Weekend Connection

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 ...

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."

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 ...

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 ...

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."