Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship
“After the affected article has been washed, the priest is to examine it, and if the mildew has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it with fire, whether the mildew has affected one side or the other. If, when the priest examines it, the mildew has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the contaminated part out of the clothing, or the leather, or the woven or knitted material. But if it reappears in the clothing, or in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is spreading, and whatever has the mildew must be burned with fire. The clothing, or the woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mildew, must be washed again, and it will be clean.” Leviticus 13:55-58 NIV
There is nothing easy about the book of Leviticus. Yet this is where I find myself in my Bible reading plan. The one thing I have definitely noticed by reading a few sections the wrong time of day is never try to read this book right before bed. All the nuanced details about ceremonial offerings are difficult to keep focused on when your mind is shutting down for the day.
But can we learn anything from these words even though all of these sacrifices have been made obsolete by Christ? Do they play an important part of our life as a Christian? After all isn’t this part of the Scripture simply talking about how the Israelites were to properly deal with a contagious skin disease?
I believe we should first start with what the Apostle Paul shared with Timothy regarding the importance Scripture. He said that all Scripture is profitable for teaching, rebuking, and training (2 Timothy 3:16). He did not say to Timothy that only part of the Scriptures is useful; instead he said all of the Scriptures are. This is very important because every word is from God and was inspired by Him for our benefit. Therefore sections of the Scripture which may seem like a history lesson should be viewed equally important with those which speak of some theological discourse.
Here in the opening passage we have a section that discusses the proper way that priests should handle garments from those who were infected with a skin disease. Very practical and it was designed to prevent the spread of the disease to others. So I believe God put this in the Scriptures for a very sensible reason, much like many of the other teachings throughout the book of Leviticus (or even the book of Numbers). God loves His people and wants them to be safe.
Yet as I was reading, I realized that from this section of the Scriptures comes a powerful metaphor of sin. Because isn’t sin the garment we wear, covering our true nature to others through deceit, anger, slander, selfishness, and other sinful desires?
If this is the case, then I believe what we have here is an incredible metaphor to how sin is to be handled. There is no substitute for taking the easy way out with the sin in our lives. We must first recognize it as the priests recognize mildew (matching our lives up with Christ), then go through the cleansing process (repentance and prayer), and verify that we are sin free (accountability with others).
All of us at times will accept a particular sin being contained or faded in the garments we wear. We will justify it by saying, ‘What I am doing does not cause harm with anyone else…” or say “I am not as bad as that person…” or even declare “Look at all the progress I have made…” We will justify the existence of our sin by satisfying it with our own comforting words.
Yet just as the priest in Leviticus cannot declare the garment clean until there is no evidence of the mildew, our lives cannot be declared clean until all evidence of a particular sin has been removed as well. We must complete the process and allow Him to finish the work He has started in us.
Even as this news seems discouraging and difficult, there is something significant about our lives as Christians. For we have a high priest which has already cleansed us for our eternal redemption which has been prepared:
“When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11,12 NIV
Therefore this is our hope and should encouragement us for the trials we face. For we are not bound by sin, but instead can be made clean by the high priest who loves us—Jesus Christ.
Let us meditate on this thought during the coming week and give thanks for the hope we have in Christ…
Prayer requests
Paul – pray that God will continue to guide him in Eastern Washington and protect him during his travels
Ernie – praise God for his goodness, pray for Hee Young who was in a car accident pregnant with two children that God will watch over all of them, pray for Jerry’s rehab from the medical dialysis that he is going through, pray for the health of his wife
David – praise God for the life he provided him, pray the Lord would lead him to an apartment
Ramon – praise God for continually bringing him work, praise God for the health of his wife, pray that his daughter may be comforted while she is going through counseling, pray that he may have the strength and ability to put in wood floors at his son’s house
Bill M – praise God for Gary making it to Oklahoma and finding a job, pray for Gary’s continued success and that he may be strengthened in his marriage, pray that his family will have a safe trip to Santa Barbara
Richard – pray for his son that he may be able to find some success at work and find strength in working two jobs
Gary S – praise God for the job he was able to find in Oklahoma, pray for his marriage and that God will help them be able to work through the distance and any trouble they may be facing
Tim D – praise God for His faithfulness, pray that all the believers in the church will have the desire to seek out Him and to reach out to others
Carmine – pray that he will be strengthened at work with his relationships with coworkers
Calvin – pray that he will find a good work family balance and that he may find success at work, pray that he will be able to return to the group soon
Greg – praise God for having other brothers in Christ, pray for his daughter who moved out that they all will be watched over, pray for the leadership of the church that they will provide Biblical leadership
Mark – praise God for this group staying strong for continually returning to this table to study the Word and encouraging one another in prayer, pray that he will heal Beth from a sinus infection, pray that God will provide all of us the ability to reach out to the younger generation and pass on the blessing from the Lord
***Pray that Northshore can continue to make an impact in the local community for our Lord Jesus Christ
Continued prayer needs
Joe T – pray for his brother who unintentially overdosed on Tylenol, praise God he lives, pray for his son Joey who is dealing with seizures, pray for his wife, praise God for his patience and that his oldest son accepted Christ
Brett S – praise God for bringing him here to the group healthy and with energy, pray that he will continue to have some more good days of strength and health
Sky – praise God that the move to Bellingham has gone smoothly and he is now attending a school up there
Jimmy – pray that he will be able to walk more consistently with the Lord
Dick – praise for his new job that it is a good fit and he can be successful
Kelcy – pray for all the pastors and leaders within the Church
Stephen G – pray for strength in teaching kids at school so they may learn and become better students
Steve S – pray that he will be able to trust more in God
Nelson – pray for the President-elect that he will be a man of God, pray for his brother Bob
Tim W – pray for wife who is going to Germany to visit parents who may not be doing well, pray that a great deal of success came from the auction which happened on Saturday night
Larry Miller – pray that he will be able to find work, pray that he will be able to strengthen the marriage ministry at Northshore
Tim H – pray for his wife to find her ministry
Gary – pray for strength as he works through all the various stresses of life, pray for the health of his wife
Brent – pray that he will find clarity and guidance for finding the right person to marry
Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life
Future Meetings
Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, April 8th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 15th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, April 22nd, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
Group Happenings
“Ephesians: The Wealth of God in us”—A study through the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so we can discover all we have been given by God…
As the world continues to tell all of us all what we do not have and what we are lacking; as each one of us continue to struggle through tough economic times; as the Church continues to face new challenges; I believe there is no better time than to truly discover all we do have as Christians. We have been blessed beyond measure through our Lord Jesus Christ and by Him have access to all of God's promises.
By studying all the topics covered in the book of Ephesians together in this fellowship of men, my prayer is that all of us will truly come to understand that we have "The wealth of God in us".
Pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to each one of us, a blessing to the Church, and an opportunity for the Acts 2:42 Men's Fellowship to continue the calling God has placed on all of our hearts...
I invite you to invite others so that through this study, we can minister unto others and share the love of God.
God bless and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
In Christ,
Mark
Ephesians Study Outline
Here is the outline of the study plan we are looking at covering while we study the book of Ephesians:
Part number
1. Ephesians 1:1-14 Salutation / Predestination, Redemption, Inheritance in Christ
2. Ephesians 1:15-23 Resources in Christ
3. Ephesians 2:1-10 New Life in Christ
4. Ephesians 2:11-22 Unity in Christ
5. Ephesians 3:1-13 The purpose of the mystery revealed
6. Ephesians 3:14-21 God’s Fullness for the Church
7. Ephesians 4:1-6 God’s Plan for Faithful Living in the Church
8. Ephesians 4:7-16 God’s Son Endows and Builds the Church
9. Ephesians 4:17-32 God’s Pattern and Principles for members of the Church
10. Ephesians 5:1-14 Walking in love / Living in Light
11. Ephesians 5:15-21 Walking in wisdom / Filled with God’s Spirit
12. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 God’s standard for Authority and Submission in the Church
13. Ephesians 6:10-17 God’s provision for His children’s spiritual battles
14. Ephesians 6:18-24 God’s appeal for prayer in the Church / Benediction
Memory Verse
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
2 Chronicles 15:7 NKJV
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Weekly Message / Prayer Request
Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5 NIV
Whenever I feel like I am struggling, it is usually because I am not resting in the right place. Either my thoughts are resting on my finances; or my thoughts are resting on my job; or maybe my thoughts are resting on all the future struggles that are going to come my way. None of these can truly provide any rest, but instead only provide more anguish to some already anxious moments.
All of us at times will do it anyway. We will let our flesh focus on the wrong things while at the same time we know the truth in our minds. It then becomes a battle, keeping our focus on what is righteous and holy. A battle Paul knew very well when he penned in the book of Romans how the law of sin was raging against the law of the mind in his life (Romans 7:21-24).
Therefore let none of become discouraged of our failure to keep the faith and find rest in Him because it is a battle. It is a very difficult battle at times. Yet this is a battle we can all win with one victory at a time. God wants us to succeed and He has given us everything necessary to succeed (2 Peter 1:3,4).
So today I want to focus on David when he proclaimed where all of us should find rest—in God alone.
This is the only true place of complete rest. Only in Him will you find peace that will satisfy your deepest longings, your deepest troubles, or your deepest fears. God proclaimed this time and time again throughout the Scriptures. Jesus even said to come to Him because His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30).
But many times we will never be able to match up this world with this truth because of all the external troubles which lurk outside our door everyday. For many of us it is persecution; for others it may be famine; or maybe it is a disease that plagues us or those we know. None of these are very hopeful thoughts and with each one of these, finding rest in Him may seem impossible.
So for us Christians, how do we match up our life with the truth? We do this through the hope we have in Christ.
The world is becoming an increasingly difficult place to find any truth. Instead the enemy is at work and today is “alive and well”; deceiving those who may listen and persuading them to believe in a lie. In fact, Satan is doing everything in his power to remove the truth because he knows that in Jesus is truth and in Him all things exist. This is why moral relativism has become such a powerful force in the world today—because truth is under attack.
Yet notice that David matched up his hope with his ability to rest his soul in God. He knew that our hope in Christ is how we match up reality with truth even when it does not seem to make sense. This is because hope is about having confidence, knowing that His truth is forever unchanging.
When Jesus said to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount:
“So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33 NIV
This is the truth. God will provide us with everything we need life and godliness; therefore we should have hope. We should have tremendous hope because He is the rock upon where our foundation has been set.
If we would display the hope we have in our Christ Jesus everyday to everyone we know, imagine the change which would happen in this world. Our testimony would become a city upon a hill and reveal the glory of God in a way that would absolutely amazing.
Join me in my commitment to fight the battle of hope. Let us encourage one another to not live by what we see, but live by what we know is the truth. From this testimony, the first step, we can make a difference and spread the Word of God to a culture who desperately needs to hear the truth…
Prayer requests
Paul – praise God for being able to make it over the mountains to with this group of men, pray for a safe journey while traveling around the state for work
Ernie – praise God for his goodness, pray for Hee Young who was in a car accident pregnant with two children that God will watch over all of them, pray for Jerry’s rehab from the medical dialysis that he is going through, pray for the health of his wife
David – praise God for the life he provided him, pray the Lord would lead him to an apartment
Ramon – praise God for continually bringing him work, praise God for the health of his wife, pray that his daughter may be comforted while she is going through counseling, pray that he may have the strength and ability to put in wood floors at his son’s house
Bill M – praise God for Gary making it to Oklahoma and finding a job, pray for Gary’s continued success and that he may be strengthened in his marriage, pray that his family will have a safe trip to Santa Barbara
Richard – pray for his son that he may be able to find some success at work and find strength in working two jobs
Gary S – praise God for the job he was able to find in Oklahoma, pray for his marriage and that God will help them be able to work through the distance and any trouble they may be facing
Tim D – praise God for His faithfulness, pray that all the believers in the church will have the desire to seek out Him and to reach out to others
Calvin – pray that he will find a good work family balance and that he may find success at work, pray that he will be able to return to the group soon
Greg – praise God for having other brothers in Christ, pray for his daughter who moved out that they all will be watched over, pray for the leadership of the church that they will provide Biblical leadership
Mark – praise God for this group staying strong for continually returning to this table to study the Word and encouraging one another in prayer, pray that God will provide all of us the ability to reach out to the younger generation and pass on the blessing from the Lord
***Pray that Northshore can continue to make an impact in the local community for our Lord Jesus Christ
Continued prayer needs
Joe T – pray for his brother who unintentially overdosed on Tylenol, praise God he lives, pray for his son Joey who is dealing with seizures, pray for his wife, praise God for his patience and that his oldest son accepted Christ
Brett S – praise God for bringing him here to the group healthy and with energy, pray that he will continue to have some more good days of strength and health
Sky – praise God that the move to Bellingham has gone smoothly and he is now attending a school up there
Jimmy – pray that he will be able to walk more consistently with the Lord
Carmine – pray for the troops which are serving overseas and for their financial health and security
Dick – praise for his new job that it is a good fit and he can be successful
Kelcy – pray for all the pastors and leaders within the Church
Stephen G – pray for strength in teaching kids at school so they may learn and become better students
Steve S – pray that he will be able to trust more in God
Nelson – pray for the President-elect that he will be a man of God, pray for his brother Bob
Tim W – pray for wife who is going to Germany to visit parents who may not be doing well, pray that a great deal of success came from the auction which happened on Saturday night
Larry Miller – pray that he will be able to find work, pray that he will be able to strengthen the marriage ministry at Northshore
Tim H – pray for his wife to find her ministry
Gary – pray for strength as he works through all the various stresses of life, pray for the health of his wife
Brent – pray that he will find clarity and guidance for finding the right person to marry
Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life
Future Meetings
**** Wednesday, March 18th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church in room C214 the academy wing
Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, April 8th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 15th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Group Happenings
“Ephesians: The Wealth of God in us”—A study through the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so we can discover all we have been given by God…
As the world continues to tell all of us all what we do not have and what we are lacking; as each one of us continue to struggle through tough economic times; as the Church continues to face new challenges; I believe there is no better time than to truly discover all we do have as Christians. We have been blessed beyond measure through our Lord Jesus Christ and by Him have access to all of God's promises.
By studying all the topics covered in the book of Ephesians together in this fellowship of men, my prayer is that all of us will truly come to understand that we have "The wealth of God in us".
Pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to each one of us, a blessing to the Church, and an opportunity for the Acts 2:42 Men's Fellowship to continue the calling God has placed on all of our hearts...
I invite you to invite others so that through this study, we can minister unto others and share the love of God.
God bless and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
In Christ,
Mark
Ephesians Study Outline
Here is the outline of the study plan we are looking at covering while we study the book of Ephesians:
Part number
1. Ephesians 1:1-14 Salutation / Predestination, Redemption, Inheritance in Christ
2. Ephesians 1:15-23 Resources in Christ
3. Ephesians 2:1-10 New Life in Christ
4. Ephesians 2:11-22 Unity in Christ
5. Ephesians 3:1-13 The purpose of the mystery revealed
6. Ephesians 3:14-21 God’s Fullness for the Church
7. Ephesians 4:1-6 God’s Plan for Faithful Living in the Church
8. Ephesians 4:7-16 God’s Son Endows and Builds the Church
9. Ephesians 4:17-32 God’s Pattern and Principles for members of the Church
10. Ephesians 5:1-14 Walking in love / Living in Light
11. Ephesians 5:15-21 Walking in wisdom / Filled with God’s Spirit
12. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 God’s standard for Authority and Submission in the Church
13. Ephesians 6:10-17 God’s provision for His children’s spiritual battles
14. Ephesians 6:18-24 God’s appeal for prayer in the Church / Benediction
Memory Verse
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
2 Chronicles 15:7 NKJV
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5 NIV
Whenever I feel like I am struggling, it is usually because I am not resting in the right place. Either my thoughts are resting on my finances; or my thoughts are resting on my job; or maybe my thoughts are resting on all the future struggles that are going to come my way. None of these can truly provide any rest, but instead only provide more anguish to some already anxious moments.
All of us at times will do it anyway. We will let our flesh focus on the wrong things while at the same time we know the truth in our minds. It then becomes a battle, keeping our focus on what is righteous and holy. A battle Paul knew very well when he penned in the book of Romans how the law of sin was raging against the law of the mind in his life (Romans 7:21-24).
Therefore let none of become discouraged of our failure to keep the faith and find rest in Him because it is a battle. It is a very difficult battle at times. Yet this is a battle we can all win with one victory at a time. God wants us to succeed and He has given us everything necessary to succeed (2 Peter 1:3,4).
So today I want to focus on David when he proclaimed where all of us should find rest—in God alone.
This is the only true place of complete rest. Only in Him will you find peace that will satisfy your deepest longings, your deepest troubles, or your deepest fears. God proclaimed this time and time again throughout the Scriptures. Jesus even said to come to Him because His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30).
But many times we will never be able to match up this world with this truth because of all the external troubles which lurk outside our door everyday. For many of us it is persecution; for others it may be famine; or maybe it is a disease that plagues us or those we know. None of these are very hopeful thoughts and with each one of these, finding rest in Him may seem impossible.
So for us Christians, how do we match up our life with the truth? We do this through the hope we have in Christ.
The world is becoming an increasingly difficult place to find any truth. Instead the enemy is at work and today is “alive and well”; deceiving those who may listen and persuading them to believe in a lie. In fact, Satan is doing everything in his power to remove the truth because he knows that in Jesus is truth and in Him all things exist. This is why moral relativism has become such a powerful force in the world today—because truth is under attack.
Yet notice that David matched up his hope with his ability to rest his soul in God. He knew that our hope in Christ is how we match up reality with truth even when it does not seem to make sense. This is because hope is about having confidence, knowing that His truth is forever unchanging.
When Jesus said to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount:
“So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33 NIV
This is the truth. God will provide us with everything we need life and godliness; therefore we should have hope. We should have tremendous hope because He is the rock upon where our foundation has been set.
If we would display the hope we have in our Christ Jesus everyday to everyone we know, imagine the change which would happen in this world. Our testimony would become a city upon a hill and reveal the glory of God in a way that would absolutely amazing.
Join me in my commitment to fight the battle of hope. Let us encourage one another to not live by what we see, but live by what we know is the truth. From this testimony, the first step, we can make a difference and spread the Word of God to a culture who desperately needs to hear the truth…
Prayer requests
Paul – praise God for being able to make it over the mountains to with this group of men, pray for a safe journey while traveling around the state for work
Ernie – praise God for his goodness, pray for Hee Young who was in a car accident pregnant with two children that God will watch over all of them, pray for Jerry’s rehab from the medical dialysis that he is going through, pray for the health of his wife
David – praise God for the life he provided him, pray the Lord would lead him to an apartment
Ramon – praise God for continually bringing him work, praise God for the health of his wife, pray that his daughter may be comforted while she is going through counseling, pray that he may have the strength and ability to put in wood floors at his son’s house
Bill M – praise God for Gary making it to Oklahoma and finding a job, pray for Gary’s continued success and that he may be strengthened in his marriage, pray that his family will have a safe trip to Santa Barbara
Richard – pray for his son that he may be able to find some success at work and find strength in working two jobs
Gary S – praise God for the job he was able to find in Oklahoma, pray for his marriage and that God will help them be able to work through the distance and any trouble they may be facing
Tim D – praise God for His faithfulness, pray that all the believers in the church will have the desire to seek out Him and to reach out to others
Calvin – pray that he will find a good work family balance and that he may find success at work, pray that he will be able to return to the group soon
Greg – praise God for having other brothers in Christ, pray for his daughter who moved out that they all will be watched over, pray for the leadership of the church that they will provide Biblical leadership
Mark – praise God for this group staying strong for continually returning to this table to study the Word and encouraging one another in prayer, pray that God will provide all of us the ability to reach out to the younger generation and pass on the blessing from the Lord
***Pray that Northshore can continue to make an impact in the local community for our Lord Jesus Christ
Continued prayer needs
Joe T – pray for his brother who unintentially overdosed on Tylenol, praise God he lives, pray for his son Joey who is dealing with seizures, pray for his wife, praise God for his patience and that his oldest son accepted Christ
Brett S – praise God for bringing him here to the group healthy and with energy, pray that he will continue to have some more good days of strength and health
Sky – praise God that the move to Bellingham has gone smoothly and he is now attending a school up there
Jimmy – pray that he will be able to walk more consistently with the Lord
Carmine – pray for the troops which are serving overseas and for their financial health and security
Dick – praise for his new job that it is a good fit and he can be successful
Kelcy – pray for all the pastors and leaders within the Church
Stephen G – pray for strength in teaching kids at school so they may learn and become better students
Steve S – pray that he will be able to trust more in God
Nelson – pray for the President-elect that he will be a man of God, pray for his brother Bob
Tim W – pray for wife who is going to Germany to visit parents who may not be doing well, pray that a great deal of success came from the auction which happened on Saturday night
Larry Miller – pray that he will be able to find work, pray that he will be able to strengthen the marriage ministry at Northshore
Tim H – pray for his wife to find her ministry
Gary – pray for strength as he works through all the various stresses of life, pray for the health of his wife
Brent – pray that he will find clarity and guidance for finding the right person to marry
Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life
Future Meetings
**** Wednesday, March 18th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church in room C214 the academy wing
Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, April 8th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 15th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Group Happenings
“Ephesians: The Wealth of God in us”—A study through the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so we can discover all we have been given by God…
As the world continues to tell all of us all what we do not have and what we are lacking; as each one of us continue to struggle through tough economic times; as the Church continues to face new challenges; I believe there is no better time than to truly discover all we do have as Christians. We have been blessed beyond measure through our Lord Jesus Christ and by Him have access to all of God's promises.
By studying all the topics covered in the book of Ephesians together in this fellowship of men, my prayer is that all of us will truly come to understand that we have "The wealth of God in us".
Pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to each one of us, a blessing to the Church, and an opportunity for the Acts 2:42 Men's Fellowship to continue the calling God has placed on all of our hearts...
I invite you to invite others so that through this study, we can minister unto others and share the love of God.
God bless and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
In Christ,
Mark
Ephesians Study Outline
Here is the outline of the study plan we are looking at covering while we study the book of Ephesians:
Part number
1. Ephesians 1:1-14 Salutation / Predestination, Redemption, Inheritance in Christ
2. Ephesians 1:15-23 Resources in Christ
3. Ephesians 2:1-10 New Life in Christ
4. Ephesians 2:11-22 Unity in Christ
5. Ephesians 3:1-13 The purpose of the mystery revealed
6. Ephesians 3:14-21 God’s Fullness for the Church
7. Ephesians 4:1-6 God’s Plan for Faithful Living in the Church
8. Ephesians 4:7-16 God’s Son Endows and Builds the Church
9. Ephesians 4:17-32 God’s Pattern and Principles for members of the Church
10. Ephesians 5:1-14 Walking in love / Living in Light
11. Ephesians 5:15-21 Walking in wisdom / Filled with God’s Spirit
12. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 God’s standard for Authority and Submission in the Church
13. Ephesians 6:10-17 God’s provision for His children’s spiritual battles
14. Ephesians 6:18-24 God’s appeal for prayer in the Church / Benediction
Memory Verse
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
2 Chronicles 15:7 NKJV
Monday, March 2, 2009
Weekly Message / Prayer Request
Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship
“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites…. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:1-2,5 NIV
One of the promises God gave his chosen people was a chosen land—the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18-21).
It was the place He destined for them. It was the place where He was going to unfold His story of redemption. This land, the Promised Land, was the place where all of redemptive history was going to begin. It was not like the land they just left in Egypt where they could sew their seeds and irrigate them; but instead it was a place of hills and valleys, flowing with milk and honey, and a land which drinks water from heaven (Deuteronomy 11:8-12).
Each Sunday morning I feel privileged to lead an Equip U class about the Promised Land from ‘Focus on the Family’ titled That the World may Know. It is a great DVD study of places where significant events happened in the Bible. One can learn about the context of how God’s story of redemption unfolded and the meaning behind its location. It is great to see video of these places and get a feel for how this history must have looked and felt.
After every class I find myself reflecting upon how amazing God is. How God purposed everything to perfection and designed the events to take place at a certain location, in order that His glory and His love would be revealed to all of history. (I invite each one of you to join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00am to study the amazing meaning the Promised Land has for all of us. It is open to all of you.)
This is very significant to each one of us because as I said in last week’s message, we were going to consider the meaning of hope and what it means to us these next few weeks. And there is no better place to start then to look at the confidence that God will provide the basic necessities of life—food, water and land.
This hope was realized by the Israelites through the Promised Land because it provided an objective hope of food, water, and land. Yet, what does this mean to us? We have not been given a Promised Land to move to or to seek out. But let us lose no hope because what we have been given is something even greater; something like a ‘Promised Land’; something just as great and just as real as the land given to the Israelites.
For we have been chosen instruments of God. We have been given the special calling to share the message of good news to those who are in darkness, so their darkness may cease. And none of this comes simply through the Word of the gospel, but instead it comes through the power of the gospel.
Paul pointed out to the Thessalonians that this power exists when he said:
“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NIV
This power is not something we simply tap into when we choose. This power is something which resides within each one of us who believe in Christ. It is what I believe is today’s equivalent to the ‘Promised Land’ of the Israelites. Because the gift of the Holy Spirit has not just come into our lives only to comfort us, but come to give us power. Power to overcome this world (1 John 5:4) because when we have been received the Holy Spirit; we have been born of God, and therefore born of power.
And when you look into 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) which says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…”, we have been given the reason why I believe we should have hope. Because like the Promised Land to the Israelites which gave them food, water, and land which gives life; we have been given the Holy Spirit which gives us everything for life and godliness.
Yes, there will be struggles. There may even be famine, disease, and mass poverty in this country in the years to come. But there is Hope! There is the truth which lies over the mountains (see last post for reference) with all which is promised here being true.
Therefore let us keep the faith because we have hope. Let us stay strong knowing everything is within the context of our Lord. Everything is within the truth…
Prayer requests
Joe T – pray for his brother who unintentially overdosed on Tylenol, praise God he lives, pray for his son Joey who is dealing with seizures, pray for his wife, praise God for his patience and that his oldest son accepted Christ
Bill M – praise God for watching over the government and that it will remain within God’s will, pray for the health of his wife
Ernie – praise God for his goodness, pray for his wife’s arthritis, pray that Jerry will continue to respond to treatment from prostate cancer, pray for Nathan who is in boot camp
David – praise God for the life he provided him, pray the Lord would lead him to an apartment
Ramon – praise God for continuing to have work, praise God for helping him finish a roofing job, pray that he can properly resolve things with an electrician which is giving him trouble over a billing problem
Richard – praise God for the health of family, pray for wife’s health that she may have healing in her asthma and breathing
Gary S – praise God for blessing him with some job opportunities, pray for his marriage and that he will be able to make the right decision on where to go for a job
Tim D – praise God for his sovereignty, pray for patience
Greg – praise God for being God, pray that missions week will go well and that the visit by Pastor Titus will bear fruit
Mark – praise God for the men which continue to gather in this fellowship, praise God for the men’s ministry and the impact it is making in the lives of men, pray that my relationship with my wife will continue to grow and that we can stay on the same page disciplining our children, pray that we continue to make the right decisions financially
***Pray that Northshore can continue to make an impact in the local community for our Lord Jesus Christ
Continued prayer needs
Paul – praise God for the work he has, praise God for the home he has been given in Eastern Washington, prayer for continued guidance in doing the right thing
Brett S – praise God for bringing him here to the group healthy and with energy, pray that he will continue to have some more good days of strength and health
Sky – praise God that the move to Bellingham has gone smoothly and he is now attending a school up there
Jimmy – pray that he will be able to walk more consistently with the Lord
Calvin – pray that the men of this church will become energized for God, pray for his brother which is dealing with a difficult custody battle
Carmine – pray for the troops which are serving overseas and for their financial health and security
Dick – praise for his new job that it is a good fit and he can be successful
Kelcy – pray for all the pastors and leaders within the Church
Stephen G – pray for strength in teaching kids at school so they may learn and become better students
Steve S – pray that he will be able to trust more in God
Nelson – pray for the President-elect that he will be a man of God, pray for his brother Bob
Tim W – pray for wife who is going to Germany to visit parents who may not be doing well, pray that a great deal of success came from the auction which happened on Saturday night
Larry Miller – pray that he will be able to find work, pray that he will be able to strengthen the marriage ministry at Northshore
Tim H – pray for his wife to find her ministry
Gary – pray for strength as he works through all the various stresses of life, pray for the health of his wife
Brent – pray that he will find clarity and guidance for finding the right person to marry
Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life
Future Meetings
**** Wednesday, March 4th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church in room C214 the academy wing
Wednesday, March 11th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, March 18th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Group Happenings
“Ephesians: The Wealth of God in us”—A study through the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so we can discover all we have been given by God…
As the world continues to tell all of us all what we do not have and what we are lacking; as each one of us continue to struggle through tough economic times; as the Church continues to face new challenges; I believe there is no better time than to truly discover all we do have as Christians. We have been blessed beyond measure through our Lord Jesus Christ and by Him have access to all of God's promises.
By studying all the topics covered in the book of Ephesians together in this fellowship of men, my prayer is that all of us will truly come to understand that we have "The wealth of God in us".
Pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to each one of us, a blessing to the Church, and an opportunity for the Acts 2:42 Men's Fellowship to continue the calling God has placed on all of our hearts...
I invite you to invite others so that through this study, we can minister unto others and share the love of God.
God bless and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
In Christ,
Mark
Ephesians Study Outline
Here is the outline of the study plan we are looking at covering while we study the book of Ephesians:
Part number
1. Ephesians 1:1-14 Salutation / Predestination, Redemption, Inheritance in Christ
2. Ephesians 1:15-23 Resources in Christ
3. Ephesians 2:1-10 New Life in Christ
4. Ephesians 2:11-22 Unity in Christ
5. Ephesians 3:1-13 The purpose of the mystery revealed
6. Ephesians 3:14-21 God’s Fullness for the Church
7. Ephesians 4:1-6 God’s Plan for Faithful Living in the Church
8. Ephesians 4:7-16 God’s Son Endows and Builds the Church
9. Ephesians 4:17-32 God’s Pattern and Principles for members of the Church
10. Ephesians 5:1-14 Walking in love / Living in Light
11. Ephesians 5:15-21 Walking in wisdom / Filled with God’s Spirit
12. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 God’s standard for Authority and Submission in the Church
13. Ephesians 6:10-17 God’s provision for His children’s spiritual battles
14. Ephesians 6:18-24 God’s appeal for prayer in the Church / Benediction
Memory Verse
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
2 Chronicles 15:7 NKJV
“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites…. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:1-2,5 NIV
One of the promises God gave his chosen people was a chosen land—the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18-21).
It was the place He destined for them. It was the place where He was going to unfold His story of redemption. This land, the Promised Land, was the place where all of redemptive history was going to begin. It was not like the land they just left in Egypt where they could sew their seeds and irrigate them; but instead it was a place of hills and valleys, flowing with milk and honey, and a land which drinks water from heaven (Deuteronomy 11:8-12).
Each Sunday morning I feel privileged to lead an Equip U class about the Promised Land from ‘Focus on the Family’ titled That the World may Know. It is a great DVD study of places where significant events happened in the Bible. One can learn about the context of how God’s story of redemption unfolded and the meaning behind its location. It is great to see video of these places and get a feel for how this history must have looked and felt.
After every class I find myself reflecting upon how amazing God is. How God purposed everything to perfection and designed the events to take place at a certain location, in order that His glory and His love would be revealed to all of history. (I invite each one of you to join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00am to study the amazing meaning the Promised Land has for all of us. It is open to all of you.)
This is very significant to each one of us because as I said in last week’s message, we were going to consider the meaning of hope and what it means to us these next few weeks. And there is no better place to start then to look at the confidence that God will provide the basic necessities of life—food, water and land.
This hope was realized by the Israelites through the Promised Land because it provided an objective hope of food, water, and land. Yet, what does this mean to us? We have not been given a Promised Land to move to or to seek out. But let us lose no hope because what we have been given is something even greater; something like a ‘Promised Land’; something just as great and just as real as the land given to the Israelites.
For we have been chosen instruments of God. We have been given the special calling to share the message of good news to those who are in darkness, so their darkness may cease. And none of this comes simply through the Word of the gospel, but instead it comes through the power of the gospel.
Paul pointed out to the Thessalonians that this power exists when he said:
“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NIV
This power is not something we simply tap into when we choose. This power is something which resides within each one of us who believe in Christ. It is what I believe is today’s equivalent to the ‘Promised Land’ of the Israelites. Because the gift of the Holy Spirit has not just come into our lives only to comfort us, but come to give us power. Power to overcome this world (1 John 5:4) because when we have been received the Holy Spirit; we have been born of God, and therefore born of power.
And when you look into 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) which says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…”, we have been given the reason why I believe we should have hope. Because like the Promised Land to the Israelites which gave them food, water, and land which gives life; we have been given the Holy Spirit which gives us everything for life and godliness.
Yes, there will be struggles. There may even be famine, disease, and mass poverty in this country in the years to come. But there is Hope! There is the truth which lies over the mountains (see last post for reference) with all which is promised here being true.
Therefore let us keep the faith because we have hope. Let us stay strong knowing everything is within the context of our Lord. Everything is within the truth…
Prayer requests
Joe T – pray for his brother who unintentially overdosed on Tylenol, praise God he lives, pray for his son Joey who is dealing with seizures, pray for his wife, praise God for his patience and that his oldest son accepted Christ
Bill M – praise God for watching over the government and that it will remain within God’s will, pray for the health of his wife
Ernie – praise God for his goodness, pray for his wife’s arthritis, pray that Jerry will continue to respond to treatment from prostate cancer, pray for Nathan who is in boot camp
David – praise God for the life he provided him, pray the Lord would lead him to an apartment
Ramon – praise God for continuing to have work, praise God for helping him finish a roofing job, pray that he can properly resolve things with an electrician which is giving him trouble over a billing problem
Richard – praise God for the health of family, pray for wife’s health that she may have healing in her asthma and breathing
Gary S – praise God for blessing him with some job opportunities, pray for his marriage and that he will be able to make the right decision on where to go for a job
Tim D – praise God for his sovereignty, pray for patience
Greg – praise God for being God, pray that missions week will go well and that the visit by Pastor Titus will bear fruit
Mark – praise God for the men which continue to gather in this fellowship, praise God for the men’s ministry and the impact it is making in the lives of men, pray that my relationship with my wife will continue to grow and that we can stay on the same page disciplining our children, pray that we continue to make the right decisions financially
***Pray that Northshore can continue to make an impact in the local community for our Lord Jesus Christ
Continued prayer needs
Paul – praise God for the work he has, praise God for the home he has been given in Eastern Washington, prayer for continued guidance in doing the right thing
Brett S – praise God for bringing him here to the group healthy and with energy, pray that he will continue to have some more good days of strength and health
Sky – praise God that the move to Bellingham has gone smoothly and he is now attending a school up there
Jimmy – pray that he will be able to walk more consistently with the Lord
Calvin – pray that the men of this church will become energized for God, pray for his brother which is dealing with a difficult custody battle
Carmine – pray for the troops which are serving overseas and for their financial health and security
Dick – praise for his new job that it is a good fit and he can be successful
Kelcy – pray for all the pastors and leaders within the Church
Stephen G – pray for strength in teaching kids at school so they may learn and become better students
Steve S – pray that he will be able to trust more in God
Nelson – pray for the President-elect that he will be a man of God, pray for his brother Bob
Tim W – pray for wife who is going to Germany to visit parents who may not be doing well, pray that a great deal of success came from the auction which happened on Saturday night
Larry Miller – pray that he will be able to find work, pray that he will be able to strengthen the marriage ministry at Northshore
Tim H – pray for his wife to find her ministry
Gary – pray for strength as he works through all the various stresses of life, pray for the health of his wife
Brent – pray that he will find clarity and guidance for finding the right person to marry
Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life
Future Meetings
**** Wednesday, March 4th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church in room C214 the academy wing
Wednesday, March 11th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, March 18th, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church
**** Wednesday, April 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm, meeting with Tim Dresler at Northshore Christian Church
Group Happenings
“Ephesians: The Wealth of God in us”—A study through the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so we can discover all we have been given by God…
As the world continues to tell all of us all what we do not have and what we are lacking; as each one of us continue to struggle through tough economic times; as the Church continues to face new challenges; I believe there is no better time than to truly discover all we do have as Christians. We have been blessed beyond measure through our Lord Jesus Christ and by Him have access to all of God's promises.
By studying all the topics covered in the book of Ephesians together in this fellowship of men, my prayer is that all of us will truly come to understand that we have "The wealth of God in us".
Pray that this study will be a tremendous blessing to each one of us, a blessing to the Church, and an opportunity for the Acts 2:42 Men's Fellowship to continue the calling God has placed on all of our hearts...
I invite you to invite others so that through this study, we can minister unto others and share the love of God.
God bless and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
In Christ,
Mark
Ephesians Study Outline
Here is the outline of the study plan we are looking at covering while we study the book of Ephesians:
Part number
1. Ephesians 1:1-14 Salutation / Predestination, Redemption, Inheritance in Christ
2. Ephesians 1:15-23 Resources in Christ
3. Ephesians 2:1-10 New Life in Christ
4. Ephesians 2:11-22 Unity in Christ
5. Ephesians 3:1-13 The purpose of the mystery revealed
6. Ephesians 3:14-21 God’s Fullness for the Church
7. Ephesians 4:1-6 God’s Plan for Faithful Living in the Church
8. Ephesians 4:7-16 God’s Son Endows and Builds the Church
9. Ephesians 4:17-32 God’s Pattern and Principles for members of the Church
10. Ephesians 5:1-14 Walking in love / Living in Light
11. Ephesians 5:15-21 Walking in wisdom / Filled with God’s Spirit
12. Ephesians 5:22-6:9 God’s standard for Authority and Submission in the Church
13. Ephesians 6:10-17 God’s provision for His children’s spiritual battles
14. Ephesians 6:18-24 God’s appeal for prayer in the Church / Benediction
Memory Verse
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
2 Chronicles 15:7 NKJV
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