Christian Ramblings

SSS 12/21

——12/5——
World AIDS Day Sunday

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV is the disease and AIDS is the result of getting the disease.

Why is HIV so stigmatized?
It used to be a death sentence, but now it has treatments.

What is stigma?
Stigma is saying something is not as good as something else.

Why is stigma bad for medicine?
Stigma means that people might not seek care or tell their doctor.

Undetectable=un-transmittable

How do you prevent HIV?
Protect yourself during sex or abstain from it completely.

What to do if you find someone has HIV?
Show them grace and help them and support them.

Sermon

When you are saved you are part of the church. When you are a part of the church, you are expected to join a church. We should let our light shine.

Ephesians 5:33
At the end of college, she decided to go back home because her life wasn't what God wanted for her.
Do not let the time spent waiting for marriage be wasted. Live your life and focus on the end goal: heaven.

Laws of Covenant Relationships
1. I am 100% responsible for my part.

"To God be the glory"

Be a Godly model for others.
People often get caught up in the details of a relationship instead of letting God deal with it.
Women can make or break a marriage. Men are the head of the family, but women are the neck(?). Men have less words than women. They also have tunnel vision while women are better at multitasking.

God made everything good. God said it is not good for men to be alone. God made women to be a man's helper. Hebrew word: ezer. God made women to help make men's life easier.

Eve being alone was what allowed the serpent to attack her. The serpent came to Eve because it knew that she had influence over Adam.

Sarah called Abraham her king. Wives are commanded to love their husbands. Husbands are commanded to respect their wives.

How do you rebuild trust?
T - trust: the reason why you got together
D - disappointment: expectations not met
R - redefine your relationship: adapt as the situation changes
Death cycle repeatedly going between trust and disappointment. God gives us tools to repair our relationships. If you are drained from the death cycle, you have to remember that you take yourself everywhere you go. You have to seek help to redefine relationships. It takes two to make a bad relationship.

When God woke Pastor Dan up, he told his wife that he had changed and he shouldn't be blamed for what he did before he changed.

God blessed his marriage. God gives you gifts to do what he called you to do.

Sometimes your gifts and talents will take you somewhere only God can carry you. God knows everything.
Prayer is where we win battles. Pray in preparation.
You have to submit to God to be successful in a relationship.

——12/12——

Ephesians 5:22-32

Marriages are either dying, trying, or striving.

Churches should be on social media because that's where the highest potential for evangelism is.

7% of communication is the content.
38% is your voice/tone.
55% is body language.
People should listen to understand instead of listening to respond. (Be an active listener.)

Fulfill your spouse's requests so that they feel special.
Try to get a win-win solution instead of a win-lose solution.

——12/26——

God with us

Matthew 1:17-23
Christmas has been commercialized; a US household spends, on average, $15,000 for Christmas. It is important to remember the true purpose of Christmas: celebrating the the birth of Jesus Christ.

1. TRUST that God is with YOU
We have to know God in order to truly trust him. We do this by reading his word and allowing him to speak to us. Jesus had to trust God too. He prayed to God before being hung on the cross. We can't understand God, but must trust him regardless. It is difficult to quote God when you are out of the valley. Trust in God more than in your abilities and others.
Proverbs 3:5
People didn't come back to church after the pandemic because they didn't trust God. Sometimes it was because their prayers weren't answered "yes".
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Isaiah 43:2
2. RESOLVE to be faithful because God is with YOU
Set boundaries (resolve) in relationships, tithing, and other situations before they happen. Figure out how to give more to God (offering). Daniel resolved not to eat the meat and or other foods the king gave him, and he was healthier than the other men. Daniel resolved to publicly pray to God despite it being illegal. God spared Daniel's life in the lion's den because he had resolve.
3. REJOICE because God is with YOU
Paul and Silas were thrown in prison. While they were in prison, they sung praises to the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord when you are in the valley. The world can't take away our joy if we get it from God.
John 15:11
Jesus completes our joy.
Hebrew 12:2
We can be joyful because we already know what is on the other side (of death). Some people don't rejoice because they don't feel happy. But we should reflect and bless God.

Bonus sermon

Proverbs 3:5
Psalm 51:10
Silent Night, Holy Night; O Little Town of Bethlehem; O Come, All Ye Faithful
Luke 2:15-20
Joy to the World!; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; It Came Upon the Midnight Clear; Angels We Have Heard on High