The Stuart Initiative "Movie night"

About a week ago, we planned to have movie night. Well... we didn't actually watch a movie because we got so engrossed in playing Rockband. It was a good time...Thank you Ashlie and Lisa for hosting this get-together. Here are some pictures they they sent in from that night.

Ch.7 What's our problem with grace?

Here are the questions we discussed from this chapter. If you have a comment please submit it and we can all think it over...

1. Why do you think people become “Christian fundamentalists”?
Def. of a fundamentalist
- A movement in American Protestantism that arose in the early part of the 20th century in reaction to modernism and that stresses the infallibility of the Bible not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record, holding as essential to Christian faith belief in such doctrines as the creation of the world, the virgin birth, physical resurrection, atonement by the sacrificial death of Christ, and the Second Coming.
-Strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles.

2. Why do you think people become "Christian legalists"?

3. How do you feel when you blow it in your spiritual life and why do you think you have these feelings?

4. Tell of an experience where you were the recipient of grace?

5. Why do we struggle with the acceptance of grace?

Don the Rabbit and the sexy carrots

What tension we live in. We are almost in a state of forced ascent to bigger and better things. (I am one to talk,...lol... as we just recently upgraded from a Rav4 to a Sequoia... but anyway). The point is, we seem to always be chasing something, many of which we probably could do without. Also, another common thing that happens is that we go after something and we end up missing what God had planned for us all along because we were so distracted with "chasing". God will bring us the desires of our hearts. (Romans 8:27-29 (NLT) What we truly desire... It has little to do with material things and much to do with the spiritual life. God said he would provide for us completely. 1 Timothy 6:17-18 (NLT) Acts 14:17 (NLT) Philippians 4:19 (NLT).


Here are the questions we went over on Monday

1. From what we see in this chapter what should be our attitude to these “things” that we chase…jobs, money, relationships.

2. Why do you think this chapter is entitled “Redemption”?
Def. of Redemption
- Deliverance upon payment of ransom; rescue.
- Recovery of something.

3. Why do we all want things that hurt us?

4. Can you identify with Don the Rabbit? (Read?)
Tell of an experience that is similar to Don the Rabbit?

5. John 3:19-21
"This is the crisis we're in: God’s light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God’s light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God’s light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."
- What does this verse say about sexy carrots?

CH. 5 Penguin Sex - The radar inside

Here are the questions we went over during last Monday's discussion.

1. In your words, attempt to prove that love exists.

2. How is the radar of the penguins similar to the radar inside of us concerning God guidance?

3. Tell about a time when you listened to your inner radar

4. In what ways are you pursuing God in your life as a result of this radar?

CH. 4 - Shifts: Find a Penny

Last night many of us agreed that this has been the best chapter yet.
Here are the Questions we discussed last night pertaining to CH 4.

1. Are you more comfortable around people who are in a relationship with Jesus (Christians) or people who are not in a relationship with Jesus (non-Christians)?
2. Is it important to hang out with or develop friendships with people who are not following Christ in their lives?
From what we know of Jesus, who did he hang out with? Why?
3. Why do you think some people try to sell Jesus similarly to how you would sell a product?
4. Miller talked about Penny and how she said that if she were to meet Jesus, she thought that he would like her. She felt that if she were to meet “Christians” they would yell at her. How do you feel? Can you relate with her experience? Do you feel that if God met you he would actually like to be friends with you?


The following is a question that we skipped over and I decided to answer it from my perspective. If anyone has another take on it, please comment your perspective...

Here it is:
Really… what are the differences between people who are following Jesus and those who are not?

This is how I would answer it.
I think this is an interesting question because if there is a difference, than that life changing difference requires a response. If there is something different, then everything we do will be affected by this difference and it will completely alter our perspective. If there is a such a difference, then everything will lean to and eventually surcome to change.

Example: Absence of gravity.
The life you lead right now would totally change if you were subjected to a non-gravitational state of being. Your process for doing tasks would change, your bodily movements would change, your estimates of force, pressure, and impact would all change. You would be living in an altered state of perception. What you perceive as truth right now would have to change because a "higher force".

I really believe that a person living for Jesus and a person not in a relationship with Jesus possess huge, life changing differences. When you are living for yourself, you are consumed by yourself. When you are living with Jesus as your priority, he and what he is about consumes you. His agenda becomes yours. The people that he hurts for, you begin to hurt for. Instead of developing your own morality, he becomes the criteria by which you measure everything. The things in the Bible begin to make sense because your heart starts to to make a connection with the heart of God. The words he speaks in the Bible, begin influence the things you do.
I have heard it said, "The only difference between a Christ follower and a person not following Christ, is that the Christ follower has Jesus."
I would go further and say the difference is a lot about what you do with this "Jesus". How does having him change your life and the lives of those around you? I say it should have almost cataclysmic effects on your life in every area including direction, perspective, purpose, and priorities.