SixTen

2009-11-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

We've Moved! (our website that is)

2009-11-20T23:41:00.000-08:00

Hey all - just wanted to make sure you knew that we moved our website to a new location. Please click on the photo above to be directed to our new SixTen website! Special thanks to Sean and Krista for all their hard work in helping us migrate! You can still come here for a while to read some of our older articles. And just in case the link above doesn't work for you, the new address is http://www.westshoresixten.com/ You can also join us on facebook to learn more about what the Lord has been teaching us lately and hear from some of our fellow classmates - the facebook group is open and you should be able to find it by searching for the SixTen Fellowship Group in Mechanicsburg, PA. Blessings!

The Hiding Place

2009-10-22T03:49:00.001-07:00

Dear SixTen classmates - just wanted to share this article from a dear friend of ours at his blog located here. Our family stands amazed at our great God - if you haven't gotten a copy of the Hiding Place to read aloud with your loved ones yet - I hope this article inspires you to do so! Love to you in Christ - the Winters family

Collision - The Movie

2009-10-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

Remember how we mentioned the movie Collision on Sunday morning? The documentary features pastor Doug Wilson facing off against publicly-known atheist Christopher Hitchens. Check out the movie's website here. Please comment below to let us know if you are interested in viewing this together as a class. Thanks SixTen!

Death to Self Interest - by Erwin Lutzer

2009-10-12T05:50:00.001-07:00

I just listened to this sermon this morning, and wanted to share it with you. If you click here, you will be brought to the sermon "Death to Self Interest" by Pastor Erwin Lutzer. Since this link brings you to the Moody Church hour (the entire church hour at Moody Church), once you click on the link, you may want to fast forward your player to the 19 minute mark (19:22 actually) and enjoy the song that precedes this amazing message. I usually just fast forward to the sermon, but today I listened to the song first, which the Lord used to prepare my heart for the message that followed. I share this with you because I was just so challenged and encouraged by this message - I just had to share it! It is very challenging, but also inspiring and full of hope. Hope it blesses you as you pursue Christ, no matter what the cost. Love in Christ, Kim

What's The Cost? by Dan Kern

2009-10-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

In short, the question posed this past Sunday came down to “What does it cost to follow Jesus”? As explained in Luke 9:57-62, there are three characteristics that shape a disciple of Christ: homelessness (in the sense of worldly neglect), laying down all priorities that fall in the way of proclaiming the kingdom of God, and forsaking the comfort of the home for the cause of Christ.

So, the answer to the question is…“everything.”

Now, think about that idea. As rational beings being ruled in an intellectual America, what about that offer is so appealing? Jesus is not shy about telling us what it takes to be his disciple. But, to be so radical to tell us that it takes everything, is not an appeal usually made in our society. Today, it’s all about 74 steps to effective living, or something of the sort. In the world’s view, the more we try with what we have, the farther we will get. For the Christian, you’d have to turn that argument upside down: to get more satisfaction, joy, and peace in this life, we must stop trying altogether. In fact, the more we give up, the more God is able to reveal himself to us. Paul says this in Philippians 3,

“If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.”

But a God of love doesn’t just tell us these things to frustrate us. Yes, the Christian life is an upward, pressing battle of sanctification. We are sinners, so the battle will inevitably be painful, like a mother in childbirth. The point is that God is a God who wants us to be eternally satisfied in what we were created for – Him. Paul understood this. Christ was his first and his last. It’s that prize that we should be pursuing. Any other pursuit is just a chasing after the wind. It’s pure futility.

From Dan Kern

2009-09-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

"The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which

also God is magnified and exalted.”

There is much truth in these words uttered by Jonathan Edwards more than 200 years ago – that we are supremely satisfied when God is supremely exalted. I thought about these concepts this past weekend as the SixTen leadership team held its first retreat in the Adirondack State Park in upstate New York.

The weekend was really an experience for me, as I had never slept in a lean-to before, nor had I lived completely out of my backpack for more than a day. We really had to work as a team to supply the group’s needs. Some people would prepare dinner, while others would gather wood for the fire, while others would fill water bottles from the lake (which really was a tedious job since the water had to be purified through a filter). Nate guided us in performing the tasks, but by the end of the weekend, we really had a nice system down. It was kind of like the scene in Acts 2, where the followers of the gospel naturally (and gladly) provided for one another.

For me, though, one of the best moments was Saturday morning when Nate asked us to find a spot where we could meditate on God’s Word by ourselves. So I wandered into the forest to find a seat up against a tree, facing the water. It was fairly early, so midst was still rising off the water. Since fall begins early in upstate New York, the rolling hills that lined the backdrop were colored with all different shades of orange, red, and yellow. A clear, blue sky made this morning almost perfect! As I was taking this in, Job 38 came to mind – a passage where God responds to Job’s questions about suffering. God begins by asking Job in verse 4, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements – surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone?” Continuing onto verse 12, God asks, “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?”

Everything we see in creation has come from the hand of God. He wants us to understand this, which is why he goes into such detail in chapter 38. He even makes it a point to tell Job that he provides the raven with food and monitors the calving of the does. Sometimes, we can forget the order and plan that is creation. We may begin to attribute the beauty to some act of randomness called Mother Nature. But God is good, and he allows us to see that this beauty is his handiwork. Next time you’re up early to see the sun rise, I urge you to mediate on the fact that God is lifting it with his pinky finger and that it goes where God tells it to go. Or, when you see a robin feeding its young, know that God provided that worm and that God is sustaining the life of the birds.

If I think about the intricacies of a steam engine, I can say of the engineer who designed it, what a great mind! Well the same can be thought of creation. When we take in the fullness and greatness of its beauty, we can praise God for being that big and that great and that wonderful. “The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified and exalted.”

SixTen Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Discussion Part 4

2009-09-17T04:17:00.001-07:00

Our latest SixTen Manhood and Womanhood discussion included covering the following massive topics...

Redeeming our Evangelical Dating Culture
Recovering Well from Relationship Losses
Pre-marital basics
and an overview of mature femininity, masculinity - and in particular what submission and leadership look like in the real world. (thought we'd throw that last one in there just in case we didn't already have seven hours worth of material!)

We heard from various authors including Elisabeth Elliot, Carolyn McCulley, Wayne Grudem, Lydia Brownback, John Piper, Alex Chediak and more. We considered ways to redeem our dating culture (including an explanation of the non-exclusive dating philosophy still in development), and discussed the importance of engaging, enriching and shaping whatever biblical culture we find ourselves in (as opposed to just showing up). We discussed the role forgiveness plays in developing healthy current and future relationships and how difficult true forgiveness is (and how it can only be done in Christ). (With that in mind, some of you requested a link to the articles on forgiveness we mentioned - so here it is. Click here to read Forgiving Like Jesus Part One on Kim's blog - (there is also a part two and three!) These articles are based on years of helping people to recover from relationship losses, plus Kim's own journey of forgiveness. We truly pray these will be a blessing to some of you - and keep in mind that our SixTen leaders are here to offer help as you press on to truly forgive. ) We wrapped up the evening with some real life examples of submission and leadership, and how important it is to have our hope in God, not in men or women. Many of us were challenged and encouraged as we heard from one another and sensed a desire in the group to grow in ways that please Christ.

As we press on to find God's best inside (and outside) our SixTen community, keep praying that each one of us would be seeking Christ and finding His strength sufficient for our individual and corporate development of spiritually mature manhood and womanhood. Blessings!

SixTen Views The Big Country

2009-09-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time together at the SixTen movie night, where over 40 people showed up to watch a movie that was promoted as..."A movie none of you have ever seen, and all of you will love." Pretty high standards to live up to, and even though the movie was long, almost all of us stayed conscious (and even engaged!) throughout the entire thing! Nate gave a great intro before the movie started, helping us to be on the lookout for themes of loyalty, biblical manhood and biblical womanhood. With those themes in mind we were able to discover and discuss things we might have missed otherwise. Favorite lines included: "Well isn't this a Frosty Friday" and more importantly: "I am not responsible for what people think of me, I am only responsible for who I am." Thanks to all who attended and brought snacks - we so enjoyed having you over to our home (we watched the film in the garage to fit everyone) and look forward to our next gathering! And if you missed it, we hope you'll be there for our next SixTen movie night where we view a movie and discuss it from a Christ-centered perspective. Blessings!

SixTen Reads Through the New Testament in 90 days!

2009-09-13T19:26:00.001-07:00

We are thrilled to have SEVEN groups of people from our class who want to help one another to read through the New Testament in the next 90 days! Our reading begins on Monday, September 14 and ends on Saturday, December 12. If you want to be a part of an accountability group, but have not gotten your link to begin reading - it's not too late to sign up! Just send Kim Winters an email or facebook message and she will place you in a group. Most of our groups are through facebook, but if you don't have a facebook account, we also have a group staying connected through email. Even if you don't find out about this opportunity until we are partway through the plan, you can still join and just start reading on the day you join. If you fall behind in the reading, just start again on the day when you decide you want to start again. : ) We are so blessed by how many people in our class are interested in doing this! Please pray for us as we dig into God's Word together, and visit your accountability group to encourage one another to press on in our pursuit of Christ.

Welcome!

2009-09-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

We are so glad you have decided to learn more about the SixTen class at West Shore. We are a group of young adults, between the ages of 20-30, (or thereabouts), who are seeking to know Christ better in order to love Him more.

Why SixTen?
The name of our group is based on Hebrews 6:10 - "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." As we look to the character of Christ in class, we hope to help one another glorify Him and find Him sufficient.

When and Where
Join us each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. in "the Blue Room" - which is the room just across from the book store near the main lobby. After class our members are able to attend the all-church worship service in the main sanctuary which begins at 10:45 a.m.

Outside Activities
In addition to our class time, SixTen members get together outside of class for fellowship, service and training (see google calendar to right for more details). We also have a facebook group we invite you to join (it is an open group - just search for SixTen) and there you can find out what we are currently discussing. To get the most up to the date info on what is going on at SixTen, please let us know to add you to our email distribution list (send a message through the facebook group to any one of our group leaders).

About Our Teacher
Our teacher is Dr. Nathan Winters, who received his MDiv and his Dmin from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Most recently Nathan spent 10 years in the Adirondacks as a leader of a discipleship program and an associate pastor. Nate's wife Kim is a bible study teacher at West Shore and they have two children. We are also blessed with a wonderful leadership team who you can read about below. Hope to see you this Sunday!

Our SixTen Leadership Team

2009-09-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to have a team of leaders who love Jesus Christ and young adult ministry. Our leadership team is pictured below. Together we pray that you will find our class welcoming and helpful to your walk with Christ. Approach any of us today to find out more.

Nate and Kim WintersRich and Heidi Biggs

Sean and Krista Cochran

Dan Kern

Dan and Erin Rohrer

Connie Wheeler (on right)

Thank you for praying for us!

Annie Update

2009-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dear SixTen: The following update is from our fellow classmate Annie. Please remember to pray for Annie as she is on the mission field in Costa Rica. If you think of it, visit her blog here and let her know you are praying by leaving her a comment. She so appreciates keeping in touch with you! Here is the latest that she asked to share with you...

This past week our team took a break from classes and headed to Tabarcia, a small town an hour outside of San Jose. The pastor of one of the staff members here in San Jose invited us for the week and organized different ministries for us to take part in. On Tuesday and Wednesday we helped at the home of an older couple who attend the church. They have facilities for church groups to come stay and have camps. We helped with cleaning and disassembling one of the cabins and moving it so it could be reconstructed closer to the others. Thursday we presented a children’s program at the local daycare. I had a part in the drama we put on for them, which taught about what sin is and asking forgiveness. It had all the kids (and adults too) laughing. Friday we helped a missionary family who are starting a Christian conference center and camp. They have the property and an unfinished building. I spent the day painting the railings of the staircase when I wasn’t enjoying the good home cooked food they gave us- hamburgers and scalloped potatoes! It was a treat to have some American food. We also helped them clear some land for a garden and dig the footers for a kitchen. The group that was outside had an unexpected run-in with a poisonous snake, but it didn’t bite anyone. Saturday we broke into groups to pray for and serve the community. I joined the group that picked up trash. In the evenings and on Sunday we had several chances to be part of the church services. We presented several dramas in church, had team members share their testimonies, and taught the Sunday school class. I really enjoyed the chance to serve God in this community and I’m looking forward to our longer outreach coming up in October!

Prayer Requests and Praises
Thank God with us for the relationships we were able to build with some of the youth in Tabarcia. Pray for seeds that were planted throughout the week in the lives of some of the people. Pray particularly for Gabriel and Berto, two high school students we hung out with over the week who came to the Saturday night church service.

Praise God for the new property and the chance for YWAM San Jose to move forward with their dreams for a larger campus where they can offer more University of the Nations classes. Pray that God would continue to bring in the money needed for remodeling and for the safety of the staff as they work on the place.

This week we’re back in class learning about how the way God has designed us (our personalities, dreams, and identity) can help us discover God’s plans for our lives. Pray that God would guide each of us as we pursue his dreams for our future.

It looks like our outreach, which starts in October will likely remain in Costa Rica. Pray that we would be able to identify needs that we can meet and that God will guide us as we decide where exactly to go and what to do. God has put on our hearts the importance of building relationships as we minister, so pray that we would have opportunities to do that.

Baptism Photos

2009-08-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a few photos from the baptism last week in case you were not able to attend. Please remember to pray for each person that was baptized, and also for those in our group still considering baptism.

This year's baptism was such a special time of fellowship with the body of Christ. The music, the testimonies, and then seeing each person taking that bold step of wanting to proclaim publicly that they belong to Christ - amazing. The Holy Spirit was so evident - I felt like I sat on the edge of my seat for each testimony, and just didn't want that time to be over, even after several hours! If you have never attended a West Shore baptism service, mark it down for next year - you definitely want to be there for this important family event.

Please leave your comments below to share your own response to our time together on August 16th at the Yellow Breeches. Thank you!

SixTen Drama Troupe

2009-08-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Dear SixTen Classmates - just wanted to remind you to pray for our SixTen drama troupe doing a dramatic interpretation of James 4:13-5:11 on Sunday, September 7th. We have six of our classmates participating, (photo shows our last rendition of Psalm 139 with just four of us). We would so appreciate knowing you are praying for us, so if you could leave your comment below to let us know - that would be wonderful. Please pray that each of us would be living these verses as we memorize and share them with our church body, and that each of us would be depending on the Lord for all that we need. Thank you so much SixTen family! See you this Sunday!

Learning from $20 and a Ride to Carlisle

2009-08-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

The following post was sent in by one of our classmates who wanted to stay anonymous. Enjoy!

I had the opportunity yesterday to pick-up a homeless man looking for a ride. My first inclination was to drive by and not even stop. Then I reasoned with myself, well if I have any money in my wallet I will just give him the money and be on my way (by the way I was 99% sure I didn't have anything in my wallet). By the time I had gotten out of my car (turns out I had $20 in my wallet) and given him the money, I didn't have any reason not to give him a ride.

I took William who was in his 40s-50s and gave him a ride to a truck stop in Carlisle. William was not in good shape, he was breathing pretty heavily, and looked like he hadn't had a good shower in about two weeks, but his heart was in shape. He told me about how good God was and how God provides for his every need. William said this while being homeless, not having eaten more than one meal in the last 24 hours, and not having any real direction in his life other than that he was going to go to Detroit and find a job. William taught me more about faithfulness and what it looks like to trust in God than anyone I have ever met. He told me that God would take care of him and nothing anyone can do would ever stop that.

It saddens me when I step back and look at all that God has blessed me with and I don't praise God for all that he is doing in my life. I know that one day I will see William in heaven and it is going to be a joyous occasion. I can't wait to hear whether he was able to find a job, but more importantly I can wait to talk with him a bit more and hear about how good God truly is. Hopefully all of us can take a step back and praise God for his faithfulness, I know I am going to try to.

On Repentance and Sin - by Dan Kern

2009-08-07T01:59:00.001-07:00

The following article is written by on of our SixTen Leaders - Dan Kern. Read his sports blog by clicking here. Thanks for writing Dan!

Last week, as Nate preached, we visited Revelation 3 to discuss the church in Laodicea. Jesus speaks differently about this church, labeling the people as being “lukewarm, neither hot nor cold”, and for that reason will be “spit out of His mouth.” He does not leave them in the dark, but tells them that “those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”

Repentance is a gift from God. It allows us, as Christians, to become humbled before the throne of God, taking in the full measure of our sin against His holiness, and recognizing our need for a Savior. My question is; how often do we find ourselves doing this? How often do we contemplate the ugliness of our sin? David is one who comes to mind – a man who felt utterly separated from God because of the sin in his life. In Psalm 38, he cries out,

“There is no soundness in my flesh, because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.”

David’s sins were great, yes, but God sought him because “he was a man after My own heart.” David understood that God does not delight in our righteous acts; in fact, He despises them as “filthy rags” (Is. 64:6). Later, after he has committed adultery with Bathsheba and has murdered Uriah, David again cries out to the Lord in prayer. Here, in Psalm 51, David explains what God has revealed to him.

You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God,
you will not despise.

Again, repentance is a gift from God. If we were never shown our sin – our pride, jealousy, envy, lust, anxiety, laziness, hate, stubbornness – how would we ever know our deep need for Christ? That’s what we should long for. We, as sinners, should want God to “examine us” (Ps. 139), so that we can see our helpless state before Him. When we are left there, with a greater knowledge of our sin, we can increasingly know the worth of Jesus on the cross.

I found this to be true in my life, especially when dealing with the issue of pride. God has been so faithful, even lately, with showing me the pride that I store up in my life. Like David, I find myself frustrated because of my foolishness. However, He is able to correct in a way that is gentle and caring, but still is able to show me my constant need for a Savior.

Since our need for Jesus will never cease, it’s so important that we remember to spend time in repentance daily. Jesus teaches us to repent of our sins in the Lord’s Prayer. The word “repent/repentance” is mentioned 75 times in the Bible. Not only does it purify us from our sin, but it makes Christ look great, since He is the only one who can restore. His name is exulted when we humbly profess that we no longer can stand on our own.

Let’s encourage one another to reflect on the sin in our lives. We can do this by having a quiet time of confession during Bible studies, or saying a simple prayer before getting out of bed in the morning: “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” In doing this, God will be glorified and we will be blessed.

Angel Tree Needs You!

2009-08-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

Hey all - wanted to share this need with you just in case it has your name on it. The following message comes to us from Angel Tree Camp Director, Lena Plunk...

Angel Tree Camp: Cabin Staff Needed!!!
4 men and 2-3 women are needed to help with Angel Tree Camp.
Dates of camp: August 13-16, 2009.

Cabin Staff will be placed in a cabin with at least one other leader and 5-7 campers. Cabin leaders are responsible for campers while they are at camp. They will make sure campers are at assigned activities and will assist activity leaders with activities. Cabin staff will also lead their cabin in morning/evening devotions and a Bible Study on Saturday. Materials for these will be provided.

About Angel Tree:
Angel Tree Camp is a ministry for children who have/have had a parent in prison. Each year we provide an overnight camping experience for these children. We typically have around 30-40 campers involved in camp. This provides an opportunity for children to hear about God in an environment different than normal. We have seen many of the children become Christians over the past five years, and now are seeing them grow in their Christian walk. Most of our children have been to camp consecutively throughout the last few years, and relationships with them and their families are key. The desire at camp is for the campers to experience God’s love and to see examples of Godly men and women who are living their lives for Christ. Most of the participating children are from inner-city Harrisburg.

Your Time Commitment:
Pre-Camp Training: Thursday, August 13-14 (begins with dinner at 6:00 on Thursday.)
Camp: August 14-16. We will go directly from pre-camp training to camp. Camp will be over Sunday at 4:00 in the afternoon.

Where:
Camp Conquest: Denver, PA

For More Information: Contact Lena Plunk, Camp Director at 717-497-8172 or lplunk@brnonline.org

Update on Annie

2009-07-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

Dear SixTen - the following update is from our fellow classmate - Annie B. Enjoy!

From Annie...

I've been in Costa Rica for just over 2 weeks now and I wanted to share a little bit about what I've been up to and what I've been learning. Click here to read about my latest adventures. For even more pictures, you can click here.

If you drop by my blog, leave me a comment! I love knowing people read what I wrote. I'd love to hear from you! Let me know how I can pray for you as well.

Blessings,
~Annie

Next Facebook Group Drawing

2009-07-18T06:55:00.001-07:00

Visit our SixTen Facebook group this week and be entered into a drawing to win a dinner out with Nate and Kim (our treat!) We will love a chance to take one of you (and a friend you invite) to our favorite restaurant, El Rodeo. Just post something on the wall this week, or add to one of the discussion threads, and your name will be entered. Congratulations to Erin L. who won our drawing last week and is now the proud owner of the book: The Bondage Breaker. See you there!

Thoughts About Jesus - by Nate

2009-07-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

The Gospel of Luke has been my help lately as I’ve been trying to get a better handle on the person –and personality- of Jesus. At about the age of 30 He was quite a man.

Luke (Chapter 4) tells us that when Jesus returned from the Jordan, having been baptized when and where everyone else was being baptized, He went directly into the desert where He was subsequently tempted by the Devil. This wasn’t Jesus’ whim. He was “full of the Holy Spirit” and the Holy Spirit was the One who led Him into the wasteland. Jesus was the kind of man who was “full enough” of God to be aware of God, to understand God, and to follow God anywhere at any time.

Therefore, He went into the wilderness: Satan tempted Him for forty days (Luke 4:2a), not just at the end of 40 days; and when the 40 days were up Satan left Him “until an opportune time (v13).” The Devil wasn’t done with Jesus. (And the Devil isn’t done with us unless we pose him no threat whatsoever!) Jesus, though terribly worn, stood strong. He fought with the Word of God and knew how to use it even when it was ironically and deceitfully used against Him.

Therefore, He went to Galilee: having resisted temptation His ministry commenced. News of Him spread quickly throughout the region. He preached…and was praised. Yet He remained undeterred by fame. Jesus loved the people in myriad ways but they never controlled His agenda –even when they applauded Him.

Therefore, He went home: the one place that guaranteed disrespect was the place He no less shunned -Nazareth. In fact, Jesus announced His identity as Messiah to those He grew up with; the audacity to read Isaiah 61:1-2 in your “home church,” the first line of which confirms the presence of the Holy Spirit upon you, and then sit down with a one-line sermon, essentially, “I am the One I just read of!” The “me” in the text is Me! But they didn’t want to believe that. Indeed, the idea angered them so greatly they thought to kill Him by throwing Him over the cliff outside of town. (Why not just expel Him from the synagogue?) But Jesus, though kidnapped by them was never really in their possession…and “walked right through them” as soon as the Holy Spirit was ready (v30).

Therefore, He went to Capernaum: His authority amazed them there. His sheer confidence, His down to earth “tradesman” style, and His disregard for contemporary scholarship amounted to the fascination of the people around Him. But it was the Holy Spirit upon Him and before Him! And one day, in the Capernaum synagogue, a demon saw it for what it was –saw Jesus for who He was: “I know who you are –the Holy One of God!”

Do we know what the demon knew?

Do we know what the demon did NOT know –what Jesus wanted with the demons and whether or not He was about to destroy them all (v34)?

The demon’s answer turned out to be “No, not yet anyway.” But we are at peace: no matter what Jesus chose to do He was “in the power of the Spirit.” Are we?

(picture above is from Kim's recent boat trip out to Tapawingo)

Spiritual Warfare Bonfire

2009-07-13T04:10:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time at the bonfire on spiritual warfare. Thanks to all of you who participated! The notes from that time will be posted here soon - and also don't forget to visit our facebook group and leave evidence of your visit (write on the wall or participate in one of our discussions) so that your name can be entered in the drawing this coming Sunday (7/19) for the book we mentioned at the bonfire: The Bondage Breaker. Our facebook group is called SixTen (all one word) and if you have trouble finding it - just leave a comment here and we'll try to help get you connected. See you there! -SixTen Leaders (here are a few more photos)

Baptism and Communion

2009-07-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dear All - Here is a sermon on baptism and communion that encouraged me today (I Believe in the Ordinances - by Erwin Lutzer), and I thought someone out there might like it as well, especially as we move toward August 16 and the creekside baptism service here at West Shore. This sermon might also help you with praying for the people of our body who will be getting baptized on that day. The link brings you to the entire Moody Church Hour - so you need to fast forward to about the 17:00 minute mark to start with the sermon (although the music is pretty great too). The picture above is from last year's baptism service in the river near Messiah College - did you attend? It was my first, and I was so blessed. If you were there - please take a minute to leave your comments below. Thank you! - Kim

Everything By Prayer

2009-07-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

I just listened to this incredible sermon by A.W. Tozer that I wanted to share. The audio quality is not that good because it was recorded back in the day - but well worth your time, and definitely how the Lord has been convicting me lately. Hope it encourages you. Click here to be directed to sermonaudio.com for the sermon: Everything By Prayer.

Love Kim

New Dates!

2009-07-01T05:01:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to alert you to the new location of our calendar (right side). It is much smaller, so you will have to click on each item to see the details, and please save the date! We are busy planning these events and want you to be able to attend. Keep checking back as new events (and details) are added. Thank you! - Your SixTen Leadership Team

A Man of God

2009-06-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

Dan Kern wanted to share this with everyone:

Adoniram Judson was a Baptist missionary during the early 19th century. God had called him to preach the gospel in Burma, and he did for almost 40 years - even establishing a number of churches there. His influence in Burma is even evident today: Burma has the 3rd most Baptists worldwide! But, more than that, was his ability to rely on God when devastating things happened in his life. This video shows a man (and woman, his wife) who had such a knowledge of who God truly is, that it carried him through the toughest trials in his life.

God's Sovereignty (6/14)

2009-06-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Class,
Here are the verses and the definition that Dan and I used this past Sunday. Enjoy!

Definition of Sovereignty:
God is King of all and his supremacy is absolute over all things. Nothing occurs outside of his control. He not only foresees events and circumstances in the future, but he has planned them from eternity past. None can stay his hand nor does he answer to anyone or anything. God works all things together in conformity with the purpose of his perfect will.

Verses:
Deuteronomy 4:39; 32:39
Job 12:9-10
1 Chronicles 29:11
Psalm 115:3
Jeremiah 18:6
Isaiah 44:6
Daniel 4:35
Nahum 1:3
Colossians 1:16-17
Acts 17:25; 28

Bekah and Josh's Trip to the Dominican Republic

2009-06-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is an update on Bekah and Josh and their missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Thank you so much to all of you who prayed for and supported them before, during and after this exciting adventure!

They are now home safe and sound! Their trip was (in Bekah's words) AMAZING! Their team of 12 served at several different ministry sites in the Jarabacoa area of the Dominican Republic. They were involved with women's sports ministry (volleyball with school girls), men's sports ministry (baseball with local communityboys), dentistry, health care, construction, art ministry, special education, and preschool. Each day everyone was dropped off at their ministry site by a big truck (they rode around in the back) and spent from 9am - 4pm there. Bekah was a team leader, so she would go to different ministry sites each day to see what was going on and help out where she could. She and Josh had a chance to work with an incredible woman of God (dentist) who really encouraged them by her work. She sets up a portable clinic in the classrooms of the schools in order to clean teeth, do extractions, fill cavities, etc. for 20 pesos (about 75 cents U.S.). Her ministry is based out of Students International and she is sponsored as a missionary in her own country. It was an awesome 2 weeks of learning, growing, and serving for everyone involved. Josh and Bekah made some new friendships, played with a lot of Dominican kids, and had many adventures. There is much more to share, and they are looking forward to sharing with you through email. For now - please know how thankful they are for your prayers for them. God really blessed their trip. Please continue to remember them as they spend their summer away. We look forward to seeing them again soon!

SixTen Picnic in the Park!

2009-06-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

About 50 of us showed up for our picnic last week, and here are the first few pictures I've received. We laughed, ate, and some of us even got injured! (That's what happens when you keep score I guess : ) Please send me more of your photos, especially if anyone got a group shot. Thanks to everyone who organized, brought food, and made this a special time of fellowship for everyone involved.

Blessings!

With love,

Your SixTen Leaders

Ebed-Melech

2009-05-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

Read: Jeremiah 38:1-13

Jeremiah had fallen into great disfavor among the officials of Judah for having faithfully communicated God’s word to them: Jerusalem will be Babylon’s; remain in it and you will die! Those officials, conscious or not of having already rejected God, then ascribed to Jeremiah a motive: the destruction of their community.

Once again, God’s messenger had been labeled a discourager of the people, a detriment to community. The feelings of the people, according to the perceptions and intentions of their leaders, took precedence over the will of God. Better to leave the people with an upbeat attitude than offend them with notions of judgment. Morale trumped Truth. To our peril we prefer self-deception -and sometimes we will kill to maintain it.

The king, negligent and cowardly, claims impotence and hands Jeremiah over. So the officials took Jeremiah and lowered him by ropes into a fat well -a “cistern”: “It had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud (6b).”

Jeremiah was sunk. “But Ebed-Melech…”

There are at least 5 phrases (NIV) that reveal the activity and so disclose the character of this man:

He “heard that they had… (v7)”: Ebed-Melech was a listening man. As an official in the royal palace he possessed some level of authority –he had a “voice.” But he did not use that voice until he had listened closely. I imagine him as a man “quick to listen and slow to speak.”

He “went out of the palace (v8)”: Ebed-Melech was a determined man. As a Cushite and possible eunuch his sphere of service and clout may have stopped at the palace walls. There is seemingly nothing that mandated he ever exit the palace grounds and with the king away laziness could perhaps have been excused. Maybe he could have caught up on sleep or invested in some of his own personal interests? But the king was outside the walls and Jeremiah was dying.

He “said to (the King) (v8)”: Ebed-Melech was a brave man. “My Lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet (9a)”: this was more than an earnest report to the king; Ebed-Melech went to the king and made a moral judgment upon his peers. “He will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city (9b)”: here is the foresight of a wise man, concerned enough to look into another’s future and spot consequences in advance; as well as implicit warning: if Jeremiah dies, YOU are responsible (whether you gave him away or not).

He “took the men… (11a)”: Ebed-Melech was a humble man. Remember Daniel 6? It takes something for a man willing to stand alone -risking ostracism or worse- to receive the means of deliverance from an insecure superior. But Ebed-Melech did.

He “took some old rags (11b)”: Ebed-Melech was a gentle, considerate man. Who would have thought of rags to cushion Jeremiah’s arms? I wouldn’t have. Just get him out of the muck! It doesn’t matter if he’s bruised –just save his life! But Ebed-Melech understood that a quality of deliverance was called for. It wasn’t just about the goal of Jeremiah’s release. Care was to be communicated in the means of deliverance.

Anyway, God is so good to give us these mostly forgotten, minor Biblical characters with weird names, tucked away in remote passages. I wonder about this man’s story, and I wonder if this one act was what this one man was born to do (39:15-18)? I read a text like this and walk away asking myself, “Am I like that…at all?” - Nate

C.S. Lewis Quotes

2009-05-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

Craig Y. went to the trouble of finding the parts of the books a couple of you quoted in class last week. He actually typed up a lot more for us than I have here, but if you’d like to read more, click on the covers in the side column of this site. Thanks Craig!

CS Lewis in Mere Christianity

“...Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call "humble" nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.” (page 128, Mere Christianity)

The next part is by C.S. Lewis also (in Screwtape Letters XIV - recall that this is written from the perspective of a high level demon to his understudy)

"...The most alarming thing in your last account of the patient is that he is making none of those confident resolutions which marked his original conversion....I see only one thing to do at the moment. Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to the fact? All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility. Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, "By jove! I'm being humble", and almost immediately pride—pride at his own humility—will appear. If he awakes to the danger and tries to smother this new form of pride, make him proud of his attempt—and so on, through as many stages as you please. But don't try this too long, for fear you awake his sense of humor and proportion, in which case he will merely laugh at you and go to bed...

...You must therefore conceal from the patient the true end of Humility. Let him think of it not as self-forgetfulness but as a certain kind of opinion (namely, a low opinion) of his own talents and character....By this method thousands of humans have been brought to think that humility means pretty women trying to believe they are ugly and clever men trying to believe they are fools…and we have the chance of keeping their minds endlessly revolving on themselves in an effort to achieve the impossible." (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)

SixTen LGS Project

2009-05-07T03:12:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who helped with the gift basket project for our neighbors at Cumberland Pointe! There were so many encouraging stories of God's grace throughout - thank you for your prayers, your hard work, and your endless giving of items for the baskets!

Please remember to pray for the people we had a chance to meet and serve that day, and also that the Lord would open doors for future ministry to our neighbors.

Thank you also to Sean for organizing Castle Ball on Friday! No one was hurt, (probably because he told us not to aim for each other) and many of us realized a need for more arm workouts as a result. And also the team that won (I think that was the team I was on?) did a really humble job of winning, while the team that lost (I'm pretty sure that was Nate's team) did a really good job of not losing hope. : ) Inspiration abounded, and also fun! Thanks to all who participated!

SixTen Bowls!

2009-05-07T02:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a trip down Bowling Memory Lane to brighten your day. Enjoy!

Nates Favorite Song

2009-02-28T07:28:00.001-08:00

Thought you might be encouraged to listen to one of Nate's all time favorite songs. You have probably heard this one before - but just in case: Click here to go to Marc Heinrich's website and hear the song: Only Jesus. Enjoy!

Excellent Sermon on the Recession by Piper

2009-02-28T04:16:00.000-08:00

Hey guys - I just listened to this sermon on my ipod, and it was a keeper. Click here to be directed to the Desiring God website where you can listen, watch or even read this sermon by John Piper. And don't forget about this Sunday's Lenten dinner together at 6pm in Room 143 (across from downstairs kitchen)! See you then.

Love Kim

P.S. The picture above is the Bethany hill that I see each morning on my run - the skies here really are beautiful here aren't they? (This is also the hill Nate talks about sometimes in class). Blessings!

Can You Match God's Passion For God?

2009-02-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

The other night at our dinner table our son, Joseph, mentioned that he thought a great name for a boy was Phinehas –“Phin,” for short. He brought us back to Numbers 25, a little known text perhaps, but one of my favorites over the years.

It tells the story of the women of Moab, who were evil enough to seduce the men of Israel away from Yahweh and into the worship of the Baal of Peor –and of the men of Israel who were weak enough and selfish enough to welcome their advances. Evidently, if they could get sex out of it, the men were willing to do just about anything.

“And the Lord’s anger burned against them (v3b)” for it. How did He respond? “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel (v4).”

One thing is for sure, this was NOT primarily an “object lesson” for the people! God was angry. He had been sinned against. Notice that the corpses were to be exposed in broad daylight –not for the people’s sake but for the Lord’s sake! The bodies were hung –perhaps impaled- “before the Lord” so that the Lord could gaze upon them, for a while…and that as He did his holiness would be answered and his wrath perfectly settled.

Our God was just that holy on the Jordan riverbank…and He was just that holy on a dark afternoon at “The Skull”: God the Father saw His Son –with our sin- slain on a cross.

Then the audacity of the man -a leader in the community- to present his harlot to Moses and all the people, before the Tent, as they wept! The Tent was the place to meet God. This man wasn’t just flaunting his sin, he was daring God to do something about it.

At that point Phinehas, grandson to Aaron the High Priest, was so overcome with righteous anger that he took a spear, followed the man and women into their tent, and killed them both with one thrust –which let’s you know what they were doing. We rightly leave a man and woman alone to communicate at that level, but Phinehas knew better: God’s Law, character, and reputation were at stake, and they were too holy to be trumped. But would God condemn Phinehas for murder?

In fact, the opposite proves true: the plague upon the community stops and God commends Phinehas with some of the strongest language to be found in His Word: “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them…(v11).”

What zeal! What jealousy! What passion God possesses in His perfect commitment to himself! There was a man, once upon a time, named Phinehas, and he was able to match that zeal for God’s honor –God’s passion for God. God said so. How much do you desire God to be glorified? Will your passion for His glory match His?

Don't Waste Your Life!

2009-02-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

The book "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper was mentioned in our last fellowship group time together - along with a number of other really encouraging things. I thought some of you might like to know this book is available online. Click here to visit Desiringgod.org (John Piper's Church Website) to see all the amazing (and free) online resources available to you. Enjoy!

The Hiding Place

2009-01-17T04:22:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for allowing me to share the story of Corrie ten Boom in class last week. I have placed some books about her faith journey to the right on the blog if you are interested in knowing more. I'm sure many of these are available at the library as well. There is also a movie by the same title (the Hiding Place) made in 1975 that is well worth your time.

It is by faith that we please God - and here is a real life example of a person who is weak like us (and so honest about her weakness) and yet God produced in her such a great faith that she was able to forgive and love in the face of cruelty, hatred and loss. Her sister Betsy is another life worth observing, and I believe one of Corrie's goals in sharing the story was to reveal the amazing faith of her sister (I'm so glad she did!). If you would like some accountability in reading one of these, the Speculiterary Reading Club (a reading club I am a part of) will be reading Tramp for the Lord in a couple months and you are welcome to join us. Here is a link to that article on my blog. Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday. Don't forget to pray for our four women who will be doing a dramatic interpretation of Psalm 139 right before the sermon tomorrow! Thank you! Love, Kim

The Narrow Path

2009-01-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV).”

So said Jesus as He was landing the greatest sermon ever preached.

One of you recently asked me what I thought about “the narrow path.” It’s a good thing to think about, I think. : ) Some observations:

1. There are two paths with two destinations –no third option is recorded because no third option exists.

2. The first path leads to destruction, but it doesn’t necessarily get you there right away. There is usually time…for self-deception to develop.

3. The first path is broad so that it’s tough to get lost on. You don’t have to pay close attention to remain on this path –it’s easy!

4. The first path has many people travelling it so that there’s lots of action and affirmation (Romans 1:32) -it’s fun!

5. The first path brings you to a gate that is easy to step through, and once you have done so, you are dead –gone, to suffer forever.

6. The second path leads to life, but it doesn’t necessarily get you there right away. There is suffering; perseverance is required and your need for replenishment is constant.

7. The second path is narrow: without following the perfect Guide, you will get off the trail –lost- constantly.

8. The second path has very few people on it: there will be loneliness, discouragement, and uncertainty at times.

9. The second path brings you to a gate that is tough to step through, and once you have done so, you are alive, forever…

10. We are called to take the narrow path…and enter through the narrow gate.

There is joy on the narrow path! The joy of total dependence on Jesus, of remaining in the care of One who is not only a Guide but a Shepherd who hems His sheep in, of a man who calls you His friend when you thought you had none of those anymore… There is power in that joy that makes me yell “Hallelujah!” It’s worth it. Take the narrow path.
- Nate

Resolutions

2009-01-07T17:23:00.000-08:00

Sean Cochran wants to share this link to a great article on resolutions with some wonderful resources for help with reading through the Bible in a year, praying, fasting and memorizing Scripture. Click here for that article on Challies.com. Thanks Sean!

Tozer Devotional Feed

2009-01-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

We hope you'll find the Tozer devotionals to the right helpful as you seek to respond to Pastor Phil's challenge to be in God's Word each day for the next 30 days. Tozer has helped so many believers depart from the surface of the faith, and drink deeply of Christ. Click here to visit a website with many other resources by A.W. Tozer.

Congratulations Matt DeWitt!

2009-01-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of one of our classmates, Matt DeWitt for his recent appointment as a police officer in York City. Please continue to pray for Matt's safety and for a smooth transition to the York City police force. Click here for a link to a recent article about Matt's appointment. Matt was also featured on our local news stations. Congratulations Matt and Erin - we love you and are praying for you all as you begin this exciting adventure!

Men and Women's Small Group - Saturday, January 10 at 9:30 a.m.

2009-01-04T14:13:00.001-08:00

The men's small group and the women's small group will be meeting this coming Saturday (1/10/09) at church at 9:30 a.m. (please note time change!). Women will meet outside coffee central (upstairs in lobby) and men will meet in Nate's office (downstairs - first left after Tiki hut). For the women, bring your own coffee, snacks will be provided. Men - not sure what's up with your snacks, but if worst comes to worst, we promise to share all of our unfrosted donuts with you (or maybe even the frosted ones depending on how spirit filled we are - HA!). But seriously, it's a great time of fellowship and deepening our love for Christ. Hope to see you all there!

2nd Annual Dillsburg Cabin Weekend for SixTen - January 23-25, 2009

2009-01-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

Dan R. and Erin L. would like to invite SixTen to their family cabin for a weekend of food, fire, fun, games, relaxation and good times! If you plan to stay overnight, please bring your own sleeping bag. More details to follow so check back or stay in the loop through the facebook group for SixTen. Please email Dan to let him know whether or not you plan to attend. Thanks Dan and Erin!

SixTen Facebook Group

2009-01-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

This is just to let you know that if you use facebook, you can now join our facebook group for SixTen. We did this so that we can send out email updates from that site whenever we have additions or changes to our event schedule. If enough join, it could also be a place where we more easily communicate with one another during the week (feedback, prayer requests, etc.). You can find it by searching for SixTen (all one word) in groups. Hope to see you there!

A Word From Craig

2008-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

In the following article, Craig Y. follows up on a topic we were discussing two weeks ago in class...

In class two Sundays ago, I mentioned a U2 song as an example of people in the world who see something other than peace and joy when Christmas comes around each year. It basically followed along the same lines as the poem Pastor Phil used in the message. As I was thinking more about this and the interactions I've had with a number of friends and coworkers, a couple things have been on my heart that I want to share.

Some people have simply made a choice that they are going to fight off anything to do with God with all their strength, but I believe that a majority of people who are asking these questions are not simply making a conscious effort to discount Christianity. Using U2 as an example again, another song on the very same album is basically pleading with a friend for the friend to help the writer see the world like the friend does, and acknowledges that the difference in the way they look at the world is the Christian world view -- but at the same time expresses a frustration that he's not getting good answers to some important questions. The most interesting part is that the "skeptic" writer acknowledges that the problem lies within himself.

I do not go to U2 for my theology, but I think they can be instructive on how a large number of "postmodern" individuals are waiting for some real answers. Many of these people are seeking out the truth, but simply can't find it. In this regard, I think the church (and we, being part of the church) have often dropped the ball. So often we basically just say that God is in control, bad things will turn to good, and everything will be ok. Which is true -- but it's not the whole truth. At this point, a very legitimate question for them to ask is "How could a loving God (who is supposedly completely in control) allow [fill in the blank] to happen?"

What concerns me most is that the majority of my conversations with people asking these questions end more like "wow, I never knew that" as opposed to "I can't believe that." Some of these friends even attend church regularly. Have we as a church (not WSEF specifically, but in general) softened our message so much to try to "attract more people" that we no longer answer these basic questions? The world is good enough at giving people false answers. Must the "church" also compromise?

1 Peter 3:15 "...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have..."

Do I know Scripture well enough to answer these questions in a way that actually meshes with what I see in real life, and will I answer in an uncompromising way? They aren't waiting for us to tell them everything is ok -- they know it's not. They're waiting, sometimes even pleading, for the Truth.

Nate's Top Five

2008-12-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

Looking for a good book to read over the Christmas break? Here are Nate’s top five recommendations. They are also listed to the right. Just click on any of the covers you like and you should be redirected to amazon.com for more info. Enjoy!

Quo Vadis, Henryk Sienkewicz (Kuniczak translation). It’s historical fiction, a novel about Christian persecution in Rome under Nero. It received the Nobel Prize in 1905. Read it with your wife or girlfriend; plow through the first 200 pages and the last 350 pages may change your life!

Holiness, J.C. Ryle. It’s an oldie, but goodie. Everything you wanted to know about the holiness of God and how we’re called to imitate it. Pure “devotional”!

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only will you relate to the characters of the Fellowship, you’ll see aspects of Jesus Christ in each of them (Sam’s selflessness, Gandalf’s wisdom, Frodo’s perseverance, Aragorn’s valor) that will make your relationship with Jesus grow.

Man: The Dwelling Place of God, A.W. Tozer. This collection of his essays is my personal favorite. It even concludes with “The Saint Must Walk Alone,” something Tozer himself lived especially toward the end of his life. Are we as men ready (and wanting) to make a stand –humbly, and in the strength of the Holy Spirit- when necessary?

The Pleasures of God, John Piper. This is perhaps his best book, answering deep and weighty questions about the things we struggle with most: creation, sovereignty, election…and it is so God-centered!

Singularity

2008-12-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were examining God’s attribute of Singularity as seen in the person of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. Among other things, this attribute communicates that God is God alone –that there are no others gods in number or in kind.

We dropped in on Luke 4:1-13. The detail and order of events fascinate me:

1. Jesus has just been baptized: He is just 30 years old –not much older than most of you- and His official ministry has just begun.

2. He is full of the Holy Spirit, who leads Him into the desert. In our own lives, do we appreciate an immediate wilderness setting –severe trial and temptation- to launch God’s mission? Remember, it is Satan who tempts us in the desert; but the Lord is the only One who leads us to and through the desert –perhaps especially when we are walking with Him the way we should, like Jesus who was “full” of Him.

3. Satan tempted Jesus, one way or the other, for 40 days, not just on the fortieth day when Jesus was most physically weak (2a). Beware: the Devil can hit us when we are strong, too. (See Ephesians 6:10-18)

4. Jesus answers the first recorded temptation with Deuteronomy 8:3. (It’s critical that when the Old Testament gets quoted in the New Testament, that the Old Testament context be adequately surveyed.) “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Satan would have understood what Jesus meant: ultimately, only God does “the feeding” and He will sustain!

5. In the second recorded temptation Jesus answers straight up: only God must be worshipped/served, no matter the nature of the motivation to do otherwise!

6. Satan has the ability to sound very “spiritual,” here actually quoting Scripture from Psalm 91! Are we skilled enough in the Word of God to spot its misapplication?

7. …Jesus was. Jesus knew that it was true: God does give His angels charge…to guard us in all our ways. But Jesus also knew that Satan was in fact challenging God –God’s promise to protect His own. In effect, Satan was saying to Jesus what he had said to Eve thousands of years earlier: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat…’ (Genesis 3:1)?” Yes, God really did say that, Satan. God refuses to be tested –to be pushed, challenged, doubted. Still, Satan essentially said to Jesus: “I dare you to find out if He means what He says!”

So Jesus went back to Deuteronomy 6 a second time, same paragraph (v13-16). Only God has the right to be so perfectly jealous as to never be doubted!

SixTen Visits Christmas CandyLane!

2008-12-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

15 of us visited Hershey Christmas CandyLane and had a great time of fellowship, fun, and freezing. : ) And while Nate boasted that he was better prepared for the cold than everyone, that proved to be less than true right about halfway through the Skyline ride. Some were less daunted by the cold than others -choosing to forego the cultural enhancement of Home Sweet Home for the Holidays (more on that later) to ride two more times on a ride that will remain nameless (only because I can't remember the name) but looked painful in any weather. Speaking of the cultural enhancement - the play got two thumbs up from all of us, not only for the heat we enjoyed in the theater (many of us would have gone to watch paint dry as long as there was heat) but also because the writing/acting was moving, encouraging and Christ-centered - hurrah!) Other events included some other daring SixTen-ers going on the swing ride (that one that swings you around and around), only to find that swinging around in 29 degree weather can cause your cute smile to become permanently frozen in place. We also enjoyed the chocolate factory tour (singing cows never cease to please), Emily's hat (as seen above) and buying candy for relatives. The trip helped us get to know each other better, and left us encouraged and in need of moisturizer, but happy! Special thanks to Heidi and Rich for organizing this event. Please be sure to join us for snow tubing in January (see calendar below) but don't forget to RSVP! We need at least 20 of us to qualify for discounted pricing.

Next Women's Small Group will be on Saturday, January 10, 2009

2008-12-07T10:11:00.001-08:00

We had a great small group meeting with the women of SixTen this past Saturday where we talked about what it means to have the spirit of love, power and self discipline that Paul speaks of in 2 Timothy 1:7. This time we focussed on the spirit of power, and how that spirit of power is so radically different from the spirit of power we encounter in the world. Each of us were challenged to deepen in our dependency on Christ in order to see God's spirit of power working in and through each one of us. Thank you so much to each of you who attended!

Our next meeting will be on Saturday, January 10 at 9:00 a.m. (just outside coffee central again) where we will be talking about having a spirit of love (on God's Terms) and self discipline (and how that differs from legalism). Our women's small group is a great opportunity to grow in Christ as we learn from one another and encourage one another. We really hope you'll join us!

Please email Kim if you plan to attend next Saturday so that she can know how many snacks to bring. Also, if you attended our last meeting, please feel free to share anything else by leaving a comment following this article. (The comment will not appear right away as it must go through our webmaster first). Talk to you soon!

Wisdom

2008-12-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

Lately, I’ve been reading some in James and have been impressed by wisdom as a theme there. 1:5 is quite well known: if we are convicted that we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it and He will give it to us, generously so. Chapter 1, verse 6 then becomes immediately paramount: when we ask God for wisdom, (which should be often,) we must by faith expect Him to grant wisdom right away.

But what kind of wisdom should we expect from God? There is the “decision making” kind that typically helps us pick the better of two or more options; there is the “discernment” kind that helps us penetrate the nature of things; there is our crucified Christ as the “wisdom of God” in opposition to the world’s proud and foolish intellect (1 Cor. 1); etc., I suppose. These kinds of wisdom are absolutely critical and certainly Biblical.

Still, James offers definition of another kind of wisdom, that of a godly life: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom (3:13).” This wisdom breeds real humility and deeds done for others. It is wisdom oriented by oneself toward other people. It counters envy and selfish ambition –something we all struggle with. In fact, it is “pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (v17).” These aren’t random adjectives, they are characteristics, and they must be possessed by “characters,” –people, like us!

So I’m asking myself, in the James 3 sense, how wise am I? I really should be constantly asking God for all of the wisdom He expects to give me…
-Nate

SixTen Takes a Hike Down the Appalachian Trail! (well, part of it anyway)

2008-11-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple photos from the fall hike that 15 of us from SixTen took recently. We talked briefly about James 1:12 - "Blessed is the man who peseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

God's Amazing Unchangeableness

2008-11-26T03:54:00.001-08:00

Last week Nate shared some exciting things about God's attribute of unchangeableness. One of our classmates had this response...

I was thinking about our discussion on God’s unchangeableness and how that makes Him so completely trustworthy. And yet for all of that we do not always trust him. For us, for me, who know how completely changeable and untrustworthy we can be, it is hard to envision a person who never changes for all of eternity.

One of the things I love about God is that He knows that about us. Psalm 103, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” In God’s unchangeable compassion for us, whenever it is vitally important that we believe what He says, He puts it in a covenant. He made a covenant to Noah not to destroy the world by flood. One to Abraham to give him descendants and bring them into the promised land. And Christ says at the last supper his blood is "the new covenant poured out for us,” poured out for our eternal life. He would not have had to make covenants. He is unchangeable. If he says it is so, it is so. But he knows His people’s weakness to doubt. We don’t always trust each other’s words, but we tend to have more confidence in oaths and vows. He has compassion on His people and puts his life giving promises in the solemn form of a covenant that we can grasp and cling to when we are tempted to doubt.

How great is a God who is both unchangeable in His nature and in His compassion for His people who do not fully understand or believe what that unchangeableness means?

Nate and Kim Winters

2008-11-15T14:02:00.000-08:00

Rich and Heidi Biggs

2008-11-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

Sean and Krista Cochran

2008-11-15T13:23:00.001-08:00

Dan Rohrer and Erin Lawlis - just engaged!

2008-11-15T13:21:00.000-08:00