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The Bus ride from LombardI sure enjoyed the bus ride. It was my first time on the bus and it was very relaxing. I enjoyed horsing around with Brooks who is a very cute 3-4 year old. Spent a few hours with Eric H which I describe in detail down below. Also had a nice lunch with Cynthia where I learned a lot more about Marv and her son. She is one of the nicer people I know.
People I enjoyedEric, Lombard, IL - Eric is fast becoming a good friend and he took advantage of my empty seat a couple hours into the trip to sit by me. We talked about so many spiritual things about our church, about our past. Why is it that I have more time to talk in depth with members of my church a BCC than all year at home?
Jim C. - Jim was a pleasure to talk to as well. We discussed afew things about the Bible and it's obvious how passionate Jim feels about it. He much like me in it takes a a lot of effort to reach out and socialize. I really enjoyed getting to know him.April S, IL - April was a hoot! No doubt she inherited her humor from Dennis and some from Charmaine as well. She had me laughing so hard. It was nice to get to see that side and perhaps she sees my warped sense of humor now too.
Jim P, Canada - Jim was one of those I was determined to hook upwith. I enjoy learning history and we discussed some early Bible Student history which is not so good. He plans on revising his Apocalypse Delayed book with the new information. We spent a great deal of time at BCC together.Aidon, Martin & Karen, Chicago - Got to spend some time with to beautiful little boys of Beth. I love making kids laugh and enjoy themselves and Aidon especially was having a great time stealing my ice cream bowl with his bug catcher.
Laurie & Faye - Of course I spent as much time as possible withthem. They are great friends and someone I hold in as high regard spiritually as anyone. Hope to be creating a web site soon for Laurie's studies which will have some sort of a notification signup.My Parents - Well of course! Still love them with all my heart you know.
Jim and Jeanne - Could we have laughed anymore? I really enjoy their company and if people only knew how much they meant to our church back home.Ed Weaver - Everyone here seems to know Ed. I'm glad I got more of hisbackground and some of the work hardships he has endured. Praising God the wholeway!
Wayne and Kathy - I really enjoy spending time with upbeat people and these 2 are very upbeat and encouraging. Wayne sermon, Looking for Jesus, was a highlight for me. Made me cry when he described the type of people Jesus cared for in that rapid fire manner. Their trip to Israel
was revealing too on both the Palestinian and Israeli plights.
Sermons
Keynote Sermon:I had the honor of giving the keynote sermon on “Victory through Surrender” It was basically a walk through one of things I mentioned that I hoped Sunday afternoon studies - What I found interesting is the afternoon studies closely paralleled or filled in gaps from the theme sermon.Dennis Thorfeldt had a study on love and Bill Twelker's study perfectly amplified victory in Jesus.
Laurie Iannaconne on the ObedienceLaurie’s sermon IMHO was excellent as usual. The sermon was summed up in 3 phrases:
“Self Will inevitably leads to defeat”“Accepting God’s will always lead to Victory”
“Freedom without responsibility leads to disaster”
Laurie used 2 examples regarding obedience; one for disobedience and one for obedience.
King Saul, disobeyed when told to kill all and everything belonging to the Amalekites. And of course, the ultimate obedience of Jesus atSteve Skorup - Voice of Truth
Steve's message actually sank in more and more over the next 2 days. He used a Casting Crowns
song to amplify the thought of listening to the voice of Jesus rather than the accusatory voices of the world.
Wayne gave a provoking sermon using tying in a recent trip that he and Kathy had to Israel. The contrasts from one side of a street/wall to another was mind boggling. He then started tying in
the people he met there and at Special Persons camp as being Jesus to them, the least of these my disciples. It really was an emotionally moving sermon for me.
Time, on time. What happened before there were clocks? OT has no specific word for time. Did things when you felt it was time, not according to the clock. Technology has made everyone move faster. Washing Machine -->; more laundry; email -->; unwanted message
filtering; Cell phone -->; reachable at any hour.
7 minutes on religious practice per American per day.
- Too busy for other things.- Distracted into spiritual oblivion.
- More interested in Movies, TV and the fantasy life it presents.
"Pathologically overextended."
Listening to this makes me realize that there are many choices to make regarding time. The most obvious is the TV. 2.3 average hours per American. That is not going to be me.Jesus, a perfect and Godly man, needed to withdraw, why would would not I!
Ephesians 5:16 - making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.Studies
Afternoon Study: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. - Bill TwelkerRomans 7 – Thou shalt not covet; sin came alive. Coveting is held in the mind and heart. Not externally seen by others. Proved to be death.
Focus on the 8th chapter: Walking in the Spirit. Walking can mean taking a wrong turn. Potential for failure but a greater potential for good works. Set our minds means: determined to reach the goal.
We are able to choose to walk in the Spirit. Spirit willbear witness our knowledge of the word of God. The Law of the Spirit of life…Jesus’ knows our frame and will work through our frustrations and seeming rebel nature.
Spirit helps us in our weakness; interceding for the saints. Faith makes a big difference when you don’t know how to deal with the circumstance.
The group in Bill’s study was very good and there was much wisdom in the room. People were not afraid to confess individual mis-steps and where we were not walking in the Spirit.There we discussed the Spirit of Sonship. Jesus wanted us to know that he is our friends.
2 Day study – Denis CoutureDenis spent time introducing how the Bible Came about and asked questions on what we should and should not accept. Not that he was giving an opinion. We watched a video called, “Forgeries in the name of Paul.”
Notes from the study:Canon – 367 AD by Athanais
Apocryopha – Hidden Books
Orthodox – “Right opinion”; a term used to designate a worldview or set of beliefs acknowledged to be true by the majority of those in power.
Heresy – Any worldview or set of believes deemed by those in power to be deviant, from a Greek word means ‘choice’
Gnosticism – 2nd and 3rd centuries: Gnostic writings not found until 1945.
Material world was evil Human souls needed to escape by gaining the right kind of knowledgeDualism – Evil or God
God – completely Spirit and unknowable.
Gnostics believe some people Divine Sparks which could be liberated from the evil world and return to God.
Jesus was a divine emissary but nothing more.
Abinoites –Jewish Christians; sort of like the Galatians but with additions of becoming a Jew and observing their practices. Jesus was not divine but adopted by God at baptism. No virgin birth.Marceanites – Anti-Jewish; denied Old Testament; only accepted Luke and Acts but not other
gospels; protognostic. Jesus not human at all. Called for a council in
Infancy gospels
(James, his ½ brother, and Thomas) - Jesus as a boy
Gospel of Peter
– Found in monks tomb; fragmented. Mentioned by Eusubius; alternate version of Jesus trial and resurrection; very anti-Jewish for the death of Jesus. Used by some churches and investigated and rejected by Serapian. One of the robbers is punished by not breaking his legs for rebuking them for crucifying Jesus.
Song of Songs - Means the greatest of songs. It's about erotic love but meant to drive us deeper into love by husband and wife.
Creation ideal - Male and Female both in God's image and both given dominion over the earth. Genesis 2 is a rhyme of chapter 1.Explains why there are male and female. Created from ha'adam to be separate and then be brought back to one flesh. That's the idea behind Song of Songs.
Mary and Martha - Jesus elevated Mary beyond the role of awoman-laborer to be a disciple which was unheard of!We broke into groups and talked about short sections. Our group talked about a section that had intimate companionship as it's theme.
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