Celebrate America is only 10 days away! Most of the preparations are in place. We are busy wrapping up all of the last planning and details. This year CA happens on a Saturday and it should be a very busy day and night.
Organizing and hosting this event requires a lot of work by a large number of people. There are people that are part of SWAG that work long hard hours to make it happen. There are people from other churches that work hard to help. There are people in the community that work long hard hours to make it happen.
It takes a small tribe of people to put on this event. I am thankful for every person that gives time and money to give this gift to our community every year. That is exactly how I see CA – a gift from the SWAG family to the community.
We could use your help!
We still need:
More help with Set-up, tear-down and clean-up – I hope that you’ll do what you can to help!
About $1,000. We are still about $1,000 short from reaching our expenses. I hope that you’ll do what you can to help!
We need sunshine! Please pray that God will blow away all the clouds and give us sunshine the day of the event.
Thanks for doing your part to help the SWAG family host this event for our community!
- Pastor Matt
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Wise Living
Wise Living
This summer we are going to be studying the book of Proverbs. Proverbs was written by Solomon who has been called the wisest man who ever lived. The Bible in fact talks about his wisdom but it never says that he was the wisest man to ever live. Actually the Bible would imply that Jesus was the wisest man to ever live on the face of the earth.
A proverb is a literary device that has existed for centuries. People were using proverbs long before Solomon wrote and the men of Hezekiah collected what is in the book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 25)
A proverb is not a promise. A proverb is a conclusion from observation about how things most often work in life. A proverb is a short, memorable saying, or a general truth, that condenses people’s common experience into a form that is very memorable.
The purpose for the book of Proverbs is laid out clearly and is in fact very specific. In short form – the purpose of the book of Proverbs is to teach people how to look at life through a pair of glasses that ask the question – What is the wise thing?
Eugene Peterson, the author of the Message version of the Bible, wrote as part of the introduction to the book of Proverbs:
Many people think that what’s written in the Bible has mostly to do with getting people into heaven- getting right with God, saving their eternal souls. It does have to do with that, of course, but not mostly. It is equally concerned with living on this earth-living well, living in robust sanity. In our Scriptures, heaven is not the primary concern, to which earth is tag-along afterthought. “On earth as it is in heaven” is Jesus’ prayer.
“Wisdom” is the biblical term for this on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves.
Our study is going to be about Wise Living. We will be constantly asking the question: What is the wise thing?
Bring your Bibles each week. Catch what you miss at www.swag-online.org .
- Pastor Matt
This summer we are going to be studying the book of Proverbs. Proverbs was written by Solomon who has been called the wisest man who ever lived. The Bible in fact talks about his wisdom but it never says that he was the wisest man to ever live. Actually the Bible would imply that Jesus was the wisest man to ever live on the face of the earth.
A proverb is a literary device that has existed for centuries. People were using proverbs long before Solomon wrote and the men of Hezekiah collected what is in the book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 25)
A proverb is not a promise. A proverb is a conclusion from observation about how things most often work in life. A proverb is a short, memorable saying, or a general truth, that condenses people’s common experience into a form that is very memorable.
The purpose for the book of Proverbs is laid out clearly and is in fact very specific. In short form – the purpose of the book of Proverbs is to teach people how to look at life through a pair of glasses that ask the question – What is the wise thing?
Eugene Peterson, the author of the Message version of the Bible, wrote as part of the introduction to the book of Proverbs:
Many people think that what’s written in the Bible has mostly to do with getting people into heaven- getting right with God, saving their eternal souls. It does have to do with that, of course, but not mostly. It is equally concerned with living on this earth-living well, living in robust sanity. In our Scriptures, heaven is not the primary concern, to which earth is tag-along afterthought. “On earth as it is in heaven” is Jesus’ prayer.
“Wisdom” is the biblical term for this on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves.
Our study is going to be about Wise Living. We will be constantly asking the question: What is the wise thing?
Bring your Bibles each week. Catch what you miss at www.swag-online.org .
- Pastor Matt
What is the Wise thing to do?
Wise Living
The book of Proverbs is about wisdom. The men of Hezekiah who collected the proverbs of Solomon and others (Proverbs 25) were often comparing and contrasting the wise person and the fool.
The question that Proverbs is encouraging people to ask as part of the way they process life is:
What is the wise thing to do?
James, Jesus’ half brother, wrote about wisdom in his letter to the Jewish believers who had been scattered in Diaspora because of persecution. James wrote that the wisdom of a person will be seen more than heard. This is not how wisdom is often looked at. People think more of ‘words of wisdom’ than they do wise actions. We talk to people to get their wisdom. We seek out wise people for their counsel. Wisdom most often is about words and not actions. This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that wisdom is more about action than it is about words.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Wisdom is not revealed in the words a person speaks but in a 'good life' and in 'deeds done in humility.' When a person claims to be wise but isn't living a good life or doing good deeds in humility - they aren't really wise. They only think that they are wise. Wisdom is seen in a good life, good deeds and humility.
Before trusting someone who claims to be wise or tells you their description or definition of wisdom and start telling you their ‘great’ words of wisdom - check them out for a 'good life,' good 'deeds' and 'humility.' If good life, good deeds and humility are absent - move slowly, use discernment and prudence.
This is the wise thing to do when you see someone who is not practicing wise living! - Pastor Matt
The book of Proverbs is about wisdom. The men of Hezekiah who collected the proverbs of Solomon and others (Proverbs 25) were often comparing and contrasting the wise person and the fool.
The question that Proverbs is encouraging people to ask as part of the way they process life is:
What is the wise thing to do?
James, Jesus’ half brother, wrote about wisdom in his letter to the Jewish believers who had been scattered in Diaspora because of persecution. James wrote that the wisdom of a person will be seen more than heard. This is not how wisdom is often looked at. People think more of ‘words of wisdom’ than they do wise actions. We talk to people to get their wisdom. We seek out wise people for their counsel. Wisdom most often is about words and not actions. This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that wisdom is more about action than it is about words.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Wisdom is not revealed in the words a person speaks but in a 'good life' and in 'deeds done in humility.' When a person claims to be wise but isn't living a good life or doing good deeds in humility - they aren't really wise. They only think that they are wise. Wisdom is seen in a good life, good deeds and humility.
Before trusting someone who claims to be wise or tells you their description or definition of wisdom and start telling you their ‘great’ words of wisdom - check them out for a 'good life,' good 'deeds' and 'humility.' If good life, good deeds and humility are absent - move slowly, use discernment and prudence.
This is the wise thing to do when you see someone who is not practicing wise living! - Pastor Matt
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