Sunday Recap-Core Foundations-God's Word

Yesterday it was fun preaching on the authority of Scripture and what we believe about the Bible. It was even more fun studying and preparing. We have started a series called CORE FOUNDATIONS that will take us back to reaffirm what the core foundations of the faith are. Like I said in my message all the resources I use I freely pass on so that you can do your own study. See Below:

1. Here is a link to a resource I used from a sermon I preached in 2005 that gives some of the key scripture on the Word of God. Print it off and ENJOY!
2. Here is a link to subscribe to get the free Magazine from the Voice of the Martyrs to stay up to speed on the persecuted church. This will give you a relevant perspective of modern martyrs for the Word of God.
3. In my message I shared several scientific and medical facts that the Bible declared well before any scientist or Doctor. Some of them were found in this online article: That Amazing Book by Terry Watkins
4. Here is a link to some facts about the Bible's 40 authors from an article that came from a book by Josh McDowell called Evidence that Demands a Verdict
5. I also got some of the history of the Bible and elaboration on other theological jargon from the following resource:
   Training for Service-A survey of the Bible by Orin Root
   Systematic Theology-Wayne Grudem
   Systematic Theology-Dr. Norman Geisler-volume one

We had a great gathering yesterday! We welcomed our newest member Charlotte Triplette. We also got to encourage two of our members, Jedia Fuller and Nathan Williams, with wonderful words of blessing.

I love serving at Church Ablaze...this is going to be a fun and educating series...Next week..God's Nature! Find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/churchablaze

Dance Instructions-2010 Sweetheart Ball

We have exciting news to share! For the first time at our Sweetheart Ball the Eye to Eye Marriage Enrichment Community will be offering a 40 minute dance lesson to all that attend early. Maureen Coury has taught dance with Author Murray dance studios for 8 years. She loves dance and she loves teaching spouses how to work and flow together as one.

Maureen and her husband will be at the Ball giving some introductory group instruction on a few basic Ballroom Dancing steps. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS OUT. Whether you have two left feet or no rhythm at all it will be fun to hold your spouse and improve your skills.

Time
-Doors open at 5:00pm
-Dance instruction starts at 5:10 and will finish promptly at 5:50pm
-6:00pm the Event will begin

During this time there will also be early bird prizes given away at random. So come early and join the fun.
We only have two days until festivities begin and we have already SOLD OUT! If you would like to register and be put on a waiting list in case of cancellations please call 405-288-1393.

Sweetheart Ball-Longest Married Couple Search

Things are coming together for the Eye to Eye Marriage Enrichment Community's 2010 Sweetheart Ball.
Just recently the Ball was featured in the Life section of the Daily Oklahoman. (Click here) Carla Hinton has issued a nice article describing the event and kicking off our search for the longest married couple.
We are searching the state of Oklahoma for the longest married couple. We hope to honor the couple at the ball, and if the couple cannot attend, Eye to Eye leaders want to tape a short video interview with them to be shown at the ball.

If you know of someone all we need is:
1) Number of years married
2) Brief history of the couple (i.e. number of children/grandchildren, why they should be honored)
3) Contact-Name, address, phone, and email

Submit your entry via email to info@eyetoeyecommunity.com or call 405-288-1393

Over 100 couples registered so far. Register today!

Price: $75 per couple
Group Seating: Four couples per table list couples at time of registration
Three ways to register:
1) Online (Preferred): www.sweetheartball.info
2) Phone: 405-288-1393
3) At Greg Jones State Farm Insurance Offices
1035A SW 19th St
Moore, OK 73160
405-794-0020

We need your help-2010 Sweetheart Ball

If you have ever been to the Sweetheart Ball or know someone who has. Please send me stories of how the Sweetheart Ball and or Eye to Eye has affected your marriage. Email all stories to: eyetoeyemarriage@gmail.com. Your entry may be selected for a future publication. If you would like to remain anonymous please state such. Eye to Eye is pretty broad so the story could be the affect of the Facebook page, the monthly bible studies, or the Summer BBQ. Your story of impact could be from the November Getaway or the Sweetheart Ball. Maybe it is a specific couple within Eye to Eye that has come along side your marriage and shored it up. Please share your thoughts!



Momentum is building for the ball after Jan 15th the registration price for the ball will go up from $65 to $75 so hurry! Register on line here.

Help us spread the word in three ways:

1. Get flyers that you can hand out to your neighbors, church groups, coworkers, and family. They can be be printed from the website (Click here). Also you can have flyers mailed or delivered if you are in the Oklahoma City Metro by emailing your name address and the amount you need to: eyetoeyemarriage@gmail.com
2. Become a champion couple and take responsibility to fill up one or more tables with four couples. Group registration can be done on the website (Click here)
3. Forward or link to this post and pass it to everyone you know.

Statistic: 80% of people that have attended our past balls found out through word of mouth! It is a massive grass roots effort..WATCH OUT COX CENTER HERE WE COME!!


Become a fan of Marriage on Facebook: eyetoeyemarriage
Follow us on twitter: @eye2eyemarriage
Call us: 405-288-1393
Email us: sweetheartball@eyetoeyecommunity.com

Eye to Eye Sweetheart Ball-How it began

Have you ever been apart of something that was bigger than you? Take a moment and read what happens when you obey the call of God in your heart. Below is an excerpt from the Sweetheart ball website.

In 2001, Clarence Hill and his good friend, Nathan Williams, got together to put on an evening of romance and fun for their wives and some of their friends on Valentine's Day. This wasn't the first time that they had done this, but it would prove to be the beginning of something special. The theme of the evening was "Eye to Eye" and the focus was "how can two walk together except they agree?" Some of their single friends got together and made a little storefront room into a romantic chamber of love and intimacy.To mix laughter with romance, Nathan and his wife Tina hosted their own rendition of Family Feud. They called it Couples' Feud. Everyone had a blast in an age old feud of women against men, but, for some reason, the records of who won...have been lost. Hmmm?After all of the good food and fun, the couples slow danced and shared words of appreciation and love to their spouses during what has become known as "Face to Face" time. As the evening was brought to a close, Nyrhone and Delanie Brewer were officially crowned as the first Mr. and Mrs. Eye to Eye. Everyone filled out comment cards and expressed interest in being part of a monthly couples' Bible study. This community of couples has come to be known as the Eye to Eye Marriage Enrichment Community.
Every couple that has actively been a part is excited about telling others of the friendships, the growth in their marriages and the change in their own personal lives that has come through being a part of the Eye to Eye community. Through monthly participation in Bible studies, along with a summer barbecue, a weekend getaway and most importantly the invaluable godly friendships that are born, the couples have discovered that a 2-hour-a-month commitment mixed with relationships with like minded couples is a combination for success in marriage and life.

Since the first ball in 2001 the ball has grown every year. What started with under ten couples is now expected to reach over 350 couples. I would like to invite you to join us in celebrating our 10th Annual Sweetheart ball. All of the information can be found at http://www.sweetheartball.info/ . I will be passing on more information about the community and about the Ball in future blogs. Right now think of every married and engaged couple you know and have them register online today. Registration is at a special rate until Jan 15th.

Become a fan of Marriage on Facebook: eyetoeyemarriage
Follow us on twitter: @eye2eyemarriage
Call us: 405-288-1393
Email us: sweetheartball@eyetoeyecommunity.com

The One Year Bible

Hey, would you like to join us? Lisa and I along with our children decided to go through the Bible again next year Starting Jan. 1st. We want our friends and family to be immersed in God's word. We are going to use the One Year Bible..which has a reading in the old testament, new testament, psalms, and proverbs for everyday.

Five years ago...we used the One Year Bible and it was a great tool to aid in consistent bible reading. Would you like to join us?


Sometimes doing things together helps you accomplish more!


Choose your version of the One Year Bible:


NLT-New Living Translation
NIV-New International Version
KJV-King James Version
ESV-English Standard Version
Online version

We use the Day by Day bible for our kids 8 and under

They are for sale at Christian bookstores also! Some are only $10


Let's saturate ourselves with the word of God in 2010. Periodically I will post encouragement for keeping the Word of God central. A few months ago I wrote about the importance of the family table (click here). Now it is time to take it up a notch. The entire bible! One Year! READY, SET, GO!!!!!


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We did it!-Day 30 of 30 Negativity Fast

Today is the last day of our 30 day journey to rid our selves of negativity. It started Dec 1st with 15 reasons to fast from negative words. All the past blog post can be found here. Through facebook, twitter, word of mouth, church, and posters we have made a statement, "Negativity is out and positivity is in as we roll into 2010." I learned 10 key things on this fast.

1. It is a minute by minute battle to combat negative words and thoughts.
2. You can not tame your tongue you must tend to the condition of your heart
3. The only way to get your heart right is to allow the forgiving and cleansing power of Jesus' sacrifice to cleanse it properly.
4. Filling your heart with the Word of God smothers the negative thoughts and leaves them powerless.
5. You really can address negative circumstances in a hopeful way. I learned to say "let me rephrase that" alot over the last 30 days.
6. The greatest challenge to stay positive is often with the people you are closest to. (i.e. marriage, family, friends, and coworkers)
7. "Dis" or "En" is a small prefix in front of the word courage that will determine if you walk in faith or walk in defeat.
8. Discouragement is real and leads to other things like: Fear, dismay, feelings of abandonment, sadness, forgetting what God has said, terrified, weak, fear of enemies, disobedience out of fear, terror, you want to quit, doubt, intimidated, dread, and you believe lies about you.
9. Encouragement is real too. We have the power to put courage in our hearts and other's hearts through our words and through the Word of God.
10. This fast reminded me that God have given us a wonderful tool in our words and we can create atmospheres of peace and life or turmoil and death.

My friend Nathan Williams came up with a working definition of the word encourage.
Encourage: to put courage in (en) the heart. To have HEART means to have inner strength and courage.
Speak words to others that leave others with H-E-A-R-T:
H -Hope
E - Enthusiasm
A - Assistance
R - Rejoicing
T - Total Confidence

I need to thank you for joining us, my wife for all of her great blog post, my friend J.D. Stegall for his encouraging blog post, my friend VERSES for his poster design with Thinqbold media, all of the businesses, churches, families, individuals, etc. that took the challenge to be negative free for 30 days. And also for the greatest church family (Church Ablaze) who had to listen to me beat the drum of encouragement all month. NOW LET'S MAKE IT A LIFESTYLE..SHALL WE!

Take a minute and comment on what you learned?

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