On Personal Testimonies

Sunday morning, HBs were blessed to witness and experience another testimony from one of our own.  Each personal testimony is unique as a fingerprint, and each one demonstrates that we serve a mighty God.  Since joining the class last fall, I’ve sat through about four different testimonies and after each one, my understanding of God grows a little deeper.

As I sat and listened to Jennie pour out her soul to the class, so many thoughts crossed through my mind.  First, that she was able to recollect on so many painful memories without erupting into tears amazed me.  God was certainly with her and spoke through her.  Another thought was that the devil lost in his quest to keep Jennie bitter.  If anyone qualifies to show bitterness, it’s Jennie; yet there is none.  God, through his mercy and grace, demonstrated by the Cross, has replaced Jennie’s bitterness with love.  How awesome is He!

I could go on, but there’s no need.  Jennie – your talk Sunday morning wrecked me, in a good way.  You are one of the strongest women I know, and God has done a marvelous work in your life.  I’m so thankful you chose to share your testimony with us.  Our mighty God will use your words to continue His work here at Wayside and beyond.

Brad D.

On Matthew 1

Today, we finally broke into the first gospel of Matthew.  The first half of chapter one details the genealogy of Christ.  Interestingly, Matthew mentions four women in this list, an uncommon practice in those times to be sure.  In addition, not all of these women were what we would consider godly women.  Another interesting fact about this group of people is that not all were Jews.  The list includes Jews and Gentiles, as well as the saintly and not so saintly.  I think the overwhelming message God wants us to hear is that the gospel, His gospel, is for everyone.

The discussion of Christ’s genealogy also brought to mind the notion of generational sin.  The Bible is chock full of examples of generational sin, and there’s little doubt we often suffer from the same affliction.  When we are dealing with instances of generational sin, how we address it can make all the difference in the world.  We can choose, as Shawn said, to draw a line in the sand.  We can decide that our generation will break the chain and end the cycle of destruction that robs us of joy and intimacy with God.  However, the devil would have you choose an easier way.

Another way to cope with generational sin is to punt.  In deciding not to end the cycle of destruction, we simply pass it down to our children.  While this choice may seem easier at first, the result will always be the same: pain, sorrow, and a broken life.  The devil would certainly prefer we take this path.

Know that whatever season you’re going through, God has a purpose in mind.  And remember, that when we’re broken, God is all we have, and He is more than enough. 

Homework for next week.  In preparation for next week’s lesson, Shawn has asked that we read Isaiah 58 with our spouse.  Additionally, please finish reading Matthew 1.

Creating a blogger profile

I’m sure many folks, like Martin, have questions about blogging.  Blogging is simply a forum for people to share ideas.  In short, it’s a venue for communicating.   Our HB blog will provide the space for folks to comment on the weekly lessons and deepen our understanding of God as revealed through Scripture. 

 

New to blogging?  The first step is to create a profile.  While it isn’t absolutely necessary (you can comment anonymously) a profile will enable others to quickly identify you and your comments.  Note: If you have something negative to say about the lesson, by all means, post anonymously.  ha!  

Here’s a link that will lead you through the easy steps of creating a Google profile.  www.google.com/profiles.  On this page, in the upper left portion of your screen, you’ll see a big blue button that reads:  Create my Profile.  Click it and follow the instructions.

Once you’ve created your profile, use it when commenting on the blog.  Doing so will enable other users to know who you are.  You can choose to reveal as much (or little) information about yourself as you build your profile.  You can even assign a picture, if you’re photogenic.  :)  After you’ve created your profile, you may want to “follow” the blog, and you can do so simply by clicking the “Follow” button on the HB blog website.

That’s it for now.  If you have trouble or need some help, please feel free to contact Bruce.  His cell phone number is …  Seriously, send me a quick note, and I’ll be happy to help guide you through the process.  Happy blogging.  

Brad