Practice Practice

Well done today, although the volume later took it out from the atmosphere.
Lets applaud Denise and Hannah for steeping up and leading us, we got through 5 songs today and thats pretty sick. Lets practice and come prepared on sunday!

Anyway for today, i would like to just mention one thing and that is PRIDE. EVeryone has it, whether if its looks, talents or anything of that sort. However, pride has no part with God unless our pride is God. Recently i've been asking God to take my pride away for specific things and i can see God working. He has been giving me oppurtunities where my pride can be shut down and its on and off but its working. SO thats about it, if anything, our Pride should be in God and that everything we do is for him.

Sunday buds.

Shanks Hannah and Denise. You guys pulled through a good practice today.

Hokay, the only thing i can remember from todays chapter is when he gets stoned and dragged around. Although most of Christians today dont get stoned, we still go through hard times believing in something not tangible. And like some of you, i take a lot of crap at school about church, and staying strong is tuff but its important.


Sunday Funday...

E-Sek OUT!

HEY GUYS.

I missed you so much today! From 6 pm 'till 9 pm, I was thinking about all of you and was wondering how practice was going. My body was itching to get off the stinky seat at the library to go peak at the practice and see how you were doing, but I couldn't make it. Sorry! But I already heard great things about practice and I'm excited to see you all on Sunday!

So I've been reading for the last...I don't know how long. So I decided to take my break and do my devos!

We see Christians under persecution again! And yet again, just like a routine now, they persist through it all and stick for what they believe in! And we think we have it tough...these guys were actually threatened for their lives! We've seen instances where people were arrested and even killed for preaching the Gospel. But yet, they did not care. It makes US look really pathetic when we refuse to stand up for what we believe in simply because of our self-image or attention.

And through the rest of the chapter, we're reminded of this good community that the Christians had. And it's just really encouraging to see how these people were really into their faith and took it so seriously! Not just the pastor, not just the leader, but ALL of them. And this shows the power of having that one more person. Whether or not 8 of us, or 9 of us are strong in our faith will make a difference. I just wanted to remind every one of you that EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this team matters and there's a noticeable difference when one person is off! Like I said in my devos at a practice about a month ago, I said that we must look out for each other, so that when ONE sheep goes missing, we all go to look for that one sheep, rather than to stay and be settled with the rest.

Have a great Saturday and GOOD JOB to all of you today!


Roh

HOLLA:

I don't really know how to sum up yesterday's, so I'm just gonna copy and paste from what I talked about, haha.

1. The exemplary commitment and faith Paul and Barnabas have in the Word, God, and the Holy Spirit. And with joy, too.

- Verse 22: "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."

o After having been stoned and dragged for dead by the people of Lystra

- Acts 13-14: After being sent off by the church in Antioch to do God's work, they go through Cyprus, where they come across Elymas, the sorcerer, who is made blind. They proceed through Pisidian Antioch, where many become believers, but the skeptical, fearful Jews plot persecution against them and have them expelled from the region.

o If we were on a good evangelical roll like Paul or Barnabas, I'm pretty sure we'd be very upset if we were forced out of our platform, thinking about all the more people you could be saving if you could just remain. But they have such faith in the Lord, that they take it as another indicator of God's plans for them:

§ Verse 51: "So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."

o Then they continue on through Iconium, and then to Lystra and Derbe, etc.


- How does this apply to us?

o Oftentimes, I think we, as Christians, work off of spiritual highs. The prime example is always the church retreat, where we all come back, wanting change and revival. And typically we initially follow through with it. We try to reach out to our friends, etcetera. But upon the first obstacle, and upon recognizing that it may be a difficult road, we're twice as quick to give up.

o Practice faith. Practice prayer. Believe in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

o Draw from the examples of these disciples and recognize that God is always on your side through all these hardships, because He recognizes what you're trying to do for Him, so of course He'll never forsake you.

o Small things like, praying in front of friends, doing your devos, etc. If we can't get past that, as leaders, how can we reach out to non-believers?

2. Paul and Barnabas' Humble Reactions to the People of Lystra

- In verses 11 and onwards, upon seeing the miracle of the crippled man rising up and walking at the word of Paul, they begin to call Paul and Barnabas, Zeus and Hermes – believing that they were Gods brought to Earth.

o Paul and Barnabas respond with the bible and bring it all back to God.

- Would we do the same?

o Need to be careful to always keep our head in check. Because Pride and Money are the two most scariest things of this world that can become you.

o Every thing that we do, we have to recognize that it's by God's grace that we're able to do it. If you end up doing amazing things with your life, it's because God has graciously decided to use you as His tool to do great things, etc. So He always has to remain at the centre.

§ i.e. If Paul and Barnabas went along with the praise, they would have led a great life. On earth.

o Especially as a member of the praise team, you're going to hear people encouraging us as we continue to sound better and better, as our musical skills get better and better. But we can't for a second let that get beyond the purpose of why we're doing it. Encouraging words should encourage us to thank God, and increase our prayer and want to do even more and more, for God. So let's keep each other accountable, etc.

Have a good weekend, everybody!

- H

I have a massive headache.. It's not good.

I learned yesterday that, as people/humans, we want more to witness God's miracle to grow in our belief in Him than to rely on our faith. It's natural because, without seeing, we often doubt. But, maybe we can help each other to be solid through our faith.

By the way, thanks for all of your input in yesterday's practice. You guys helped Hannah and me to organize things better.

Hey Guyssss
KK so recap on what i said on Friday about pride: when things are going well and people are complimenting us, it can be a challenge for some to not let that get to our heads.. Instead of thinking 'Without God we would be nothing', its easy to say to ourselves 'Oh yeah. I do kick butt' haha.. but as Hananh said, it's important that humble ourselves in knowing that ultimately, it is God that is behidn all the good things that happen. And even if we contribute, God is wokring through us.
But in addition, in order to humble ourselves, I think that it's importnat to be able to accept our own failures and our own weaknesses. When things are going wrong, I find that I'm inclined to blame it on something or someone - and sometimes even on God. But that again is another pride issue, for that shows that we think that we're too good to make mistakes. But instead of blaming others, we should let these failures/weaknesses really humble us - to know that we are not perfect, and that in everything we do, we are in desperate need of God

yo guys~ great practice even though there were so many discouraging factors
let it rock tmr!!!