Gateway Fellowship

"The Lord takes pleasure in everything he made." (Ps 104:31)

Don't avoid it. Don't get stuck in it. Go through.5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,    who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,    it will become a place of refreshing springs.    The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.7 They will continue to grow stronger,    and each of them will appear before God in Zion.(Psalm 84:5-7)

This chat centers around the concept of how transformation happens, which is by gazing upon the beauty of God seen in the face of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4 was the main text.

There's something uniquely bonding about going on a spiritual pilgrimage together.

Psalm 63:1-8

Our Father in heaven,Reveal who you are.Set the world right;Do what’s best—    as above, so below.Keep us alive with three square meals.Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.You’re in charge!You can do anything you want!You’re ablaze in beauty!    Yes. Yes. Yes.’

This was session 2 of Fresh Encounter.

This was the 3rd session of fresh encounter.

These two are adorable.

Session 1 of Fresh Encounter.

...about Jesus always leading us in triumph, the aroma of Christ, and then I chat a bit about who exactly this gospel is for based on Isaiah 61.

I'm a blessed man. My future is bright. My best days are ahead. I'm the beloved of God...

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. (James 3:13-17 NRS)

James 5:13-20 New Revised Standard 13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. 19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20 you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and wil

A.K.A. "Adversity can wreck our faith." That's why we need each other! This chat is based on some of Paul's thoughts in 1 Thessalonians chapters 2 and 3.

Beauty for ashes.

Isaiah 9, wintertime blues, 75 inch tv, dollar store candy, and more. It's a Christmas chat.

What's my core identity? Who am I, really?

This was two separate topics we chatted about at last night's Wednesday Whiteboard.

Luke 15:1-2 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!