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Bible: In the end, God wins!! We had some really good questions at Church at Six. Truthfully Brody lost the questions when had to reset his cell phone on Monday. So here are the reconstructed questions as we remember them. Please interact as you wish.

1. Was God punishing Herod by freeing Peter, or was it just not Peter’s time?

We are unable to fully know the mind of God. But I’m quite sure that both can be true at the same time. Clearly, if God did not provide the miraculous escape as He did Peter’s life would have been over. I think you asking whether God really was trying to punish Herod as I clearly taught. I would think that God is giving Herod an opportunity to repent of his pride, which eventually was his undoing. This inexplicable escape was a wake up call to Herod that he is dealing with powers beyond his comprehension. But Herod was not paying attention.

It reminds me of Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16 — “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” Even miracles do not open blind eyes or soften hard hearts.

2. Why should we pray if God is going to do whatever he wants anyway?

Prayer is primarily about a relationship with God, more than about getting things from Him. God longs for a relationship with us, His people. It is a commonly held, but mistaken, view that we pray in order to get what we want. Unfortunately our practice betrays us. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Just as we develop a relationship with a friend through talk, we deepen our relationship with God by listening to Him in His Word and by talking to Him in prayer. It’s about relationship. God is not our “genie in a bottle” who obeys our bidding. He is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth who offers relationship with us through prayer.

3. Is God sinning by allowing sins to happen?

This is a profound question, and one asked by theologians and philosophers through the ages. You are not the first, nor the last, to ask this question. First we know that God does not sin, nor can He sin.

He did not introduce sin into the world. That was an act of Satan, a created being. But then God must be in some way responsible for sin you will say. It is not an easy question to tackle.

The theological word is “theodicy”. How can we defend the attributes of God, especially His holiness and justice, against the objections resulting from physical and moral evil in the world. Collin Hansen wrote a helpful article in Christianity Today in the wake of the Haitian earthquake in January. You can find it at www.christianitytoday.com in the January edition, entitled “Theodicy in Light of Eternity”.

4. Was it really punishing Herod by Killing him if he was such an old man (and he was going to die anyway)

Josephus, the Jewish historian, informs us that Herod was a man in his 50s. Excuse me, but I don’t think that 50 something is that old!! Herod was in the prime of his fame and popularity. He loved the adulation that was bestowed upon him. For that to be removed suddenly was punishment and a warning to all who were present and paying attention.

Women Of the Word

Click here for the Fall 2010 course descriptions.

Fall Session: September – November 2010

What Is WOW?

Women Of the Word are weekly Bible studies for women interested in studying scripture in community.

Early Morning Edition meets weekly on Wednesday early mornings (7 am to 8 am) @ the church in classroom B.

Morning Edition meets weekly on Wednesday mornings (9:15 am to 11:00 am) @ the church. Childcare is provided with KOOL KIDS for preschoolers (ages 3-5)
and nursery care for toddlers and babies. Four study options are available for a smaller group study format.

Evening Edition meets weekly on Wednesday evenings (7:15 pm – 9:00 pm) @ the church
Childcare is not provided for this study.

Where Do I Sign Up?
Registration for any WOW class is $20.00
You can register for class at any of the following times:

Sunday Mornings Beginning August 29th.
After Worship Services @ Small Groups Centre
At any of the WOW Studies
If you have any questions please contact Connie Lawson at:
329-3125 (church office)- OR – connie.lawson@telusplanet.net

Studies Offered

Early Morning Edition Class: Living Beyond Yourself (Beth Moore , DVD and workbook study)
You can know the freedom of a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit. In Living Beyond Yourself author and teacher, Beth Moore leads an in-depth study of the fruit of the Spirit – living proof that the Spirit of God dwells in us. Through this study you will come to appreciate the supernatural aspects of the fruit and that you cannot grow, learn, or produce the fruit on your own. Beth challenges you to develop the fruit by maintaining an intimate relationship with the Spirit of God. As you walk with God, He develops in you the fruit of the Spirit. A Spirit-filled life truly results in living beyond yourself.

Morning Edition : Four Class Options (maximum 15 per class)

(1) He Speaks To Me (a Priscilla Shirer DVD & workbook study)
“When we approach God humbly and bow down before Him, we put ourselves in a position to hear Him.” . . . Are you longing to hear God’s voice but feeling disconnected? God wants to speak directly to each of His beloved children – not just a few “spiritual elite” Shirer looks at God’s call to Samuel and uncovers characteristics essential for hearing from God.

(2) The Forgotten God (book & study guide by Frances Chan)
In this study author Francis Chan reminds us of the true source of the church’s power – the Holy Spirit. Chan contends that we’ve ignored the Spirit for far too long, and that without Him we operate in our own strength, only accomplishing human-sized results. Offering a compelling invitation to understand, embrace and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives the workbook is designed to initiate and facilitate discussion, interaction and practical application of the message of Forgotten
Gods.

(3) God’s Revelation: The story from 38,000 feet (by Dawne Davidson)
The Bible is a wonderful reality that came to us through the process of history. It did not fall from heaven on a lotus leaf or come to someone in a dream. Rather, God chose to reveal himself through history, through involvement with a people, until he pitched his tent among us and invited us in. This is His-story – God’s revelation of himself. In our 10 weeks together, we will take a step back and look at the Bible as a whole, from a bird’s eye view, seeing the story unfold as it came to us, through the framework of the covenants, of people and events. It’s an exciting story – and you are in it.

(4) The Prodigal God (book & study guide by Tim Keller)
In this study author Tim Keller uncovers the essential message of Jesus, locked inside the famous prodigal son parable of Luke 15. W ithin that parable Jesus reveals God’s prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and moralistic. Keller lays out
the essentials of the Christian message, the gospel, and how this parable helps us to understand the Bible as a whole. This study will point us to the gospel and challenge us to see Christianity in a new way.

Evening Edition Class: The Prodigal God (book & study guide by Tim Keller)

Some of the following material excerpted from:
Living Beyond Postpartum Depression by Jerusha Clark – author interviewed on Focus on the Family radio broadcast, August 17 and 18, 2010 www.MentalHealthMinistries.net

What is Postpartum Depression? (PPD)
While most women believe childbearing is one of life’s most significant events, the birth of a baby is also a major life transition that can be accompanied by a wide range of emotions.

The “baby blues” are very common after childbirth and affect about 70 – 85% of all new mothers. These are caused, in part, by the rapid changes in hormones within a woman’s body after giving birth. Fatigue that comes with the healing process and the demands of caring for a new baby also contribute to “baby blues”.

PPD is a much more serious condition with symptoms that can negatively affect the mother once her baby is born, changing her behaviour, personality, and outlook. They also affect relationships with the father, family and friends.

Approximately 15% of women experience full blown postpartum depression, with feelings and symptoms that occur within days after delivery or more gradually, sometimes up to a year or more later.

Symptoms of Postpartum Depression:
Sluggishness, fatigue, exhaustion
Sadness, depression, hopelessness, worthlessness
Appetite and sleep disturbances
Poor concentration, confusion
Memory loss
Over concern for baby or lack of interest in baby
Uncontrollable crying, irritability
Feelings of guilt, inadequacy, worthlessness
Fear of harming the baby or yourself
Exaggerated highs and/or lows
Pattern and routine of nursing baby may change
Feel like dying inside – helpless
Sense of imbalance of mind, body and spirit
Ashamed of feelings
Don’t want others to know how you feel
Thoughts of, “Where is God?” or “If I only had more faith!”

Postpartum Depression is a very real battle! But there is HOPE even if times are hard and hopeless.

The September issue of Freemail will feature:
When to get help and support
Church support – what should it be?
How to “get better”

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Does this mean that it’s wrong to be a celebrity or to be famous?

No.  The way I stated it in my sermon was, “in a world that celebrates celebrity, God values faithfulness.”  It is more about what we value.  Applause and spotlights can become like a drug and people will do anything in order to become and stay a celebrity.  This should not characterize us as followers of Christ.  Faithfulness should.  If, in the course of you being faithful, Christ sees it fit to use you in a more prominent way, that is his prerogative.  What is necessary is that you stay faithful.  I think there are two good tests to help you determine if you are striving after faithfulness or pursuing the spotlight: 1) What are you willing to compromise to get the spotlight? 2) How do/would you respond when your position is threatened?  Barnabas didn’t just wait for someone with better gifts to come along, he went and found Saul.  Barnabas didn’t fight to stay in the spotlight, he pushed Saul to the front.  That’s a mark of faithfulness.

Does Barnabas’ example tell us to not give up on people too quickly but rather encourage us to keep investing in them?  We have a tendency to write people off so quickly.

I agree.  Rather than saying “in a world that celebrates celebrity, God values faithfulness” I could have just as easily, and perhaps more accurately, said, “In a world that celebrates success, God values faithfulness.”  Barnabas was the kind of guy who had his eyes open to the potential of God’s grace in people and situations and then invested in that.  We know of two of Barnabas’ successes: Paul and John Mark.  I would be interested to know how many others Barnabas consistently and faithfully invested in who never responded.  In the eyes of the world, that would be a waste of time and a mark of failure.  But God doesn’t call us to success, he calls us to faithfulness.

What that looks like in a particular situation is impossible for me to say.  This is where we need to rely on the Word, the Spirit and the community of disciples for guidance.  Sometimes being faithful might mean actively pursuing and confronting.  Other times it may mean praying and remaining present at the edges of their life without pushing.  The truth is that we may never see results.  We need to remember that God is calling us to be faithful and that lost causes can become leaders and failures can become faithful when they encounter Christ.  Nothing is impossible for him!

First, we have had a number of students this past week volunteer to spend time loving children, sharing their lives and their faith at our Park Parties. I have seen children being comforted by the students. I have also seen them laugh, run, and play with the kids. We have also created time for these students to share their faith and life stories and it has been so encouraging to see them connect and share of themselves. In a world that encourages us to think only of ourselves, these volunteers have shared and served and have truly put others ahead of themselves.

Second, we had one day this past week dedicated to focusing on the word “noble”, which in Greek, is defined as “bringing honour and worthy of respect”. We used the story of the paralytic from Mark 2. This paralytic was shown honour by his friends when they did all they could to get him in front of Jesus so that He could heal him. As a parent I reflect on this demonstration of honour and respect and hope that my children will also develop a deep respect for others in need and for Jesus and His great power. These men showed their love and care for someone who needed their help and they also modeled their honour for Jesus by digging through a roof. These men went an extra mile to model faith, respect, honour, and empathy!!

Here is an article and an idea to assist you in helping your children understand honour and empathy and to move beyond thinking only of themselves.

Overcoming Selfishness with Honour (from the website www.effectiveparenting.org)
Some parents are frustrated because their children are so self-focused that they can’t seem to grasp the concept of honouring others. How can you help children think about other people instead of always thinking about themselves?
One helpful way is to teach kids to recognize emotions in others and then know how to respond accordingly. One dad wanted to work on honour with his seven-year-old daughter, Diane, who was self-centered, always talking and thinking about herself. He used a journal and, in the evening, asked Diane to identify examples of a friend or family member who was sad, mad, or glad that day. Then he asked the question, “How might you respond to that person in a helpful way?” They continued this exercise every evening for two weeks. After awhile it helped Diane get outside of herself, look at the needs and feelings of others, and then talk about ways to respond with honour. When her brother is mad, it might be best to leave him alone or to just ask a helpful question. With her friend who is sad, she could offer to help and then listen empathetically. When Mom is glad, Diane could enter into that gladness by listening to the story and enjoying the situation too. The Bible says in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves.” That’s good advice for all of us. Seeing and responding to emotions in others is a great way to start.

I encourage you to share your stories of instances when you have connected to your child. Take the time to share the rewards of parenting and the ways in which you teach your children to honour, respect, and think of others. You can send those stories to me via email at mark.dyck@telus.net so that I can pass them along and encourage other parents through the successes you are experiencing.

As we continue to offer tips and support on all dimensions of health, this month’s focus is Emotional Health
Why are emotions important to good health?
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13
- Emotions are one of the three fundamental God-given building blocks of our personalities. The other two are intelligence and will.
- To function at the level of wholeness God intends for us, we must be healthy in all three areas. If our emotions are damaged, we will not function at the level our intelligence or will permits.
- Therefore, if we have a defective foundation, we can never build a stable life on top of it.
- Gifting, talent, ability, wealth, status, beauty, fame, or even godly anointing cannot cover up or cure damaged emotions.
- Much literature on emotional health reveals that the most painful moment in most people’s lives is from emotional, not physical pain. People of all ages may experience emotional pain.

Mental illness causes much emotional pain.
One such illness is Clinical Depression.
- All of us will feel blue at times in our lives—it is a normal response to difficult circumstances.
- A diagnosis of depression, however, means a person must have symptoms of depression for two weeks or more. Most symptoms are subtle at first but tend to become progressively worse.
- If you are suffering from several of the following symptoms, you could be depressed:
o Feelings of increased sadness or irritability
o Inability to enjoy activities that used to be pleasurable
o Emotional distance from others
o Problems concentrating
o Changes in eating habits and appetite
o Weight gain or loss
o Changes in sleeping habits
o Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
o Excessive low self-esteem
o Decreased energy
o Recurrent thoughts of death
o Increased physical complaints, such as stomach aches, muscular tension or headaches

Matthew 11:28 – 30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your would. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Some of the preceding material excerpted from:
Mullen, Grant (2003). Emotionally Free. Chosen Books: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Close to Home (2008). Dealing with Depression. Kindred Productions: Winnipeg.

Our church library has just received two new books that all of us need to read and chew over. I have read them both and highly recommend them. I have not only read them but have passed them on to others to read. Don’t wait until serious illness strikes you. Prepare yourself now and equip yourself with help to offer those who suffer. Both books are written by committed followers of Jesus Christ who are in the grips of serious illness.

Letters From the Land of Cancer is authored by award winning writer Walter Wangerin who is living his life with terminal lung cancer. This is more an experiential book but one deeply steeped in scripture. Wangerin
is a story teller that had me at time laughing and at time crying. His explanation as to why he isn’t asking God to heal him now is worth the price of the book.

Being Well When We’re Ill is written by theologian Marva Dawn who has lived many years of her life with serious chronic illness. This book is more biblically instructional in nature but steeped in experience. What do you do
when illness is long-term? How do you deal with worry, boredom, regrets, depression, bitterness and sometimes seeming absence of God to name just a few of the topics tackled.

Be the first to check out one of these books from the library or even take the step of buying them. They’re worth it!

Reviewed by Dr. Dave Acree

Anyone who has ever had water in their basement can appreciate the mess and devastation that even a few inches of water can leave behind. Lethbridge certainly saw its fair share of flooded basements thanks to the torrents of rain that fell in June but it wasn’t the only place where the storm left its mark. Standoff residents were also hit hard.
As of the end of June, there were over 140 households that had asked the Blood Tribe housing office for assistance in cleaning up after the flood.

On Wednesday, June 30, in response to a call to love our neighbour as we love ourselves, twenty-four people from EFree Lethbridge joined representatives of the Blood Tribe, InterAct Ministries and Samaritan’s Purse to lend a hand. Suited up in rubber gloves, rubber boots, and masks the majority of the crew spent all day loading trailers full of damaged drywall and insulation, sports equipment, books, clothes, beds, appliances, toys, etc. As well as the practical help, the team from E Free was able to demonstrate our love for our neighbour and, through that, God’s love for our neighbour. Only God knows what impact this may have and what doors may open for ministry in the future.

Susan Nieboer also joined the team that day and adds these thoughts from her experience. I was in church on the Sunday where, in his message, Pastor Ian was challenging the church to break through the barriers that we can have. He talked about how, in the book of Acts, they broke through a cultural barrier, thus prompting an example for us here in Lethbridge – as in the aboriginals. Then Pastor Steve came to the podium with a need concerning residents of Standoff who were dealing with the flood. That was the Holy Spirit at work and I believe in “seizing the moment”. My 14 year old son and his cousin accompanied me with the group from the church. We were faced with wide-spread devastation on the reserve – about 140 homes. We were split up into teams and went to our various locations. The water levels had gone up three feet in the basements and everything was destroyed. We worked in the basements with proper safety gear and threw out bags of wet stuff through the windows, scraped the floors, cut out the drywall and then sprayed. It was a lot of manual work but it was great working as a team. I met a lot of new people of the church.

At one home a grandmother was going through the piles picking out some belongings of her grandchildren. She was crying and telling us how grateful she was. She could never have done this without us. She asked if she could pray for us. With tears in her eyes, she prayed for us in her language. I could not understand her, but I know she was thanking God for His goodness. That made this whole experience so worth it.

There is still opportunity to help our neighbours in Standoff. Another 40 homes are in need of assistance. If you are interested in going out on Tuesday, July 20 or Wednesday, July 21, please contact Jeremy Light at 329-3125.