Have you ever made plans, cleared your calendar and had someone not show up? Or have you been excited about the future only to have things not work out in the way that you had hoped. You trusted someone and they let you down. You had an agreement critical to your financial success and someone didn’t keep their word. These are painful memories and they deeply impact our trust of people and sometimes they impact our very trust of God.
The Apostle Paul let down the people of the church in Corinth a couple of times.
In 2 Corinthians 1:16 he writes to them and explains, “I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.” – But this did not happen.
He had encountered trouble during his travels that forced him to change his itinerary. This departure from his announced itinerary was taken by some as characteristic of his lack of integrity. So he has to defend himself, which he does here in 2 Corinthians 1.
This passage is written to address human issues including doubt, insecurity and fear.
It was written to people who doubted each other (questioning Paul’s reliability and his word).
It was written to people who doubted God and His word.
2 Corinthians 1:17-22
17 When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?18But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas[a] and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." 20For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
This weekend at EFC I will be speaking on this issue related to the promises of God and His faithfulness. I will post the notes and the audio later on.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Serene in the Snow
Yesterday I set out Lake Serene with a Brandon Brazee and Shaun Wilson. The weather in the mountains sounded questionable, so I figured this would be an easier option than some of the places I was considering. Plus, I had never been to the Serene mine and was interested in checking that out. Turned out to be a great day for hiking. We had no rain whatsoever. The final mile of the hike was snow covered, which added a lot to the difficulty and the beauty of the hike. This is the first time I have been on this hike during this time of year. We enjoyed watching the snow falls cascading down the face of Mt. Index while having lunch before heading back to our car.
We encountered 4 hikers along the way – only one of which made it all the way to the lake. There were some snow bridges and slippery slopes that added to the challenge. The Serene mine was the best mine I have been into. It had multiple levels of tunnels and various branches to explore. We were sharing one dim headlamp between the three of us. It would be better to have considerably more light to work with.
We encountered 4 hikers along the way – only one of which made it all the way to the lake. There were some snow bridges and slippery slopes that added to the challenge. The Serene mine was the best mine I have been into. It had multiple levels of tunnels and various branches to explore. We were sharing one dim headlamp between the three of us. It would be better to have considerably more light to work with.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Time Management
Tyranny Of The Urgent
Is there really enough time to do all that God requires of you?
by Charles E. Hummel
Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day? Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we live. Our lives leave a trail of unfinished tasks. Unanswered letters, unvisited friends, unwritten articles, and unread books haunt quiet moments when we stop to evaluate. We desperately need relief.
But would a thirty-hour day really solve the problem? Wouldn't we soon be just as frustrated as we are now with our twenty-four allotment? A mother's work is never finished, and neither is that of any student, teacher, minister, or anyone else we know. Nor will the passage of time help us catch up. Children grow in number and age to require more of our time. Greater experience in profession and church brings more exacting assignments. So we find ourselves working more and enjoying it less.
This Christian classic is a great introduction to this topic which I addressed tonight at the School of Ministry.
I have attached my complete notes HERE.
Is there really enough time to do all that God requires of you?
by Charles E. Hummel
Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day? Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we live. Our lives leave a trail of unfinished tasks. Unanswered letters, unvisited friends, unwritten articles, and unread books haunt quiet moments when we stop to evaluate. We desperately need relief.
But would a thirty-hour day really solve the problem? Wouldn't we soon be just as frustrated as we are now with our twenty-four allotment? A mother's work is never finished, and neither is that of any student, teacher, minister, or anyone else we know. Nor will the passage of time help us catch up. Children grow in number and age to require more of our time. Greater experience in profession and church brings more exacting assignments. So we find ourselves working more and enjoying it less.
This Christian classic is a great introduction to this topic which I addressed tonight at the School of Ministry.
I have attached my complete notes HERE.
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