Marriage Tip Monday

Seven Ways to Splurge on your Spouse: Part 4

(From Crosswalk.com)

Plan it Out -- Sometimes the best gift we can give our spouse is our time. Are you  a couple that is often over-scheduled? Take some intentional time off just to be with each other. Or better yet, plan a date and take your spouse as a surprise. It could be as simple as lunch out and a walk in the park to reconnect. If you're the busy type, taking time for the one you love is a splurge that may be much appreciated. 

Marriage Tip Monday

Seven Ways to Splurge on your Spouse: Part3

(From Crosswalk.com)

3.   Write it Out --  Remember what it was like to receive a love letter? There's nothing quite like it. Yes, firing off a text from your phone is easier, but a hand-written letter is much more personal. There's something about seeing your spouse's own handwriting and being able to keep that slip of paper. Write out what is on your heart. If you haven't said it in awhile, it should be said about now, don't you think?

Purpose Driven Marriages...

Just wanted to share this. Praying a blessing over our marriages today.

THE PURPOSE DRIVEN DECLARATION

Today I am stepping across the line. I’m tired of waffling and I’m finished with wavering, I’ve made my choice, the verdict is in, and my decision is irrevocable. I’m going God’s way. There’s no turning back now!

I will live the rest of my life serving God’s purposes with God’s people on God’s planet for God’s glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word.

Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living, and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying. Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.

Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me,” character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I’ll give it all I’ve got. I’ll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.

I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I’ll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. When times get tough, and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I’ll just keep moving forward by God’s grace. I’m Spirit-led, purpose driven, and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.

I’m a trophy of God’s amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for every day, and generous with everything God entrusts to me.

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I say, "However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost I’m ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. Whatever it takes, Lord; whatever it takes! I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I’ll hear you say, 'Well done, thou good and faithful one. Come on in, and let the eternal party begin!'"

Marriage Tip Monday

Seven Ways to Splurge on your Spouse: Part 2

(From Crosswalk.com)

Dole it Out -- Bill was a husband who loved to splurge on his wife, June. Bill and June didn't have a lot of money in their 49 years together as they raised three children in a small, rural town. But Bill knew how to spoil his wife with love, attention and praise. Today, their children will tell you "Dad spoiled mom. He'd do anything and everything for her." That is the legacy Bill left when he passed away after 49 years of marriage to his beloved, June. Are you leaving a legacy of being one who splurged on your spouse with love, attention and praise?

Bible Study

Don't forget Bible Study at the Jenkin's house tomorrow night at 6:30. Snacks will be provided and don't worry about reading the book first! Contact Leslie at lesli.jenkins@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Galatians Homework

Homework: Read Galatians 3:1-10

If you can't get to a Bible, here it is for you :-)

¹ You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. ² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? ³ Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[a] 4} Have you experienced^[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? ⁶ So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c]
 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. ⁸ Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”^{[d] 9} So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
 ¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Marriage Tip Monday

Seven Ways to Splurge on your Spouse: Part 1

(From Crosswalk.com)


Splurging on the one you love implies going the extra mile, whether it be effort-wise, financially, sacrificially or with your time. You are giving beyond what you normally would because the one you love is priceless.


God set the splurging model for us, when He lavishly loved us by sending us His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. In First John 3:1 we read of how God splurged on us: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! "  He set the splurging bar rather high when He spared no expense in sending His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. We're also told in the Bible that God is able to do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3:20). That is not a God who holds out on us. That's a God who splurges to show just how "wide and long and high and deep" His love is for us (Ephesians 3:18)  If God lavishes that kind of love on us daily, can you splurge a little to show the extent of your love for each other?
To splurge on each other does not mean heaping material blessings on your spouse, although you might take that approach once in a great while. Here are seven ways you can splurge on each other when money is tight:

1.   Save it Up -- Rich and Ashley save their spare change in a jar all throughout the year. Then every Valentine's Day they take the entire contents of the jar and spend it on a special date for the two of them. This past year, they had more than $100 in the jar and Ashley thought about only spending part of it on dinner and using the rest on something the family might need. But Rich insisted that was their splurge money and so they had dinner that night at a very expensive restaurant they wouldn't ordinarily have been able to visit. So now, each year, they can truly splurge on Valentine's Day.

Reminder

Just a reminder, there will be no ABFs on Sunday!


If you're looking for a place to celebrate Easter with some food and laughs after church, contact Lesli & Gareth at lesli.jenkins@gmail.com

Marriage Tip Monday

Words hold the power of life or death - speak life!  The next time you see your spouse, tell him/her TWO THINGS - something you appreciate about WHAT THEY DO (laundry, going to work, making dinner, etc.) and something you appreciate about WHO THEY ARE (a person of integrity, an easy laugher, a quick forgiver, smart, funny, etc.)

Holy Week Events

He is Risen indeed! We can live in hope because Jesus conquered death, and now offers us His grace that leads to everlasting life! Here is how we are celebrating that incredible truth:

April 1 - Palm Sunday.
We celebrate the triumphal entrance of the King into Jerusalem with music, children, and victory. We also remember the meaning of the sacrifice by taking the Lord's Supper together that morning. Classic Service at 8:45 and Contemporary Services at 10 and 11:15.

April 4 - 50 Reasons Christ Died.
We look at the deeper truth on why Christ died. We will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 6:15 this evening for some great truths and worship. A Fellowship Meal is served beforehand at 5:00.

April 6 - Good Friday Remembrance
Join us at noon in the Worship Center as we experience the grave and crucifixion through music, art, media and somber remembrance.

April 7 - Kids' Day!
Preschool and Elementary School children are invited to come to the church Saturday Morning at 10:00 for a morning of egg hunts and the reading of the Resurrection Story.

April 8 - Resurrection Sunday
Three identical services of worship, celebration, joy and the reason for our hope! Come join us and bring a friend at either 8:45, 10:00 or 11:15. There are no Adult Bible Fellowships that day, but our preschool suite is open for the little ones.

Marriage Tip Monday

Give yourself some grace.  Did you speak harshly to your spouse, act selfishly, or pout when you didn't get your way?  We all have our moments, but it's in these moments that we can grow!  Choose to forgive yourself, apologize and ask forgiveness from your spouse, then move on.  And bonus!  It's amazing how much easier it is to extend grace and forgiveness to your spouse once you learn how to first forgive and deal with your own shortcomings.

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How do you serve your spouse?

Tyler sent me a great website that has some neat ideas on how to serve your spouse. Check it out!

http://www.givingcouples.com

Look to God, Not your Spouse

This is from Crosswalk.com by Dr. Gary Smalley

When my wife stopped fighting me about my obsession toward work, as well as other issues, she unleashed a powerful force in my life, though neither of us understood it at the time.


Independent of me, Norma learned how to get in line and bring her needs to God. Rather than complain to me, she prayed, "Lord, thank you that all I need is you. You know I want a good relationship with Gary and that I want him to spend more time at home. You also know that I'm not very strong physically. I'm so tired that I don't feel I can last much longer under this strain. I'm coming to you with these requests because I know that if I need Gary at home, you can make it happen. Or you can take away my desire for him to be home. I'm going to stop fighting Gary and instead ask you either to change him or to meet my needs in some other way."


To find God's fulfillment, Norma took steps similar to those I later discovered. She stopped expecting life from me and started looking to God. She realized I not only would not, but could not, energize her life, so she went to the source of life and asked Him to energize her.


The results were startling. I noticed the change almost immediately. When I came home from work, I sensed a calm spirit in our house. Norma's face was peaceful, no longer tense. Instead of the usual harsh words, her conversation was quiet and she was more interested in asking me how my day had gone that in relating her activities with the children.
It was in that context that Norma talked to me about her need for help. A few days later, I couldn't keep from asking what had happened. "Gary, I got tired of fighting you," she explained calmly. "I realized that I wasn't trusting God concerning our marriage and family, and so I decided to stop complaining and start praying. I've told God that I would like you to spend more time at home, and if I really need that, I know God will make the necessary changes."


Imagine what that did to me. I was instantly convicted that my priorities were wrong. And that wasn't all. Because Norma had changed, I wanted to spend more time at home. That was the week I asked Bill to change my job so I could spend more time meeting my family's needs.


What Norma did summarizes the conclusion of the first four chapters of this book. She stopped looking to people, things, and her work, and turned instead to a trustworthy God who answers the persistent prayers of His children. God promises life -- and God delivers!


Some may think Norma just disguised her selfishness by asking God to change me instead of nagging me to change. I disagree. I encourage wives to ask God for a good relationship with their husbands and children. That request is not selfish. A good relationship benefits not only the wife, but the entire family, the Christian community, and ultimately our nation and the entire world. It also glorifies God, because a godly marriage is a picture of our relationship with Jesus Christ (see Ephesians 5:22-25).


Once we're into the habit of seeking fulfillment from the world, we won't learn overnight to look to God as the source of life. It took Norma and me several years before looking to the Lord became our natural, first response, and we still catch ourselves focusing on someone or something other than God.

Women's Bible Study Opportunities

Two different Bible Studies are being started soon for our class!

Tuesday mornings at The Kuzmich's house at 930am. We are doing the Beth Moore study, Esther.We will also watch the videos to go along with the study. Breakfast is provided. You can find more info on the book HERE.

Thursday evenings around 6:30 at The Jenkin's house. We will be using Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. You can check out more info about the book HERE. This should be starting around March 29th. You can email Lesli for more details at lesli.jenkins@gmail.com

Memorize the Book of Galatians

Here is the link for the schedule to memorize the book of Galatians. Hopefully this will work :-)

https://docs.google.com/open?id=1hCQA5Vjyi_Fj8btl_dCmbAoBpOxK-hh_Ot0xxhFqXO2Q8Kzrtyn8EbMfFim0

Marriage Tip Monday

One of the best things you can do for your marriage; learn how to communicate effectively!  Say what you mean and how you're feeling, but do so in a loving, non-threatening tone.  Then listen to your spouse.  It's amazing how often we assume our spouse knows what we want, how we feel, and what we need.  No one is a mind-reader. Learning how to communicate can simplify your life and increase your intimacy! 


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Live Streaming

Can't make it to church one Sunday? Now you can watch the sermon live at http://www.justin.tv/FirstIrving

Marriage Tip Monday

Sometimes a hug - such a simple, selfless act of love - is the best medicine.  Is your spouse feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, stressed out, unloved, or just having a bad day?  A tender, tight, unrushed hug can remind your husband or wife that you're there for them - that they aren't alone and that everything will be okay.  Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Union 28

Galatians Homework

This week's homework is to read Galatians 1:10-17. Please bring any questions or thoughts you may have to discuss on Sunday.

Galatians Study

Our Study of Galatians

My hope is that we can own the book of Galatians through individual, couple, and group study. We will let you know the passage for each week beforehand as well as a verse to memorize if you want to join us in memorization.

Bible Study Preparation for Sunday, March 11:

Read Galatians (all) taking notes on context then focus on 1:1-9 verse by verse throughout the week taking notes of questions for the group

Memorize 1:3-5

Look over handouts including background information and maps (may also want to skim over the Acts references on the map to gain context of Paul's interaction with the area of Galatia)

Talk about the passages and memorize with your spouse

These following ideas are derived from two books by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart: How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth and How to Read the Bible Book by Book.

Bible Study (General)

The goal of interpretation is "To get at the plain meaning of the text"

-Correct interpretation "brings relief to the mind as well as a prick or prod to the heart."

Nature of Scripture:

-Eternally Relevant

-Historic Particularity

-Different genres of writings

-Speaking to people in a different culture

2 tasks in Bible Study are

1. Exegesis- trying to understand the then and there

2. Hermeneutics- hearing the word for here and now (interpretation)

Exegesis

-trying to find the original intent of the words of the Bible

-must be done on every passage (not just difficult passages)

-Good exegesis asks two types of questions:

-Context: Historical (background of author or characters; cultural differences;purpose and occasion) and Literary (sentences and how they relate to the argument/flow of the text-"What's the point of this sentence?")

-Content: what the text means; may require good translation, Bible dictionary, and Biblical commentary

Hermeneutics

-trying to apply the passage to the here and now through a correct interpretation

-not totally subjective (there are incorrect interpretations of scripture usually based on bad exegesis, ex. Health and Wealth Gospel from 3 John 2)

-Holy Spirit guides us (Pray)

-Community helps us (Come to ABF on Sunday mornings!)

-A text can never mean what it never meant.

Specific study of the Epistles

-They are letters: written on a certain occasion, not primarily to expound theology

Exegesis

Recreate Situation: Do this by reading the entire letter of Galatians in a sitting and take notes:

1. What  you notice about the recipients themselves (eg. Are they Jew or Greek, wealthy or slave, problems they are facing, attitudes, etc.)

2. Paul's attitudes

3. Any specific things mentioned to the occasion of the letter

4. The letter's natural, logical divisions (the form of the text)

Literary context

-Trace Paul's argument (think paragraphs and ask "What's the point?")

2 Questions:

1. What does Paul say in this paragraph?

2. Why does he say this now? How does this further his argument? (Work towards developing a single goal or thesis statement for the book)

Hermeneutics

2 Rules

1. A text can never mean what it never meant.

2. Whenever we share common particulars with the 1st Century hearers, God's word is the same to us as it was to them. (example: We still have local churches, so text's referring to the church could apply to us)

What about passages to which we don't relate?

1. Find clear principle

2. Apply truly similar situation

*We must be careful not to over apply the scriptures

Jordan's Bible Study Method (Just a suggestion)

1. Pray

2. Read whole letter (at least twice a week)

3. Read chapter for context daily

4. Focus on specific verse at a time (one or two only)

5. Make notes on context and content (questions above)

-Look up unfamiliar words

-Look up cross-references 

-See OT or NT references 

-Use a commentary, but only after personal study

6. Meditate on the meaning of the text now that you understand the original meaning

7. Try to write out the verse in your own words

8. Make applications to here and now (if possible) based on these principles

9. Memorize the verse (repetition can bring new meaning to the verse as it comes to mind throughout your day)