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Weekend Connection

11/21/2019

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Weekend time with the Lord ...

Calvary Women: Lesson 6 Student Pages
​1 Samuel 16: Shepherd Boy
See the area around Bethlehem where David would have grown up, was a shepherd, and wrote many of the Psalms we have in Scripture.

Weekend beauty ...

Sunrise on Lake

Weekend food for thought ...

Ten Things You Should Know About Demons and Satan
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Outlines 10 things you should know about the spirit realm. This is helpful and ultimately encouraging, as believers!

Are You A Moral Grandstander?
New research suggests that moral grandstanding may be a major source of conflict in the world today. Interesting to consider from a Christian perspective, as well.

Why Your Youth Group Needs Generational Integration
From Segregated to Integrated We see in Scripture two realities that should shape our approach to youth ministry. One is that when God’s people gather to worship, all the generations tend to be included. The other is that faith being passed from one generation to the next is the Lord’s intention. The family is the primary place for this, but the assembly of believers is also part of the process. Through these we know that younger generations grow up understanding what it means to be in God’s covenant community. If a church decides to take seriously the patterns and instructions seen in God’s Word, then the task is to move from segregated or associated into a more integrated model of youth ministry. The process for doing this includes educating, including, and raising expectations.

As Innocent As A Snake
This emphasis on the protection of innocence and the danger of knowledge is crucial in at least two areas: theology and morality. In both areas we can be tempted to gain knowledge that, in the end, serves only to harm us. In both areas I’ve witnessed devastation.

Your Listening Habits [May Be] Harming Your Relationship With God
Sadly, the more outlets we have for immediate expression, the more voiceless our society has become. The habits that we have made and shaped for ourselves perpetuate this lack of communication, and this is especially true when it comes to hearing God. It becomes easier and easier to not even try.

Why I Still Believe
As a former atheist from the Pacific Northwest, Mary Jo Sharp thought religion was for the weak-minded. But she was transformed by encountering Jesus in the New Testament. In this episode, Sean and Scott interview MJ about her latest book Why I Still Believe. She shares her journey to faith, including some difficult experience she had adapting to church culture. Professor Sharp offers some powerful wisdom for engaging non-believers today. [Show notes, including a full transcript, are available at www.biola.edu/thinkbiblically]

I laughed right out loud at this one. I think Frank nails it but you will have to form your own thoughts.

Weekend kitchen adventures ...

This might have to do with the fact that we are hooked on Nothing Bundt Cakes up on Springboro Pike (left, if you're heading south on Springboro Pike) ... but this recipe looks lovely.

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

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Weekend worship ...

This is beautiful new worship. We'll be singing this a week from this Sunday, so it might be good to get a head start on learning now!

Weekend Scripture Memorization ...

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Weekend Reading

These are some interesting note-worthy works worth your personal consideration. However, their inclusion here is not an endorsement of all ideas contained herein.
In the Bible, God gives guidance and offers the true solution to our anxieties and fears. Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety accesses this information to help women--
  • Identify the source of fear, worry, and anxiety
  • Transform fearful thoughts into peaceful confidence
  • Discover specific strategies for overcoming anxiety
Women will find comfort and encouragement through real-life examples of how others, including Elyse, cast their cares upon God and experience His strength and love.
Combining biblical foundations with real-world application, a pastor and professional songwriter guides worship leaders and pastors to root their corporate worship in unchanging scriptural principles rather than divisive trends.

Nothing is more essential than knowing how to worship the God who created us. This book focuses readers on the essentials of God-honoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in a way that works in the real world. The author, a pastor and noted songwriter, skillfully instructs pastors, musicians, and church leaders so that they can root their congregational worship in unchanging scriptural principles, not divisive cultural trends.

​Bob Kauflin covers a variety of topics such as the devastating effects of worshiping the wrong things, how to base our worship on God's self-revelation rather than our assumptions, the fuel of worship, the community of worship, and the ways that eternity's worship should affect our earthly worship.

Appropriate for Christians from varied backgrounds and for various denominations, this book will bring a vital perspective to what readers think they understand about praising God.
“Lord, Whatever It Takes, Make Me Like You!”

You long to serve God with grace and strength, to reflect Christ in every word and action. Yet you find yourself continually struggling to bring that vision to life in your daily walk.

At our very core, every one of us is a “twisted sister” within whom the flesh and spirit battle constantly for control. We are afflicted with spiritual schizophrenia, the disconnect between our “good girl” desire to put Jesus first and our “bad girl” realities that crowd our thoughts and push him out of the way.

In this life-changing book, Joanna Weaver, author of the perennial bestseller, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, directs your gaze past your own shortcomings to the God who stands ready, willing, and able to make a new woman out of you. She equips you with biblical insights and practical tools to partner with Christ, inviting him into the hidden places of your soul and giving him full permission to redeem and renovate.

Drawing on the stories of biblical Marys and others whose experience with God transformed their lives, Joanna shows how you can find the hope, healing, wholeness, and joy your heart longs for. Having a Mary Spirit will launch you toward lasting personal transformation–soul-deep change that results in a complete makeover, from the inside out.
If you had to explain to a friend what the Bible says about suffering, what would you say?

Paul Grimmond writes: "As I began to write this book, I thought I knew pretty much what I was going to say. But the more I read the Bible, trying to find the right passages to make the points I thought I needed to make, the more uneasy I felt."

Come with Paul and discover the surprises he uncovers as he asks some of the most basic questions of the Christian life: Why do we suffer? And what does it mean to suffer—and even die—well?
"Every believer in Jesus Christ deserves the opportunity of personal nurture and development." says LeRoy Eims. But all too often the opportunity isn't there. We neglect the young Christian in our whirl of programs, church services, and fellowship groups. And we neglect to raise up workers and leaders who can disciple young believers into mature and fruitful Christians. In simple, practical, and biblical terms, LeRoy Eims revives the lost art of disciple making. He explains: - How the early church discipled new Christians - How to meet the basic needs of a growing Christian - How to spot and train potential workers - How to develop mature, godly leaders "True growth takes time and tears and love and patience," Eims states. There is no instant maturity. This book examines the growth process in the life of a Christian and considers what nurture and guidance it takes to develop spiritually qualified workers in the church.
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Weekend Connection

11/8/2019

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Weekend time with the Lord ...

I regularly sit with my Bible open and grow under the teaching of David Guzik. Here is a gem of a message that you may enjoy, too. 

Weekend beauty ...

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Weekend food for thought ...

6 Members Who Build Up the Church

"Every local church is comprised of a diverse group of people who have been radically transformed by the power of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. These diverse people have no reason to live and work together, let alone care for each other—and yet, they choose to live in love and unity together, to the praise and glory of the Lord’s name.
Healthy local churches make a powerful and attractive testimony to a watching world. This means that every member has to be devoted to building others up."

The Religious and Philosophical Roots ​of the Climate Change Movement

Our own lovely Stephanie Potts presenting here! Fascinating food for thought.
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Unbelievable? Peter J Williams and Bart Ehrman – Are the Gospels historically reliable?

"Arguably, no individual has influenced the course of history more than Jesus of Nazareth. But, can we trust the accounts of his life, death and resurrection?
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In this latest episode of The Big Conversation from Unbelievable? leading sceptical New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman engages with noted Cambridge University Bible scholar Peter J Williams who defends the reliability of the accounts."

John Crist, Failure, and Warnings to Heed for Christian Leaders

"Disappointed yes, but unfortunately my ability to be surprised by these stories ran out long ago. Apparently, there is no end to the public failures of Christian leaders and influencers. Simultaneously, we can see that Jesus seems to be doing a good house cleaning of his church. For that part, I am glad."

Gratefulness and Entitlement

We do well to remember that the road to abiding gratefulness is often paved with hardship that rids our hearts of any sense of entitlement.

Reading Scores on National Exam Decline in Half the States

"The most recent research on reading, Mr. Afflerbach said, has undermined a long-held view that children learn to read until the fourth grade, and then “read to learn” in higher grades. Because of that view, too many schools have assigned elementary students short passages instead of challenging them with longer, thematically rich texts and books."
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Weekend kitchen adventures ...

Crock Pot Butterscotch Apple Crisp

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Weekend worship ...

Gorgeous worship from a very (very!) favorite worship leader of ours, Scott Cunningham (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa). Take a listen and be blessed!

Weekend Scripture reflection ...

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Weekend reading ...

Discounted Kindle books that may be of interest!
"To be human is to long for home. Home is our most fundamental human longing. And for many of us homesickness is a nagging place of grief. Jen Pollock Michel connects that desire and disappointment with the story of the Bible, helping us to see that there is a homemaking God with wide arms of welcome―and a church commissioned with this same work. Keeping Place offers hope to the wanderer, help to the stranded, and a new vision of what it means to live today with our longings for our eternal home."
"You only live once―if then. 

​Life is short, and it can be as easily wasted as lived to the full. In the midst of our harried modern world, how do we make the most of life and the time we have?

In these fast and superficial times, Os Guinness calls us to consequential living. In strong contrast to both Eastern and secularist views of time, he reorients our very notion of history, not as cyclical nor as meaningless, but as linear and purposeful. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, time and history are meaningful, and human beings have agency to live with freedom and consequence in partnership with God. Thus we can seek to serve God's purpose for our generation, read the times, and discern our call for this moment in history.

Our time on earth has significance. Live rightly, discern the times, and redeem the day."
"Throughout the centuries, so many traditions have woven themselves into the celebration of Christmas that it's difficult to understand just what the season of Christ's birth is all about. Now beloved writer Warren W. Wiersbe and his son, fellow pastor David W. Wiersbe give adults their very own A to Z Christmas primer, cutting through the wrapping paper and pretty bows to expose and explain the backgrounds and reasons for our various symbols and traditions. From angels and Bethlehem to yuletide and Zechariah, the information in this unique collection is sure to enlighten. Anyone who wants to have a deeper understanding of Christmas will love this insightful resource."
"The new atheists are on the warpath. They come armed with arguments to show that belief in God is absurd and dangerous. In the name of societal progress, they promote purging the world of all religious practice. And they claim that people of faith are mentally ill. Some of the new atheists openly declare their hatred for the Judeo-Christian God.

Christian apologists have been quick to respond to the new atheists’ arguments. But there is another dimension to the issue which begs to be addressed--the root causes of atheism. Where do atheists come from? How did such folks as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens become such ardent atheists? If we are to believe them, their flight from faith resulted from a dispassionate review of the evidence. Not enough rational grounds for belief in God, they tell us. But is this the whole story?

Could it be that their opposition to religious faith has more to do with passion than reason? What if, in the end, evidence has little to do with how atheists arrive at their anti-faith? That is precisely the claim in this book. Atheism is not at all a consequence of intellectual doubts. These are mere symptoms of the root cause--moral rebellion. For the atheist, the missing ingredient is not evidence but obedience.

The psalmist declares, “The fool says in his heart there is no God” (Ps. 14:1), and in the book of Romans, Paul makes it clear that lack of evidence is not the atheist’s problem. The Making of an Atheist confirms these biblical truths and describes the moral and psychological dynamics involved in the abandonment of faith."

Upcoming at Calvary ...

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Weekend Connection

11/1/2019

1 Comment

 
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Weekend time with the Lord ...

We have been journeying through the book of Acts at Calvary. This might be a good weekend to revisit and review. 

Although this film is older, it is taken word for word from the Scriptures ... and it is powerful.

Or click this YouTube link for our favorite dramatized audio reading of the entire book of Acts.

Weekend beauty ...

Stratford Ontario Bench Avon River

Weekend food for thought ...

Cincinnati med student opens free health clinic for the uninsured.

"I think, for me personally, just seeing what need there is out there and seeing how starting with just one person having a voice and one person identifying a problem, that can grow into something so much bigger, has been so impactful for me," said Hensley."

Because this is what "community" looks like. 

"Farmers rally to finish grieving family's harvest."
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Entitlement is Poisoning the Church

"Have you ever heard of anyone confessing that they have an entitlement problem? Have you ever had anyone in your small group throw in a prayer request asking for God to correct their attitude of entitlement? Let me get a little more personal. Have you ever confessed it? Me either. Entitled people don’t know they are entitled. This is why it is the silent killer of the church. It is undetected.

​Entitlement disguises itself in many ways. We become angry when we are overlooked for our efforts. We become frustrated when we are treated as equals with people we see ourselves above. It actually can feel like oppression. We look for new churches, friends, or jobs when we feel like we are not being compensated for what we bring to the table. We respond by demeaning, gossiping, and slandering the people who do not show us the respect we think we deserve."

Is the God of the Bible a Genocidal Maniac?

"But, in the end, I don’t think we need to get God off the hook. I don’t think he wants off the hook.  As painful as this issue is, it highlights what we, and our culture, need to hear more than ever: God is holy, people are sinful, the world is broken, and his judgment is just."

The Reformation Today

"The vast majority of those who will be celebrating this October 31 will be going door-to-door in costumes asking for candy. However, there is another reason to celebrate, and that is Reformation Day.
It was on October 31, 1517, that the great church reformer, Martin Luther, nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg church in Germany. At the time, Luther just wanted to start a healthy debate within the church of Rome, which he hoped would lead to the inward reform of the church. He did not initially plan to break away from Rome. However, things didn’t work out as he initially planned. And instead, over time, various countries began breaking away from the Roman church and establishing their own variations of what came to be known later as “Protestant” churches."

"My heart fell in love with you."

I'm quite sure we've all seen this over the last week or so. However, it's worth watching again and again and again.

We are all adopted as sons and daughters, too.

Weekend kitchen adventures ...

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
We love pumpkin at our house. But ... we REALLY love apple and caramel. You may enjoy these, too!
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These creamy Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars start with a shortbread crust, a thick cheesecake layer, and are topped with diced cinnamon apples and a sweet streusel topping
IngredientsCrust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened

Cheesecake Filling:
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup butter softened

Drizzle:
  • 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
  5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
  6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Weekend worship ...

Beautiful worship from our friends over at Wildwood Calvary Chapel.

Weekend Scripture memorization & reflection ...

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Weekend reading ...

Kindle deals that may be of interest.
Read this one. And then read it again. (We love this one!)
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"Jesus promised His bewildered disciples that He would not leave them as orphans, but that He would pray to the Father who would send them another Comforter who would come alongside to help them and would abide with them forever. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all the things that He had commanded them. In his warm personal style, Pastor Chuck Smith, a bible teacher for over 50 years, paints an intimate picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. He is to conform you into the image of Christ. He is to come alongside of you to help you in your walk. He is to teach you all things. He is to give you an understanding of spiritual things. He is to give you the power to be a witness of Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between being filled with the Holy Spirit and having the Holy Spirit flow forth out of your life like a torrent of living water. Pastor Smith will lead you step by step into this rich and intimate relationship with God which is made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. You will experience the refreshing streams of living water filling your life then flowing forth from your life unto a thirsty world."
This was a ministry-shaping read for Peter and me years ago. It taught us valuable lessons about the wisdom of this world and how that usually negatively impacts the Body of Christ and our callings from the Lord. We laughed and cried through this one.

"This is a story of dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. With trademark wit and heart, Phil Vischer shares how God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.

Larry. Bob. Archibald. These VeggieTales stars are the most famous vegetables you'll ever eat. Oops, meet. Their antics are known around the world. But so much of the VeggieTales story hasn't been told. In Me, Myself, and Bob, Phil Vischer, founder of Big Idea and creator of VeggieTales, gives a behind-the-scenes look at his not-so-funny journey with the loveable veggies. From famed creator to bankrupt dreamer, Vischer shares his story of trial and ultimate triumph as God inspired him with one big idea after another."
This book is not a Christian book, per se. But the ideas presented here have impacted many believers. It's a thought-provoking read with ministry applications.

"Something is going wrong on many college campuses in the last few years. Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide are rising. Speakers are shouted down. Students and professors say they are walking on eggshells and afraid to speak honestly. How did this happen?
 
First Amendment expert Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt show how the new problems on campus have their origins in three terrible ideas that have become increasingly woven into American childhood and education: what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker; always trust your feelings; and life is a battle between good people and evil people. These three Great Untruths are incompatible with basic psychological principles, as well as ancient wisdom from many cultures. They interfere with healthy development. Anyone who embraces these untruths—and the resulting culture of safetyism—is less likely to become an autonomous adult able to navigate the bumpy road of life.
 
Lukianoff and Haidt investigate the many social trends that have intersected to produce these untruths. They situate the conflicts on campus in the context of America’s rapidly rising political polarization, including a rise in hate crimes and off-campus provocation. They explore changes in childhood including the rise of fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the new world of social media that has engulfed teenagers in the last decade.
 
This is a book for anyone who is confused by what is happening on college campuses today, or has children, or is concerned about the growing inability of Americans to live, work, and cooperate across party lines."
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    Calvary Women

    They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer ... praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

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PASTOR PETER COURLAS
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