On September 26, 2010 the Koinonia Sunday School Class will begin a new Bible Study on the Book of Isaiah. This is an interesting Book and one that is not often studied. It is however relevant to today's environment and thus worthy of our attention. I am encouraging all who are interested to join the class which begins at (9:30 AM) and runs until 10:15 AM.
Here is an outline of our first class:
Lesson No. 1 - "A Prophet Named Isaiah"
A. What is a Biblical Prophet?
B. Who was Isaiah?
C. When did Isaiah live and what was happening in Israel/Judah at that time?
D. Who was Isaiah's intended audience?
E. What are the two overall main themes of Isaiah?
F. Why should we study Isaiah?
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
June 24, 2010 - 3:00PM
Hello! Yesterday I was not at a location with Internet access so I was unable to up-date my progress. !! I'll therefore up-date my status for the last two days.
June 23 - Wednesday
The day was hot and humid but I caught a break. The Missouri River was flooding a section of the Katy Trail and we had to by-pass about 10 miles of the Trail. I therefore rode 28 miles and then had about a 1 hour transition while we drove around the flooded area. Thus we had a break and the total ride was only about 40 miles rather than 53. This combination allowed me to complete the ride in good fashion and I actually felt good at the end of the ride. We ended at Rocheport and ate dinner at the LaBoucha Winery. The food here is excellent and so is the wine! I slept well in the Bed and Breakfast we had rented and all in all the day was a success.
June 24 - Thursday
Today's route from Rocheport to Sedalia was always forecasted to be the toughest day and it lived up to its expectations. Once again we had a section of the initial trail that was flooded and so we had to bypass the first 3 miles but the total ride was still 50 miles. This section also crosses the Missouri River at Boonevile and from Booneville to Pilot Grove Mo. (about 12 miles) the grade ranges from 1 to 6% at a rise with very few breaks and so it is a steady one hour of pedaling. You pedal for about 8 miles to get to Booneville and then you have this one hour of steady climb so by the time you get the Pilot Grove you are tired and you have another 25 miles to reach Sedalia. From Pilot Grove to Glifton City you have 12 miles of generally downhill pedaling which is a relief but then from Clifton City to Sedalia you have about 14 miles of mostly up-hill grade but not as bad as from Booneville to Pilot Grove. Nonetheless; as I as pedaling from Clifton City to Sadelia I was increasingly tired and by the time I reached Sadelia I was spent. I was truly happy to have made it to Sadelia and I did so in about 5.5 hours. Which of the 300+ plus riders I probably finished in the first 15. It is not a race but by the same token I was gratified to finish and to finish with several of the better riders.
Tonight we will have our final dinner with the 300+ ride members, have our last team meeting and then go to the park and listen to some good local music. Tomorrow we get up and start riding again at about 5:40 AM. This final leg of the trip is about 38 miles and I anticipate it will take about 4 hours to complete; thus I will be pulling in to Clinton about 9:30 to 10:00 AM. I'll shower, celebrate, and then head home (about a 4.5 hour drive). So far it has been a challenging ride but also successful so I am hoping tomorrow goes well.
Thanks for reading this blog and I will have a wrap up article some time the first of next week. Until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
June 23 - Wednesday
The day was hot and humid but I caught a break. The Missouri River was flooding a section of the Katy Trail and we had to by-pass about 10 miles of the Trail. I therefore rode 28 miles and then had about a 1 hour transition while we drove around the flooded area. Thus we had a break and the total ride was only about 40 miles rather than 53. This combination allowed me to complete the ride in good fashion and I actually felt good at the end of the ride. We ended at Rocheport and ate dinner at the LaBoucha Winery. The food here is excellent and so is the wine! I slept well in the Bed and Breakfast we had rented and all in all the day was a success.
June 24 - Thursday
Today's route from Rocheport to Sedalia was always forecasted to be the toughest day and it lived up to its expectations. Once again we had a section of the initial trail that was flooded and so we had to bypass the first 3 miles but the total ride was still 50 miles. This section also crosses the Missouri River at Boonevile and from Booneville to Pilot Grove Mo. (about 12 miles) the grade ranges from 1 to 6% at a rise with very few breaks and so it is a steady one hour of pedaling. You pedal for about 8 miles to get to Booneville and then you have this one hour of steady climb so by the time you get the Pilot Grove you are tired and you have another 25 miles to reach Sedalia. From Pilot Grove to Glifton City you have 12 miles of generally downhill pedaling which is a relief but then from Clifton City to Sedalia you have about 14 miles of mostly up-hill grade but not as bad as from Booneville to Pilot Grove. Nonetheless; as I as pedaling from Clifton City to Sadelia I was increasingly tired and by the time I reached Sadelia I was spent. I was truly happy to have made it to Sadelia and I did so in about 5.5 hours. Which of the 300+ plus riders I probably finished in the first 15. It is not a race but by the same token I was gratified to finish and to finish with several of the better riders.
Tonight we will have our final dinner with the 300+ ride members, have our last team meeting and then go to the park and listen to some good local music. Tomorrow we get up and start riding again at about 5:40 AM. This final leg of the trip is about 38 miles and I anticipate it will take about 4 hours to complete; thus I will be pulling in to Clinton about 9:30 to 10:00 AM. I'll shower, celebrate, and then head home (about a 4.5 hour drive). So far it has been a challenging ride but also successful so I am hoping tomorrow goes well.
Thanks for reading this blog and I will have a wrap up article some time the first of next week. Until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
June 22, 2010 - 5:00PM
Dear reader - I am sitting in the middle of my motel room recovering from today's bike ride. We rode 48 miles and it got hot! We had breakfast at 5:30 pm and started riding at 6:00 am.
The first 28 miles didn't go to badly but then the heat began to build in and the speed began to drop. With about 10 miles to go the temperature had risen to 90F and the humidity was "whatever"! The sun was bright and the shade along the route became less and less. With 4 miles to go the temperature was around 93F an every one's pace as down to about 10 mph. The remaining distance was almost all out in the open and sunlight. Everyone slowed to a crawl and just continued to pedal with their heads down and as we crossed the completion point for today no one cheered. We were just spent! It was 11:30 am! I sat on the last Trailhead bench in the shade with my head down drinking my last bottle of water. Must of drank 5 gallons of water today. My legs were spent.
I did have a good lunch at about 3:00 pm and have been napping in air conditioning. I don't know how I am going to feel in the morning but I don't expect the day to be much different than today. Today was a day you ask yourself "Why am I doing this?" with no intelligent answer coming back.
For your information there are 303 full route riders on this ride - at least at the beginning. The oldest rider is 82 and the youngest is 6. The average age is 43. I'm 62.
Well, that is my report for today. We will see what happens tomorrow and I intend to up-date this blog tomorrow afternoon, if the "Good Lord is willing and the creek doesn't get any higher".
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
The first 28 miles didn't go to badly but then the heat began to build in and the speed began to drop. With about 10 miles to go the temperature had risen to 90F and the humidity was "whatever"! The sun was bright and the shade along the route became less and less. With 4 miles to go the temperature was around 93F an every one's pace as down to about 10 mph. The remaining distance was almost all out in the open and sunlight. Everyone slowed to a crawl and just continued to pedal with their heads down and as we crossed the completion point for today no one cheered. We were just spent! It was 11:30 am! I sat on the last Trailhead bench in the shade with my head down drinking my last bottle of water. Must of drank 5 gallons of water today. My legs were spent.
I did have a good lunch at about 3:00 pm and have been napping in air conditioning. I don't know how I am going to feel in the morning but I don't expect the day to be much different than today. Today was a day you ask yourself "Why am I doing this?" with no intelligent answer coming back.
For your information there are 303 full route riders on this ride - at least at the beginning. The oldest rider is 82 and the youngest is 6. The average age is 43. I'm 62.
Well, that is my report for today. We will see what happens tomorrow and I intend to up-date this blog tomorrow afternoon, if the "Good Lord is willing and the creek doesn't get any higher".
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Monday, June 21, 2010
June 21, 2010 - 12:30 pm
Monday, June 21,It is lunch time and I am having lunch in Mannwell's coffee shop here in Washington, Mo. The ride this morning from St Charles to Marthasville went well. I started my ride at 6:00 AM and finished in Marthasville at 10:00 AM So four hours to complete 40 miles The weather was good. We started out with overcast skies and a temperature of about 78 F and we finished at about 88F. Not much wind and what there was helped. The Missouri river is high and flooded part of Highway 94 but not the Katy Trail. Staying in a Bed and Breakfast here in Marthasville named Critter Cottage. It is quiet and with central air conditioning so I should get a good night's rest. Tomorrow's ride goes from Marthasville to Mokane which is about 47 miles or 8 miles longer than today's ride. Not sure of the weather forecast but it should be about the same as today
I am meeting a lot of neat people and enjoying the conversations. We have a team meeting tonight after dinner and then its off to bed Up about 4:30AM tomorrow morning and start riding between 5:30 and 6:00 AM
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
T
I am meeting a lot of neat people and enjoying the conversations. We have a team meeting tonight after dinner and then its off to bed Up about 4:30AM tomorrow morning and start riding between 5:30 and 6:00 AM
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
T
June 21, 2010 - 4:40 AM
Well its early Monday morning and I'm about ready to head to St. Charles to begin the ride. I always feel a little nervous at this time before a long ride but I feel good physically. Its already warm outside and I hope to begin riding about 5:30 AM which should get me to Marthasville, today's destination, by around 10:30 AM and before the big heat of the day.
I am hoping to find a "hot spot" for my computer to up-date this long with ride information, but we will just have to see how that works out.
Well - time to go. Wish me luck!
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
I am hoping to find a "hot spot" for my computer to up-date this long with ride information, but we will just have to see how that works out.
Well - time to go. Wish me luck!
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Sunday, June 20, 2010
June 20, 2010
Good Afternoon this Father's Day!
Social Stuff:
This past Saturday (June 19, 2010) Jane and I went to see 'The Ambassadors of Harmony" at the Tuehill Theatre and it was a very good experience. The Ambassadors is a men's singing group of about 150 people who sing various songs in harmony. The music type is a wide range from gospel to modern popular songs. They sound great and have won international awards. They have another concert in December and we intend to go.
After "The Ambassadors of Harmony" we went to Jane's family church in Catawissa for an ice cream social. The timing worked out just fine because many of Jane's cousins arrived at the same time and we had a great reunion. The home made strawberry ice was deeeeelicious!
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Today's call was attended by Bill Nichols, Genny Maas, Cindie Jones, Charlotte Michelle, Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Susanne Lyons. Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. Drew Geison (Bill's Nephew) who continues to deal with brain cancer.
2. My mom's (Opal Pursley) health.
3. Cyndie Jone's mom's chemotherapy procedures.
4, Ted and Dee Michael's grandson who is under going heart surgery.
5. Cindy Godall who is having various medical tests run.
6. Allison Jones' continue trip in the Mediterranean
7. Terry's Katy Trail ride.
Class Material:
Today we discussed Roman's Chapter 4 vs 18 - 25. In these verses Paul writes about the faith of Abraham and how it was through this faith that God found Abraham to be righteous. Paul writes "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise". This "faith" of Abraham led to a lively discussion in our class about how it is difficult if not impossible for us to have this same "unwavering" faith of Abraham. All of us agreed we each have wavered in our Faith and we questioned how our waive ring faith can relate to Paul's characterization of Abraham's "unwavering" faith. This topic led to many various good views being expressed with no particular view being determined to be the ultimate resolution. However, at the end of the Class the following point was made that should be carried from the class -
The CONTEXT of Paul's Chapter 4 writing is to highlight that Abraham was saved by Faith and not by Works (following the law). Paul's audience would have been people that were the first generation of folks attempting to understand being reconciled to God by Faith, and not by the Law. This would have been a tough philosophical transition and thus Paul uses Abraham and the example of how Abraham was found by God to be righteous thru faith before Abraham followed the Law by being circumcised. Paul's primary point is not the nature of Abraham's faith but that God found Abraham righteous thru faith and not works. This is also the message for us today in the 21st Century reading this Roman's Chapter 4 passage. WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS! We should not be overly concerned by the nature or consistency of our faith but rather we should be encouraged that it is by our faith (in what ever form we as individuals experience it) that saves us and not what we do. "What we do" (Works) has a very important part of our Christian experience but not our salvation. Eternal Life with God is acquired by Faith and Faith alone.
Next week we will take off from our normal bible study and assist Genny in the kitchen as she prepares for the church-wide pot luck meal. The following week we will return to Romans and pick up at Chapter 5. In the meantime -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Social Stuff:
This past Saturday (June 19, 2010) Jane and I went to see 'The Ambassadors of Harmony" at the Tuehill Theatre and it was a very good experience. The Ambassadors is a men's singing group of about 150 people who sing various songs in harmony. The music type is a wide range from gospel to modern popular songs. They sound great and have won international awards. They have another concert in December and we intend to go.
After "The Ambassadors of Harmony" we went to Jane's family church in Catawissa for an ice cream social. The timing worked out just fine because many of Jane's cousins arrived at the same time and we had a great reunion. The home made strawberry ice was deeeeelicious!
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Today's call was attended by Bill Nichols, Genny Maas, Cindie Jones, Charlotte Michelle, Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Susanne Lyons. Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. Drew Geison (Bill's Nephew) who continues to deal with brain cancer.
2. My mom's (Opal Pursley) health.
3. Cyndie Jone's mom's chemotherapy procedures.
4, Ted and Dee Michael's grandson who is under going heart surgery.
5. Cindy Godall who is having various medical tests run.
6. Allison Jones' continue trip in the Mediterranean
7. Terry's Katy Trail ride.
Class Material:
Today we discussed Roman's Chapter 4 vs 18 - 25. In these verses Paul writes about the faith of Abraham and how it was through this faith that God found Abraham to be righteous. Paul writes "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise". This "faith" of Abraham led to a lively discussion in our class about how it is difficult if not impossible for us to have this same "unwavering" faith of Abraham. All of us agreed we each have wavered in our Faith and we questioned how our waive ring faith can relate to Paul's characterization of Abraham's "unwavering" faith. This topic led to many various good views being expressed with no particular view being determined to be the ultimate resolution. However, at the end of the Class the following point was made that should be carried from the class -
The CONTEXT of Paul's Chapter 4 writing is to highlight that Abraham was saved by Faith and not by Works (following the law). Paul's audience would have been people that were the first generation of folks attempting to understand being reconciled to God by Faith, and not by the Law. This would have been a tough philosophical transition and thus Paul uses Abraham and the example of how Abraham was found by God to be righteous thru faith before Abraham followed the Law by being circumcised. Paul's primary point is not the nature of Abraham's faith but that God found Abraham righteous thru faith and not works. This is also the message for us today in the 21st Century reading this Roman's Chapter 4 passage. WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS! We should not be overly concerned by the nature or consistency of our faith but rather we should be encouraged that it is by our faith (in what ever form we as individuals experience it) that saves us and not what we do. "What we do" (Works) has a very important part of our Christian experience but not our salvation. Eternal Life with God is acquired by Faith and Faith alone.
Next week we will take off from our normal bible study and assist Genny in the kitchen as she prepares for the church-wide pot luck meal. The following week we will return to Romans and pick up at Chapter 5. In the meantime -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Sunday, June 13, 2010
June 13, 2010
Good Evening Everyone!
Social Stuff:
I just returned from a Pursley family reunion in Sullivan, Missouri and we had a very good time. Got to revisit some good relatives that I haven't seen for awhile as well as those we see quite often. Its a little scary when you are around many people that have a similar genetic background and you see all the traits we hold in common. The same type of laugh and the similar line of teasing. It just feels good to share life with a few people who are similar to you. At least I think so.
This past Saturday, Jane and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure here in St. Louis. Jane walked the shorter route with our niece Holly who is a cancer survivor and I walked the 5K route in celebration for Holly being cancer free for 5 years. Beyond Holly, I was impressed by how many people (nearly 71,000) who walk not because they have cancer but because they know someone who is afflicted with the disease. This out pouring of love, in my opinion, is a projection of God's love in each of us and I felt blessed to participate in this event. I encourage everyone to get out there and help some one just out of love for them.
Last Friday, I rode my bike 54 miles in preparation for my 5 day/225 mile Katy Trail bike ride. I was pretty tired when I finished but completion of the 54 miles gives me the belief I can make the full 225 miles. Of course sun, temperatures, wind and humidity will all play a part but I am looking forward to the challenge.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees in today's class included: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Dennis Kelly, Cindy Jones, Ginny Maas, Charlotte Michelle, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Terry's Mom who is struggling in Delmar Gardens, as well as Terry who is struggling to do what is right for his mom.
2. The Jac Griswald family (friends of Alan and Teresa) on the death of Jac. Alan reported Jac was a neat person and will be missed by his friends and family.
3. Cindy's mom who is also struggling with health issues.
4. Alison Jones as she travels abroad.
5. Denise Kelly whose medical tests came back this will indicating there was no cancer in her system; however there are more tests to be run and Denise still needs our prayers and support.
6. Jenny Robinson who is an active member of Salem Church and who is recovering from a collapsed lung.
Today's class centered on Roman's Chapter 4 with special emphasis on verse 3. I (Terry) indicated I have been struck by the language of verse 3 which reads as follows - "For the Scriptures tell us, 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith". I emphasized that the term "faith" is tied back to the phrase "Abraham believed God". Abraham's "faith" was comprised of "believing God". In other words, Abraham's faith was that he believed God.
In John 5:24 Jesus says "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life". I have added the italics in blue type to illustrate that Jesus also emphasised "belief in God" in achieving eternal life.
In Luke Chapter 3 verses 21 thru 22 (as well as similar verses in Mathew and Mark) we read the following "One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "you are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great Joy". In these verses God is saying Jesus is God's dearly loved Son; therefore if we "believe God" as Abraham did, we therefore know Jesus is God's son and we learn from Jesus that eternal life belongs to those who believe in Jesus.
The point here is that often I hear people critical of Christians accuse Christians of being arrogant and believing their Christian way is the only way to God or eternal life. Because of these Roman verses I understand Christians do not claim Jesus is the Son of God. We simply pass along the message that God gives when God says Jesus is His dearly loved Son. It is not news we are claiming, rather it is news we are reporting, because we believe God. Doubters, do not need to argue with Christians, or visa versa, about whether Jesus is God's Son. Rather they need to take up the issue with God! Christians need not get caught up in the argument because God does not ask us to argue His case. God simply asks us to report the Good News.
"Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith" I suggest, we need to follow Abraham's example and believe God (who said Jesus was His Son) and move forward in confidence without arguing about Jesus' credentials.
Next week we will pick up at Romain's Chapter 4 verse 16 and learn more about what we can learn from Abraham's faith. Until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Social Stuff:
I just returned from a Pursley family reunion in Sullivan, Missouri and we had a very good time. Got to revisit some good relatives that I haven't seen for awhile as well as those we see quite often. Its a little scary when you are around many people that have a similar genetic background and you see all the traits we hold in common. The same type of laugh and the similar line of teasing. It just feels good to share life with a few people who are similar to you. At least I think so.
This past Saturday, Jane and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure here in St. Louis. Jane walked the shorter route with our niece Holly who is a cancer survivor and I walked the 5K route in celebration for Holly being cancer free for 5 years. Beyond Holly, I was impressed by how many people (nearly 71,000) who walk not because they have cancer but because they know someone who is afflicted with the disease. This out pouring of love, in my opinion, is a projection of God's love in each of us and I felt blessed to participate in this event. I encourage everyone to get out there and help some one just out of love for them.
Last Friday, I rode my bike 54 miles in preparation for my 5 day/225 mile Katy Trail bike ride. I was pretty tired when I finished but completion of the 54 miles gives me the belief I can make the full 225 miles. Of course sun, temperatures, wind and humidity will all play a part but I am looking forward to the challenge.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees in today's class included: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Dennis Kelly, Cindy Jones, Ginny Maas, Charlotte Michelle, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Terry's Mom who is struggling in Delmar Gardens, as well as Terry who is struggling to do what is right for his mom.
2. The Jac Griswald family (friends of Alan and Teresa) on the death of Jac. Alan reported Jac was a neat person and will be missed by his friends and family.
3. Cindy's mom who is also struggling with health issues.
4. Alison Jones as she travels abroad.
5. Denise Kelly whose medical tests came back this will indicating there was no cancer in her system; however there are more tests to be run and Denise still needs our prayers and support.
6. Jenny Robinson who is an active member of Salem Church and who is recovering from a collapsed lung.
Today's class centered on Roman's Chapter 4 with special emphasis on verse 3. I (Terry) indicated I have been struck by the language of verse 3 which reads as follows - "For the Scriptures tell us, 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith". I emphasized that the term "faith" is tied back to the phrase "Abraham believed God". Abraham's "faith" was comprised of "believing God". In other words, Abraham's faith was that he believed God.
In John 5:24 Jesus says "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life". I have added the italics in blue type to illustrate that Jesus also emphasised "belief in God" in achieving eternal life.
In Luke Chapter 3 verses 21 thru 22 (as well as similar verses in Mathew and Mark) we read the following "One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "you are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great Joy". In these verses God is saying Jesus is God's dearly loved Son; therefore if we "believe God" as Abraham did, we therefore know Jesus is God's son and we learn from Jesus that eternal life belongs to those who believe in Jesus.
The point here is that often I hear people critical of Christians accuse Christians of being arrogant and believing their Christian way is the only way to God or eternal life. Because of these Roman verses I understand Christians do not claim Jesus is the Son of God. We simply pass along the message that God gives when God says Jesus is His dearly loved Son. It is not news we are claiming, rather it is news we are reporting, because we believe God. Doubters, do not need to argue with Christians, or visa versa, about whether Jesus is God's Son. Rather they need to take up the issue with God! Christians need not get caught up in the argument because God does not ask us to argue His case. God simply asks us to report the Good News.
"Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith" I suggest, we need to follow Abraham's example and believe God (who said Jesus was His Son) and move forward in confidence without arguing about Jesus' credentials.
Next week we will pick up at Romain's Chapter 4 verse 16 and learn more about what we can learn from Abraham's faith. Until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
June 8, 2010
Good afternoon. Its a rainy Tuesday afternoon and a good time for me to catch up on my blog.
Social Stuff:
I have been gone the last several weeks visiting family and bike riding and so I have not been active on my blog. I know this isn't good for retaining readers, but I have been enjoying the various activities.
Since my last blog, Jane and I have visited Amy and Todd in Madison, Wisconsin twice. Once to view Audra's kindergarten's musical and the other to visit them on Memorial Day, and celebrate Rebecca's birthday. Rebecca joined us on this trip and we had a very good time together.
On another weekend, I rode my bicycle in what was called the Strawberry Festival in St. Jacob, Illinois. St. Jacob has this huge strawberry festival with all kids of music and types of strawberry desserts including strawberry shortcake and ice cream. Part of the festival is a bicycle ride of various lenghts and I rode the 41 mile route. It was a great day for the ride except we had a 10-15 mile headwind which on a bike can be challenging. I was very tired when I completed the ride, but the one benefit was each rider received a free strawberry shortcake dessert and it was delicious! I sat under a shade tree, ate strawberry shortcake, and listed to country western music. Good stuff!
This past weekend I did ride in the American Diabetes Tour De Cure bike ride for Diabetes research and assistance, and I did very well. I only rode 30 miles but it was a good ride. The day was overcast with a temperature around 85F and I was able to maintain a steady and strong pace. I had raised over $800 in donations for the ride and so not only did I have a great physical experience in riding the bike but also helping to raise money to support the diabetes organization.
In a couple of weeks I will be riding my hybrid bike on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources sponsored week long Katy Trail Ride. This ride is 225 miles long and spans over 5 days; thus averaging about 45 miles of bike riding each day. It is challenging but not as much as one might think. The ride is a beautiful experience with about 300 fellow bike riders so it is fun and I am looking forward to it - Can't wait!
This coming Saturday (June 12, 2010) I will be walking in the Komen Race for the Cure in support of Beast Cancer. I have a niece who is a survivor of breast cancer and I along with several family members will be walking in support of Holly.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Bob Hardcastle had led the Koinonia Class while I was gone and did hi usual excellent job - Thanks Bob!
The attendees in today's class were:
Alan and Theresa Schlobohm
Ginny Mass
Bill Nichols
Bob Hardcastle
Cindie Jones
Denise Kelly
Jane and Terry Pursely
Prayers were requested for:
1. Denise Kelly as she awaits lab results from a biopsy.
2. Terry Pursley's Mom who is struggling in the Delmar Gardens nursing home.
3. Cindie's Mom who is also struggling with the later stages of life.
The Sunday School class material discussed today was Romans Chapter 3 verses 21 thru 31.
These verses occur just after Paul has made his argument that all people have broken the "law" and are therefore separated from God. No one is saved as a result of their own adherence to the "law" In verses 21 thru 31 Paul explains however that even though each of us has sinned Paul states in verse 22 - "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." Paul, continues in vs 24 when he writes "People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Then in vs 28 Paul confirms "..we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."
I have recently heard people say "Christians" are arrogant because "Christians" say Jesus is the only way. My response to this view is "Christians" do not and have not authored the statement or belief that Jesus is the only way. What we as "Christians" say is God said Jesus was the Only Way. Jesus said he was the Only Way. The Holy Spirit said Jesus is the Only Way. We "Christians" are only reporting and passing along (as we are instructed in the Scriptures by God to do) what God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have said in the Scriptures. Similarly, we "Christians" must remember we are not the author's of this Truth. We should not become self-righteous in believing we have some "higher knowledge"or that we hold some "superior position", because in truth we do not have either. No, what we have, just like everyone else, is God Grace, and His Word as recorded in the Scriptures, and we should humbly share God's message out of love. Jesus did not "beat" his listeners over the head with his message nor did he act in any way other than as a servant; thus I believe "Christians" must humbly give the message of the Good News about Jesus Christ and act as a servant to those we meet.
Next week we will study Roman's Chapter 4 where the obvious follow up question is addressed. This Question is - if we as "Christians" believe we are saved by faith and not the law, can we then forget about the law? In other words if faith is only what "Christians" need, can "Christians" go ahead and break the law as long as they have faith? Paul answers this question in Chapter 4.
Until then I hope each of you has a great week and can enjoy this life that God has given to each of us.
Terry Pursley
Social Stuff:
I have been gone the last several weeks visiting family and bike riding and so I have not been active on my blog. I know this isn't good for retaining readers, but I have been enjoying the various activities.
Since my last blog, Jane and I have visited Amy and Todd in Madison, Wisconsin twice. Once to view Audra's kindergarten's musical and the other to visit them on Memorial Day, and celebrate Rebecca's birthday. Rebecca joined us on this trip and we had a very good time together.
On another weekend, I rode my bicycle in what was called the Strawberry Festival in St. Jacob, Illinois. St. Jacob has this huge strawberry festival with all kids of music and types of strawberry desserts including strawberry shortcake and ice cream. Part of the festival is a bicycle ride of various lenghts and I rode the 41 mile route. It was a great day for the ride except we had a 10-15 mile headwind which on a bike can be challenging. I was very tired when I completed the ride, but the one benefit was each rider received a free strawberry shortcake dessert and it was delicious! I sat under a shade tree, ate strawberry shortcake, and listed to country western music. Good stuff!
This past weekend I did ride in the American Diabetes Tour De Cure bike ride for Diabetes research and assistance, and I did very well. I only rode 30 miles but it was a good ride. The day was overcast with a temperature around 85F and I was able to maintain a steady and strong pace. I had raised over $800 in donations for the ride and so not only did I have a great physical experience in riding the bike but also helping to raise money to support the diabetes organization.
In a couple of weeks I will be riding my hybrid bike on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources sponsored week long Katy Trail Ride. This ride is 225 miles long and spans over 5 days; thus averaging about 45 miles of bike riding each day. It is challenging but not as much as one might think. The ride is a beautiful experience with about 300 fellow bike riders so it is fun and I am looking forward to it - Can't wait!
This coming Saturday (June 12, 2010) I will be walking in the Komen Race for the Cure in support of Beast Cancer. I have a niece who is a survivor of breast cancer and I along with several family members will be walking in support of Holly.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Bob Hardcastle had led the Koinonia Class while I was gone and did hi usual excellent job - Thanks Bob!
The attendees in today's class were:
Alan and Theresa Schlobohm
Ginny Mass
Bill Nichols
Bob Hardcastle
Cindie Jones
Denise Kelly
Jane and Terry Pursely
Prayers were requested for:
1. Denise Kelly as she awaits lab results from a biopsy.
2. Terry Pursley's Mom who is struggling in the Delmar Gardens nursing home.
3. Cindie's Mom who is also struggling with the later stages of life.
The Sunday School class material discussed today was Romans Chapter 3 verses 21 thru 31.
These verses occur just after Paul has made his argument that all people have broken the "law" and are therefore separated from God. No one is saved as a result of their own adherence to the "law" In verses 21 thru 31 Paul explains however that even though each of us has sinned Paul states in verse 22 - "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." Paul, continues in vs 24 when he writes "People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Then in vs 28 Paul confirms "..we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."
I have recently heard people say "Christians" are arrogant because "Christians" say Jesus is the only way. My response to this view is "Christians" do not and have not authored the statement or belief that Jesus is the only way. What we as "Christians" say is God said Jesus was the Only Way. Jesus said he was the Only Way. The Holy Spirit said Jesus is the Only Way. We "Christians" are only reporting and passing along (as we are instructed in the Scriptures by God to do) what God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have said in the Scriptures. Similarly, we "Christians" must remember we are not the author's of this Truth. We should not become self-righteous in believing we have some "higher knowledge"or that we hold some "superior position", because in truth we do not have either. No, what we have, just like everyone else, is God Grace, and His Word as recorded in the Scriptures, and we should humbly share God's message out of love. Jesus did not "beat" his listeners over the head with his message nor did he act in any way other than as a servant; thus I believe "Christians" must humbly give the message of the Good News about Jesus Christ and act as a servant to those we meet.
Next week we will study Roman's Chapter 4 where the obvious follow up question is addressed. This Question is - if we as "Christians" believe we are saved by faith and not the law, can we then forget about the law? In other words if faith is only what "Christians" need, can "Christians" go ahead and break the law as long as they have faith? Paul answers this question in Chapter 4.
Until then I hope each of you has a great week and can enjoy this life that God has given to each of us.
Terry Pursley
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
May 10, 2010
Hello Everyone! I hope you are having a good day!
Social Stuff:
It was a very busy week this past week what with our nephew Orry's medical emergency and the successful events that transpired. We also had a very good Mother's Day celebration with my Mom at Delmar Gardens on Saturday, and then on Sunday we went to Jane's Mom and Dad's for another excellent day. I often reflect upon those past times when Jane and I lived out of the St. Louis area and the good times we missed during that period with our families. We had a lot of good times where ever we were but it is always good to be able to spend time with family. We are traveling to Madison Wisconsin this next week to visit Todd, Amy, and the grandkids and looking forward to a great time there.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
We had 6 people in our class with the following prayer requests being put forth.
1. Cyndie's mom is expecting lab results this next week and they are concerned about the results.
2. Marilyn Cook is a friend of Betty's who is living in South Africa and who was involved in a serious car accident that killed Marilyn's husband. Marilyn herself is in critical condition and Betty ask for prayers for Marilyn.
3. Doug Nichols (Bill's nephew) is to complete his chemo therapy this next week and they were hopeful of good results.
4. Charlotte's daughter is experiencing her first Mother's Day without her daughter who died this past year.
5. Terry asked for prayers for his brother Jeff's family who experience a nearly fatal event with their son Orry this past week, but which appears to have had a very successful outcome.
6. Prayers for safe travel was offered for all those people who will be traveling during the Mother's Day holiday.
7. Cyndie raise a joy that all members of her family were doing well and enjoying their lives.
Class material studied was Romans Chapter 2 vs 2 thru vs 16
These verses continued Paul's message that all people sin and in need of God's Grace and salvation thru Jesus Christ. After having addressed the serious sins of the homosexual community, Paul proceed to advise that those people who judge the homosexual community are worse sinners than those they judge. Paul points to the "kindness" of God and that this "kindness" is intended to allow all of us to turn away from our sins.
Paul continues in verse 6 by saying "(God) will judge everyone according to what they have done." Paul continues in verse 7 saying "(God) will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers." Then in verse 8 Paul concludes this train of thought saying "But (God) will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead liver lives o wickedness."
Paul is making it very clear that God's judgement is based upon what we DO and there will be judgement for all those of us who fail to DO what is right. Paul continues this message in verse 13 when he writes "...It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight." and then in verse 16 "And this is the message, I proclaim- that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge every one's secret life."
Paul is telling us that we will all be judge by what we do and that God will punish those who do wrongly. It is important to remember at this point that one aspects of these early chapters and verses of Romans by Paul are an attempt to communicate that each one of us is a sinner and that we will be judged harshly because of our sin. Not a one of us is exempt from this judgement. Paul will eventually turn his argument to the amazing point that; although each one of us is a sinner and will be judged accordingly, we have an advocate with Jesus Christ who will argue for us in God's court and because of Christ's death and resurrection we will be saved if only we believe in and follow Christ's lead.
But that is a class and discussion for another day and so I will close here and suggest that in the meantime you
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Social Stuff:
It was a very busy week this past week what with our nephew Orry's medical emergency and the successful events that transpired. We also had a very good Mother's Day celebration with my Mom at Delmar Gardens on Saturday, and then on Sunday we went to Jane's Mom and Dad's for another excellent day. I often reflect upon those past times when Jane and I lived out of the St. Louis area and the good times we missed during that period with our families. We had a lot of good times where ever we were but it is always good to be able to spend time with family. We are traveling to Madison Wisconsin this next week to visit Todd, Amy, and the grandkids and looking forward to a great time there.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
We had 6 people in our class with the following prayer requests being put forth.
1. Cyndie's mom is expecting lab results this next week and they are concerned about the results.
2. Marilyn Cook is a friend of Betty's who is living in South Africa and who was involved in a serious car accident that killed Marilyn's husband. Marilyn herself is in critical condition and Betty ask for prayers for Marilyn.
3. Doug Nichols (Bill's nephew) is to complete his chemo therapy this next week and they were hopeful of good results.
4. Charlotte's daughter is experiencing her first Mother's Day without her daughter who died this past year.
5. Terry asked for prayers for his brother Jeff's family who experience a nearly fatal event with their son Orry this past week, but which appears to have had a very successful outcome.
6. Prayers for safe travel was offered for all those people who will be traveling during the Mother's Day holiday.
7. Cyndie raise a joy that all members of her family were doing well and enjoying their lives.
Class material studied was Romans Chapter 2 vs 2 thru vs 16
These verses continued Paul's message that all people sin and in need of God's Grace and salvation thru Jesus Christ. After having addressed the serious sins of the homosexual community, Paul proceed to advise that those people who judge the homosexual community are worse sinners than those they judge. Paul points to the "kindness" of God and that this "kindness" is intended to allow all of us to turn away from our sins.
Paul continues in verse 6 by saying "(God) will judge everyone according to what they have done." Paul continues in verse 7 saying "(God) will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers." Then in verse 8 Paul concludes this train of thought saying "But (God) will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead liver lives o wickedness."
Paul is making it very clear that God's judgement is based upon what we DO and there will be judgement for all those of us who fail to DO what is right. Paul continues this message in verse 13 when he writes "...It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight." and then in verse 16 "And this is the message, I proclaim- that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge every one's secret life."
Paul is telling us that we will all be judge by what we do and that God will punish those who do wrongly. It is important to remember at this point that one aspects of these early chapters and verses of Romans by Paul are an attempt to communicate that each one of us is a sinner and that we will be judged harshly because of our sin. Not a one of us is exempt from this judgement. Paul will eventually turn his argument to the amazing point that; although each one of us is a sinner and will be judged accordingly, we have an advocate with Jesus Christ who will argue for us in God's court and because of Christ's death and resurrection we will be saved if only we believe in and follow Christ's lead.
But that is a class and discussion for another day and so I will close here and suggest that in the meantime you
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May 3, 2010
It is actually Sunday (May 2, 2010) evening but I Titled this Blog for Monday for reasons I do not quite understand. Probably because I just want to keep the Monday "thing" going but I'm not sure.
Social Stuff:
I rode my bicycle today (5/2/10) in my first MS Bike training road ride. Previously I have ridden on closed courses by myself. Today however I rode with about 250 other riders on back roads in the Chesterfield Mo. area. Much different riding with a large group and on roads where you have to pay attention to vehicular traffic as well as other bikers. These group training rides are very helpful in preparation for the eventual 75 mile per day (for two day) MS Bike ride in September. Today's ride was for 26 miles on flat terrain and I was able to average 15.5 mph which is pretty good considering the multiple stops one has to make on the open road. I felt weak the first 5 miles but I then began to gain strength and finished very strong the last 7 miles. I got up to over 20 mph! Lots of other bikers were passing me but this year I have been passing a few as well.
Koinonia Sunday School Class
We had a large class today because we had visitors from other classes join us. I believe we had up to 13 people in class.
We had prayer requests for
1) Teresa Schlobohm's wrist which was broken this past week.
2) David Hartsock (Alan and Teresa's friend) who is still recovering from a sky diving accident.
3) Ed Montgomery who left church today not feeling well.
4) Bob Meinz friend (Rudi) who is recovering from health concern.
5) Betty's Son who is a letter carrier in the Nashville, Tn. area where all the flooding is currently taking place.
The Class Material discussed today was Romans Chapter 1 vs 18 thru Chapter 2 vs 1
In this section, Paul emphasizes God shows His anger with sin. Paul had started the Book of Romans on a cordial note but in these verses Paul address the difficult issue of sin. Paul explains in verses 18 thru 20 that all people know the truth about God because God has made it obvious to humans. Then in verse 21 he hits upon a key point when Paul writes -
"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks . And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like."
and then in verse 21, Paul writes -
"So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies."
In addition, Paul, still relating back to the people identified in vs 21 states in verse 29,
"Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip."
and finally in Chapter 2 Verse 1 Paul continues by speaking to his audience -
"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things."
Apparently, homosexuality, was a very "hot topic" in Rome during Paul's time much as it is today in our culture. In his attempt to grab the attention of his audience, which was primarily Roman Christians of both Jew and Gentile backgrounds, Paul begins his logic argument by saying homosexuality is a sin, which many of his audience members would have readily agreed with. However, Paul then switches his argument. He confronts his (pious?) audience who were judging the homosexual community, by saying his audience was just as "sinful" as the homosexual society because his audience members were also sinning to the same degree. They were not worshiping God, they were listening to foolish ideas, and they were not obeying God's word.
Paul was attempting to make sure his (Jewish/Gentile Christian) audience understood they were just as sinful as those groups his audience was condemning. Paul would appear to be making this point so that, in his following arguments, each audience member would understand they were in need Christ's salvation.
This argument of Paul's will continue in next week's lesson and I would encourage everyone to read ahead and be ready to ask questions and offer comments to further our discussion. Until then,
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
PS - Once again I need to state that the above thoughts are mine and mine alone. They are not sanctioned by Salem Church, our Pastor, the United Methodist Church, or any other intelligent party, and thus I encourage each person to read the related Scriptures and develop their own understandings.
T.P.
Social Stuff:
I rode my bicycle today (5/2/10) in my first MS Bike training road ride. Previously I have ridden on closed courses by myself. Today however I rode with about 250 other riders on back roads in the Chesterfield Mo. area. Much different riding with a large group and on roads where you have to pay attention to vehicular traffic as well as other bikers. These group training rides are very helpful in preparation for the eventual 75 mile per day (for two day) MS Bike ride in September. Today's ride was for 26 miles on flat terrain and I was able to average 15.5 mph which is pretty good considering the multiple stops one has to make on the open road. I felt weak the first 5 miles but I then began to gain strength and finished very strong the last 7 miles. I got up to over 20 mph! Lots of other bikers were passing me but this year I have been passing a few as well.
Koinonia Sunday School Class
We had a large class today because we had visitors from other classes join us. I believe we had up to 13 people in class.
We had prayer requests for
1) Teresa Schlobohm's wrist which was broken this past week.
2) David Hartsock (Alan and Teresa's friend) who is still recovering from a sky diving accident.
3) Ed Montgomery who left church today not feeling well.
4) Bob Meinz friend (Rudi) who is recovering from health concern.
5) Betty's Son who is a letter carrier in the Nashville, Tn. area where all the flooding is currently taking place.
The Class Material discussed today was Romans Chapter 1 vs 18 thru Chapter 2 vs 1
In this section, Paul emphasizes God shows His anger with sin. Paul had started the Book of Romans on a cordial note but in these verses Paul address the difficult issue of sin. Paul explains in verses 18 thru 20 that all people know the truth about God because God has made it obvious to humans. Then in verse 21 he hits upon a key point when Paul writes -
"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks . And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like."
and then in verse 21, Paul writes -
"So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies."
In addition, Paul, still relating back to the people identified in vs 21 states in verse 29,
"Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip."
and finally in Chapter 2 Verse 1 Paul continues by speaking to his audience -
"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things."
Apparently, homosexuality, was a very "hot topic" in Rome during Paul's time much as it is today in our culture. In his attempt to grab the attention of his audience, which was primarily Roman Christians of both Jew and Gentile backgrounds, Paul begins his logic argument by saying homosexuality is a sin, which many of his audience members would have readily agreed with. However, Paul then switches his argument. He confronts his (pious?) audience who were judging the homosexual community, by saying his audience was just as "sinful" as the homosexual society because his audience members were also sinning to the same degree. They were not worshiping God, they were listening to foolish ideas, and they were not obeying God's word.
Paul was attempting to make sure his (Jewish/Gentile Christian) audience understood they were just as sinful as those groups his audience was condemning. Paul would appear to be making this point so that, in his following arguments, each audience member would understand they were in need Christ's salvation.
This argument of Paul's will continue in next week's lesson and I would encourage everyone to read ahead and be ready to ask questions and offer comments to further our discussion. Until then,
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
PS - Once again I need to state that the above thoughts are mine and mine alone. They are not sanctioned by Salem Church, our Pastor, the United Methodist Church, or any other intelligent party, and thus I encourage each person to read the related Scriptures and develop their own understandings.
T.P.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
April 29, 2010
Good Morning!
It has been a while since I last updated this blog and for that I apologize. My reasoning is not particularly sound so I suppose I will just say that sometimes we just need a little break from our routines, and I took one.
In our Koinonia Sunday School Class we have began a study of the Book of Romans. This study was the result of the Class having finished the Book of Acts and it seemed like a good segway to move into Romans. Coincidentally, the singing chorus I belong to performed at a local Jewish Community Center and for the first time I had the opportunity to encounter not only the Jewish faith but also its people in a setting focused on Judaism. I found the experience to be very interesting and impactful, especially since the Koinonia Class had just completed Acts and was starting Romans. I gained a better understanding of the "mind set" Paul encountered when he began to preach the Good News of Christ. Not only what he encountered but I also experienced a part, albeit a small part, of the deep faith the Jewish community has with God. Theirs is not a superficial faith and is a integral part of their existence. I was led to remember Jesus was a Jew and it is from the Jewish people that the nature of God is pronounced to the World.
It is from this experience I began leading the Koinonia Class in our Study of Romans. I began to read the Book of Romans as a letter written by a Jew (Paul) whose focus is upon another Jew (Jesus) and how in his letter Paul sets forth the principles of how Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) are to respond to Christ. I can't say this new perspective greatly affects the fundamental understandings of Romans but it would seem to be akin to adding a little salt to a meal. The flavor just seems to be enhanced.
This last Sunday (April 25, 2010) our Koinonia Class read thru Romans Chapter 1 verse 17, and through this reading we came to understand Paul is writing to a mixture of Christians who have only been Christians a very short time. As a result these new Christians were subject to various interpretations of Christ and Paul is writing Romans in part to give the new Christians a firm understanding of the Christian faith and how to live within that faith. There are three items within these first verses of Romans that I want to highlight here.
First - In Verse 17 Paul lays out the fundamental principle of the Christian faith in very simple and straight forward language. "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." This concept of "faith" will be a main focus of Paul in his letter.
Second - In Verse 16 Paul writes - "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ." Many of the new Christians of Paul's Time may have been reluctant to discuss their new faith because of ridicule they may receive. Many of us today may also have this same hesitancy and Paul is telling them and us to not be ashamed and to not be afraid of discussing our faith with others.
Third - In Verse 12 Paul states - "When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours." I mention this passage because we see here that Paul needed feedback from other Christians. Can you imagine what it would have been like for Paul to be constantly preaching and receiving minimal feedback. At times he may have wondered whether he was getting his message across effectively, and thus it appears he is hoping that he will receive feedback from his Christian friends in Rome.
In this next Sunday's class we will read and discuss Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 thru Chapter 2 Verse 16. This can be a difficult passage to understand at first but I believe when we look at its overall context we will see what Paul is trying to communicate to us. I would specifically ask you to read Chapter 2 Verse 1 and ask yourself what is Paul saying to us.
Again, its nice to be back on my blog and I hope someone out there reads it and receives something positive from it.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
It has been a while since I last updated this blog and for that I apologize. My reasoning is not particularly sound so I suppose I will just say that sometimes we just need a little break from our routines, and I took one.
In our Koinonia Sunday School Class we have began a study of the Book of Romans. This study was the result of the Class having finished the Book of Acts and it seemed like a good segway to move into Romans. Coincidentally, the singing chorus I belong to performed at a local Jewish Community Center and for the first time I had the opportunity to encounter not only the Jewish faith but also its people in a setting focused on Judaism. I found the experience to be very interesting and impactful, especially since the Koinonia Class had just completed Acts and was starting Romans. I gained a better understanding of the "mind set" Paul encountered when he began to preach the Good News of Christ. Not only what he encountered but I also experienced a part, albeit a small part, of the deep faith the Jewish community has with God. Theirs is not a superficial faith and is a integral part of their existence. I was led to remember Jesus was a Jew and it is from the Jewish people that the nature of God is pronounced to the World.
It is from this experience I began leading the Koinonia Class in our Study of Romans. I began to read the Book of Romans as a letter written by a Jew (Paul) whose focus is upon another Jew (Jesus) and how in his letter Paul sets forth the principles of how Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) are to respond to Christ. I can't say this new perspective greatly affects the fundamental understandings of Romans but it would seem to be akin to adding a little salt to a meal. The flavor just seems to be enhanced.
This last Sunday (April 25, 2010) our Koinonia Class read thru Romans Chapter 1 verse 17, and through this reading we came to understand Paul is writing to a mixture of Christians who have only been Christians a very short time. As a result these new Christians were subject to various interpretations of Christ and Paul is writing Romans in part to give the new Christians a firm understanding of the Christian faith and how to live within that faith. There are three items within these first verses of Romans that I want to highlight here.
First - In Verse 17 Paul lays out the fundamental principle of the Christian faith in very simple and straight forward language. "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." This concept of "faith" will be a main focus of Paul in his letter.
Second - In Verse 16 Paul writes - "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ." Many of the new Christians of Paul's Time may have been reluctant to discuss their new faith because of ridicule they may receive. Many of us today may also have this same hesitancy and Paul is telling them and us to not be ashamed and to not be afraid of discussing our faith with others.
Third - In Verse 12 Paul states - "When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours." I mention this passage because we see here that Paul needed feedback from other Christians. Can you imagine what it would have been like for Paul to be constantly preaching and receiving minimal feedback. At times he may have wondered whether he was getting his message across effectively, and thus it appears he is hoping that he will receive feedback from his Christian friends in Rome.
In this next Sunday's class we will read and discuss Romans Chapter 1 Verse 18 thru Chapter 2 Verse 16. This can be a difficult passage to understand at first but I believe when we look at its overall context we will see what Paul is trying to communicate to us. I would specifically ask you to read Chapter 2 Verse 1 and ask yourself what is Paul saying to us.
Again, its nice to be back on my blog and I hope someone out there reads it and receives something positive from it.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Sunday, March 14, 2010
March 15, 2010
Good Morning - How is that Daylight Savings Time working our for you?
Social Stuff:
Jane and I went to a bicycling event downtown at MotoMuseum located near Lindell and Olive. We had never heard of it before and didn't know it even existed, but its a museum for motorcycles from many manufactures and time periods. It contained quite a few interested motorcycles and its worth you time if you enjoy motorcycles. We were there because Trailnet was having their annual spring Chili diner. Trailnet is a influential and growing force in the St. Louis area dedicated to improving the conditions for bicycling. Most of the bike trails you see in the St. Louis area are the result, to varying degrees, of the efforts put forth by Trailnet. Trailnet also sponsors various bicycle rides through out the year and they do a good job with the organization and routes of the rides. I believe Trailnet is a positive factor in the St. Louis community and I have been a member for several years now and if you are interested I'd recommend you check them out at Trailnet.org.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Cindie Jones, Suzanne Lyons, Bob Hardcastle, Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. The Vogt family who is traveling in Canada.
2. Amanda Vogt and her health issues.
3. Bill's nephew Doug who continues to deal with Leukemia issues.
Material Studied: Chapter 28 of the Book of Acts.
Chapter 28 is the final chapter in Acts, and it describes the final travels of Paul and his initial activities in Rome. In Chapter 27 we had seen where Paul and the ships crew transporting Paul had struggled with a terrible storm at sea and had finally grounded their ship on the island of Malta. Paul and his fellow passengers were treated well by the local people and has usual Paul spent time preaching the Good News to them. While on Malta the scriptures describe an event where Paul is bitten by a snake that evidently would have caused the death of a person. the people surrounding Paul waited for him to swell and die but nothing of the sort happen. Paul felt no ill effects of the snake's bite and went about his daily routine. The on-lookers were amazed and the scriptures indicated they began to believe Paul was a "God". This view of Paul became even stronger when Paul began healing seriously ill people on the island and once again Paul struggled with convincing the people that he was not a God but that God was working through him.
Eventually, another ship stopped at Malta and was able to transport Paul and the other passengers to an Italian seaport whose roads led Paul and his group to Rome. While in Rome Paul is allowed to stay in private quarters with a Roman guard but Paul has much freedom to move around and meet various people. As a result Paul is able to preach and teach the Good News to Jews and Gentiles alike. The scripture indicates many of the Jews did not believe Paul's story which disturbed Paul who in turn preached the Good News to the local Gentiles. Paul has been preaching, teaching and healing in Rome for two years when the Chapter and the Book of Acts comes to and end.
In conclusion: The Book of Acts has provided a vivid narrative of the events of the early Christian Church immediately after the Crucifixion of Jesus. It illustrates the leadership to the Church provided by Peter at first and then transitions to the leadership and missionary skills of Paul. We learned Paul is led and protected by God as Paul performs his work and that God's plan was to protect Paul until Paul could arrive in Rome to preach the Gospel to the Roman social life. We indicated this God provided provided protection and guidance allowed the Good News to reach the greatest empire at that time (Rome) which in turn allowed the message to be spread throughout Europe, England, the United States and ultimately to us at Salem Church. This connection between Paul and Salem was noted and is something we should never forget.
Next: In four weeks the Koinonia Class will begin to study the Book of Romans which is the letter Paul writes to the people in Rome to explain the Christian faith, which is the understanding that will eventually migrate to us. Between now and then the Koinonia Class will undertake a unique experience.
The Koinonia Class will draft a letter to the people of "Ballwin" in much the same way as Paul wrote a letter to the Romans. In our case, this letter to "Ballwin" will be considerably shorter than the Book of Romans. The initial concept of the letter is for it to have four (4) basic parts.
First - An introduction explaining who Salem in Ballwin is,
Second - Explaining our Faith.
Third - Explaining what this Faith means to the people of Ballwin, and
Fourth - Inviting people to attend a special service on Memorial Day Sunday the 30th of May.
The publishing of the letter as well as the invitation and service will be done in accordance with the leadership of our pastor - Suzanne Lyons, but in general I am thinking the Memorial Sunday service would remember A) those who have given their lives for our Country, B) The parents of those who have given their lives for our country, and C) the sacrifice of Jesus giving his life for us with a special communion serviced offered in recognition of this sacrifice.
I sprung all of this on the class this morning and they are still trying to grasp the whole idea but the initial response was positive and for sure the class will be working on the letter that may be submitted to the Suburban Journal for publication. We'll see, but in the mean time we should have a good learning experience.
Jane and I will be not be in class the next two weeks but we will return on April 4, 2010 and so until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Social Stuff:
Jane and I went to a bicycling event downtown at MotoMuseum located near Lindell and Olive. We had never heard of it before and didn't know it even existed, but its a museum for motorcycles from many manufactures and time periods. It contained quite a few interested motorcycles and its worth you time if you enjoy motorcycles. We were there because Trailnet was having their annual spring Chili diner. Trailnet is a influential and growing force in the St. Louis area dedicated to improving the conditions for bicycling. Most of the bike trails you see in the St. Louis area are the result, to varying degrees, of the efforts put forth by Trailnet. Trailnet also sponsors various bicycle rides through out the year and they do a good job with the organization and routes of the rides. I believe Trailnet is a positive factor in the St. Louis community and I have been a member for several years now and if you are interested I'd recommend you check them out at Trailnet.org.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Cindie Jones, Suzanne Lyons, Bob Hardcastle, Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. The Vogt family who is traveling in Canada.
2. Amanda Vogt and her health issues.
3. Bill's nephew Doug who continues to deal with Leukemia issues.
Material Studied: Chapter 28 of the Book of Acts.
Chapter 28 is the final chapter in Acts, and it describes the final travels of Paul and his initial activities in Rome. In Chapter 27 we had seen where Paul and the ships crew transporting Paul had struggled with a terrible storm at sea and had finally grounded their ship on the island of Malta. Paul and his fellow passengers were treated well by the local people and has usual Paul spent time preaching the Good News to them. While on Malta the scriptures describe an event where Paul is bitten by a snake that evidently would have caused the death of a person. the people surrounding Paul waited for him to swell and die but nothing of the sort happen. Paul felt no ill effects of the snake's bite and went about his daily routine. The on-lookers were amazed and the scriptures indicated they began to believe Paul was a "God". This view of Paul became even stronger when Paul began healing seriously ill people on the island and once again Paul struggled with convincing the people that he was not a God but that God was working through him.
Eventually, another ship stopped at Malta and was able to transport Paul and the other passengers to an Italian seaport whose roads led Paul and his group to Rome. While in Rome Paul is allowed to stay in private quarters with a Roman guard but Paul has much freedom to move around and meet various people. As a result Paul is able to preach and teach the Good News to Jews and Gentiles alike. The scripture indicates many of the Jews did not believe Paul's story which disturbed Paul who in turn preached the Good News to the local Gentiles. Paul has been preaching, teaching and healing in Rome for two years when the Chapter and the Book of Acts comes to and end.
In conclusion: The Book of Acts has provided a vivid narrative of the events of the early Christian Church immediately after the Crucifixion of Jesus. It illustrates the leadership to the Church provided by Peter at first and then transitions to the leadership and missionary skills of Paul. We learned Paul is led and protected by God as Paul performs his work and that God's plan was to protect Paul until Paul could arrive in Rome to preach the Gospel to the Roman social life. We indicated this God provided provided protection and guidance allowed the Good News to reach the greatest empire at that time (Rome) which in turn allowed the message to be spread throughout Europe, England, the United States and ultimately to us at Salem Church. This connection between Paul and Salem was noted and is something we should never forget.
Next: In four weeks the Koinonia Class will begin to study the Book of Romans which is the letter Paul writes to the people in Rome to explain the Christian faith, which is the understanding that will eventually migrate to us. Between now and then the Koinonia Class will undertake a unique experience.
The Koinonia Class will draft a letter to the people of "Ballwin" in much the same way as Paul wrote a letter to the Romans. In our case, this letter to "Ballwin" will be considerably shorter than the Book of Romans. The initial concept of the letter is for it to have four (4) basic parts.
First - An introduction explaining who Salem in Ballwin is,
Second - Explaining our Faith.
Third - Explaining what this Faith means to the people of Ballwin, and
Fourth - Inviting people to attend a special service on Memorial Day Sunday the 30th of May.
The publishing of the letter as well as the invitation and service will be done in accordance with the leadership of our pastor - Suzanne Lyons, but in general I am thinking the Memorial Sunday service would remember A) those who have given their lives for our Country, B) The parents of those who have given their lives for our country, and C) the sacrifice of Jesus giving his life for us with a special communion serviced offered in recognition of this sacrifice.
I sprung all of this on the class this morning and they are still trying to grasp the whole idea but the initial response was positive and for sure the class will be working on the letter that may be submitted to the Suburban Journal for publication. We'll see, but in the mean time we should have a good learning experience.
Jane and I will be not be in class the next two weeks but we will return on April 4, 2010 and so until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8, 2010
Good morning to all of you. I hope your week went well or you could at least see beyond the ruts!
Social Stuff:
Jane and I saw the movie Shutter Island and it was very good! The advertisements make the movie seem like it is going to be creepy but while there is some of that the overwhelming affect is a very good suspense story which will keep you engaged up until, and after, the last scene. We also went bike riding Saturday on the Katy Trail, starting at St. Charles, with my brother Jeff and his family. It was a good weather day and we enjoyed the day very much. The Trail was a little soft in spots and we had to ride around those places but all in all it was good. I was able to get my bike speed up to 16 mph and sustain it for a couple of miles and that was real good for me on my first outdoor ride of the year. I sang with the Chorus group at a Home called Rosewood just off Shuetz road and Lindbergh and we did well. I enjoy this sort of stuff! I went and visited my mother at Delmar Gardens yesterday and it had been a tough day for her. She is just having trouble seeing positive things in life right now and its difficult trying to help her.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Ginny Maas, Betty Caswell, Cyndie Jones, Suzanne Lyons, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Ginny's joy of having her daughter Karen safely returned from Australia where she evidently had a great time.
2. Salem Church in general for its on-going planning efforts.
3. Bill's nephew Doug who now has an infection along with his battle with Leukemia.
4. Bill's relative Drew Geison who also continues to deal with cancer issues.
5. Amanda Vogt's continued struggles with fatigue.
6. Cindies' mom Esther's continued health issues.
7. A joy as Cindie's son Andrew is now confirmed that he will become an Eagle Scout.
Lesson: Book of Acts - Chapter 27
As we near the end of the Book of Acts (Chapter 27 being the next to last Chapter) we find Paul on a ship headed for Rome. The ship seems to be a fairly large vessel since it carries about 276 people (crew and passengers) as well as a fairly large amount of cargo. Remember Paul is more or less a prisoner on this voyage being taken to Rome for a trial in front of Caesar. The voyage started out fairly well, but continued to experience stronger and stronger headwinds to a point where Paul recommended the ship be secured in the harbor until the storm passed. The Roman Guard and the Ship's captain did not listen to Paul however and decided to sail on. As they sailed the winds crew stronger and the seas rougher to the point that all on board began to fear for their life. Paul remained relatively calm because he had received assurance from God that they would be safe and with this assurance Paul attempted to keep the crew calm. However as the storm continued to mount the ship was forced out to sea and basically the Captain of the ship was forced to let the ship "run with the wind" which placed them way off course. Fear on board continued to mount in spite of Paul's efforts to the point that some of the sailors were beginning to make plans to abandon the ship. Paul upon seeing this advised the Roman guards that if the sailors were allowed to abandon the ship, all would perish. This time the Roman guards listen to Paul and kept the sailors from leaving. The next morning the ship spotting a coastline they did not recognize but the crew was desperate enough to go ahead and ground the ship on the land's coast which they did. Some of the Roman guards wanted to kill the prisoners because they were afraid the prisoners would escape, but the Roman Captain wanted to spare Paul and so the Captain let everyone escape to shore.
This is a very good adventure story and it is important to note Paul is NOT a sailor nor does he have much experience with sailing. What he did have was faith in God and this faith allowed Paul to conduct himself in a calm manner from which the ships crew could draw strength, even in this very difficult situation. The Lesson for us I would say is to "Trust God". I believe this "Trust in God" theme is consistent throughout the Bible. It is a message that we as Christians should continue to hold on to as we "sail" through our everyday lives with the troubles and challenges we all face. We should trust in God and act in ways that bring positive results to those around us. We should not add to the turmoil but rather bring a calm and peace that others can cling to. We are children of God and this passage encourages us to act like it!
That is it for this week. Next week we will close the Book of Acts and prepare to begin a study of Romans. We are going into Romans because as we close with Acts, it is to Rome that Paul is headed and it is from Rome that Paul will eventually write his classic theological summary.
In the meantime -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Social Stuff:
Jane and I saw the movie Shutter Island and it was very good! The advertisements make the movie seem like it is going to be creepy but while there is some of that the overwhelming affect is a very good suspense story which will keep you engaged up until, and after, the last scene. We also went bike riding Saturday on the Katy Trail, starting at St. Charles, with my brother Jeff and his family. It was a good weather day and we enjoyed the day very much. The Trail was a little soft in spots and we had to ride around those places but all in all it was good. I was able to get my bike speed up to 16 mph and sustain it for a couple of miles and that was real good for me on my first outdoor ride of the year. I sang with the Chorus group at a Home called Rosewood just off Shuetz road and Lindbergh and we did well. I enjoy this sort of stuff! I went and visited my mother at Delmar Gardens yesterday and it had been a tough day for her. She is just having trouble seeing positive things in life right now and its difficult trying to help her.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Bill Nichols, Ginny Maas, Betty Caswell, Cyndie Jones, Suzanne Lyons, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Ginny's joy of having her daughter Karen safely returned from Australia where she evidently had a great time.
2. Salem Church in general for its on-going planning efforts.
3. Bill's nephew Doug who now has an infection along with his battle with Leukemia.
4. Bill's relative Drew Geison who also continues to deal with cancer issues.
5. Amanda Vogt's continued struggles with fatigue.
6. Cindies' mom Esther's continued health issues.
7. A joy as Cindie's son Andrew is now confirmed that he will become an Eagle Scout.
Lesson: Book of Acts - Chapter 27
As we near the end of the Book of Acts (Chapter 27 being the next to last Chapter) we find Paul on a ship headed for Rome. The ship seems to be a fairly large vessel since it carries about 276 people (crew and passengers) as well as a fairly large amount of cargo. Remember Paul is more or less a prisoner on this voyage being taken to Rome for a trial in front of Caesar. The voyage started out fairly well, but continued to experience stronger and stronger headwinds to a point where Paul recommended the ship be secured in the harbor until the storm passed. The Roman Guard and the Ship's captain did not listen to Paul however and decided to sail on. As they sailed the winds crew stronger and the seas rougher to the point that all on board began to fear for their life. Paul remained relatively calm because he had received assurance from God that they would be safe and with this assurance Paul attempted to keep the crew calm. However as the storm continued to mount the ship was forced out to sea and basically the Captain of the ship was forced to let the ship "run with the wind" which placed them way off course. Fear on board continued to mount in spite of Paul's efforts to the point that some of the sailors were beginning to make plans to abandon the ship. Paul upon seeing this advised the Roman guards that if the sailors were allowed to abandon the ship, all would perish. This time the Roman guards listen to Paul and kept the sailors from leaving. The next morning the ship spotting a coastline they did not recognize but the crew was desperate enough to go ahead and ground the ship on the land's coast which they did. Some of the Roman guards wanted to kill the prisoners because they were afraid the prisoners would escape, but the Roman Captain wanted to spare Paul and so the Captain let everyone escape to shore.
This is a very good adventure story and it is important to note Paul is NOT a sailor nor does he have much experience with sailing. What he did have was faith in God and this faith allowed Paul to conduct himself in a calm manner from which the ships crew could draw strength, even in this very difficult situation. The Lesson for us I would say is to "Trust God". I believe this "Trust in God" theme is consistent throughout the Bible. It is a message that we as Christians should continue to hold on to as we "sail" through our everyday lives with the troubles and challenges we all face. We should trust in God and act in ways that bring positive results to those around us. We should not add to the turmoil but rather bring a calm and peace that others can cling to. We are children of God and this passage encourages us to act like it!
That is it for this week. Next week we will close the Book of Acts and prepare to begin a study of Romans. We are going into Romans because as we close with Acts, it is to Rome that Paul is headed and it is from Rome that Paul will eventually write his classic theological summary.
In the meantime -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Monday, February 22, 2010
February 22, 2010
Good Morning to All!
Social Stuff!
Its been a good week for me and I hope it has been one for you also. First of all Jane and I went to the play "Mama Mia" at the Fox Theatre and had a very good time. We had seen the moving which I thought was OK but not great. I really did enjoy the play however and the music was excellent. On Friday my sister (Wyona) flew up from Texas to visit our mom (Opal) who is in the Delmar Gardens home located in Fenton, Mo. It was great having Wyona up and our mom is truly enjoying it. Last night Wyona, me and my brother Jeff, with our spouses went to dinner at Tuckers and had a great time. Laughed a great deal and it was good to be together. On Saturday some of our cousins came to visit Wyona with Mom and had a great time. Our cousin Steve plays the fiddle and another cousin-in-law, Richard plays the guitar and they played for mom in the lobby of Delmar Gardens. The music was great and mom was clamping her hands to the rhythm of the music. On Sunday, after church, we had another set of cousins come to visit Wyona and Mom and we were able to share some great stories. All-in-all, Wyona's visit as well as the visits by the cousins has really helped mom as well as all of us. It is truly great to have great family members to fellowship with.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Cindie Jones, Denise Kelly, Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Genny Maas, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Amanda Vogt who continues to struggle with fatigue.
2. A friend of Denise's grand daughter (Madison) who is struggling with significant health issues at a very young age.
3. Doug Nichols (Bill's nephew) who continues to deal with Leukemia.
4. Genny's daughter (Karen) who is flying back from Australia.
5. Cyndie's friend Karen and their family who are struggling with various issues.
6. Andrew Jones friend Ryan who is completing his Eagle Scout training.
7. Josh Schlobohm who is doing better in college after a tough start.
8. Terry's sister's presence who has traveled up from Texas to visit their Mom (Opal Pursley) who is a resident at the Fenton Delmar Gardens.
9. Alan's friend Ernie who is now working as a chaplain after the loss of his daughter several weeks ago.
Materiel Discussed: Book of Acts, Chapters 24, 25, and 26
We started the class with the intent of watching Chapter 24 of Acts in the DVD we have been following but the story is so compelling that we kept the DVD running right thru Chapters 25 and 26. In these Chapters we read where Paul, being kept captive by the Roman Guards, is first taken to Governor Felix (located in Cesarea), where the Jewish case against Paul is presented by a Jewish lawyer named Tertullus. After Tertullus presents his case against him, Paul is given the opportunity to make his own defence. Paul's presentation is persuasive and Felix is not sure what he should do so he decides to do nothing and Paul stays in Roman custody for two (2) years.
Felix is eventually replaced by a new Governor named Festus. Upon Festus taking his new position the Jewish leaders immediately attempt to persuade Festus to return Paul to Jerusalem because the Jews want to kill Paul in the interim travel. Paul senses this plot and when Festus offers Paul the opportunity to return to Jerusalem to face his accusers Paul refuses and appeals his case to Caesar in Rome! Evidently, the Roman laws and fundamentals beliefs regarding Roman citizenship were strong and thus when Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar the Roman Governor felt compelled to grant this appeal even with the Jewish pressure to return Paul to Jerusalem. However; Festus' problem his he can find nothing illegal about Paul's activities and thus he doesn't know what charges to bring against Paul that can be sent to Caesar. Festus therefore turns to the local Jewish leader - King Agrippa II, to hear Paul's argument and to help develop some sort of charge that could be used to send Paul to Caesar. King Aggippa II then hears Paul and Paul once again makes his case. During this defense Paul relies more heavily on his Jewish background and his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, and upon the completion of Paul's presentation King Aggrippa tells Festus Paul has done nothing to deserve death and in fact Paul could have been set free if Paul had not appealed to Caesar.
This completed Chapter 26 and the story of Paul's hearings in front of Felix, Festus and King Aggripa II and the scriptures do not tell us what charges Festus eventually develops, but because of Paul's appear Festus does indeed send Paul to Rome. Chapters 27 and 28 will cover Paul's journey to Rome, and will complete the Book of Acts.
One salient element in these three Chapters (24 - 26) is Paul argues his case with much confidence and clarity because Paul knows (from vs Chapter 23:v11) that the "Lord" wants and needs Paul to go to Rome; therefore, Paul's confidence in the Lord leads Paul to know that he will indeed go to Rome even though there may be other humans who want to prevent this trip. Paul does not appear to be the least bit concerned be cause he "Trusts God", and that would seem to be a main lesson in our study. Do we Trust God? That's the question we must all ask ourselves.
This next weekend Jane and I will be visiting our Grand kids in Madison so we will not be in class next Sunday. Bill Nichols has graciously agreed to play the DVD and lead the class and I would encourage all to attend and listen about Paul's journey to Rome. As usual it is not easy and Paul once again displays his confidence in the Lord which leads to leadership of the ships crew.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Social Stuff!
Its been a good week for me and I hope it has been one for you also. First of all Jane and I went to the play "Mama Mia" at the Fox Theatre and had a very good time. We had seen the moving which I thought was OK but not great. I really did enjoy the play however and the music was excellent. On Friday my sister (Wyona) flew up from Texas to visit our mom (Opal) who is in the Delmar Gardens home located in Fenton, Mo. It was great having Wyona up and our mom is truly enjoying it. Last night Wyona, me and my brother Jeff, with our spouses went to dinner at Tuckers and had a great time. Laughed a great deal and it was good to be together. On Saturday some of our cousins came to visit Wyona with Mom and had a great time. Our cousin Steve plays the fiddle and another cousin-in-law, Richard plays the guitar and they played for mom in the lobby of Delmar Gardens. The music was great and mom was clamping her hands to the rhythm of the music. On Sunday, after church, we had another set of cousins come to visit Wyona and Mom and we were able to share some great stories. All-in-all, Wyona's visit as well as the visits by the cousins has really helped mom as well as all of us. It is truly great to have great family members to fellowship with.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Cindie Jones, Denise Kelly, Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Genny Maas, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Amanda Vogt who continues to struggle with fatigue.
2. A friend of Denise's grand daughter (Madison) who is struggling with significant health issues at a very young age.
3. Doug Nichols (Bill's nephew) who continues to deal with Leukemia.
4. Genny's daughter (Karen) who is flying back from Australia.
5. Cyndie's friend Karen and their family who are struggling with various issues.
6. Andrew Jones friend Ryan who is completing his Eagle Scout training.
7. Josh Schlobohm who is doing better in college after a tough start.
8. Terry's sister's presence who has traveled up from Texas to visit their Mom (Opal Pursley) who is a resident at the Fenton Delmar Gardens.
9. Alan's friend Ernie who is now working as a chaplain after the loss of his daughter several weeks ago.
Materiel Discussed: Book of Acts, Chapters 24, 25, and 26
We started the class with the intent of watching Chapter 24 of Acts in the DVD we have been following but the story is so compelling that we kept the DVD running right thru Chapters 25 and 26. In these Chapters we read where Paul, being kept captive by the Roman Guards, is first taken to Governor Felix (located in Cesarea), where the Jewish case against Paul is presented by a Jewish lawyer named Tertullus. After Tertullus presents his case against him, Paul is given the opportunity to make his own defence. Paul's presentation is persuasive and Felix is not sure what he should do so he decides to do nothing and Paul stays in Roman custody for two (2) years.
Felix is eventually replaced by a new Governor named Festus. Upon Festus taking his new position the Jewish leaders immediately attempt to persuade Festus to return Paul to Jerusalem because the Jews want to kill Paul in the interim travel. Paul senses this plot and when Festus offers Paul the opportunity to return to Jerusalem to face his accusers Paul refuses and appeals his case to Caesar in Rome! Evidently, the Roman laws and fundamentals beliefs regarding Roman citizenship were strong and thus when Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar the Roman Governor felt compelled to grant this appeal even with the Jewish pressure to return Paul to Jerusalem. However; Festus' problem his he can find nothing illegal about Paul's activities and thus he doesn't know what charges to bring against Paul that can be sent to Caesar. Festus therefore turns to the local Jewish leader - King Agrippa II, to hear Paul's argument and to help develop some sort of charge that could be used to send Paul to Caesar. King Aggippa II then hears Paul and Paul once again makes his case. During this defense Paul relies more heavily on his Jewish background and his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, and upon the completion of Paul's presentation King Aggrippa tells Festus Paul has done nothing to deserve death and in fact Paul could have been set free if Paul had not appealed to Caesar.
This completed Chapter 26 and the story of Paul's hearings in front of Felix, Festus and King Aggripa II and the scriptures do not tell us what charges Festus eventually develops, but because of Paul's appear Festus does indeed send Paul to Rome. Chapters 27 and 28 will cover Paul's journey to Rome, and will complete the Book of Acts.
One salient element in these three Chapters (24 - 26) is Paul argues his case with much confidence and clarity because Paul knows (from vs Chapter 23:v11) that the "Lord" wants and needs Paul to go to Rome; therefore, Paul's confidence in the Lord leads Paul to know that he will indeed go to Rome even though there may be other humans who want to prevent this trip. Paul does not appear to be the least bit concerned be cause he "Trusts God", and that would seem to be a main lesson in our study. Do we Trust God? That's the question we must all ask ourselves.
This next weekend Jane and I will be visiting our Grand kids in Madison so we will not be in class next Sunday. Bill Nichols has graciously agreed to play the DVD and lead the class and I would encourage all to attend and listen about Paul's journey to Rome. As usual it is not easy and Paul once again displays his confidence in the Lord which leads to leadership of the ships crew.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Monday, February 15, 2010
February 15, 2010
Good Morning!
Social Stuff:
Well its Monday morning and we received about 4" of snow here at the Pursley home. I have been out and shoveled the driveway plus rode my stationary bike 6 miles so I am feeling pretty good right now. For Valentines Day Jane and I went to the movies and saw "Sherlock Holmes" and we both enjoyed it very much. We would recommend it to you. After the movie we went to TGIFridays and we always like the food and environment there. We enjoyed Sunday's church services with the focus on the Boy Scouts as well as both the Pastor's message and the choir music. We are quite lucky to have Bob Meinz as our music director and Suzanne as our pastor.
I completed my mother's taxes as well as Jane and my taxes this past week which didn't go to badly, after I worked my way thru all my computer problems. Boy am I dumb about this computer stuff, and that assessment of my talent is being generous!
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Members Present: Bill Nichols, Allan and Teresa Schlobohm, Cindie Jones, Denise Kelly, Pastor Suzanne Lyons, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Denise's grandson - Dean - who is having some difficulty adapting to his new school environment.
2. Bill's nephew Doug who is undergoing his second round of chemotherapy.
3. Jane's cousin Pat who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is in the early stages of treatment.
4. Cyndie's mom Esther who will be having some blood work done this week.
5. Cyndie's friend Ester Smith who is experiencing some general health issues.
6. Terry's sister, Wyona, who will be traveling to St. Louis this next week.
7. Terry's mom, Opal, who is a resident at Delmar Gardens in Fenton, Mo. and who continues to experience mental fading.
8. Jane's friend Jen Buck who is trying to get started going to church but is reluctant to do so.
Material studied was Chapter 23 of the Book of Acts.
In Chapter 23 we continue to find Paul having to encounter a large contingent of Jewish leaders (Sadducee's) who were upset with Paul's teaching about the "the resurrection of the dead". They were so upset with Paul that they wanted to kill him. The other faction of the Jewish leadership was the Pharisees and they were in general agreement with Paul's "resurrection" philosophy and thus there was much turmoil in the Jewish leadership. This "turmoil" was so strong that the Roman Governor and military had to expend considerable efforts to protect Paul, and even had to move Paul from Jerusalem to the town of Caesarea for Paul's protection.
We had a very good discussion about this Chapter and we noted three (3) items of interest.
1. Throughout this episode the new Christian leaders (apostles and disciples) are significant by their absence. Whether these Christian leaders were afraid of their own safety or not is a matter of speculation, but the scriptures do not make any mention of them during this period.
2. The Jewish leadership is under great pressure as a result of Paul's preaching. This whole concept of Jesus being the "Messiah" and/or the "Son of God" is not something the Jewish leadership are able to "push to the back burner"; which is what they have most probably been able to do with other radical religious philosophies that have come and gone, but not this one. This "Christianity" will not go away and the more the Jewish leaders argue the stronger the Christians become as evidenced by the fact that certain members of the Jewish community have come to the conclusion they must kill Paul in order to stop his message from affecting the entire community.
3. The Roman Government isn't much concerned about Paul's theology but they are concerned about his Roman Citizenship! We see here a small glimpse into the Roman society which obviously highly values a Roman Citizen. Paul is basically a "nobody" as far as Rome is concerned but the fact that Paul is a Roman Citizen gives Paul certain fundamental rights which the Roman Government is willing to spend considerable resources to protect.
In addition we find in verse 11 a very meaningful message. Verse 11 reads "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good news in Rome as well." We see Jesus telling Paul that Paul must preach in Rome. From history we remember, Paul's preaching will highly influence Rome's leadership so that in the 4th century Christianity will become officially recognized and supported by the Roman Government. From Rome, Christianity will therefore spread to Spain and to England and from both those countries to the United States, and eventually to us here in Salem Church. I therefore suggest that Verse 11 of Chapter 23 in the Book of Acts is the "Christ led plan" for Christianity to be spread throughout the World including to those of us in Salem In Ballwin United Methodist Church. I think that sort of "stuff" is pretty "neat" not to mention very important as we continue to search for our spiritual "foundation". We worship here because Jesus wanted us to worship here!
Next week we will continue our study by reading Chapter 24 and beyond of the Book of Acts as the "Holy Spirit" so directs.
In the meantime and as always - Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Koinonia Sunday School Class
PS - I should once again state that the above blog comments are mine and mine alone. They have not been reviewed, approved or in any way sanctioned by, my wife, Salem Church, our Pastor, the United Methodist Church or any other intelligent entity. They are just my "musings" and I hope you find them interesting and helpful.
T
Social Stuff:
Well its Monday morning and we received about 4" of snow here at the Pursley home. I have been out and shoveled the driveway plus rode my stationary bike 6 miles so I am feeling pretty good right now. For Valentines Day Jane and I went to the movies and saw "Sherlock Holmes" and we both enjoyed it very much. We would recommend it to you. After the movie we went to TGIFridays and we always like the food and environment there. We enjoyed Sunday's church services with the focus on the Boy Scouts as well as both the Pastor's message and the choir music. We are quite lucky to have Bob Meinz as our music director and Suzanne as our pastor.
I completed my mother's taxes as well as Jane and my taxes this past week which didn't go to badly, after I worked my way thru all my computer problems. Boy am I dumb about this computer stuff, and that assessment of my talent is being generous!
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Members Present: Bill Nichols, Allan and Teresa Schlobohm, Cindie Jones, Denise Kelly, Pastor Suzanne Lyons, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Denise's grandson - Dean - who is having some difficulty adapting to his new school environment.
2. Bill's nephew Doug who is undergoing his second round of chemotherapy.
3. Jane's cousin Pat who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is in the early stages of treatment.
4. Cyndie's mom Esther who will be having some blood work done this week.
5. Cyndie's friend Ester Smith who is experiencing some general health issues.
6. Terry's sister, Wyona, who will be traveling to St. Louis this next week.
7. Terry's mom, Opal, who is a resident at Delmar Gardens in Fenton, Mo. and who continues to experience mental fading.
8. Jane's friend Jen Buck who is trying to get started going to church but is reluctant to do so.
Material studied was Chapter 23 of the Book of Acts.
In Chapter 23 we continue to find Paul having to encounter a large contingent of Jewish leaders (Sadducee's) who were upset with Paul's teaching about the "the resurrection of the dead". They were so upset with Paul that they wanted to kill him. The other faction of the Jewish leadership was the Pharisees and they were in general agreement with Paul's "resurrection" philosophy and thus there was much turmoil in the Jewish leadership. This "turmoil" was so strong that the Roman Governor and military had to expend considerable efforts to protect Paul, and even had to move Paul from Jerusalem to the town of Caesarea for Paul's protection.
We had a very good discussion about this Chapter and we noted three (3) items of interest.
1. Throughout this episode the new Christian leaders (apostles and disciples) are significant by their absence. Whether these Christian leaders were afraid of their own safety or not is a matter of speculation, but the scriptures do not make any mention of them during this period.
2. The Jewish leadership is under great pressure as a result of Paul's preaching. This whole concept of Jesus being the "Messiah" and/or the "Son of God" is not something the Jewish leadership are able to "push to the back burner"; which is what they have most probably been able to do with other radical religious philosophies that have come and gone, but not this one. This "Christianity" will not go away and the more the Jewish leaders argue the stronger the Christians become as evidenced by the fact that certain members of the Jewish community have come to the conclusion they must kill Paul in order to stop his message from affecting the entire community.
3. The Roman Government isn't much concerned about Paul's theology but they are concerned about his Roman Citizenship! We see here a small glimpse into the Roman society which obviously highly values a Roman Citizen. Paul is basically a "nobody" as far as Rome is concerned but the fact that Paul is a Roman Citizen gives Paul certain fundamental rights which the Roman Government is willing to spend considerable resources to protect.
In addition we find in verse 11 a very meaningful message. Verse 11 reads "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good news in Rome as well." We see Jesus telling Paul that Paul must preach in Rome. From history we remember, Paul's preaching will highly influence Rome's leadership so that in the 4th century Christianity will become officially recognized and supported by the Roman Government. From Rome, Christianity will therefore spread to Spain and to England and from both those countries to the United States, and eventually to us here in Salem Church. I therefore suggest that Verse 11 of Chapter 23 in the Book of Acts is the "Christ led plan" for Christianity to be spread throughout the World including to those of us in Salem In Ballwin United Methodist Church. I think that sort of "stuff" is pretty "neat" not to mention very important as we continue to search for our spiritual "foundation". We worship here because Jesus wanted us to worship here!
Next week we will continue our study by reading Chapter 24 and beyond of the Book of Acts as the "Holy Spirit" so directs.
In the meantime and as always - Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Koinonia Sunday School Class
PS - I should once again state that the above blog comments are mine and mine alone. They have not been reviewed, approved or in any way sanctioned by, my wife, Salem Church, our Pastor, the United Methodist Church or any other intelligent entity. They are just my "musings" and I hope you find them interesting and helpful.
T
Monday, February 8, 2010
February 8, 2010
Good Morning All!
Its been a couple of weeks since I wrote because Jane and I were in Las Vegas last week attending a Vemma Nutritional convention. We took some extra days and visited the Grand Canyon and the Las Vegas strip. We enjoyed all aspects of the vacation. We went to the Grand Canyon on Monday (2/25/10) and saw the beautiful sites. Like most people, we were impressed by the size and colors of the Canyon. I was considering how long it took God to cut the canyon and then I was even more impressed by how long it must have taken to lay down all the various layers of earth you see in the Canyon walls before the river even began to cut the Canyon. I then realized that all this beautiful creation wound have gone unappreciated if God hadn't created humans with the ability to observe and appreciate the Creation. Truly a magnificent display was before our eyes!
Vegas itself was great also. The crowds are way down and thus its pretty easy to get around and see the sites, but be prepared to walk. Goodness we walked a lot, but it was good weather so it was enjoyable. We saw two shows - "The Lion King", as well as the magicians "Penn & Teller". Both were very good and we really enjoyed the Lion King's music and set creativity. Both shows were worth the money we spent to see them. I did play "Blackjack" at various casinos and when all was send and done I came out ahead by $83. I enjoy the games and the people but a person sure can lose a lot in a short amount of time if you are disciplined. Also, I use to hear the food and hotel rooms were relatively inexpensive because the Casinos wanted to lure people to the "Gaming" experience, but we did not find find this to be true during our trip. Seemed to me like everything cost at least 10% more than back home so I didn't find it to be a particularly inexpensive trip.
The Vemma convention was excellent as usual. Vemma is a great product, and company with great people. If you are interested in enhancing your health I'd suggest going to http://www.terryp.vemma.com.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Material Studied: Book of Acts - Chapters 21 and 22.
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Ginny Maas, Cindie Jones, Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Bill's nephew (Doug) who is home recovering from Chemotherapy for Leukemia treatment.
2. Suzanne's health as she is feeling bad today with stomach issues.
3. A joy for Cindy's children - Alison and Meridith - who are both doing well and enjoying their lives.
4. Cindie's friend Maria Jones who is in the process of having to make employment decisions, and
5, Another Joy for the existence of Duff Hall that has allowed the Boy Scouts to use the facility for their programs and growth. It truly has been a benefit to the Boy Scout troops who use the facility.
Class:
Today we watched the DVD Chapters 21 and 22 from the Book of Acts and we find some very interesting actions taking place. First - Paul has completed his Third ministry journey and is returning to Jerusalem but he is cautioned by "Believers" against returning because of the public outcry against Paul. The Believers are very concerned about Paul's safety. Paul; however, is committed to going as it is God's will and so he returns and is created warmly by the Christian "Elders" but Jewish concerns persist about Paul's teaching that circumcision is not required. This Jewish criticism continues to grow and becomes so strong that Paul is dragged from the Temple and nearly beaten to death. In fact he would have been killed if Roman soldiers had not been present to stop Paul's beating.
While Paul is being led away by the Roman soldiers, Paul asks to speak to the crown once again and the Romain's allow him this opportunity. Paul then gives a long narrative of just how he was transitioned by God from a person famous for persecuting the Christians to becoming a leading spokesperson for the Christians. The crowd is listening very intently but when Paul states he is to take God's message to the Gentiles, the crowd again becomes very volatile to the extent the Roman guards bring Paul inside for not only his own protection but also to flog Paul so he would confess what he had down to arouse the ire of the crowd. As Paul was being stripped for the flogging when Paul states he is a Roman Citizen and challenges the soldiers as to their authority for flogging a Roman Citizen without a trial. This point was evidently a significant defense because the Roman guards stopped the flogging preparations and the Roman commander order a special hearing with the Jewish leaders and Paul in an attempt to ascertain the fundamental issues. Next week in our study of Chapter 23 we will see how this hearing proceeds and its results.
We continue to see thru these accounts of Paul's ministry that Paul remains a singularly strong missionary for God's word. Paul continues to recount the facts of his conversion and the message God gave to Paul to preach. Paul does not waiver, because he KNOWS who God/Jesus is and he KNOWS the message he is to give to the people. He understands his message may not be popular with many people; nonetheless, it is the message of God and he does not waiver in his responsibility to share it with all who will listen.
Next week we will study Chapter 23 and until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Koinonia Sunday School Class
Its been a couple of weeks since I wrote because Jane and I were in Las Vegas last week attending a Vemma Nutritional convention. We took some extra days and visited the Grand Canyon and the Las Vegas strip. We enjoyed all aspects of the vacation. We went to the Grand Canyon on Monday (2/25/10) and saw the beautiful sites. Like most people, we were impressed by the size and colors of the Canyon. I was considering how long it took God to cut the canyon and then I was even more impressed by how long it must have taken to lay down all the various layers of earth you see in the Canyon walls before the river even began to cut the Canyon. I then realized that all this beautiful creation wound have gone unappreciated if God hadn't created humans with the ability to observe and appreciate the Creation. Truly a magnificent display was before our eyes!
Vegas itself was great also. The crowds are way down and thus its pretty easy to get around and see the sites, but be prepared to walk. Goodness we walked a lot, but it was good weather so it was enjoyable. We saw two shows - "The Lion King", as well as the magicians "Penn & Teller". Both were very good and we really enjoyed the Lion King's music and set creativity. Both shows were worth the money we spent to see them. I did play "Blackjack" at various casinos and when all was send and done I came out ahead by $83. I enjoy the games and the people but a person sure can lose a lot in a short amount of time if you are disciplined. Also, I use to hear the food and hotel rooms were relatively inexpensive because the Casinos wanted to lure people to the "Gaming" experience, but we did not find find this to be true during our trip. Seemed to me like everything cost at least 10% more than back home so I didn't find it to be a particularly inexpensive trip.
The Vemma convention was excellent as usual. Vemma is a great product, and company with great people. If you are interested in enhancing your health I'd suggest going to http://www.terryp.vemma.com.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Material Studied: Book of Acts - Chapters 21 and 22.
Attendees: Alan and Teresa Schlobohm, Ginny Maas, Cindie Jones, Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Jane and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Bill's nephew (Doug) who is home recovering from Chemotherapy for Leukemia treatment.
2. Suzanne's health as she is feeling bad today with stomach issues.
3. A joy for Cindy's children - Alison and Meridith - who are both doing well and enjoying their lives.
4. Cindie's friend Maria Jones who is in the process of having to make employment decisions, and
5, Another Joy for the existence of Duff Hall that has allowed the Boy Scouts to use the facility for their programs and growth. It truly has been a benefit to the Boy Scout troops who use the facility.
Class:
Today we watched the DVD Chapters 21 and 22 from the Book of Acts and we find some very interesting actions taking place. First - Paul has completed his Third ministry journey and is returning to Jerusalem but he is cautioned by "Believers" against returning because of the public outcry against Paul. The Believers are very concerned about Paul's safety. Paul; however, is committed to going as it is God's will and so he returns and is created warmly by the Christian "Elders" but Jewish concerns persist about Paul's teaching that circumcision is not required. This Jewish criticism continues to grow and becomes so strong that Paul is dragged from the Temple and nearly beaten to death. In fact he would have been killed if Roman soldiers had not been present to stop Paul's beating.
While Paul is being led away by the Roman soldiers, Paul asks to speak to the crown once again and the Romain's allow him this opportunity. Paul then gives a long narrative of just how he was transitioned by God from a person famous for persecuting the Christians to becoming a leading spokesperson for the Christians. The crowd is listening very intently but when Paul states he is to take God's message to the Gentiles, the crowd again becomes very volatile to the extent the Roman guards bring Paul inside for not only his own protection but also to flog Paul so he would confess what he had down to arouse the ire of the crowd. As Paul was being stripped for the flogging when Paul states he is a Roman Citizen and challenges the soldiers as to their authority for flogging a Roman Citizen without a trial. This point was evidently a significant defense because the Roman guards stopped the flogging preparations and the Roman commander order a special hearing with the Jewish leaders and Paul in an attempt to ascertain the fundamental issues. Next week in our study of Chapter 23 we will see how this hearing proceeds and its results.
We continue to see thru these accounts of Paul's ministry that Paul remains a singularly strong missionary for God's word. Paul continues to recount the facts of his conversion and the message God gave to Paul to preach. Paul does not waiver, because he KNOWS who God/Jesus is and he KNOWS the message he is to give to the people. He understands his message may not be popular with many people; nonetheless, it is the message of God and he does not waiver in his responsibility to share it with all who will listen.
Next week we will study Chapter 23 and until then -
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Koinonia Sunday School Class
Sunday, January 17, 2010
January 18, 2010
Good Morning!
Actually I am writing this Sunday (1-17-10) but I thought I'd keep the title dated for Monday.
Social Stuff:
Fairly calm period this past week. I did re-join the chorus group I sang with this past Christmas season and it was fun to sing. My family had a belated Christmas dinner with my Mom this past Saturday at Delmar Gardens since she had been ill over the actual holiday season. Jane did a great job preparing the Christmas dinner and we, along with my brother Jeff's family, had a good time. Mom still struggles but she is aware of enough to enjoy being with her family.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Ginny Maas, Betty Caswell, Denise Kelly, Cindie Jones, Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. The people of Haiti.
2. Bill's nephew Doug who is diagnosed with leukemia.
3. Bill's sister-in-law, Darlene, who may have uterine cancer, and
4. Bill's brother Dan (Husband of Darlene and father to Doug) who is having to deal with both of the above illnesses.
5. Bill Vallalie who continues to struggle with his lung disease and who is now hoping for a lung transplant her in St. Louis later this Spring.
6. Jane's mom who is struggling with joint pain and an overall weakening of her strength.
7. Terry's mom who is recovering from shingles and diminished mental awareness.
8. A friend of Denise's' (Dot) who is dealing with an irregular heart beat.
9. Jane's cousin Laurie who is dealing with the affects of cancer treatment.
10. Jane and Terry's niece who is approaching 5 years of breast cancer recovery.
11. Thad and Lila Killingbeck, Oregon friends of Terry and Jane, who are doing well including Thad's recent acceptance of Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Class Material: Acts Chapter 19.
Chapter 19 is broken into four distinct sections.
In Verses 1 thru 7 we see Paul explaining the difference between the baptism of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. Paul explains the baptism of John is for the repentance from sin, but John had explained there was another (Jesus) who was greater than John whom the people should believe in. When the people heard Paul's explanation they became believers of Jesus and where baptised in the name of Jesus, upon for which they received the Holly Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
In Verses 8 thru 12 we find Paul preaching boldly for over two years in Ephesus and with great Power from God. The verses explain Paul's power was so great that simple items like handkerchiefs or aprons, that had touched Paul, had the ability to heal people when these items were placed on sick people.
In Verses 13 thru 22 we read about a group of Jews that were traveling about trying to cast out demons using the name of the Lord Jesus. However; when these Jews attempted to cast out a demon from a particular man the demon responds by asking who these Jews were. The demon says he knows Jesus and Paul but he does not know these Jews. The demon then comes out of the man and severely beats the Jew's who had been attempting to cast out the demon. This story seems odd to us today, but at the time this story evidently had great impact upon a great number of people. The scriptures records this story spread through the city and brought great fear to all the people to the extent many became believers and many, who had been practicing sorcery, took all their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The scripture records that the number of such documents that were burned were worth approximately $1 million in today's money value.
In Verses 23 thru 41 the scripture tells us of a certain silversmith in Ephesus named Demetrius who had a large business manufacturing silver idols for the Greek god Artemis. Evidently the success of Paul's preaching was impacting Demetrius' business and so he incited a riot in order to have Paul's people thrown out of the city. The crowds became large and loud and had they not been controls may of escalated into serious trouble for Paul and his people. Fortunately, the mayor of Ephesus told the crowd to stop their activities and bring formal charges against Paul's people so the courts could deal with the issue. The mayor indicated that he was not aware of anything Paul's people or preaching had none that violated the law and if the crowd continued to harass Paul's people then the Roman government may get involved and crush the uprising.
Lessons Learned: From these above four sections we learn -
1. There is more to baptism than just repentance from sin. More importantly, baptism is the public act of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and receiving the Holy Spirit.
2. Paul was a powerful messenger for God. Not simply in his ability to speak and argue well but he was also so filled with the Holy Spirit so God's power greatly flowed through him to help and heal others.
3. Acting in the name of Jesus without being a believer can be dangerous business .
4. Business philosophy based on other than God's principles are bound to suffer if not out right fail.
The early Christian Church was a powerful and dynamic force whose growth could not be stopped. We must understand today that each of us is a part of this same Christian growth process and we should not assume all this "scripture stuff" is nothing more than a little "easy reading"of the "early days". As Christians we are part of a powerful force for God and we need to act accordingly!
Well that's it for today. I hope my writings and musings are of some interest and help stir an interest in the Bible teachings. Please remember my writings and thoughts are mine alone. No one of authority has reviewed or approved my writings so as always I encourage everyone to read the scriptures on their own and let the Holy Spirit guide you and your unique understanding.
Till next week - Have a Great Week and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Actually I am writing this Sunday (1-17-10) but I thought I'd keep the title dated for Monday.
Social Stuff:
Fairly calm period this past week. I did re-join the chorus group I sang with this past Christmas season and it was fun to sing. My family had a belated Christmas dinner with my Mom this past Saturday at Delmar Gardens since she had been ill over the actual holiday season. Jane did a great job preparing the Christmas dinner and we, along with my brother Jeff's family, had a good time. Mom still struggles but she is aware of enough to enjoy being with her family.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Ginny Maas, Betty Caswell, Denise Kelly, Cindie Jones, Jane and Terry Pursley
Prayers were requested for:
1. The people of Haiti.
2. Bill's nephew Doug who is diagnosed with leukemia.
3. Bill's sister-in-law, Darlene, who may have uterine cancer, and
4. Bill's brother Dan (Husband of Darlene and father to Doug) who is having to deal with both of the above illnesses.
5. Bill Vallalie who continues to struggle with his lung disease and who is now hoping for a lung transplant her in St. Louis later this Spring.
6. Jane's mom who is struggling with joint pain and an overall weakening of her strength.
7. Terry's mom who is recovering from shingles and diminished mental awareness.
8. A friend of Denise's' (Dot) who is dealing with an irregular heart beat.
9. Jane's cousin Laurie who is dealing with the affects of cancer treatment.
10. Jane and Terry's niece who is approaching 5 years of breast cancer recovery.
11. Thad and Lila Killingbeck, Oregon friends of Terry and Jane, who are doing well including Thad's recent acceptance of Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Class Material: Acts Chapter 19.
Chapter 19 is broken into four distinct sections.
In Verses 1 thru 7 we see Paul explaining the difference between the baptism of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. Paul explains the baptism of John is for the repentance from sin, but John had explained there was another (Jesus) who was greater than John whom the people should believe in. When the people heard Paul's explanation they became believers of Jesus and where baptised in the name of Jesus, upon for which they received the Holly Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
In Verses 8 thru 12 we find Paul preaching boldly for over two years in Ephesus and with great Power from God. The verses explain Paul's power was so great that simple items like handkerchiefs or aprons, that had touched Paul, had the ability to heal people when these items were placed on sick people.
In Verses 13 thru 22 we read about a group of Jews that were traveling about trying to cast out demons using the name of the Lord Jesus. However; when these Jews attempted to cast out a demon from a particular man the demon responds by asking who these Jews were. The demon says he knows Jesus and Paul but he does not know these Jews. The demon then comes out of the man and severely beats the Jew's who had been attempting to cast out the demon. This story seems odd to us today, but at the time this story evidently had great impact upon a great number of people. The scriptures records this story spread through the city and brought great fear to all the people to the extent many became believers and many, who had been practicing sorcery, took all their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The scripture records that the number of such documents that were burned were worth approximately $1 million in today's money value.
In Verses 23 thru 41 the scripture tells us of a certain silversmith in Ephesus named Demetrius who had a large business manufacturing silver idols for the Greek god Artemis. Evidently the success of Paul's preaching was impacting Demetrius' business and so he incited a riot in order to have Paul's people thrown out of the city. The crowds became large and loud and had they not been controls may of escalated into serious trouble for Paul and his people. Fortunately, the mayor of Ephesus told the crowd to stop their activities and bring formal charges against Paul's people so the courts could deal with the issue. The mayor indicated that he was not aware of anything Paul's people or preaching had none that violated the law and if the crowd continued to harass Paul's people then the Roman government may get involved and crush the uprising.
Lessons Learned: From these above four sections we learn -
1. There is more to baptism than just repentance from sin. More importantly, baptism is the public act of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and receiving the Holy Spirit.
2. Paul was a powerful messenger for God. Not simply in his ability to speak and argue well but he was also so filled with the Holy Spirit so God's power greatly flowed through him to help and heal others.
3. Acting in the name of Jesus without being a believer can be dangerous business .
4. Business philosophy based on other than God's principles are bound to suffer if not out right fail.
The early Christian Church was a powerful and dynamic force whose growth could not be stopped. We must understand today that each of us is a part of this same Christian growth process and we should not assume all this "scripture stuff" is nothing more than a little "easy reading"of the "early days". As Christians we are part of a powerful force for God and we need to act accordingly!
Well that's it for today. I hope my writings and musings are of some interest and help stir an interest in the Bible teachings. Please remember my writings and thoughts are mine alone. No one of authority has reviewed or approved my writings so as always I encourage everyone to read the scriptures on their own and let the Holy Spirit guide you and your unique understanding.
Till next week - Have a Great Week and Enjoy Life!
Terry Pursley
Monday, January 11, 2010
January 11, 2010
Good Morning Everyone!
Well its a "little" warmer here today so I suppose we should be pleased but I could use a little more warmth myself. I suppose this will make us all appreciate the warmth of Spring when it arrives.
Social Stuff:
Jane and I were pretty well laid up this past week with colds. Jane a lot worse than I was. Jane stayed home all week were I was able to get out a little. We watched some football this weekend on TV and wasn't the Cardinal/Green Bay game a great one? The outcome was not what Green Bay fans wanted but the game itself was outstanding. Felt bad for any team that lost that game.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Alan, Teresa, and Josh Schlobohm, Ginny Maas, Denise Kelly, and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Jane Pursely's health
2. Amanda Vogt's health.
3. Bill's Nephew - Doug - who has recently been diagnosed with Leukemia.
4. Denise's brother - Doug - who is going thru some tough personal issues.
5. Denise's new office where she has recently moved to and seems to be causing here some illness.
Class Material: Today we studied the Book of Acts, Chapter 18
In Chapter 18 we find Paul traveling to Corinth where he began preaching in the synagogue and where Paul meets the husband and wife team of Aquila and Priscilla. The scripture indicates Paul spent some time preaching in the synagogue and as usual the local Jewish leaders became upset with Paul and in fact Paul had to move from the synagogue to the home of Titius Justus who was a Gentile. In a vision, "the Lord" asked Paul to not be afraid and to continue preaching the "Good News" which Paul did from this location for the next 18 months. During this time period the Jews remained up-set with Paul and brought Paul before the local governor with the charge that Paul was teaching people to violate the Jewish laws. The Governor however refused to hear the case because the charges had nothing to do with the Government's Laws but rather the Jewish laws. The Jewish leaders became so upset with this ruling that the Jews lashed out by beating one of their own leaders - Sosthenes.
After preaching 18 months in Corinth, Paul traveled to Syria taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. They stopped briefly in Ephesus where he left his followers and then moved on to Caesarea and then back to Jerusalem where reported his activities to the church leaders. After Jerusalem Paul traveled back to Antioch where in effect Paul's second missionary trip ends.
At this point, and starting with verse 24, Chapter 18 discusses the evangelistic work of a Christian named Apollos who was a strong Christian and was a very good speaker. Apollos had a very strong "technical knowledge of Jesus but apparently was a little weak on the spiritual aspects and so Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos into their home and taught Apollos "the way of God even more accurately". With this knowledge Apollos travels into "Achaia (Greece) where he becomes a very powerful and effective messenger of God's Word and is able to successful refute the many arguments against Jesus as raised by the Jewish people. According to the Scriptures Apollos was "proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God's grace, had believed."
Two lessons learned in this Chapter are
1. It is important for all of us to continue to be advocates for Jesus Christ to those we encounter. God told Paul to not be afraid but to continue to preach the "Good News". This would be a similar message for all of us. We should each continue to be advocates of Christ in all that we do and not let challenges to Christ go unaddressed.
2. Each of us - like Apollos - should not assume we know all there is to know about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Apollos was strong intellectually but it was thru the faith of Priscilla and Acquila that Apollos was able to fully understand the Word of God and then go forth to preach it to all who would listen. Similarly, each of us needs to continually prepare ourselves, thru Church Worship, Sunday School, and other Bible Studies, to continually enrich our knowledge of Christ so we may be the best advocates we can be.
Next week we will be studying Chapter 19 of Acts. I invite everyone to join us so we can all grow in our Christian lives.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Well its a "little" warmer here today so I suppose we should be pleased but I could use a little more warmth myself. I suppose this will make us all appreciate the warmth of Spring when it arrives.
Social Stuff:
Jane and I were pretty well laid up this past week with colds. Jane a lot worse than I was. Jane stayed home all week were I was able to get out a little. We watched some football this weekend on TV and wasn't the Cardinal/Green Bay game a great one? The outcome was not what Green Bay fans wanted but the game itself was outstanding. Felt bad for any team that lost that game.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Bill Nichols, Betty Caswell, Alan, Teresa, and Josh Schlobohm, Ginny Maas, Denise Kelly, and Terry Pursley.
Prayers were requested for:
1. Jane Pursely's health
2. Amanda Vogt's health.
3. Bill's Nephew - Doug - who has recently been diagnosed with Leukemia.
4. Denise's brother - Doug - who is going thru some tough personal issues.
5. Denise's new office where she has recently moved to and seems to be causing here some illness.
Class Material: Today we studied the Book of Acts, Chapter 18
In Chapter 18 we find Paul traveling to Corinth where he began preaching in the synagogue and where Paul meets the husband and wife team of Aquila and Priscilla. The scripture indicates Paul spent some time preaching in the synagogue and as usual the local Jewish leaders became upset with Paul and in fact Paul had to move from the synagogue to the home of Titius Justus who was a Gentile. In a vision, "the Lord" asked Paul to not be afraid and to continue preaching the "Good News" which Paul did from this location for the next 18 months. During this time period the Jews remained up-set with Paul and brought Paul before the local governor with the charge that Paul was teaching people to violate the Jewish laws. The Governor however refused to hear the case because the charges had nothing to do with the Government's Laws but rather the Jewish laws. The Jewish leaders became so upset with this ruling that the Jews lashed out by beating one of their own leaders - Sosthenes.
After preaching 18 months in Corinth, Paul traveled to Syria taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. They stopped briefly in Ephesus where he left his followers and then moved on to Caesarea and then back to Jerusalem where reported his activities to the church leaders. After Jerusalem Paul traveled back to Antioch where in effect Paul's second missionary trip ends.
At this point, and starting with verse 24, Chapter 18 discusses the evangelistic work of a Christian named Apollos who was a strong Christian and was a very good speaker. Apollos had a very strong "technical knowledge of Jesus but apparently was a little weak on the spiritual aspects and so Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos into their home and taught Apollos "the way of God even more accurately". With this knowledge Apollos travels into "Achaia (Greece) where he becomes a very powerful and effective messenger of God's Word and is able to successful refute the many arguments against Jesus as raised by the Jewish people. According to the Scriptures Apollos was "proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God's grace, had believed."
Two lessons learned in this Chapter are
1. It is important for all of us to continue to be advocates for Jesus Christ to those we encounter. God told Paul to not be afraid but to continue to preach the "Good News". This would be a similar message for all of us. We should each continue to be advocates of Christ in all that we do and not let challenges to Christ go unaddressed.
2. Each of us - like Apollos - should not assume we know all there is to know about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Apollos was strong intellectually but it was thru the faith of Priscilla and Acquila that Apollos was able to fully understand the Word of God and then go forth to preach it to all who would listen. Similarly, each of us needs to continually prepare ourselves, thru Church Worship, Sunday School, and other Bible Studies, to continually enrich our knowledge of Christ so we may be the best advocates we can be.
Next week we will be studying Chapter 19 of Acts. I invite everyone to join us so we can all grow in our Christian lives.
Have a Great Day and Enjoy Life!
Terry
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
January 4, 2010
Happy New Year to Each and Everyone of You!
I am a day late with this post and I apologize for it.
Social Stuff:
Jane and I had a great New Year's Eve Party at you house. I say great but perhaps the better term in "loud" We had about 50 people in our home ranging in age from 5 months to 80 years. Keep in mind our home comfortable accommodates about 15 people so with 50 people we were a "standing room only" crowd. We did have a great time however and slept very well after we went to bed - about 2:00 AM!
I missed our Sunday School Class this week because my brother and I went to the final Rams football game and we took in some pre-game festivities! The game went as usual for this year and we lost our 15th game of this season. It has been a real struggle for us this year but at least we have stopped the bleeding with the season being over.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan & Teresa Schlobohm, Betty Caswell, Ginny Maas, Jane Pursley, Bill Nichols, Denise Kelly, Suzanne Lyons.
Prayers were requested for:
1. My (Terry Pursely's) Mom who is recovering from "shingles" at Delmar Gardens
2. Denise's friend
3. Cyndies' friend
4. Alan and Teresa's friend.
(Sorry from being so vague here but since I failed to make the class I am unable to provide the specifics. Suffice it to say the Koinonia Class continues to pray for those persons who we know of and who are brought to our attention. If you would like to add someone to our prayer lists justlet any of your class members know and we will be happy to add them to our list.)
Class Material Studied: The Book of Acts - Chapter 17.
In Chapter 17 we find Paul preaching in three different cities - Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens.
In Thessalonica, Paul preaches the Good News and creates a "real" problem for the resident Jews. Again we see where Paul is so successful in his preaching argument that the Jews turn to the local government in an attempt to silence Paul's message. In this particular instance, Paul leaves town before he can be brought to court and so the Jew's bring to trial the person (Jason) who provided a place from which Paul spoke. Evidently the Jewish "argument" is not particularly strong "civilly" because Jason is allowed to post bond and go home.
In Bera, Paul and Silas, went to the synagogue and preaching the Good News and once again began converting Jewish people who after researching the scriptures believed Paul's message was true. Paul's success again rises to the point where those Jewish people in Thessalonica who were upset with Paul in Thessalonica now come to Bera to cause Paul problems. Paul leaves Bera before the Thessalonica "crowd" arrives and travels to Athens.
In Athens, Paul again begins preaching in the synagogues but also encounters a new "resistance" to his message. Heretofore, Paul has been arguing with Jewish leaders but in Athens Paul is encountering a "polytheistic" society where the people have a number of Gods and Idols to whom they worship. With these "Epicurean and Stoic" philosophers Paul encounters a "mind set" that isn't necessarily against Paul's Jesus but rather are just "curious", as if to see if this Jesus should be added to the list of their already numerous deities. Paul takes a new approach with these philosophers because he doesn't argue the scriptural basis for Jesus, but rather states that the one Paul is preaching of is the "Unknown God" whom the philosophers have referred to in some of their symbols. Paul explains there is only one God and it is this God who has made all things. Paul's message seems to be at least "interesting" to the philosophers but when Paul tells the philosophers about the resurrection of the dead some in the audience "laughed in contempt", but some didn't! The point here is the concept of being resurrected from the dead is a point that has and will continue to be a major dividing point between those who believe and those who do not. Some people accept this resurrection principle in Faith while others cannot because their "created mind" cannot logically accept that resurrection is possible.
I suggest there are at least three main points can be learned from Chapter 17.
1. The argument for Christ is powerful when presented as Paul does, but
2. Non-believers will try to use various means; including governments, to repress successful preaching, and
3. The acceptance of Christ is an act of faith and not logic.
This completes my message this week. If the good Lord's willing, I will be back in class this coming Sunday so the class can help me correct my thoughts, and we can review Chapter 18. In the meantime -
Have a Great Week and Enjoy Life!
Terry
(Note: The above thoughts are mine and mine alone. They have not been reviewed or sanctioned by our pastor (Suzanne Lyons), Salem Church, the United Methodist Church, or any other intelligent party. I encourage all persons to read the relevant scriptures themselves and develop their own thoughts with respect to their relationship with God.)
I am a day late with this post and I apologize for it.
Social Stuff:
Jane and I had a great New Year's Eve Party at you house. I say great but perhaps the better term in "loud" We had about 50 people in our home ranging in age from 5 months to 80 years. Keep in mind our home comfortable accommodates about 15 people so with 50 people we were a "standing room only" crowd. We did have a great time however and slept very well after we went to bed - about 2:00 AM!
I missed our Sunday School Class this week because my brother and I went to the final Rams football game and we took in some pre-game festivities! The game went as usual for this year and we lost our 15th game of this season. It has been a real struggle for us this year but at least we have stopped the bleeding with the season being over.
Koinonia Sunday School Class:
Attendees: Alan & Teresa Schlobohm, Betty Caswell, Ginny Maas, Jane Pursley, Bill Nichols, Denise Kelly, Suzanne Lyons.
Prayers were requested for:
1. My (Terry Pursely's) Mom who is recovering from "shingles" at Delmar Gardens
2. Denise's friend
3. Cyndies' friend
4. Alan and Teresa's friend.
(Sorry from being so vague here but since I failed to make the class I am unable to provide the specifics. Suffice it to say the Koinonia Class continues to pray for those persons who we know of and who are brought to our attention. If you would like to add someone to our prayer lists justlet any of your class members know and we will be happy to add them to our list.)
Class Material Studied: The Book of Acts - Chapter 17.
In Chapter 17 we find Paul preaching in three different cities - Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens.
In Thessalonica, Paul preaches the Good News and creates a "real" problem for the resident Jews. Again we see where Paul is so successful in his preaching argument that the Jews turn to the local government in an attempt to silence Paul's message. In this particular instance, Paul leaves town before he can be brought to court and so the Jew's bring to trial the person (Jason) who provided a place from which Paul spoke. Evidently the Jewish "argument" is not particularly strong "civilly" because Jason is allowed to post bond and go home.
In Bera, Paul and Silas, went to the synagogue and preaching the Good News and once again began converting Jewish people who after researching the scriptures believed Paul's message was true. Paul's success again rises to the point where those Jewish people in Thessalonica who were upset with Paul in Thessalonica now come to Bera to cause Paul problems. Paul leaves Bera before the Thessalonica "crowd" arrives and travels to Athens.
In Athens, Paul again begins preaching in the synagogues but also encounters a new "resistance" to his message. Heretofore, Paul has been arguing with Jewish leaders but in Athens Paul is encountering a "polytheistic" society where the people have a number of Gods and Idols to whom they worship. With these "Epicurean and Stoic" philosophers Paul encounters a "mind set" that isn't necessarily against Paul's Jesus but rather are just "curious", as if to see if this Jesus should be added to the list of their already numerous deities. Paul takes a new approach with these philosophers because he doesn't argue the scriptural basis for Jesus, but rather states that the one Paul is preaching of is the "Unknown God" whom the philosophers have referred to in some of their symbols. Paul explains there is only one God and it is this God who has made all things. Paul's message seems to be at least "interesting" to the philosophers but when Paul tells the philosophers about the resurrection of the dead some in the audience "laughed in contempt", but some didn't! The point here is the concept of being resurrected from the dead is a point that has and will continue to be a major dividing point between those who believe and those who do not. Some people accept this resurrection principle in Faith while others cannot because their "created mind" cannot logically accept that resurrection is possible.
I suggest there are at least three main points can be learned from Chapter 17.
1. The argument for Christ is powerful when presented as Paul does, but
2. Non-believers will try to use various means; including governments, to repress successful preaching, and
3. The acceptance of Christ is an act of faith and not logic.
This completes my message this week. If the good Lord's willing, I will be back in class this coming Sunday so the class can help me correct my thoughts, and we can review Chapter 18. In the meantime -
Have a Great Week and Enjoy Life!
Terry
(Note: The above thoughts are mine and mine alone. They have not been reviewed or sanctioned by our pastor (Suzanne Lyons), Salem Church, the United Methodist Church, or any other intelligent party. I encourage all persons to read the relevant scriptures themselves and develop their own thoughts with respect to their relationship with God.)
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