Homiletics

 Acts 23:1-35

Content:

1. Paul addresses Sanhedrin confidently, is struck as order of Ananias and Paul responds with harsh words. 1-3
2. Paul responds with sense of error and repentance. 4-5
3. Paul proclaims position as Pharisee and hope in the resurrection, stirring up assembly of Sadducees and Pharisees. 6-8
4. Outburst so violent, commander has Paul removed to barracks. 9-10
5. Jesus appears to Paul in the night speaking encouragement. 11
6. Jews form conspiracy plan to kill Paul. 12-15
7. Paul's nephew learned of  it warning Paul. 16
8. Paul uses centurion to get message to commander. 17-22
9. 470 men engaged to escort Paul to Caesarea in the night at the commander's request. 23-24
10. Commander sends letter of explanation with the troupes for Governor Felix. 25-30
11. Soldiers carry out orders delivering Paul to governor in Caesarea. 31-33
12. Governor puts Paul in Herod's palace under guard awaiting accusers to come make their case. 34-35

Divisions:

1. Paul is safely removed from the crowd when his appearance before Sanhedrin creates uproar. 1- 11
2. The Jews' Plot to trap and kill Paul is discovered and reported by his nephew. 12-22
3. Paul is moved in the night and sent to Governor Felix in Caesarea for safety. 23-35

Subject Sentence:

• Paul secretly removed to Caesarea when infuriated Sanhedrin plot his death. 

Aim:

• TCMT trust Jesus for deliverance in times of great accusation and turmoil.
• (explanation) Although I surely could have enemies trying to destroy me, especially if I was bolder about my faith, I related this passage to my internal persecution.  I do believe that although Satan can not touch me eternally because I am in Christ, he does like to mess with my head and my effectiveness.  He is the accuser who is out to destroy any impact that I might have for the cause of Jesus Christ.  I see that in my thought life.  So I related this passage to how Satan tries to accuse me and destroy what I might desire to do as a follower of Jesus.  My application questions reflect this.

Application:

1. Do I speak truth in humility when accused?  Do I recognize my sin AS WELL as my position and deliverance in Christ?  Am I giving God the time and ear to speak his encouragement to me?
2. Do I trust that God is using people and circumstances to guide me even when I fell threatened and out of control? When Satan accuses me, do I look for a way of escape in the truth of God's word and presence of the Holy Spirit.  Do I seek the help of trusted believers in such times?
3. Do I trust God's power to deliver me from Satan's accusations and the traps he has set before me?

Family update

I am going to post Homiletics here in just a few but wanted to share a couple of updates - see if you can find the prayer request within.  You know kind of like "Where's Waldo."

Peter started the EMT program at the local community college and I am really proud of his commitment to get up and go to class 4 early mornings a week.  However after 3 weeks he has concluded that this is not the profession for him and has dropped out.  He is on the search again for his dream career.  Okay so his dream career would be either a professional Madden Football Gamer or a Lyft driver (driving, listening to music and making money.) Since the Madden Guru thing is tricky and  he is currently uninsurable and sold his car last weekend, he thinks he wants to be a restaurant server and is in the process of trying to find a server job.  Beyond work Peter is pretty unmotivated and spends much time on the couch and the bed.  As his land lord, mom and primary cheerleader it is often hard to know how to handle all of this.  I prod and encourage but find it a tricky balance.  My constant question most of his life has been what behaviors of his am I enabling and what is really beyond his ability due to mental/emotional issues.  I continually wish for and  pray that Peter would put himself in the place of people who would be an encouragement and influence,  And when Peter does so that people would reach out to him. I am grateful that unlike his early years, Peter is usually pleasant to be around.  The fact I drive him a good bit gives me a chance to talk with him. He can be quiet funny and insightful though also delusional about real life.  Yet at the same time driving him and help him manage finances etc can be consuming.

Mama Millie is having some cosmetic work done at her condo which is exciting. Thus far (except for her ankles she says) she has been feeling really well.  We pray for continued protection of mom's health. 

I am on my second assistant in my classroom this year.  This is another lovely person that I enjoy working with but who finds managing a dozen 3 and 4 year olds way to stressful and is looking for an out.  This has impact on my load.  I am praying for someone who can finish out the school year with us that will love the kiddo's, be willing to share the workload and have some good "tiny human management" skills.

I am a procrastinator.  Have been my whole life.  I often use food and Entertainment (TV, Fiction, shopping, Wordle, Solitaire)  to put things off.  Shoot I will use just about anything, even washing dishes, to put off what I don't want to do. I understand the concept of "Eat the Frog First."  You know do the most unwanted task first and get it done.  But understanding and doing are not the same thing.  I keep thinking I could be more productive (and more peaceful) if I could overcome procrastinations - especially in the area of what I call paperwork.  That is  managing my side business, my finances, and basically anything requiring me to sit down and focus. This morning I face this very dilemma.   It's an area I believe the enemy likes to use accuse and attack.  Honestly I think I may have even used this post to procrastinate what I need to do next.  So on that note, until next time Peace be with You!

Homiletics

 Acts 22:1-30

Content:

1. Paul addresses crowd in Aramaic with his defense. 1-2
2. Paul states he is a Jew thoroughly trained in and committed to Jewish Law. 3
3. He persecuted Jesus' followers 4-5
4. Paul tells of Jesus appearing to him on his way to Damascus. 6-9
5. And how blinded , he was taken by companions to Damascus to await assignment. 10-11
6. Ananias came to him restoring his sight, confirming his experience and commissioning him. 12-16
7. Jesus appeared to him in Jerusalem sending him to the Gentiles. 17-21
8. At this point the crowd stopped listening and started shouting and revolting. 22-23
9. Commander ordered Paul into barracks for flogging and questioning. 24
10. Paul brings up the legality of what they are doing to him as a Roman citizen. 25
11. This stops things. 26
12. Commander and Paul discus his birthright as a Roman. 27-28
13. Commander alarmed at their imprisoning Paul - a Roman citizen. 29
14. Paul released and brought before assembly of high priest and Sanhedrin.  30

Divisions:

1. Paul addresses crowd giving his testimony as a Jew transformed by a Jesus encounter and commissioned to the Gentiles. 1-21
2. Paul plays his Roman citizen "card" as he is to be flogged, bringing it to a halt. 22-30

Subject Sentence:

• Paul identifies first as transformed by Jesus, second as Roman.

Aim:

• To cause me to let me life be defined by my primary identity of "called and transformed by Jesus."

Applications:

1.  Do I look for opportunities to give testimony to Jesus calling and transformation in my life?
2. Do I see God's protection and provisions through seemingly secular situations and circumstance?

Meet the Snayke Family

If I am telling you this story in person, it can take a LONG time.  It is the reason that although I have wanted to share it with you for the past several months, have not.  Inspired by my recent acquisition of Bob Goff's Love Does, the children's version, I am going to try to share this in the "children's version."

Many years ago (okay maybe 5) at the Yellow Daisy Craft Festival, my friend Melissa bought Susy for my preschool classroom.

Susy was so great that I was inspired to try to make her some friends.  With the help of Mama Millie, what resulted was Susy's at the time boyfriend Seymore.

Susy and Seymore have resided in my classroom.  Susy is in charge of accounting and Seymore travel and adventure.  Susy is the stronger worker of the two.  Seymore "hangs out" most the time .But needless to say their romance progressed and they are now Seymore and Susy Snayke (yes that is Snake with a silent y.)

THEN there was a Pandemic!!! Okay what happened next really has nothing to do with a pandemic but it happened for quite a few who experienced quarantine.  This fall Susy and Seymore introduced the family.  They have five offspring's. There is Simone' (don't forget the accent),

 Shayde (yes with a y),

 Starr (with two r's),

 Steve,

 and Sassy (the baby)

The children reside with their parents in a stylish Thirty-One bag in Ms' Linda's preschool classroom.

They take turns helping with counting, singing and other things.  Each one has his or her own personality.  For example Shayde counts in drum beat - a one and a two and a three etc. Simone' is typically too busy to help but we understand she may be learning French.  Starr counts in the sweetest (and slowest) southern drawl you have heard.  Steve being the traveler (more about that in a minute) counts in Spanish (as long as it isn't any higher than 13) and Sassy well bless her heart, she can't count and gets her numbers mixed up.

The biggest excitement involving the Snayke Family is Steve's opportunity to travel.  So when I learned that my friend Joy's son, Jordan was headed out on tour with the News Boys as the assistant Sound and Light guy, I asked if one of the Snaykes could do an internship.  So based on size requirements, the need for sunglasses and a classroom vote, Steve was selected to travel with Jordan for 6 weeks up and down the Eastern part of the US.  What an adventure for all of us!

Thanks to Jordan being so awesome, we received weekly pictures and itinerary updates.  Evidently Steve was a favorite of the traveling Music entourage. For six weeks we tracked Steve's travel and displayed his photo's on a bulletin board.  And frequently Ethan would say "Where is Steve? I am ready for him to come back."  Steve did come back with his own little travel case and lots of great memories. 

Here are a few of mine and the kids favorite pics!  I actually squealed when I received the one of the News Boys with Steve!  And the kids hands down favorite was Steve on the toilet.  When one little girl was looking at it she giggled saying, "Steve can't reach the toilet paper!"

While Steve was on tour, Mom and I took Starr to Kansas.

Shortly after Steve returned,  I took all the children to Pigeon Forge for the weekend.  With it being such a beautiful sunny weekend, they are ALL now sporting sunglasses. 

Therefore the Snayke siblings tell me they are READY to GO!!!  If you are headed out on an adventure and would like to take a traveling companion, the Snayke kids are all about some travel. You can pick who and each will come with travel case and one way ticket home (envelope and postage) if he/she gets to be too much. I promise they don't eat much.  We just ask in return for some pictures and maybe a postcard.

No one has travel plans at the moment but Steve is excited to attend Jordan and Nicole's wedding in March.  He can't stop talking about needing to find a bow tie to wear!!!

Homiletics

 Acts 21:1-40

Content:

1. Paul and companions begin travel sailing to Cos, Rhodes, Padara, Phoenicia and on to Syria landing in Tyre. 1-3
2. A week with disciples at Tyre, Paul is urged not to go to Jerusalem but he continues on determined. 4-6
3. travel continued to Plolemais and Caesarea where they stayed at Phillips. 7-9
4. Prophet Agabus prophesized with Paul's belt that Paul will be imprisoned in Jerusalem. 10-11
5. Friends plead with Paul not to go to Jerusalem and Paul said he was committed to the Lord Jesus even if it meant imprisonment. 12-14
6. Paul and companions traveled to Jerusalem staying with Mnason. 15-16
7. Paul and companions received by Jerusalem brothers, they go to James and elders sharing testimonies. 17-19
8. Jerusalem elders explain why Jewish believers would have conflict with Paul. 20-21
9. Elders propose action for Paul - participating in a purification rite to demonstrate he is not turning away from the law of Moses. 22-24
10. They confirm their encouragement letter to gentile believers. 25
11. Paul did purification rite as encouraged to do. 26
12. Jews from Asia seeing Paul at Temple stir up crowd against him based on assumption 27-29
13. Paul is seized, crowd tries to kill him, Roman commander steps in to stop beating. 30-32
14. Commander arrest and bounds Paul as crowd shouts so loud commander cant get truth. 33-34
15. Solders carry Paul because of chaotic mob. 35-36
16. Paul ask to address crowd clarifying who he was and is granted permission to address the crowd in Aramaic. 

Divisions:

1. Paul and companions determinedly journey to Jerusalem even though many worried friends discourage him to do so. 1-16
2. In Jerusalem, Paul warmly received by elders where Paul takes action to encourage unity. 17-26
3. Asian Jews stir up crowd against Paul resulting in attack, detainment and Paul's attempt to address the crowd.

Subject Sentence:

• Determined Paul reaches Jerusalem fellowshipping with elders and facing attack.

Aim:

• TCMT be so committed to the Lord Jesus that I am willing to sacrifice safety and comfort for his name's sake.

Application:

1. Do I seek God's word and his leading when friends concerns for me lead to them to discourage my plans? Am I willing to say with Paul that I committed to Christ no matter the cost?
2. What uncomfortable or seemingly unnecessary actions is God leading me to do for the sake of unity in the body of Christ?
3. Do I seek to hide from opposition or speak truth for the sake of Jesus Christ?

Since Christmas

We have stayed mostly well. Covid is all around, we pray mom in particular stays clear of it.

Mom has embarked on a major project to declutter and upgrade her living room and kitchen. I get to help make Thrift Store drops and pick out paint colors.

Peter has started at the Community College taking both Intro to EMT and Anatomy classes. My taking him to school is helping me get to work on time!

Peter is now working Friday - Sunday at Papa Johns to be free for his Monday - Thursday classes.  Good thing Football season is wrapping up!

I entertained expanding my child life coaching side hustle into a more " Maker Space" venture that would have involved an expanded, unshared space but more expenses, responsibility and stress.  So I decided to stick with the current child life coaching path I started last year and am grateful for a handful of steady clients.

The national staff shortage has been felt in my school.  I have had a couple of days where I have wrangled as many as 12 three and four year olds by myself for most of the day.  I can proudly say we all came out alive.

It snowed on my birthday and I got to stay home in my PJ's ALL day, talk to people I love, drive NOWHERE and it was the best kind of birthday!

Today is MLK day and  snow remains so I am home in my PJ's.  I hope to get a few things done and I am working on my long range (this overwhelm me) to do list.  I am sharing here because if you are led to pray for us, these are things you could mention to God.

- We need to sell Peter's car ASAP and there are several factors that make it feel a little trickier than normal.  

- We have upcoming Dinner with Dad at the preschool and I have a good bit of crafting to complete to be ready.

- I want to be wise with time in marketing, gaining more training and planning in regards to my side hustle as a Child Life Coach.  I don't want it to lose its "ministry" in my efforts to keep it viable.

- This year my taxes include self employment - I have a good accountant but it requires some prep on my end.  I don't like paperwork.

- I like to shop and decorate so would rather help mom with her project than do my paperwork. I need balance! Pray mom stays well and energized to accomplish this project.

- I need to get my eating and sleeping back on track as my autoimmune/ inflammatory skin issues are flaring again.  I am pretty certain food and sleep are factors.  

- I want Peter to be successful in his school endeavors.  Sometimes it is hard to know the fine line of helping and enabling.  I pray for him to have a community of support and redirection if this current field of study is not the best for him.

- I want to finish Homiletics on the book of Acts.  Really I am trying,  Maybe one will appear today.

Until the next holiday or snow day .....

 

When Morning Gilds the Skies

I rarely see a sunrise that I don't think of  the first verse of this traditional hymn translated by Eric Caswell, When Morning Gilds the Skies. I think it is because there was a day the director of BSF, Rosemary Jenson had the staff all go upstairs to the outdoor prayer tower to sing this song while watching the tale end of a beautiful sunrise. 

When Morning Gilds the sky, 

My heart awakening cries,

May Jesus Christ be praised:

Alike at work and prayer

to Jesus I repair;

May Jesus Christ be Praised!!

Here are a few sunrise pictures captured on our Christmas Beach Trip.  The special effects are due to the fact I ran over my Phone Camera lens Christmas night.  Ooops.  It made for cool pictures and thanks to a generous Christmas money gift and irepair of Gainesville, I was able to get it repaired already. Let me know if you have a favorite!

I am thinking this would make a good Christmas Card!