REMINDER: SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS SWIMMING PARTY AT EMERALD FOREST POOL, NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 5 AT 12:30 P.M. OR AS SOON AS YOU CAN GET THERE AFTER CHURCH. PLEASE BRING A LUNCH AND DESSERT WITH A LITTLE EXTRA TO SHARE AND COME HAVE A GREAT TIME OF FELLOWSHIP AND EATING AND SWIMMING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THERE.
This week's lesson is the final lesson in the Andy Stanley series named "Guardrails." In the previous five weeks, we have discussed guardrails in all different areas of life: financial, marriage, sex, friends, and parenting. In today's lesson, Andy speaks to those of us who may disagree with the concept of setting guardrails in our lives. According to Andy, "Refusing to have guardrails doesn't solve anything. It just moves the guardrail closer to disaster." Andy argues that our refusal to set our own guardrail at a distance that is sufficently back from the abyss of disaster doesn't prevent us from being warned by a guardrail that is perhaps set by others. However, such a guardrail is usually dangerously close to disaster. In other words, if a married person chooses to go out and spend time with a friend of the opposite sex other than his/her spouse, it is not necessarily a sin. However, such behavior certainly moves one much closer to sexual sin and increases the likelihood that one would fall into maritial disaster.
Andy points out in today's lesson that no appetite is ever fully satisfied. When one feeds an appetite, it does nothing but grow. Therefore, thinking that I can do something just this one time and get away with it is faulty logic. Our appetite for that one thing just grows after we have allowed it to be saited one time. Andy suggests, "Draw a different line of tension far enough back that it is manageable and a step over the line is not likely to create disaster in one's life."
Wherever you say so, this is where your temptation begins. If you draw the line of temptation far enough away from disaster, you are likely to avoid the consequences of such a disaster.
Andy used the scripture from Daniel 1:5 to illustrate his point in today's lesson. Daniel was in a position where he could easily have compromised his principles and eaten the king's food. Yet, he recognized that compromise in our life does not erase the tension, it only weakens our resolve. Daniel resolved not to eat the king's food. He made up his mind BEFORE he knew the end of his story. Daniel was able to predict the end of his story if he participated in the king's food regiment and the cultural training to which he was being subjected. However, he resolved not to participate. Then, the game changer described in Daniel 1:9 took place, "Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials." The game changer: "Now, God..." When God acts, it changes the whole game. God will use your guardrail to not only protect you, but to guide and direct you as well. Make up your mind before you know the end of the story. "The integrity of the upright guides them..." (Proverbs 11:3).
Thanks to Natalie Halbert for her contribution to our discussion this morning in which Natalie shared the name of a book that her family purchased to help teach their kids how to be prepared for various situations that they might face in life. The name of the book is "STICKY SITUATIONS: 365 DEVOTIONS FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES."
I looked up the book on Amazon.com. The author is Betsy Schmitt. It sells on Amazon for $10.19. Please be aware that not all of the reviews for this book were positive. Some reviewers stated that the choices given in the multiple choice response format often included two ridiculous choices and the one obvious right answer. Others said that the wrong choices could provide kids with ideas that would never have had if they had not been exposed to the book. Another person said that the Bible verses that were correlated to the correct response were either irrelevant or were such a stretch to fit the scenario that they became irrelevant. One review said the idea of the book was great, but suggested that the author was put in a position of having to generate 365 relevant examples and situations and had been unable to do so. Given the cost of the book and the pages I was able to review, I would think it would be useful as a weekly or occasional devotion guide making it possible for one to pick and choose the very best items for review with your kids. It does seem like a great way to prepare your kids for situations that may encounter.
NEXT WEEK: WE WILL BEGIN AN EIGHT WEEK SESSION ON PARENTING BY DESIGN.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Consumption Assumption--May 22, 2011
As I announced last Sunday, Cindy and I hope to be in San Antonio this Sunday where we look forward to watching our youngest daughter graduate from the University of Texas Health Science Center with a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy science. Beth Miles has graciously agreed to facilitate the class discussion for this week.
The lesson from Andy Stanley is another good one. It is about money and spending habits. Andy mentions that many, if not most of the serious issues brought to his office for counseling deal with one of two topics: sex or money. According to Andy, sex or money drive many of the conflicts, failures, and regrets that we experience in life. Andy says that the reason God says so much about money in His Word is that our attitude and behavior toward money has everything to do with our devotion to Him. Andy refers to Matthew 6:24. The scripture simply spells out the fact, we cannot serve both God and money. Money, in our society, is seen as the pursuit of wealth or the pursuit of security. In either case, the pursuit of wealth or the pursuit of security reflect a lack of confidence and devotion to the God of the Universe to supply all our needs and to keep us safe.
Andy says that we need guardrails on BOTH sides of the road when it comes to money. One one side of the road is the ditch that contains the danger of consumerism--in which we spend every dime that comes our way. On the other side of the road is the ditch that contains the danger of hoarding--in which we feel compelled to save everything that we possibly can because we cannot trust God to take care of our future needs. According to Andy, both ditches are very self-centered and result in living as if there is no God. Both ditches or both lifestyles are consummed by greed. Greed is difficult to see in the mirror, but many of us suffer from this condition--either to support our uncontrolled spending or our incessant need to save for the future.
Andy mentions that for most Americans, God is like the back-up finance plan. God wants to be the master and ruler of your life. The chief competitor with God being master and ruler is "your stuff."
Andy Stanley suggests a spending plan that looks like this:
1. GIVE--the first 10% of your income should be given to the Lord (this could be more than 10%, but at least 10% should be given)
2. SAVE--the next 10% of your revenue should be saved
3. LIVE--live on 80% of your available revenue
A plan such as the one outlined above provides adequate guardrails to be sure that you are using your money in a Godly manner.
Matthew 6:32 spells out the fact that God knows our needs. Do you really belive that God knows and cares about our needs? Don't let money steal your peace or your joy.
REMINDER: Sunday School swimming party and lunch at Emerald Forest Swimming Pool on June 5 after church. Come on down for a great time with the class and with the kids.
The lesson from Andy Stanley is another good one. It is about money and spending habits. Andy mentions that many, if not most of the serious issues brought to his office for counseling deal with one of two topics: sex or money. According to Andy, sex or money drive many of the conflicts, failures, and regrets that we experience in life. Andy says that the reason God says so much about money in His Word is that our attitude and behavior toward money has everything to do with our devotion to Him. Andy refers to Matthew 6:24. The scripture simply spells out the fact, we cannot serve both God and money. Money, in our society, is seen as the pursuit of wealth or the pursuit of security. In either case, the pursuit of wealth or the pursuit of security reflect a lack of confidence and devotion to the God of the Universe to supply all our needs and to keep us safe.
Andy says that we need guardrails on BOTH sides of the road when it comes to money. One one side of the road is the ditch that contains the danger of consumerism--in which we spend every dime that comes our way. On the other side of the road is the ditch that contains the danger of hoarding--in which we feel compelled to save everything that we possibly can because we cannot trust God to take care of our future needs. According to Andy, both ditches are very self-centered and result in living as if there is no God. Both ditches or both lifestyles are consummed by greed. Greed is difficult to see in the mirror, but many of us suffer from this condition--either to support our uncontrolled spending or our incessant need to save for the future.
Andy mentions that for most Americans, God is like the back-up finance plan. God wants to be the master and ruler of your life. The chief competitor with God being master and ruler is "your stuff."
Andy Stanley suggests a spending plan that looks like this:
1. GIVE--the first 10% of your income should be given to the Lord (this could be more than 10%, but at least 10% should be given)
2. SAVE--the next 10% of your revenue should be saved
3. LIVE--live on 80% of your available revenue
A plan such as the one outlined above provides adequate guardrails to be sure that you are using your money in a Godly manner.
Matthew 6:32 spells out the fact that God knows our needs. Do you really belive that God knows and cares about our needs? Don't let money steal your peace or your joy.
REMINDER: Sunday School swimming party and lunch at Emerald Forest Swimming Pool on June 5 after church. Come on down for a great time with the class and with the kids.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
"Me and the Mrs"--May 15, 2011
Our lesson with Andy Stanley today included comments from his wife Sandra as they discussed several areas of marriage and family life and the guardrails they have built in their own relationship and family. Andy mentioned that the guardrail principle is found in Proverbs 27:12: "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Andy argues that the prudent Christian, the wise man will be able to discern threats and danger to his life and lifestyle and will take refuge or will build guardrails to prevent him from reaching the abyss or the point of disaster. Andy says that we need guardrails in every area where we have an appetite or desires. This would include the financial arena--our spending, saving, and giving habits, sexual integrity--our visual, physical, and emotional desires, family time and commitment to family, and any other area where we may experience temptation.
I felt like many of you would relate to this week's lesson because it makes reference to the season of life in which many of you find yourselves. You are trying to raise young children and attempting to spend quality time and meet their needs. At the same time, you are trying to build successful careers and you are trying to earn comfortable livings for your families. These goals often create contradictory demands on your time and energy.
One of the most important things I heard in the lesson today was the comment which Andy quoted from a seminar that he and Sandra once attended. "Kids are a welcome addition to the family. However, we should be striving for a marriage-centered family, NOT a child-centered family." In my opinion, this is one of the biggest mistakes made by young Christian families. Given our love for our kids and our desire to see them excel in all endeavors, we often tend to make them the center of the universe, and if not the universe, at least the center of our family. This creates pressure on the marriage and the family and does not do justice to the child. As Andy Stanley said in today's lesson, the greatest gift one can give to their children is a great marriage. As such, you and your spouse need to take time to nurture your marriage. This includes periodic date nights, trips together in which the kids are not involved, frequent breaks in which the parents have the opportunity to talk, re-group, and enjoy a short respite from the challenges of responding to young children all day and all night long.
Having said that, it is important to understand that our family needs our time also. Therefore, it is critically important that BOTH parents develop strategies that allow them to spend quality time with young children. Sandra quoted a great scripture from Nehemiah in describing how she had to prioritize and was forced to turn down some opportunities to ensure sufficient family time together. The scripture was Nehemiah 6:3: "I am doing a great thing and I cannot come down." Nehemiah was focused on a great work and he refused to be distracted from this great work. Likewise, you are doing a great work with your children. Each of us should commit ourselves to focusing on this great work and refuse to be distracted by outside distractions.
Join us again next week when Andy discusses our financial habits.
REMINDER: MARK THE DATE!!! OUR AFTER CHURCH SWIMMING PARTY IS SCHEDULED AT THE EMERALD FOREST POOL ON JUNE 5, 2011. EVERYONE IS ASKED TO BRING A LUNCH AND DESSERT. WE HAVE SET UP TABLES IN THE PAST AND SHARED DISHES AND ENJOYED LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP INSIDE THE CLUBHOUSE. THE POOL WILL BE OPEN FROM 12:45 P.M.--2:45 P.M. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THERE.
I felt like many of you would relate to this week's lesson because it makes reference to the season of life in which many of you find yourselves. You are trying to raise young children and attempting to spend quality time and meet their needs. At the same time, you are trying to build successful careers and you are trying to earn comfortable livings for your families. These goals often create contradictory demands on your time and energy.
One of the most important things I heard in the lesson today was the comment which Andy quoted from a seminar that he and Sandra once attended. "Kids are a welcome addition to the family. However, we should be striving for a marriage-centered family, NOT a child-centered family." In my opinion, this is one of the biggest mistakes made by young Christian families. Given our love for our kids and our desire to see them excel in all endeavors, we often tend to make them the center of the universe, and if not the universe, at least the center of our family. This creates pressure on the marriage and the family and does not do justice to the child. As Andy Stanley said in today's lesson, the greatest gift one can give to their children is a great marriage. As such, you and your spouse need to take time to nurture your marriage. This includes periodic date nights, trips together in which the kids are not involved, frequent breaks in which the parents have the opportunity to talk, re-group, and enjoy a short respite from the challenges of responding to young children all day and all night long.
Having said that, it is important to understand that our family needs our time also. Therefore, it is critically important that BOTH parents develop strategies that allow them to spend quality time with young children. Sandra quoted a great scripture from Nehemiah in describing how she had to prioritize and was forced to turn down some opportunities to ensure sufficient family time together. The scripture was Nehemiah 6:3: "I am doing a great thing and I cannot come down." Nehemiah was focused on a great work and he refused to be distracted from this great work. Likewise, you are doing a great work with your children. Each of us should commit ourselves to focusing on this great work and refuse to be distracted by outside distractions.
Join us again next week when Andy discusses our financial habits.
REMINDER: MARK THE DATE!!! OUR AFTER CHURCH SWIMMING PARTY IS SCHEDULED AT THE EMERALD FOREST POOL ON JUNE 5, 2011. EVERYONE IS ASKED TO BRING A LUNCH AND DESSERT. WE HAVE SET UP TABLES IN THE PAST AND SHARED DISHES AND ENJOYED LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP INSIDE THE CLUBHOUSE. THE POOL WILL BE OPEN FROM 12:45 P.M.--2:45 P.M. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THERE.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Guardrails: "Flee, Baby, Flee!"
It is official. Our after church swimming party has been changed to June 5, 2011. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Emerald Forest Swimming Pool after church on Sunday, June 5. Everyone is asked to bring a lunch and dessert to the clubhouse. We will eat lunch and the pool will open at 12:45 p.m.--2:45 p.m. The pool folks have instructed us to keep food away from the pool area, so we will need to do our eating and drinking inside the clubhouse. Bring the kids for a great time of fellowship.
This week's lesson was about sexual temptation. Andy Stanley referred to 1 Corinthians 6:18 in which Paul warns us: "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." Andy Stanley explained that this one sin is responsible for many of the problems in our culture and society. It is the reason for broken families and young children who live in single parent homes rather than in homes with a mom and dad, it is one of the reasons for our high rate of poverty, it contributes to our problems in education, it is one of the drivers of our prison population increase, and it is a contributor in almost every malady that we experience as a culture and society.
Andy suggests several guardrails to help keep us from stepping into the abyss of sexual sin. He suggests that married people never travel with members of the opposite sex, that married people never eat a meal with members of the opposite sex, and that employers not hire members of the opposite sex because they are cute and need a job. He also encourages married people to never counsel members of the opposite sex. As we discussed the guardrails that Andy proposed, some of our class felt that some of these guardrails were a bit too conservative. Because some of us work in fields where there are large percentages of members of the opposite sex, some of these guardrails could present real limitations in our work.
Andy argues that the consequences of sexual sin are so great that it is an area of life that must be carefully guarded and protected. Flee, baby, flee! He argued that if we bump up against one of the guardrails he proposed, there would be little or no consequence. However, if we go past the guardrail and should slip into the abyss of sexual sin, the consequences are profound not only for us personally, but for our families and loved ones as well.
Whether you agree with the guardrails that Andy proposed or whether you prefer to set your own guardrails in this area of life, we probably can all agree that we do need guardrails and we do need to be sure that we are protecting our sexual integrity. Guardrails are designed to stop us before we get into an area where we will be injured or suffer negative consequences. If you don't buy Andy's guardrails this week, I hope you will consider your own guardrails in this area of life. Divorces, broken homes, single parent families, unsupervised children, and children who suffer the loss of one parent and the regular presence of one side of the family are all part of the price that adults impose on their family when they make bad decisions in this arena of life.
Come join us next week as Andy Stanley's wife, Sandra joins him on stage to further discuss and describe guardrails. In the meantime, have a great week and try to stay off the guardrails.
This week's lesson was about sexual temptation. Andy Stanley referred to 1 Corinthians 6:18 in which Paul warns us: "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." Andy Stanley explained that this one sin is responsible for many of the problems in our culture and society. It is the reason for broken families and young children who live in single parent homes rather than in homes with a mom and dad, it is one of the reasons for our high rate of poverty, it contributes to our problems in education, it is one of the drivers of our prison population increase, and it is a contributor in almost every malady that we experience as a culture and society.
Andy suggests several guardrails to help keep us from stepping into the abyss of sexual sin. He suggests that married people never travel with members of the opposite sex, that married people never eat a meal with members of the opposite sex, and that employers not hire members of the opposite sex because they are cute and need a job. He also encourages married people to never counsel members of the opposite sex. As we discussed the guardrails that Andy proposed, some of our class felt that some of these guardrails were a bit too conservative. Because some of us work in fields where there are large percentages of members of the opposite sex, some of these guardrails could present real limitations in our work.
Andy argues that the consequences of sexual sin are so great that it is an area of life that must be carefully guarded and protected. Flee, baby, flee! He argued that if we bump up against one of the guardrails he proposed, there would be little or no consequence. However, if we go past the guardrail and should slip into the abyss of sexual sin, the consequences are profound not only for us personally, but for our families and loved ones as well.
Whether you agree with the guardrails that Andy proposed or whether you prefer to set your own guardrails in this area of life, we probably can all agree that we do need guardrails and we do need to be sure that we are protecting our sexual integrity. Guardrails are designed to stop us before we get into an area where we will be injured or suffer negative consequences. If you don't buy Andy's guardrails this week, I hope you will consider your own guardrails in this area of life. Divorces, broken homes, single parent families, unsupervised children, and children who suffer the loss of one parent and the regular presence of one side of the family are all part of the price that adults impose on their family when they make bad decisions in this arena of life.
Come join us next week as Andy Stanley's wife, Sandra joins him on stage to further discuss and describe guardrails. In the meantime, have a great week and try to stay off the guardrails.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Guardrails: Why Can't We Be Friends?
Save Another Date
Earlier this week, I sent an e-mail message to Sunday School Members asking you to save the date, May 15, for an after-church swimming party at Emerald Forest Pool. Since that time, we have learned that several of our families have conflicts on that date. So, in order to try to find a time that will accommodate most of our schedules, we are going to see if the swimming pool folks will allow us to change the date to Sunday, June 5. If so, we will reschedule the Sunday School Social for June 5, 2011. We will let you know as soon as we find out if the pool folks will allow us to change dates. We have already paid money and we will ask them to allow us to transfer to another date without additional cost.
Today's lesson was about the influence that "friends" can have on our lives. Andy made the point that we should have guardrails in our lives that warn us about the negative or inappropriate influences of those whom we consider to be friends. Andy's scripture this week was Proverbs 13:20: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Here are the five guardrails that Andy derived from this scripture:
Your conscience should light up when...
1. It dawns on you that your core group isn't moving in the direction you want your life to be moving. Indeed, it should concern you to the point that you do something about it before it becomes a problem...not wait until it becomes a problem.
2. You catch yourself pretending to be someone other than who you really are.
When your spouse says, "You act differently when you are around them," you should be very concerned.
3. You feel pressure to compromise. When what has never been a temptation before suddenly becomes a live option, it should scare you to death--not when you do the behavior, but when you feel the temptation.
4. You hear hourself saying, "I'll go, but I won't participate."
5. You hope the people you care about most don't find out where you've been or who you've been with.
Andy instructed us to never confuse compassion with wisdom. Compassion will never require you to make an unwise decision about yourself. When you use compassion or love as an excuse, you are lying to yourself and it is misguided compassion. There is no conflict between compassion and wisdom.
According to Andy Stanley, there is a lot of misguided compassion in our culture. The best thing you can do for a person you love is to stay on the safe side of the guardrail so you are healthy enough to help them when they crash. You become the "go to" person because you are healthy. Drawing back from that person may be the best act of friendship you ever express for that friend.
Let's face up to what we know is God's will for our life.
Prayer Request: Please pray for my Mom and Dad this week. Dad is dealing with kidney dialysis three times per week and his heart is in defibrilation with the top two chambers of his heart not functioning. He is scheduled to have a cardiac conversion this week. (Jimmy)
John Brick will be starting a trial this week that will mean long hours and stress for John and his family. Please pray for him and them this week also.
Have a great week.
Jimmy
Earlier this week, I sent an e-mail message to Sunday School Members asking you to save the date, May 15, for an after-church swimming party at Emerald Forest Pool. Since that time, we have learned that several of our families have conflicts on that date. So, in order to try to find a time that will accommodate most of our schedules, we are going to see if the swimming pool folks will allow us to change the date to Sunday, June 5. If so, we will reschedule the Sunday School Social for June 5, 2011. We will let you know as soon as we find out if the pool folks will allow us to change dates. We have already paid money and we will ask them to allow us to transfer to another date without additional cost.
Today's lesson was about the influence that "friends" can have on our lives. Andy made the point that we should have guardrails in our lives that warn us about the negative or inappropriate influences of those whom we consider to be friends. Andy's scripture this week was Proverbs 13:20: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Here are the five guardrails that Andy derived from this scripture:
Your conscience should light up when...
1. It dawns on you that your core group isn't moving in the direction you want your life to be moving. Indeed, it should concern you to the point that you do something about it before it becomes a problem...not wait until it becomes a problem.
2. You catch yourself pretending to be someone other than who you really are.
When your spouse says, "You act differently when you are around them," you should be very concerned.
3. You feel pressure to compromise. When what has never been a temptation before suddenly becomes a live option, it should scare you to death--not when you do the behavior, but when you feel the temptation.
4. You hear hourself saying, "I'll go, but I won't participate."
5. You hope the people you care about most don't find out where you've been or who you've been with.
Andy instructed us to never confuse compassion with wisdom. Compassion will never require you to make an unwise decision about yourself. When you use compassion or love as an excuse, you are lying to yourself and it is misguided compassion. There is no conflict between compassion and wisdom.
According to Andy Stanley, there is a lot of misguided compassion in our culture. The best thing you can do for a person you love is to stay on the safe side of the guardrail so you are healthy enough to help them when they crash. You become the "go to" person because you are healthy. Drawing back from that person may be the best act of friendship you ever express for that friend.
Let's face up to what we know is God's will for our life.
Prayer Request: Please pray for my Mom and Dad this week. Dad is dealing with kidney dialysis three times per week and his heart is in defibrilation with the top two chambers of his heart not functioning. He is scheduled to have a cardiac conversion this week. (Jimmy)
John Brick will be starting a trial this week that will mean long hours and stress for John and his family. Please pray for him and them this week also.
Have a great week.
Jimmy
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