Saluki down time Nov 18, 2024

Saluki down time Nov 18, 2024

2 truths and a lie

Weird quarks

I am here for you. I want you to know that. Whatever you need, if I can, I will. God loves you and is here to save you and give you hope.

Moses

Some of you have glasses that are always half empty and have holes in them. Have you ever tried filling a cup that has a hole in it? Picture that for a minute.

For some, it doesn't matter what happens in your life you are always going to take the negative and excuse way out.

I know I’m filled to be emptied again

There is a man in the bible who also had excuses. What did God choose to do with this man?

In the Bible, Moses made five excuses when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt:

1. I'm not good enough: Moses was content with his life as a shepherd in Midian.

Who has been in a position where you didn’t feel good enough? 

Transfer portal—NIL. By the way, please let me talk with you before you enter the transfer portal. I believe I can be someone you can bounce your ideas off of. I am just here to support you in your life. 

2. I don't have all the answers:

Where in life are you put in a position to feel like you aren't smart or don't know enough?

Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household and had every advantage to learn. It was his belief in himself not reality. 

3. People won't believe me:

Moses was called to tell others what to do and how to do it. He was called to be a leader.

Where have you been called to be a leader but you have excuses why you can't?

Moses was afraid of being vulnerable to a potentially hostile group. 2 million people is who he was called to lead.

4. I'm a terrible public speaker: Moses said he was slow of speech and tongue.

What are you scared of? Why aren't you doing what you are called to do?

5. I'm not qualified: Moses' final excuse was "Please, anyone but me!".

Who told him he was all of these things?

God responded to Moses' excuses by saying, "I will be with you" and "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you".

God doesn't call the equipped. God equips the called.

I read this the other day and thought it was good. "When God put a calling on your life he already factored in your stupidity?

God knows who we are. God is not worried about who he has called.

All these excuses, and let's talk about what Moses did.

1. Led the Israelites out of slavery: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

2. Parted the Red Sea: Moses parted the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape the Egyptians.

3. Receive the Ten Commandments: Moses received the Ten Commandments from Yahweh/God at Mount Sinai.

4. Found the religious community of Israel: Moses founded the religious community of Israel at Mount Sinai.

5. Organized religious and civil traditions: Moses organized the religious and civil traditions of the community.

6. Communicate God's laws: Moses communicated God's laws, making him important to Christianity and Islam.

7. Write the first five books of the Hebrew Bible: Moses is traditionally credited with writing the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Torah or Pentateuch.

8. Lead the Israelites through the wilderness: Moses led the Israelites through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until they reached the edge of Canaan.

9. Died before entering the Promised Land: Moses died before he could enter the Promised Land. Why? Because he was mad at God. Cursed the rock.

Moses was special. Why was he special? Because God called him.

You are the same. God loves you so much. God can forgive you for your sins. You just have to ask him to.

God can change your life either today or he can work on you for a couple of years

What you are struggling with is getting in the way of you, and God

God can change anyone

God can change everyone

Talk to me about it if you want to know more.

Trivia -  mega trivia.

Slide the toilet paper, and you get the gift it lands on

Saluki downtime Nov 11, 2024

Saluki downtime Nov 11, 2024

What are things that are out of your control?

What is something that has negatively impacted your life outside of your control?

Positively

We will talk about Job.

I want to talk about one of the most patient guys in the bible. I want to talk about one of the most God-honoring men of the bible. I want to talk about a guy who handled himself well while God allowed Satan himself to destroy his life.

The Book of Job in the Bible is about a wealthy and pious man named Job who endures unimaginable suffering and loss:

 

Job's life

Job is a wealthy man in the land of Uz with a large family and many flocks. He is known for being blameless, upright, and careful to avoid evil.

 

Satan's challenge

Satan challenges God in heaven, arguing that Job is only good because of God's blessings. God allows Satan to test Job by inflicting suffering on him, including the deaths of his children, livestock, and servants and the development of skin sores.

In the Bible, Job lost 1,000 head of cattle in a series of calamities that also destroyed his property and killed his children and servants: 

• Donkeys: The Sabeans stole Job's donkeys

• Oxen: The Sabeans stole Job's oxen 

• Sheep: Lightning killed Job's sheep and shepherds 

• Camels: Chaldean raiders stole Job's camels and killed his servants 

• Property: A fire destroyed Job's property 

Job was a wealthy man who owned 11,000 head of livestock, including 1,000 cattle, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, and 500 donkeys. 

Romans 8:2828 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

Job's response

Job is devastated by his losses, but he refuses to curse God. He maintains his innocence, but struggles emotionally with what has happened to him.

Is struggling with what God allows to happen in your life a sin?

When or how does this become sinful?

 

Job's friends

Job's friends try to explain his suffering, suggesting that it must be due to guilt. Job's friends initially reacted to his suffering by showing empathy and support, but later their actions became judgmental and accusatory

 

If you see your friend struggling how would you react?

Are you someone who just let's your friend be? Are you someone who wants to ask a lot of questions? Are you someone who takes them out or are you someone who is just there to listen?

How do you let your friends help you? Could you change how you let your friends help you?

What was the end of this story?

Job had everything taken away from him and this was how he chose to end the conversation with God.

42 1-6 Job answered God: from the message.

“I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.

    Nothing and no one can upset your plans.

You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water,

    ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’

I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,

    made small talk about wonders way over my head.

You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking.

    Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’

I admit I once lived by rumors of you;

    now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!

I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise!

    I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”

This actually convicted me.

How do you react when things don't go your way?

10-11 After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers, sisters, and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts.

Do what is right and you will have no regrets.

How many of you have lost a friend for doing the right thing?

Either you will lose friends you didn't need or you will keep the ones you do need.

12-15 God blessed Job’s later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job’s daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

How can you measure your blessings? 

Job's were through possessions in this case. But Job goes on for a different blessing.

16-17 Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life.

What are Blessings that you cannot be measure.

Kobe Bryant said that he tried exhausting himself in every practice he did.

Job lived this part of his life to complete exhaustion.

His family didn’t beleive in him.

His friends didn’t believe in him. 

But he trusted God that the outcome would be what God promised. Hope. 

Intentional actions, not reactional or emotional.

Saluki downtime November 4th, 2024

Esther

What events changed the course of the world, a country, or a region?

Have you done anything that changed the future for yourself or a group of people? 

Is anything coming up that might?

God is not mentioned 1 time in the book is Esther. 

This was in a Jewish town after the Babylonian Exile. Some returned to Jerusalem, and some stayed in the country away from towns, making their own towns. 

Characters - 

Mordecai - Uncle to Esther

Esther - Main character. Niece of Mordecai - Queen of Persia

King of Persia

Haman

The king decided to throw himself a huge party so everyone could look at him and praise him. This banquet lasted 187 days straight. 

On the last day, the King was drunk and he made his wife Vashti show off her beauty by coming out and showing off. She refuses to do as he commands. 

So the King got rid of her and held a beauty pageant to see who would be the next lady of the King. This did happen and Esther was there. She also hid that she was Jewish. The King really liked her and asked her to hang around and eventually Esther became his girl. 

Mordecai was there hanging out watching over his niece and overheard two guys saying they were going to kill the king. He tells Esther and Esther tells the king and Mordacai found favor to the king. 

Haman was the highest-ranking official to the king. And demands that everyone bow to him. Mordecai refuses and this makes Haman angry. So Haman made a decree to kill all the Jews. 

In 11 months on the 13th of Adar. 

So Mordacai decides that Esther needs to tell the King she is Jewish. But the courts made it illegal to talk to the king without a reason, and she did not have one. 

She made a plan anyway. 

Esther invited the King and Haman to her Banquet. 

Haman sees Mordecai in the street and realizes he wants him dead. Haman put up a steak in the street to hang him on in the morning. 

That same night, the king could not sleep, so he had someone read the royal chronicles to him. This was just what happened daily. It was boring, so he thought it would put him to sleep. While getting these read to him, he had forgotten that Mordecai had saved his life earlier. 

In the morning, Haman came to the king to get permission to hang Mordecai. The king told him no and to actually honor him. He would take him through the town and let everyone know this man saved his life. 

The next day was Esther Banquet. At the Banquet she shares with the King that she is Jewish and that Haman wants to kill her, Mordecai, and all the Jews. 

She is risking her life here because she does not have permission and Jews were not allowed to be at this banquet and he was not allowed to marry a Jew. Persian law. 

The King was drunk and ordered Haman to be hung on the stake he put up for Mordecai. Haman's death didn’t stop the decree he put into place to kill all the Jews. 

So the king made another decree, saying that on the 13th of Adar, they could defend themselves from attack and destroy anyone who came against them. 

The Jews won, and they actually won by a lot. They started with Hamans' family and those who plotted with him. 

Now there is a two-day feast to celebrate this victory called Purim. 

Mordecai was put into second command and Esther remained queen. 

Together they saved the king and saved the Jews. 

A lot of bad happened in this book. Drinking, Sex, and murder. All of these were a violation of the Torah. 

There is a moral problem in the book of Esther. 

When God is not mentioned does that mean God does not exist or that he is done? 

No God has not abandoned his promises. 

Have you had a chance to do the right thing that was against what was expected?

What decision have you made that negatively affected the people around you? Positively?

From a young age, you get to choose the people around you. From a young age, you get to influence those around you.

Your daily choices affect those around you.

As you become who you want to be, you will make decisions that affect the people around you.

Esther chose to do the right thing, even though she had to hide the truth about herself. Her decisions changed the future of the church as we know it, and she saved the Jewish nation in that area at that time.

why is this so important? She changed the future of the Christian faith.

What does this story mean for you?