And many thanks to Lisa for the toys! :)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Favorite James verses
Hi everyone!
I have had such a great summer with you ladies! I have learned and grown so much from this study and our discussions. Stayed tuned for our next activities. My favorite verses are below!
James 1:25
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:22
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
I have had such a great summer with you ladies! I have learned and grown so much from this study and our discussions. Stayed tuned for our next activities. My favorite verses are below!
James 1:25
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:22
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Caution: Work not in progress
Thanks for the gift ladies! This provided at least 10 minutes of entertainment at work for me this morning. I put a couple more pics from last night below too. I had a great semester with you girls and will miss you! Hope everyone will make it out to a "screen on the green" with us in a couple weeks.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Favorite Verses from James
Looking forward to seeing you all tonight and recapping our semester study. I pulled out a few of my favorite verses from James. Feel free to add yours as well.
1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
1:25 "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
3:9 - 11 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"
3: 13 "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom....3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
4:2b & 3 "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
4:6a "But he gives us more grace."
4:7 & 8a "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you."
5: 5 "You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter."
5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. "
1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
1:25 "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
3:9 - 11 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"
3: 13 "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom....3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
4:2b & 3 "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
4:6a "But he gives us more grace."
4:7 & 8a "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you."
5: 5 "You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter."
5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. "
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Upcoming Events:
Tonight, July 19 - Come out and support Carmel and her trip to Uganda!
Monday, July 23 - Come out to Buffalo Billards at 7:30p.m. with our own "Dr. Phil" as she celebrates making it through her defense earlier that day and will officially be graduating with her PhD! Woo hoo!
Tuesday, July 24 - Last group meeting of this semester! We will wrap up some final thoughts on our study of James and spend some time in prayer and fellowship. Bring some snacks to share with the group and we'll see you there! Oh yes, and don't forget to bring in some toiletries or other items that Lydia can take with her to the girls orphanage in Mexico!
Monday, July 16, 2007
More Pictures from Sunday!
Full Weekend
Well our group certainly had a full weekend!
Inservice
Thanks to Janine, Gina, Skye, Jill, & Lisa for helping Emily & I pack lunches Saturday afternoon. We actually got them all to fit inside Emily's refrigerator!
Inservice
Thanks to Janine, Gina, Skye, Jill, & Lisa for helping Emily & I pack lunches Saturday afternoon. We actually got them all to fit inside Emily's refrigerator!
And another thank you to Janine, Jill, Steph, & Lisa for passing out lunches on Sunday before the 11:30a.m. service. It was a blessing for Emily & I to serve with you ladies this weekend!
Baptism by the Bay
We also had our very own Hortencia get baptised yesterday evening with about 20 others from NCC at Baptism by the Bay. So awesome to see her taking that step of faith and obedience that God has called her to. Her excitement was written all over her face. Congratulations Hortencia! Looking forward to seeing how God will use this as a catalyst to move you forward with Him.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
James Chapter 5
1) Does James seem to be condemning all rich people? If so why? If not how can one be a good rich person?
2) The word "then" connects 5:7-12 to 5:1-6. Our patience should be based in part on what James said in the previous paragraph. Why would 5:1-6 lead to an exhortation to be patient?
3) Why should expecting the Lord's coming make you patient (5:7-9)?
4) What will prevent patience from becoming laziness and inactivity? How is it possible to be patient and yet active?
5) A sign of impatience is frivolous swearing. Why is it so offensive to God? (5:12, Mttw 5:33-37) What does swearing, especially by using God's name, do to our witness before unbelievers?
6) How does the attitude of confidence and certainty regarding prayer in verses 13-20 relate to James 4:15?
7) Only God can bring a sinner back and save him (John 6:44, Ephesians 1:7). So what does James mean by saying that one of us should bring the wanderer back and turn him from the error of his way?
2) The word "then" connects 5:7-12 to 5:1-6. Our patience should be based in part on what James said in the previous paragraph. Why would 5:1-6 lead to an exhortation to be patient?
3) Why should expecting the Lord's coming make you patient (5:7-9)?
4) What will prevent patience from becoming laziness and inactivity? How is it possible to be patient and yet active?
5) A sign of impatience is frivolous swearing. Why is it so offensive to God? (5:12, Mttw 5:33-37) What does swearing, especially by using God's name, do to our witness before unbelievers?
6) How does the attitude of confidence and certainty regarding prayer in verses 13-20 relate to James 4:15?
7) Only God can bring a sinner back and save him (John 6:44, Ephesians 1:7). So what does James mean by saying that one of us should bring the wanderer back and turn him from the error of his way?
Saturday, July 07, 2007
James Chapter 4 Questions
1. How does it affect you to know that God considers your pursuit of selfish goals adultery?
2. What are some of the symptoms of friendship with the world? How can we as Christians live in the world and be relevant without being "friends" of the world?
3. God provides plenty of grace for us to overcome our envy, craving for
pleasure, and consequent quarreling. He offers abundant grace to
respond to Him with full devotion. Why does He give us this grace only
if we are humble, never if we are proud?
4. Have you ever wondered why you don't feel God near to you? According to 4:8, is this a failure on God's part or on our part? What should we do when God seems far away?
5. Do you actions show that you are doubleminded or singleminded in your devotion to God? Who does your behavior show is really first in your life?
6. What is a person saying about God and self when he makes plans without
consulting God? What would be the humble attitude toward plans (4:15)?
2. What are some of the symptoms of friendship with the world? How can we as Christians live in the world and be relevant without being "friends" of the world?
3. God provides plenty of grace for us to overcome our envy, craving for
pleasure, and consequent quarreling. He offers abundant grace to
respond to Him with full devotion. Why does He give us this grace only
if we are humble, never if we are proud?
4. Have you ever wondered why you don't feel God near to you? According to 4:8, is this a failure on God's part or on our part? What should we do when God seems far away?
5. Do you actions show that you are doubleminded or singleminded in your devotion to God? Who does your behavior show is really first in your life?
6. What is a person saying about God and self when he makes plans without
consulting God? What would be the humble attitude toward plans (4:15)?
Friday, July 06, 2007
Let's Go Nats!
Well I'm definitely glad I decided to go out to my very first Nationals game despite the stickyness. It turned out to be quite a nice evening with my half-smoke and $4 bottle of water (minus the cap they take from you because they don't want you to throw it in the stands). Too bad we lost! But I'm glad I got to hangout with you guys. Hope Jumbo Slice was all you hoped for and more!
Here are Lydia's pictures:
Here are Lydia's pictures:
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Happy Fourth of July!
I hope you all had a great day yesterday. What a blessing it is to live in this country and have the freedom to worship Jesus freely! Do not let this day, week, year go by without thanking God for the opportunities we have here and how we can use what we have to bless others. Also, remember to keep our country's leaders in our prayers.
Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more."
Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more."
Thursday, June 28, 2007
James Chapter 3
Here are the questions for next week's study.
1. The tongue is "set on fire by hell" (James 3:6) and Satan is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). Does this mean that Satan, not we, is responsible for our evil words? Why or why not?
1. The tongue is "set on fire by hell" (James 3:6) and Satan is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). Does this mean that Satan, not we, is responsible for our evil words? Why or why not?
2. Animals can be tamed because God gave man dominion over them at Creation. Why can't man tame his own tongue? (James 3:8) If it isn't possible to attain perfection by completely taming our tongues, how, then, can we control our tongues and become mature (Matthew 19:25-26 James 1:5-8)?
3. Why do you think humility or meekness is such an essential sign of wisdom?
4. In contrast to the maker of disorder is the maker of peace. In light of 3:13-18, what do you think it means to be a peacemaker?
5. Sowing in peace produces a harvest of righteousness (3:18). Why do you suppose peacemaking and righteousness are connected like this?
5. Sowing in peace produces a harvest of righteousness (3:18). Why do you suppose peacemaking and righteousness are connected like this?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Upcoming Events!
Nats Game!
Thursday July 5th
Feel free to bring friends!
Opening pitch (the best part!!): 7:05pm
Cost: $5 (Can't beat that) We'll get the tickets at the game that night.
Time/Meeting Place: Let's meet at the top of the escalators at RFK stadium metro stop (street level) at 6:45pm.
It should be fun (even if you don't like baseball)!
Service Opportunity
July 14 & 15
What we need:
Saturday - A group of 5 -10 girls willing to put together about 75 brown bag lunches. We can do this at Emily's or my apartment. I figure we can do this around 11a.m. and then go grab some lunch together or perhaps go to the zoo? =)
Sunday - A larger group of us to pass out the lunches from about 10:45 - 11:30a.m. at Union Station. (Also if anyone with a car is willing to help Em & I get the lunches to Union that'd be awesome.)
This is a great opportunity to serve and "walk" our "talk" this semester. I encourage everyone who is available to come out and take the time to pass out lunches and really engage the people you meet. A lunch is great but a sincere smile and encouraging word can go much farther.
Thursday July 5th
Feel free to bring friends!
Opening pitch (the best part!!): 7:05pm
Cost: $5 (Can't beat that) We'll get the tickets at the game that night.
Time/Meeting Place: Let's meet at the top of the escalators at RFK stadium metro stop (street level) at 6:45pm.
It should be fun (even if you don't like baseball)!
Service Opportunity
July 14 & 15
What we need:
Saturday - A group of 5 -10 girls willing to put together about 75 brown bag lunches. We can do this at Emily's or my apartment. I figure we can do this around 11a.m. and then go grab some lunch together or perhaps go to the zoo? =)
Sunday - A larger group of us to pass out the lunches from about 10:45 - 11:30a.m. at Union Station. (Also if anyone with a car is willing to help Em & I get the lunches to Union that'd be awesome.)
This is a great opportunity to serve and "walk" our "talk" this semester. I encourage everyone who is available to come out and take the time to pass out lunches and really engage the people you meet. A lunch is great but a sincere smile and encouraging word can go much farther.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Be still my soul
I experienced God in a very different way this weekend than Kristen did. (Yikes, I give her credit b/c I put on that pack that she carried on her back and I nearly fell over!) I experienced God in a beautiful way that I haven't experienced in quite some time. I was able to just rest on Saturday and He restored me in a lot of ways. I was telling my mom tonight that I just feel like I have had such a reflective past few days. Actually, since Alden left for his wilderness adventure in Alaska I have been able to just rest and be with God in a non hurried way. I am sure camping or just getting out of your element in any way can help you to connect with God in a new way. For me, just resting at my place for a whole day was out of my element and just felt so restorative. The Lord really just wants us to be still sometimes so that He can speak to us. I love it!!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Leadership 101
As mentioned on Tuesday, if you are interested in leading an NCC small group, or want to learn more about spiritual leadership and discipleship, we invite you to come to Leadership 101 this saturday (6/23) at Ebenezers (10:00am).
If you have any question, you can email Kristen . To RSVP, please email Heather Z.
If you have any question, you can email Kristen . To RSVP, please email Heather Z.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
James Chapter 2:14-26
Here are the questions for this Tuesday's group:
1) Why can't we separate faith from deeds (2:18,19)? How do people try to separate them today?
2) Abraham showed faith by holding nothing back from God, not even his most valued treasure. Are you holding anything back from God? Is there anything you wouldn't sacrifice for Him?
3) James 2:16 is an example of dead or worthless faith that doesn't save. Why is faith that is not demonstrated with deeds dead?
4) Do good deeds not motivated by faith in Jesus have any value in God's eyes? Why or why not?
5) If deeds demonstrate genuine faith, can we judge by their works whether other people are saved? (Read Matthew 7:1-5, 15-21) What does Jesus say about faith and deeds in Matthew 7-15-23, 25:31-46?
6) What truth from 2:14-26 most stands out to you as something that should affect your life?
Have a great weekend, everyone!! We look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday!
1) Why can't we separate faith from deeds (2:18,19)? How do people try to separate them today?
2) Abraham showed faith by holding nothing back from God, not even his most valued treasure. Are you holding anything back from God? Is there anything you wouldn't sacrifice for Him?
3) James 2:16 is an example of dead or worthless faith that doesn't save. Why is faith that is not demonstrated with deeds dead?
4) Do good deeds not motivated by faith in Jesus have any value in God's eyes? Why or why not?
5) If deeds demonstrate genuine faith, can we judge by their works whether other people are saved? (Read Matthew 7:1-5, 15-21) What does Jesus say about faith and deeds in Matthew 7-15-23, 25:31-46?
6) What truth from 2:14-26 most stands out to you as something that should affect your life?
Have a great weekend, everyone!! We look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday!
Monday, June 18, 2007
"West Virginia- mountain momma...
take me home, country roads". Everyone sing! Okay, maybe I'm the only one who knows this John Denver tune.
Yesterday I was out with the "Outdoors" small group with 9 others from NCC. We hiked in GW Nat'l Park on the border of W. VA and VA. It was so beautiful out there and a great time to take in some of God's creation. It really refreshed me for my week. It also gave me an opportunity to soak in some much needed sunshine and perhaps too much. Check out my ridiculous sock tan that I am proudly sporting at work today!
Anyone else have a different kind of encounter with God this weekend they'd like to share?
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Favoritism
Hello everyone! My mom is visiting for a few days, so I will not be at group this week. However, I just have been meditating some on the idea of favoritism that James 2 addresses. This week I have really been thinking about how I treat people and my motivations behind my words and actions. James 2 was uncomfortable for me to read. Why? Probably because I realize I need to look at how I treat people a bit closer. Do I have selfish motivations as to why I kind or help a person out? Or, do I only help people less fortunate than me when I know I will be recognized by others for doing so? Service. Selfless service. That's what was speaking to me some as I was reading this passage. I want no part of "me" motivations to be involved when helping and serving others. That is my prayer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)