Myles Brown
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Somewhere in MS
Long stretch of road in MS. We are still traveling to Louisiana. Sam is asleep. Destin is sleeping. Travis is sleep driving. Jack is wide awake with nothing to say, just chewing gum. I think I'll throw spitballs at Chris and Marc. Oh yeah!
Stuffing Eggs
Off to Louisiana
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Practicing Submission
Every discipline has a corresponding freedom.
What freedom can possibly corrospond to submission?
Laying down the terrible burden or always having to get our way. It releases us to drop a matter and to forget it. Frankly most things in life are not nearly as important as we think they are.
Only the discipline of submission can free us suffieciently to enable us to distiguish between the genuine issues and stubborn self-will. (see Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster).
The need to always get our way is from the Enemy. Identify the enemy thought: “It is not what I want.” Once we identify the enemy we can choose a an attitude of submission.
Submission focuses on how we really view other people…freedom to really value other people.
We can give up the demand that other return our love for them.
We can rejoice, really, in their success.
Feel genuine sorrow for their failures.
And love our enemies.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44
Surrender the right to retaliate.
“If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39
Luke 9:23/Mark 8:34 self denial without self-hatred…It is simply this: my happiness is no longer dependent on getting my way/what I want.
Some acts of practicing the discipline of submission:
• Meet with God first before caring for your self and your plans
• Submit to Scripture, read it to hear and learn from God
• Listen to your family and their needs. How can I pray for and meet your needs today?
• Meet real needs of our neighbors: cut their grass, offer to babysit, visit them, share our tools, open our hearts to them.
• Submit to the church. We cannot do everything, but we can do some things. With a glad heart respond to ways to be a help.
• Submit to the broken hearted…look for the voiceless and find out how to benefit them.
• Submit to the world…be responsible for your stewardship, conserve, share, stay connected (refuse to isolate)
What freedom can possibly corrospond to submission?
Laying down the terrible burden or always having to get our way. It releases us to drop a matter and to forget it. Frankly most things in life are not nearly as important as we think they are.
Only the discipline of submission can free us suffieciently to enable us to distiguish between the genuine issues and stubborn self-will. (see Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster).
The need to always get our way is from the Enemy. Identify the enemy thought: “It is not what I want.” Once we identify the enemy we can choose a an attitude of submission.
Submission focuses on how we really view other people…freedom to really value other people.
We can give up the demand that other return our love for them.
We can rejoice, really, in their success.
Feel genuine sorrow for their failures.
And love our enemies.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44
Surrender the right to retaliate.
“If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39
Luke 9:23/Mark 8:34 self denial without self-hatred…It is simply this: my happiness is no longer dependent on getting my way/what I want.
Some acts of practicing the discipline of submission:
• Meet with God first before caring for your self and your plans
• Submit to Scripture, read it to hear and learn from God
• Listen to your family and their needs. How can I pray for and meet your needs today?
• Meet real needs of our neighbors: cut their grass, offer to babysit, visit them, share our tools, open our hearts to them.
• Submit to the church. We cannot do everything, but we can do some things. With a glad heart respond to ways to be a help.
• Submit to the broken hearted…look for the voiceless and find out how to benefit them.
• Submit to the world…be responsible for your stewardship, conserve, share, stay connected (refuse to isolate)
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday Lent Reflection
Some thoughts on getting healthy (mind, body and soul).
Take the stairs
Eat an apple
Turn the radio off in the car and roll down the window
Smile a lot
Walk where you can
Read your Bible everyday
Keep some cash in your pocket to give away
Drink coffee
Think of where your food came from, be thankful, and eat for energy.
Share
Help
Hold a baby as much as you can
Go barefoot once in a while
Work hard for what you believe in
Throw the clutter away or give it away
Listen...to people and God
Myles Brown
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Phase 2 of the New Media Project
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Notes from Spouses Building Up Each Other
The following are the notes from Sunday's Bible talk about spouses building each other up. Here are the notes and the application questions are in bold.
Husbands:
1. Show respect for you wife as your equal before God
1 Peter 3:1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
How can I show her respect?
2. Show a willingness to sacrifice that she might be blessed.
Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--30 for we are members of his body.
What would demostrate this willingness to sacrafice for her to be blessed? An action and choice
3. Praise her for her character and diligence.
Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
What is praise worthy about her? How can I announce this to her, in front of the children, and others?
4. Express that she has blessed you.
(see Proverbs 31:29)
Tell her/show her that she has blessed you. How? When?
Wives:
1. Demonstrate respect for him as your head/leader
Ephesians 5:33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
• Be easily persuaded (How so?)• Defer to his directions
• Trust God but respecting/following him
2. Show affection to your husband
Titus 2: 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,
What does he respond to?
• Physical touch
• Special meals? Etc.
3. Do him good, not harm.
Proverbs 31:1-12 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
How can you plan him good?
What provisions does he need that you can supply that would gain him respect and honor?
Husbands:
1. Show respect for you wife as your equal before God
1 Peter 3:1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
How can I show her respect?
2. Show a willingness to sacrifice that she might be blessed.
Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--30 for we are members of his body.
What would demostrate this willingness to sacrafice for her to be blessed? An action and choice
3. Praise her for her character and diligence.
Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
What is praise worthy about her? How can I announce this to her, in front of the children, and others?
4. Express that she has blessed you.
(see Proverbs 31:29)
Tell her/show her that she has blessed you. How? When?
Wives:
1. Demonstrate respect for him as your head/leader
Ephesians 5:33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
• Be easily persuaded (How so?)• Defer to his directions
• Trust God but respecting/following him
2. Show affection to your husband
Titus 2: 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,
What does he respond to?
• Physical touch
• Special meals? Etc.
3. Do him good, not harm.
Proverbs 31:1-12 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
How can you plan him good?
What provisions does he need that you can supply that would gain him respect and honor?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wednesday Lenten Reflection 2
The Sound of Silence.
The discipline of silence has two primary applications.
1. Silencing my mouth (choosing to stop my words for a set period of time)
2. Finding silence for my ears and mind. (Removing the noise from my life for a period of time).
Silence requires us to silence the TV, radio, iPod, phones, and all the “technology stuff.” And sometimes we will have to retreat from our relationships for a period of time.
When can you try this type of silence?
Rising in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep.
Try going on a trail, into the woods, or by a lake on lunch break or on a day retreat.
Dallas Willard says this of the discipline of silence, “Only silence will allow us life-transforming concentration upon God.”
God says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Benefits that I have found in practicing both silence and solitude:
• Listening skills have increasing
• Awareness of God’s presence in everyday life (mundane stuff) has been heightened
• Ability to keep my mouth shut when I have nothing to really add to a conversation
• An appreciation for the uniqueness of people (all made in the image of God)
• Broader perspective on situations and problems that I face
• Growing knowledge that I am more than the activity that surrounds me. I am God’s and that is enough
The discipline of silence has two primary applications.
1. Silencing my mouth (choosing to stop my words for a set period of time)
2. Finding silence for my ears and mind. (Removing the noise from my life for a period of time).
Silence requires us to silence the TV, radio, iPod, phones, and all the “technology stuff.” And sometimes we will have to retreat from our relationships for a period of time.
When can you try this type of silence?
Rising in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep.
Try going on a trail, into the woods, or by a lake on lunch break or on a day retreat.
Dallas Willard says this of the discipline of silence, “Only silence will allow us life-transforming concentration upon God.”
God says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Benefits that I have found in practicing both silence and solitude:
• Listening skills have increasing
• Awareness of God’s presence in everyday life (mundane stuff) has been heightened
• Ability to keep my mouth shut when I have nothing to really add to a conversation
• An appreciation for the uniqueness of people (all made in the image of God)
• Broader perspective on situations and problems that I face
• Growing knowledge that I am more than the activity that surrounds me. I am God’s and that is enough
Monday, March 5, 2012
UNITy happens in how we treat each other
A great way to establish and maintain unity is to have a group commitment to a base set of values by which we all agree to treat each other. This works in marriage, families, teams, and business organizations. At Pleasant View we agree to treat each other a certain way. As a value-shaping ministry, we hold these attitudes of the heart in high regard:
Put others' goals and interests first
Live an honest life
Clear up relationships ASAP
Give and receive correction
Follow leadership
Give to the work
Participate in the work
How would these translate and apply to your family, team, and work group?
Put others' goals and interests first
Live an honest life
Clear up relationships ASAP
Give and receive correction
Follow leadership
Give to the work
Participate in the work
How would these translate and apply to your family, team, and work group?
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