KATRINA

Katrina visited New Orleans in 2005, and the place will never be the same.

But Kairos visited New Orleans in 2006, and we will never be the same.

It was an amazing time. We teamed up with the Bill Orsborn and the Littleton Church of Christ (from Denver) to head down to New Orleans for the week. Wade, Dara and our children were already on the road, so we met everyone down there. The rest of the college-aged folks came down in the vans with Bill and his crew. They drove all night, sleeping in the vans. (Except for the drivers, of course!)

It was so great to be down there. Katrina was such a "bad" thing, but I just love how God is able to bring so much "good" out of "bad." Everyone we talked to down there was just in awe of how people have reached out to help them in their time of need. Back home when you ask someone if you can pray for them, they are often taken back a bit. But down there, you had to preface your request for prayers by saying, "What is it that we can be specifically praying about?" And everyone always had something that was going on.

Not everyone we helped was "poor," but everyone was so grateful. Just before the trip happened, God arranged it so that we were given $1900 to take down and give away. Some of the people who we tried to give it to insisted that they really didn't need it. So we asked if they knew anyone who really needed it - and they never had a problem thinking of plenty of people who they could pass it along to. In fact, one lady called her friend on the phone right then, just so her friend could thank us in person!

The students that went did such a great job. When it's time to work, everyone worked HARD. And when it was time to play (UNO, spoons, etc) we all played hard too! No broken bones, but a few minor cuts, bangs, and carpet burns. (Sorry Amanda!) :) We even had a chance to have church together Saturday night in the parking lot. I love how Kairos loves each other. How they are so willing to but others first.

God really used us to touch some lives down there, and he really used down there to change our lives as well.

God is good. It doesn't matter what size "Katrina" is in your life. God is good. We might not "thank" God for every situation that comes along, but we sure can praise him through it all, because

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

Watch out!

Barry has gone, but not without a parting shot!

Check out his new blog - it is listed on the side bar, can you guess which one is his???

Ideas on what we do to STAND FIRM in the Lord

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask people their thoughts on what works for them in Standing Firm in the Lord. We have been talking about what we believe...and what Spiritual Disciplines are. But what do we use on a daily basis to keep us rooted in Christ, focused on God. Examples I use: Dedicated time in the morning (wake up early) to read the Bible, write a particular verse that stuck out to me on an index card and put it in my pocket with my phone or keys, so I keep feeling it and remembering that verse--to meditate on it throughout the day. These are just some examples, have any more? If you want to see a more detailed thought on this, go check out my blog (it is linked on this page). For our hope is in the Lord!

Christmas Party

Meet at Bryan Russi's on Dec 20th for a Kairos Christmas! Meet at 8pm, and bring a white elephant gift!

Email Wade with questions.... wadedara@hotmail.com

Questions and Homework

Any answers to discuss, or insights to share?

Questions
1. What is the role of the Spiritual Disciplines in the life of a Christian?


2. Discuss Luther’s analogy comparing spiritual health and medical treatment. How would you describe your own spiritual heath?


3. Why do we sometimes fail to express peace or joy in the Christian life?


4. In what ways does God meet our spiritual needs?


5. How would you respond to someone who claims that the Christian Gospel opens the door to moral laxity?


Homework: Meditate on this verse:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~John 14:27

Jesus has something to say to you. Will you listen? Will you give him a few minutes, to speak to you the truth about the peace, love and holiness that he has in store for you?

This We Believe - Round 5

Being a Christian: What should I experience?

What does an unbelieving world say when another TV Evangelist runs off with several million dollars, or when another preacher divorces his wife, after he has been caught in the pews with the secretary??

Probably something like: "If Christianity is unable to really effect a change in the lives of its adherents, then how could it be all that great?"



Can the Gospel really change a person?
Is Christ indeed unique among the “gods?”
Can he do a work in our lives that no other “savior” can do?

In past lessons we have covered the truth that we all start as sinners who fall short of the glory of God. However, through Christ’s death we receive forgiveness. From being sinners condemned to die, we now receive the gift of eternal life! Let’s see how Jesus describes it in John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

So, if belief in Christ leads to eternal life, and if eternal life is knowing God (see John 17:1-3), then why are many Christians not experiencing fulfillment in Christ?

How about this question, “Does everyone have fantastic relationships with all their friends and family?” No?! Why not? Because it's hard, it takes work.

So, if we want a good relationship, it requires “cultivation.” How do we cultivate our relationship with God? (Answer – The Spiritual Disciplines!) Remember, the disciplines are not a way for us to reach God, but rather a way for us to enter the door that God has already opened to us in his desire to have a relationship with us. So, my initial conclusion is that the more you cultivate your relationship with God, the more you will experience fulfillment in Christ – Not a fulfillment that is here today and gone tomorrow, but a real, lasting fulfillment.


What should we experience in our relationship with God?

*Two of the most common should be love and joy! Check out Romans 5:5 “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Remember that God is love! And so he is able to provide that lasting experience of love and happiness – not the short term fixes that the world offers.

*Holiness should be part of the experience of all Christians. 1 Peter 1:14-16 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Did you know that of the total 2,005 verses in Paul’s epistles, 1,400 of them deal with holiness, godliness, or Christian character? We should listen to John’s advice, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.” 1 John 2:1

So, to be called “Christian” while blatantly breaking God’s commands is not biblically acceptable. But then again, we are not usually transformed overnight! Martin Luther compared conversion to being diagnosed by a doctor, who then prescribes the proper course of medicine. Until then, the patients health had been deteriorating. Complete healing does not come at the time of diagnosis, but rather takes time to have full effect. At the time of conversion, we change course from being sinners on the highway to hell, to being pilgrims on the road to heaven. This change of our nature to conform to the likeness of Christ is called Sanctification. We will grow in holiness, in sanctification, as we purse God through pursuing the spiritual disciplines.

Warning: Many people come to Christ because they realize that he can meet some of their needs. This is legitimate, but people also need to be aware of the whole package – that Jesus didn’t come just to meet needs, but to save us from our sins by making it possible for us to live lives of holiness. Getting our needs met by God is not about a “formula.” It’s not even the most important thing! Understanding how serious our sin is, understanding that Jesus came to die for our sins – these are important things! And understanding this will help us in our pursuit of God, in our experience of holiness.

*Peace is another experience. While having our needs met is not the most important aspect of Christianity, it is something that God give us. Phil 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This peace dispels anxiety because we know that God cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

*A final experience includes purpose and significance. As we enter a relationship with God, we become his agents. 2 Cor 5:20 “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” The most happy and contented people in this world are those who believe that what they are doing in life is significant.

So, if all of this is true, and if Christians should be experiencing love, joy, holiness, peace and purpose – then why are so many Christians trapped in habitual sin, not experiencing the peace, joy and purpose that God has for them?

There is no way to explain it but to say that people are living out of their heads, not out of their hearts. They know it all, intellectually, but they have experienced none of it from their hearts. It doesn’t have to be that way. Many, many people have been set free – free not only from the power of sin, but also free from approaching God out of legalism and rules. You too can be set free.

Christmas at the zoo

I think it would be fun to go visit the Christmas at the zoo one of these upcoming nights. I don't know if weekday or weekend would be better...any takers?? It's pretty cheap and starts on 9 DEC. Find info on it here: http://www.cmzoo.org/esafari.html

1000 Visitors

Yes! We have hit the 1,000 visitor mark! I was hit # 1,002. Who was hit #1,000????

This We Believe - Round 4

Last week we talked about Christianity being something that can’t be “proved scientifically,” because it is simply not a repeatable event. However, we can use the “legal-historical” proof, where we show that something is fact beyond a reasonable doubt. This proof depends on three types of testimony: oral testimony, written testimony, and exhibits. Let’s see what conclusions the Legal-Historical proof leads us to as we consider the case for Christianity.

Let’s consider the Written Testimony (The Bible).
What are some classic pieces of literature that are more than 1000 years old? How do we know that they are accurate – that we now have what was originally written? What are the tests to apply to any piece of literature of history to determine if it’s reliable?

Bibliographical Test – an examination of the textual transmission by which documents reach us. Not having the original, how reliable are the copies? What is the time interval between the original and the surviving copies?

**Aristotle wrote his poetics around 343BC, but the earliest copy we have is dated 1100AD. There are only 5 manuscripts in existence.
**Caesar wrote the history of the Gallic Wars between 58 and 50BC, and we only have 10 copies dating 1000 years after his death.
**Over 20,000 copies of NT manuscripts are in existence, with most of them being written within the first 100 years of Christ being on this earth.
**The next best manuscript authority is the Iliad, which has 643 manuscripts.
We can have confidence that the text that we now have is what was originally recorded.

Internal Evidence Test – Is the written record credible? One must listen to the documents claims and determine if there are known contradictions or factual inaccuracies. This “ability to tell the truth” is closely related to the witness’s nearness both geographically and chronologically to the events recorded. When people tell lies to cover up lies, sooner or later they will make a mistake.

External Evidence Test – Whether other historical material confirms or denies the internal testimony of the document itself. Josephus, Papias, Irenaeus – all are historians who agree with the facts laid out in the Bible, even if not all agree with the conclusions that Jesus is God. Archeology also continues to validate the Bible claims over and over again!

What about Oral Testimony?
What is a good definition of “history?” “A knowledge of the past based upon testimony.”
Do you believe that Napoleon lived? Why? You are relying on testimony!

Can we trust the oral testimony of the apostles?
-When the apostles wrote or spoke, they did so as eyewitnesses!
-The apostles were thoroughly convinced that Jesus was raised from the dead!
-Their bold conduct (from total cowards!) is a convincing proof!


What do we do with the Resurrection?
It would appear that the Legal-Historical proofs are quite convincing, indicating that Jesus did indeed live on this earth, he was crucified, and he actually did rise from the dead.

What are the implications of the Resurrection?
The resurrection radically transformed the way of thinking of the early Christians.
To the Jews in Jesus day, resurrection meant the anticipated end of history! The dead would rise and be judged, the will of God would be fully, finally, and clearly revealed. The meaning of history would only be fully know at its end.

So, consider this: Jesus death and resurrection was experienced as the fulfillment of history, the decisive even of the last day, the revelation of god’s will once and for all. Even though history continued after Jesus rose, there was an understanding with the early Christians that through their meeting with the risen Lord, they were already in touch with the end time, and therefore with the meaning of universal history!

Christians understood their lives as fundamentally altered in relations to the resurrection. They concluded that in Jesus’ resurrection the end is already present! Thus the will of God is finally revealed. To be “in Christ” is to already share in the events of the last days.

Thus the resurrection discloses nothing les than the final revelation of the will of God in history. The resurrection, therefore, is not just a past event, but that which presents personal encounter with the living God now.

So what does the resurrection mean?
-Liberation from the power of sin and death.
-A seal and confirmation of Christ’s saving activity on the cross.
-A transformation of the early Christians’ view of the Sabbath.
-Help in understanding the meaning of the whole of history.
-It ratified Jesus’ messianic teaching for the early Christians.
-That Christ’s triumphant resurrection makes our own possible.

Read 1 Corinthians 15 for more thoughts.