We may know that God chooses his people, but how in the world do we choose God?

Tomorrow morning we will be continuing our study of Deuteronomy by looking at our second purpose statement: 'We must choose God.' Last week we looked at how God chooses his people and the implications thereof. Tomorrow we will seek to understand our responsibility in all of this, for man is a responsible being with his own will. What do you think about this? What do you know the BIble says about us choosing God? Do you think it's biblical? Why or why not? And if so, then what does that mean for your life and the life of everyone else?

What is Evil?

Why in the world is evil even in the world? If God is good then why in the world does He allow evil to exist?

Friday Night Faith Talk

As you can see on the calendars I gave to you, we are not meeting this week. However, we will pick it up on lesson 2 next Friday June 22.

Highlights of Sunday School

This past Sunday I actually got to teach the material for this week ;o) Timothy's Well has been studying the book of Deuteronomy for the last half of this year. Since we have so many newcomers and returners from college I was lead to do a survey of Deuteronomy. We began by addressing its literary prologue - i.e. the rest of the Pentateuch, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, and how it fits into the foundational history of the Bible. I think one of the most exhilarating truths about this book is the importance that Jesus placed upon it. For Jesus quoted from this book while in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, in fact, I think it is the most quoted book of the Bible by Jesus. According to conservative and most orthodox scholars, this book took place in the wilderness when the people of Israel were facing new challenges - 1. New Temptations, 2. A New Leader, 3. War for the first time, 4. This was a new generation, 5, And it gave a deeper message to the Law and why the Law was given. When Jesus was asked by the rich young ruler, "What is the greatest commandment?" he replied with a quote from Deuteronomy - "To love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength and the second is line unto it, to love your neighbor as yourself." The Gospel actually fulfills this commandment for us, in that, once we are changed by the gospel we can actually begin to love God, and when we can actually begin to love God then we can begin to love others.

So Why Did Jesus Come Into the World?

This is the very first question that we addressed last Friday night. There are several profound answers that are all correct and wonderful truths but there is one that trumps them all, namely, that Jesus came to trstify to the truth and everyone that is of the truth hears His voice! (My paraphrase)- John 18:37. What does this imply? Specifically this implies that there are two sides, one side that is of the truth and the other side that is not of the truth. Therefore, there are people that are of the truth and then there are those who are of illusion or lies. This means that if you do not believe in Jesus who claims to be the truth then you are not of the truth. Where does that put you? Pilate walked away from Christ at this very moment, probably muttering, "What is truth?" Pilate walked away from the greastest authority on truth!

Worldview?

We (Timothy's Well) hope that you can get a sense that there is no direction in life that God has not spoken or given answers. We are building a systematic framework in which you can put all of the truths claims that will make sense. We will see what happens when man turns away from God's truth and we will see what should happen when man turns and gazes upon the face of God. If this is done, you will not be the same ever again.

World Changer

This past Friday we had our first Friday Night Faith talk with eleven in attendence. Del Tackett began the series with a short message from Is. 6, essentially saying that this series is not to fill our heads with simple facts but rather, to cause us to be transformed. In Is. 6 we see that when we gaze onto the glory of God we are exposed, our cultures are exposed and we are changed into a world changer! Now let me ask you this, are you a world changer? Have you been changed by the gospel? If so in what way?

Where Do I live?

Well, that is a very good question and a very personal one at that. One so personal that I will not post that on this public domain. ;0) Thus I need you guys to email me if you plan to attend the Friday Night Faith Talk so I can give you my address. I want as many of you to come as possible, so feel free to ask me my address and if you need a ride I will try to work something out for you.

Michael Ervin

Don't Waste Your Life

Click here for more info on this curriculum.

The truth Project

While I was at Moody Bible Institute I heard about this curriculum. Then I came to TCBC and I found out that Dr. Suiter has gone through the instructor training classes for this curriculum. It is put out by (Click here for more info) Focus on the Family.

Concerning Sunday School on June 3rd

Sorry for not being able to teach the material to you all on Sunday. The Lord's providential hand lead us to join the Youth Group, which I think was good for two reasons in light of the recent transitions going on. First, we were able to show the Youth Group that there actually is something after Youth Group. Secondly, we were able to extend a warm welcome to the new comers in our group (Courtney Nichols and Katrina Vance). There are others, however, those gentlemen were out of town I believe. I will use the material I handed out to you on Sunday morning as our lesson plan. I encourage you to read ahead and formulate questions in your mind.

How do you read a book?

When I was a pastoral apprentice under Pastor David Sunday, he taught me a most effective strategy of reading a book. While reading write down Five Questions about the material you are reading. Write down five challenges pertaining to what you have read. Write down five encouragements you gained from the reading.

When Tragedy Strikes

When someone we know suffers a great loss or when someone they love is seriously hurt we often feel we have to find the right words to speak to them. Most of the time we feel that we can never find those words so we do nothing. However, when we think we have those words we use them only to find out they did nothing to help those who are hurting but rather make matters worse. So how can we help in time of tragedy? What can we do? I once heard Jill Briscoe say that one of the most significant ways to minister to people in the midst of tragedy is by being present with them. She calls this a 'Ministry of Presence.' My cousin Keith is a missionary in Uganda, he has told me the tales of how Ugandans deal with death and suffering. Essentially, when someone dies they truly grieve not only as individuals but as a community. They try to bury their deceased as soon as possible so the night of the death is the night of the most intense grievance. On that night people from the community, friends, family, or even acquaintances stay up all night with the family of the deceased. Their ministry is just being present with the hurting and even crying with the hurting. This is exactly what Jesus did when his friend Lazarus died. In fact, the shortest verse in the English Bible is John 11:35 - 'Jesus Wept.' Thus, when tragedy strikes the most important thing you could do is to be there with the hurting, reflect with the hurting and seek to have affection for and with the hurting. What do you think about this? How do you deal with tragedy?

Is one's history prophetic?

Many people enjoy reading, especially reading biographies because one can see within that person's childhood influences and sketches of what is to become the man or woman. However, can one always predict the future in light of the past? Or is one's past simply a prologue that can be dismissed?
This question is one of utmost importance for us to use to examine our own lives. Everyone has a past, a history. I have a path behind me that is 23 years long, and you have one that is ____ years long. This path is my own history. Your path is your history, you own it. Thus, does your history give you evidence of why you can expect God's hand of grace and blessing upon your future? Or does your history suggest something else, something less hopeful? This is what we must have in mind as we study the book of Deuteronomy.