Session Notes

What to do if Someone You Know is Raped:

“ Victims of sexual assault are apt to suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts and attempts – even months after the attack. With this in mind, every attempt should be made to encourage crisis intervention with trained counselors and social workers who are committed Christians.”

Articles Detail:

“Michael Novak, the highly-esteemed Catholic economist and social thinker, has argued that the next great national awakening will come from the affluent. I would have doubted that conclusion until I began to study wealth, economics and social theory more closely. I now agree with him. We are living in a different age, an age of incredible productivity. We must understand that we are the most affluent people, at least the vast majority of us, who have ever walked this planet. Feeling guilty about this will not work repentance. If we are to see a true spiritual awakening it will necessarily come from people who have the means to make a huge contribution to great good in the world. We ought to encourage even greater wealth production, protect personal freedoms and foster the spirit of the entrepreneur in every possible way. If the church can learn to preach the gospel well, teach spiritual formation as it ought to teach it, rebuild truly transcendent worshiping communities, and help businessmen and women to understand that they have a vocation from God, then we just might see the awakening Novak is talking about.”

This article stands by itself.

Supercure or snake oil – what’s the truth about echinacea? | the Daily Mail:

“However, I would think that eating a balanced diet, with five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and two portions of oily fish a week, and getting adequate sleep, are far more import in reducing your risk of getting an infection that taking this.

”If someone does all those things and still gets lot of colds, then maybe they could give echinacea a try.“”

Echinacea can cut risk of colds by 50 per cent – Independent Online Edition > Health:

“”There has also been the suggestion … that continuous treatment with echinacea is not recommended – the benefits may only be effective for one or two weeks – and that after taking the agent for this time people should stop and give the immune system a week without the agent,“ Professor Cutler said. ”The true benefits and how the agents work remains unclear and further better controlled … clinical trials still have to be carried out,“ he said.”

Increasing Intimacy in Marriage:

“As this analogy shows, over-dependence in marriage can lead spouses to become tired and resentful of carrying the burden for the other’s happiness. Over-dependence creates feelings of powerlessness and weakness because your happiness is in someone else’s hands. Complete independence is also unhealthy because it causes spouses to feel unneeded and lonely. Interdependence is a balance between over-dependence and independence. In an interdependent marriage, spouses feel needed without being overburdened. They feel a sense of freedom and power, understanding that their happiness is in their control and not in the hands of another person.”

This is a great article encouraging others to be interdependent so the person feels needed and not lonely. This is our prayer for all marriages.

intimacy in marriage:

“Everyone agreed that after a full day’s work both men and women are weary and exhausted. But when a husband seems to reserve all his attention for his work and shows no attention to his wife, she feels unloved. When that happens, instead of having a loving and sexually responsive wife, he will run the risk of being at continual odds with her. He will get wrath instead of warmth.”

This is an excellent series of articles on sustaining intimacy in marriage. Even though one sees the other through the Finished Work of Christ, it is important to share the feelings with each other/the Lord together.

Shovel Writings: 1 Timothy 1:15-16 in context:

“the bottom line of the good news of Christ is ”love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.“  As I had already summarized these in a previous Shoveletter I’ll just paste it below:
LOVE FROM A PURE HEART: Would Paul be referring to anything other than the love that flows from a heart that has been purified by the power of the risen Christ and indwelt by the Spirit of God? Timothy already knew this from having learned from Paul himself. It is in hearing the good news of Christ that our hearts are stimulated to real love for one another for it declares WHO our real life is and WHO is also our real connection with one another.
A GOOD CONSCIENCE: This is nothing less than a conscience that has been set free from sin and made alive to God through Christ. This is the conscience of one who is given confidence through the good news of Christ that there is NO MORE remembrance of sin.
A SINCERE FAITH: Sincere means genuine or real, and it has nothing to do with that pathetic ATTEMPT at sincerity that is often thrust upon us by the religious mind. The only ”sincere“ faith that has ever occurred has been the faith we have received in Christ. It is REAL because something has been done to us to cause us to actually be DEPENDENT UPON God – Christ has become our life. Paul was drawing a contrast between REAL faith and PROFESSED faith. In other words, one was the real stuff, the other, merely hot air.”

This is an excellent article for those dealing with conflict. Yes the law keeps order for the unbelievers. However I pray we can show the mercy of God as he did for Paul, one of the worst of sinners. No one is too far gone. “God do not allow us to hold back Your grace towards unbelievers. ”Do not allow us to see believers as sinners.“ The have just forgotten who they are in You.

Shovel Writings: 1 Corinthians 11:

“”For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep“
I think he was referring to their obvious conditions during the celebration (something you had asked me about as I remember).  These were probably all-day affairs.  Some came hungry and left hungry.  Others ate and drank all day.
Many were weak – it was in direct relation to the arrogance of those who despised them. Many were sick – while some had nothing, others were gorging themselves on food and drink. A number sleep – drunk and passed out.
All because of how they viewed themselves and each other.  The coming together for judgment is the very real performance-based judgment they were manifesting toward one another.  If we judged ourselves rightly this wouldn’t be happening among us because we would be viewing one another through Christ.  But even when this happens God is not forsaking us but is continually disciplining (training as children) us.  For if He didn’t stay with us in this we would be condemned along with the world.
Listen to the simplicity of this one thing that Paul suggests: wait for one another.  It is a message of their common unity in Christ.”

This is an exciting article on the meaning of true communion! It offer hope that sin is no longer an issue for believers or unbelievers! The Good News of Jesus raises those still dead and convinces those who have been alive as to the life of Jesus in them!!!

Shovel Writings: 1 Corinthians 5:

“grace, wonderful grace. For here we have the privilege of reminding one another what Christ has done for us and is doing IN us! And in this, we ourselves are blessed for we end up reminding ourselves of our true ”righteousness“ at the same time. And then, when that brother (or sister) is ”restored“ all are encouraged and reminded that this life is indeed miraculous.”

This is a great article on where our encouragement for restoration needs to be and the way it is achieved. It is only through reminding one another of their and our righteousness in Christ. May He do it through us.

Shovel Writings: What about God’s anger against the churches in Revelation?:

“Attention can be given to discernment while forgetting the simplicity of Christ (Ephesus). It is important to realize that suffering is all part of life in Christ (Smyrna). When the stumbling block -law- is taught, sin is produced (Pergamum). Be careful of those ”ministers“ who promote themselves (Thyatira). ”Form“ can give the illusion of godliness but there is no life in it (Sardis). Encouragement to hold fast is worthwhile (Philadelpia). Looking at ourselves stimulates a self-righteousness (Laodicea). There is much more in this. I do believe it gave much encouragement to the believers as they went through the great persecution that followed. It reminded them that the blessings of ”the overcomers“ (this only fits in the context of the miraculous work of Christ … see 1 John 5:4&5) would eventually be revealed. ”

This is an excellent synopsis of hearing what the Spirit says to the churches.