Bake at the Lake--2010

Fall Sneak Peak

Looking ahead to the Fall preaching calendar...

On September 12th Explore Church will be celebrating its 8th birthday!

Beginning September 19th Explore Church will start this 5 week series.

Get Excited!

Review of Ruth

We recently concluded a series called "The Plan."  During this four week study we walked through the book of Ruth.  Below are some of the highlights and helps.

The Big Ideas:

• Week 1--"God's Plan Is The Best Plan."
• Week 2--"God Is Always Working To Rescue His People Through His Plan."
• Week 3--"God's Plan Is A Faith Plan And A Faith Plan Involves Taking Risks."
• Week 4--"Even When We Can't See It--God Is Still Working His Plan."

Key Thoughts:

• We tend to plan so that we can organize a series of decisions toward a desired outcome.
• Just because we plan doesn't mean that we will achieve our desired outcome.
• Events outside our control and sin can derail our plan.
• God is sovereign, faithful, and in control.
• God is always at work.
• What are you risking that if God does not show up...will fail miserably?
• What are you willing to risk?
• God's plan is the best plan because His plan is a rescue plan...that involves faith and risk taking.
• God uses dark circumstances and suffering to draw us closer to Him.

Key Verses To Consider:

• Acts 2:22-24
• Ephesians 3:20
• Philippians 1:6
• Romans 8:28
• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Matthew 1:21
• Luke 19:10
• Revelation 21:4

Books And Commentaries That Were Helpful:

• A Sweet & Bitter Providence, John Piper

• Atkinson, David.  The Message of Ruth, in the Bible Speaks Today series.
• Block, Daniel I.  Judges, Ruth, in the NAC series.
• Duguid, Iain M.  Esther & Ruth, in the REC series.
• Cundall, Arthur E. and Leon Morris.  Judges and Ruth, in the TOTC series.

God continues to work His plan through the ordinary events of our lives for our good and His glory.

John Adams and Books

I am currently reading John Adams by David McCullough.  He is a great writer and I recommend his books Truman and 1776.

"I want to see my wife and children every day," he would write while away on the court circuit.  "I want to see my grass and blossoms and corn....But above all, except the wife and children, I want to see my books."

I can totally identify with John Adams' sentiment.  Love some books!