since the medieval times failed. Every time. Main big churches, institutionalism is almost unavoidable and the churches that should have died years ago are alive today because of institutionalism. The lecturer believes that post-modernism is something God is doing to shake up the Church, so that he can reveal His true message to us.
- The book by itself is ineffective and Holy Spirit without the Word is incomplete. Be balanced in the scriptures and in the Holy Spirit on your devotion onto God.
Lecture 4:
- Context is most important if we want to know the meaning. Paul's message on women teaching/pastoring was intended for the uneducated at the time, specifically to that region and that specific church. The same Paul writes in other parts of the Epistles regarding equal rights that women have at the time.
- Hermeneutics means to take the original meaning of the text then bringing it forward two thousand years and seeing how it applies today. Do not allow minor details in our theology divide us because we have hard time trying to apply the message to our lives today. It isn't Holy Spirit's desire to divide the body of Christ.
Lecture 5:
- Challenging the assumptions of our definition of marriage (1 Corinthians 7). Paul addresses the issues of marriage to a very corrupt city, where some women were sold like a merchandise. Ask how this can be applied to us today.
- Most influencers today are the loudest, but many of them heard most of the their stuff from their 3rd grade teachers and never challenged or questioned why. It must be understood that God's word for us must be living and dynamic. If we fear questioning and looking at what the message really says, we lose the true essence of its value.
Lecture 6:
- How do you govern the Holy Spirit? The Institutional Church since the medieval times failed. Every time. Main big churches, institutionalism is almost unavoidable and the churches that should have died years ago are alive today because of institutionalism. The lecturer believes that post-modernism is something God is doing to shake up the Church, so that he can reveal His true message to us.
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