Taking off the Mask

Halloween is a time for dressing up as someone else. Maybe you were a favorite TV character or a sports guy; maybe you dressed up like a princess or a witch. Whoever you chose to be is likely someone you wish you could be - even if only for one night.

Halloween is just one day of the year, but all too often we are wearing masks in our lives. We put on the masks of the people others want us to be or who we think we should be to be a part of a group or a clique. What mask are you hiding behind?

Are you afraid to show who you truly are because you fear that those around you will not like you or accept you? Are you afraid that you won't be good enough or smart enough; cool enough or wealthy enough? Or are you afraid that you is not enough?

Maybe you are afraid that you are not enough for even yourself...

Masks are a very tempting accessory. They come in all shapes and sizes - - some masks come in the form of sarcastic remarks about another student and some masks are about having the right clothes. Some masks are about being the "jock" while others are about being the teacher's pet. Some wear masks that hide them in a corner and some where masks which thrust them in the spotlight. Regardless of the mask you wear - - no mask is truly a reflection of who you are. Masks cover and can block out the light shining from within.

The masks we wear can tug on our hearts. They can begin to twist us and shape us into different versions of ourselves - versions where the outside has little to no resemblance to what the inside once was. As safe as the mask may seem, it cannot protect you from the world; and it cannot protect you from who you are created to be.

God created you. He formed your outside as well as your inside and He called it good and beautiful.

The Creator of the Universe - - The One Who has seen all and been all anointed you as good and beautiful.

God doesn't think you need a mask - - so why do you think you need to hide behind an image you think the world wants to see?

Try facing the world with your own beautiful facing shining brightly - - Stop hiding - - you might be amazed at the joyous reaction your light will bring.

Scripture

Jeremiah 1:4-19

Fun Fact

The main reason and the only real reason for people wanting to wear masks back in the day was to conceal their identity. That is why we use the word masquerade and the word mask comes from this. It means to disguise yourself and to hide who you really are.

Question of the Day

What did you dress-up as for Halloween this year?

God's Handiwork

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

You are God's handiwork.

God created you for a specific purpose and goal in life. He chose you when He formed you to be you.

When we do "good things" we should act as an outgrowth of the grace by which we were saved. Good works are not a means to an end. They do not translate to salvation. Rather, good works are a reflection of the calling God has on each of our lives. He called us to Him through the reconcilliation of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and in each of us He laid a plan before us to work on His behalf.

At times in our lives, we can feel as if we have zero direction. The feeling of lack of direction often translates into a sense of unworthiness, which can cause us to question if we are "good enough". These feelings leave us empty and bobbing up and down in place like a bouie in the ocean that marks a depth in the sea but has no forward motion and is "stuck" in the same place.

You do not have to be stuck in life, because God has prepared a plan just for you. You were not created as an afterthought and you are not a bouie in the ocean bobbing up and down with no forward direction or goal. You were created for a specific purpose God wants you to fulfill. You may not see your purpose at the moment, but you can be comforted that He will reveal His preparations and plans for you as you are ready for them.

You are God's handiwork. You are special and unique. You have purpose in this life. The path He created for you is as unique as you are.

Won't you unhook yourself from the spot you find yourself in and ask God to reveal to you the next step of your journey?

Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-10

Quote of the Day

Every calling is great, when greatly pursued.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Question of the Day

What do you think God has called you to do - today?

Receiving God's Blessing

What does it mean to give a blessing?

We tend to think of a blessing as the time of grace before a meal or a kind word said from one person to another, but a blessing is truly a word from God.

As the nation of Israel was forming their traditions and practices based in direct instruction from God, He told Moses to have the priests bless the Israelites:

The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

God was telling the Israelites that He loved each of them, that He was with each of them, that He was watching each of them and that He would give them His presence.

To know that the LORD loves you and that He wants to give you peace is truly an amazing gift. Knowing, above everything else, that the LORD only wishes good for you is a powerful notion. The Creator of all of the earth and everything in the entire universe, cares about you. He is watching you. He loves you. How could you not have a sense of peace even in the rockiest of storms with that knowledge residing in your head and in your heart.

God's love and blessing transcends any negative situation in our lives. Knowing that God's will is for your best interest in all things should create in you a peace which will ease even the most trying of circumstances.

A blessing is so much more than thanking God for the food we eat. A blessing is a message of God's peace in your every day life.

May the LORD bless you this day and may you always feel His face shining brightly toward you.

Scripture

Numbers 6:22-27

Quote of the Day

"When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedtly given in its place."

C.S. Lewis

Question of the Day

What is the biggest blessing in your life?

Becoming like your Father



When you were very little, you relied on your parents for everything. You needed them to feed you, to change you, to help you walk and to help you talk. Your parents were your lifeline to the world.

As you grew, you discovered you were able to do things on your own. You know what you like to eat and when you like to go to bed. You know how to speak so you can ask for what you need. And occasionally you can even pick out your own outfit.

As you discovered your ability to be independent from your parents, you likely began to test your limits - to see how much room your parents would give you to go out on your own. With each test against your boundaries you either found success or you discovered failure. And with each test you discovered more of your parents' wisdom in their guidance. As you continue to explore your boundaries in life you will probably discover that obedience to your parents' rules and instruction will give you the greatest chance for success. They have your very best interests at heart and always want you to succeed.

Similarly, as we go through life, our best interests are served when we obey the guidance and boundaries set for us by God. Through our obedience we conform to be more in God's image. We take on His characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, self-control...holiness. In this transformation process, we find that our lives, although not necessarily easier, will be filled with a true sense of hope and peace, because God has each of our best interests at heart.

How often have you heard, 'You are just like your mother (father)'?

Wouldn't it be amazing to hear, 'You are just like your Heavenly Father.'?

Scripture
1 Peter 1:13-25

Quote of the Day
"Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one." Marianne Williamson

Imagine - if the each individual in the world transformed to be like Christ...how different would the world be?

Question of the Day
What is the one rule your parents have which you know is the very best thing for you to follow?

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The I in We....

What are you going to do today?

I am guessing you would answer that question something like this…


“Well, I’m going to eat breakfast, brush my teeth and then go to school (work). I will talk to my friends, learn something new and then come home. Tonight I will check my email, watch some TV, eat dinner and go to bed.” And get up and do it all again tomorrow.

How would your day differ if you went from and “I” to a “We”?

What would happen in your day if you went from “I am going to…” to “God, what are we going to do today?

Everyday we have the opportunity to invite God into every aspect of our lives – even the mundane and the seemingly trivial. God wants to be your Leader – to be your Captain. We are called to be His followers.

During this year’s World Series, there was a bit of miscommunication between the Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Bull Pen. He called down and asked for two specific pitchers to warm up, but the Bull Pen Coach only heard one name. Then an inning later, the Manager called to the Bull Pen Coach again and asked for a specific pitcher to warm up, but the Coach misunderstood and had a different pitcher warm up. The wrong pitcher went to the mound for the change in pitchers and the Manager had to come out onto the field, after only one batter, to dismiss the pitcher and bring in the original pitcher he wanted from the very first phone call.

This confusion of miscommunication played out on national television, during one of the most important games of the year, because the Bull Pen Coach wasn’t listening intently to his Manager. He simply wasn’t connected with his leader. The same thing can happen to each of us if we do not ask God to be our Leader in every situation. We can have trouble hearing Him clearly when we only ask Him in during big moments, because we are out of practice hearing His voice. However, if we seek God as our Leader in the tiny things – even going to school and eating dinner – we will be clear as to what His direction is during the big events of life.

So today, when you think, “What am I going to do today?”…why not ask, “What are we going to do?”

Imagine what could happen if you let the Great I AM be the "I" in your "We".

Scripture

Luke 5:27-28

Quote of the Day

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Question of the Day

What is your favorite baseball team?

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Ever Changing...Always the Same

Change is inevitable.

Everyday we see the natural world around us change. Rain falls. Leaves turn from green to red. The sun rises and sets. Even within our own bodies change is occurring – we have new blood cells produced everyday and new hairs which grow each day. But most importantly, everyday we are changing mentally and spiritually.


Through the books we read, the TV shows we watch, the people we encounter, we change our world view and our view of God. If we are tuning ourselves to God’s will we will be changing to be more in-line with God, but if we are tuning ourselves to the world we will find we have little use for God.


We are always changing – the world is always changing – which makes it difficult to keep up or catch up. If we try and align ourselves with the ever changing world, we will find that our target is always moving and we will always fall short.


The world may always be changing – but God never does. God is the same today as He was yesterday, and as He will be tomorrow. The more we study Him and the more we align our lives with His purpose, we will find more of Him revealed to us.


Change is going to happen – but you have the power to decide if you are going to change on the whims and the twists of a confusing world or if you are going to allow yourself to be changed by being transformed by the truth of the ever present Lord.

Scripture
1 Samuel 15:28-29

Quote of the Day

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher

 

Question of the Day

 

What is the one thing you would most like to change in the world?

Safety in the Fortress

Long ago, fortresses were built to protect rulers from enemy attacks. The key to a good fortress was the ability to see your enemy coming for miles away so that you could prepare a strategy for attack. The fortress itself would often be designed to withstand hundreds of warriors, cannons, slings, arrows, even fire. Fortresses were designed to make the inhabitants feel safe and secure.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

(Psalm 46:7)

God gives us a place of safety and security. He is our protector from the enemy.

When we truly reside in God's presence, we have time to prepare for the inevitable attacks from the world and from our own sinful nature. In His presence we learn how to make better choices so that we are able to fend off the slings and arrows thrown at us.

God is our mighty fortress. He protects us from all sides and keeps watch for us so that we might rest.

In His loving embrace, we fear no evil for God will always protect us.

He is the lone impenetrable fortress and in Him we find peace.

Scripture

Psalm 46:1-7

Quote of the Day

Prayer is a strong wall and fortress of the church; it is a goodly Chrisitan weapon

Martin Luther

Question of the Day

Just like Superman, where would you build your fortress of solitude to be with God?

 

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Being Still

"Be still, and know that I am God"

(Psalm 46:10)

We live in a world filled with chaos. Nearly 24 hours a day we are bombarded with the sounds of TV commercials or radio announcements or advertisements. We have iPods and computers. We have cars zooming down the streets and emergency vehicles racing to help people. We rarely have a moment we can truly say is quiet and peaceful. In the midst of all of the whirling sights and sounds surround us, we are called by God to stop - be still and simply know that He is God.

Being still is not an easy thing. Even when we sit down for dinner or at school or in church our minds tend to race - our bodies might even be fidgety - and we have a difficult time focusing for a few minutes on someone else. Being still and waiting on God can feel almost impossible in this world - - but it is necessary.

In the still, quiet moments of our lives we can truly experience the presence of God which is always surrounding us. God calls us to be still so that we can know Him. The gift of stillness is not from us to God, but rather from God to each of us. By slowing down and taking specific time out of our schedules to simply be with God, we will begin to see how He envelopes our lives.

Taking the time out of the chaos is a key tool to help endure some of the day to day chaos in which we find ourselves. By having the reassurance that God is with us - by truly sensing His presence - we are able to better hear His voice and act on His will in our every day lives.

Be still, and know that I am God...

It wasn't a challenge - but a mandate to help us grow our relationship with the Lord.

Scripture

 Psalm 46:8-10

Quote of the Day

Peace on the outside comes from knowing God on the inside. – Author Unknown

Question of the Day

Where is your favorite place to be quiet?

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Praising God...Who's it for?

Why do we praise God?

God already knows He is awesome. He is God after all. So, why does He need us to tell Him that He is great?

God doesn't need us to praise Him; We need to praise God.

God requires our worship, not because He needs to feel better about Himself, but because we need to remember how awesome and wonderful He is. God knows that we as human beings are pretty miraculous beings and sometimes we could start to think that we are doing everything all on our own; that we make it happen....that we don't need God. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Every breath we take; every sunrise we see; every raindrop we feel; every success we earn; every smile we feel...everything is from God.

And, that is so worth praising.

When we praise God...when we worship Him...it is our opportunity to remember all that He is done in our lives and to be thankful. Our praise of God also gives us the occasion to stop and simply be in God's presence - to allow His awesomeness to wash over us and to simply celebrate God.

Praising God is all about us looking to our Creator and saying, "thank you" and "God, it is all about You". Praising God is about each of us humbling ourselves before Him and recognizing that without His grace we would be lost. Without His love we would be incomplete. Without His presence we would be...we wouldn't be who were are meant to be.

We need to praise God...it is in our DNA. We were created to praise Him.

Praising God is all about God...but ultimately our praise of God is about us remembering Who God is.

God is I AM.

God is the One and the Only.

God is worthy of all praise.

He doesn't need the praise - but only He is worthy of the praise.

Scripture

1 Chronicles 16

Quote of the Day

"Our first communication in the morning is to give praise to God and each other and to thank the Lord for his promises.”
Martin Brown

Question of the Day

What do you want to praise God for this day?

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God is...

 

God is grace. God is love. God is justice. God is peace. God is hope. God is joy. God is...

 

God is FORGIVENESS.

One of the greatest attributes God has is His willingness to forgive us when we go astray.

Each day we make mistakes: big mistakes and little mistakes. We sin against God and we sin against the people in our lives.

We could wallow in that sin and allow the guilt to overtake us as individuals - - many people have - - but instead we know that we can go to God and seek out forgiveness, and we can be confident in knowing that He will give it.

God is willing to grant us the freedom from our sins - to give us the forgiveness we need - we just need to go to Him and ask for it.

Being forgiven allows us to be open to the love God has for us. Forgiveness gives us the room in our soul to allow God's joy to seep into our being and it grants us the peace we need to live each day with hope for tomorrow. Forgiveness from God gives us a desire to see the rest of the world treated with justice and mercy; and to give grace to those who maybe do not deserve but who need it.

Forgiveness frees us from the bonds that Satan puts on us and allows us to look toward God free from the mistakes of our past.

Forgiveness is a mighty gift from God.

What sin are you holding on to from which God can release you?

He will set you free.

Scripture

Psalm 130

 

Quote of the Day

“At the moment at which I admitted my sin and asked for God's forgiveness, He gave me the deepest level of understanding of mercy that I could ever have imagined.” Penny Bragg

Question of the Day

How does knowing God will forgive you make you feel?

Ask.Seek.Knock

When we go before God with a request, Jesus promises us that God will listen.

God responds to our requests as a loving father responds to his child. He listens patiently and then discerns what is best for his child. But if the child never asks, the father will still do what he feels is best for his child.

God is quite similar. He wants us to come to Him; to ask Him for what is on our heart. However, if we do not ask, He will still do what is best for us. Sometimes, what is best for each of us is a path we would not choose on our own, but we have to trust God, as we would trust our fathers that the path He has placed us on is the best one to travel.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

God wants us to be active in our faith. He wants us to come to Him. He wants us to ask Him for guidance, for direction, for comfort, for...for everything. When we do not go to God first, we run the risk of walking outside of the path that God has created for each of us. If  we do not first seek out His desire for our lives, we will be placing our will above His and will likely fall into sin...the sin of pride.

When we think that our way is the right way without first seeking out God, we essentially tell God that we do not need Him...when in fact He is all we need.

Go to God. Ask Him for the desires of your heart. Ask Him for direction in your life. Ask Him. He will always listen and He will always welcome you.

Ask.Seek.Knock...Pretty simple steps to follow to step out on God's path for your life.

Scripture

Matthew 7:7-12

Quote of the Day

Christ encourages fervency and constancy in prayer. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his neighbour or friend, who is kind to him. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray. Observe what to pray for... For by the influences of the Holy Spirit we are brought to know God and ourselves, to repent, believe in, and love Christ, and so are made comfortable in this world, and meet for happiness in the next. All these blessings our heavenly Father is more ready to bestow on every one that asks for them, than an indulgent parent is to give food to a hungry child. And this is the advantage of the prayer of faith, that it quiets and establishes the heart in God. (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary) Question of the Day What request have you not gone to God with? Will you go today?



Being you in a world of haters...

Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.

Some days it feels like the whole world is against you and you are fighting an uphill battle. You know in your heart that what you are doing is true and right, but every where you turn you face another obstacle. You fail a test or you upset your parents or your friends. You aren’t invited to a party or you lose an election or you feel like you have disappointed…everyone.

This feeling is part of the push-pull we have as Christians. We often do and say things which do not marry to the world’s view of how life should be, making us appear different or off; but in reality we are simply being who God created us to be. We can’t please both the world and God.

We must rest in the knowledge of who God is calling us to be and trust Him to reveal each piece of the puzzle in the correct order. When life is not going “our way” we tend to want to push forward to the place we are going – to get out of the pit we find ourselves in and seek out the promised reward – but we have to go through that pit – to suffer through the world hating us….it is just a part of life. And yet, the beauty of being a Christian is that even though the world is hating you, and even though you feel like you can’t win, with Jesus as your guide you can share love with everyone you meet – because with Christ all things are possible.

Always remember that God created you to be you…don’t try and push yourself into a mold that was created for someone else just so you can fit in…It is okay to stand out – to be different – because you are living the life God created for you. And even when the whole world “hates” you…you can rest in the fact that God loves you. What more do you need!

Scripture

1 John 3:11-24

Quote of the Day

“It is better to be hated for who you are, than to be loved for someone you are not.”
Julie de Lespinasse

Question of the Day

This is more of a challenge...who could you tell you love so that they know that God loves them?

The Yeast in the Dough....

Do you know how to make a loaf of bread?

You start with warm water and then you add yeast and a little sugar to the water. Once the yeast "activates", you add the watery yeast to flour and begin to stir.

The dough will begin to come together into a sticky ball. From there you turn the dough out onto a floured board and you start to knead the dough. The kneading helps the yeast to create strands which will cause the dough to expand.

Once you are done kneading the dough, you turn the dough into a bowl and let it sit in a warm location. While there the dough will grow and expand - and then you punch the dough down and let it rise again...now you are ready to bake the dough into bread.

Our faith is kind of like the yeast in the dough. It needs some time to grow and to activate. Our faith needs to be used to expand and often needs the hands and feet of other people to stretch beyond the original size.

 From there we need to take some time alone to study and come to know Jesus one on one.

We may even get knocked down a time or two but if our faith has been properly developed, we will bounce back and our faith will help us to grow stronger.

And just like bread, our faith can help to nourish others.

Are you ready to bake some bread?

Scripture

Luke 13:18-21

Fun Fact

Nearly 9 million loaves of bread are sold in the UK each day...

There are roughly 59 Million residents in the UK versus the 300 Million who live in the US...

Imagine how many loaves of bread we consume each day in the United States...

Question of the Day

What is your favorite kind of bread?

Running the Race...And Watching for Potholes

Where are you looking?

When you start out your day, are you focused on the next task or are you focused on the end of the day? Maybe you wake up focused on tomorrow....or Friday....or next year.

Where are you looking?

We can become so caught up in what comes next, what is two weeks or two years away that we miss out on what is right before us.

A few days ago, my sister was parking her car. She was so focused on the parking spot she wanted that she didn't see the sign posted directly in front of her and she ran into the post. Her car was dented and bruised and the sign post was twisted. She could see the perfect parking spot - but she missed the obstacles in her path.

When we focus solely on what will come, what will be, we run the risk of missing out on the day to day things of life. We become so caught up in achieving a goal like getting an A on a test or graduating high school or marrying the perfect person or buying a bigger house that we cannot see the pitfalls and obstacles which stand in our way; and which will likely stop us from achieving our goals.

Life is like a long distance race. We are on a path and each step moves us closer to the finish line, but we have to focus on each stride, each turn in the road because each step builds on the one before it. Each step is necessary for us to make it to the goal. If we focus only on the finish line, we might miss an important turn or step in a pothole and derail our entire race.

Instead our eyes, our focus, should be centered directly before us - on Jesus. If we keep our focus on Jesus, he will keep us safe on the path and help us to run at the best pace so that we finish our race in his time.

Where are you looking?

Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-3

Quote of the Day

What good is having someone who can walk on water if you don't follow in his footsteps? Unknown

Question of the Day

Have you ever run a race competitively? Tell us a little about the experience?



Call Me Ambassador...

Scripture

2 Corinthians 9:12-14

Did you ever think of yourself as an ambassador?

 As a person of faith, you have been handselected by Christ to be His ambassador to the community in which you find yourself.

Just like the President selects the people who will speak and act on behalf of the United States to other nations, Jesus has selected you to speak and act on his behalf to your friends, your family, your school, and your community.

When a US Ambassador goes to another country, it would be easy for him or her to become completely indoctrinated into the culture of the new country they are residing in...to feel as if he/she is truly one of the citizens of the nation. But, the Ambassador is not a citizen of the other nation; he or she is a citizen of the US and as such he or she has an obligation to serve the best interests of the United States. The Ambassador can show compassion to the citizens of another country, but the loyalty of an Ambassador must always reside with his or her country of orgin.

As Ambassador's for Christ, the same is true for you and me. We can feel compassion and empathy for the unbelievers - or future Christians - of the world, but ultimately our loyalty must reside with God and His Kingdom.

When you reach out to someone in need, that person sees Christ. When you speak a kind or a just word to someone, that person hears Christ. When you show mercy, that person feels Christ.

Being Christ's Ambassador means that how the world experiences you is how the world will experience Christ.

Does this mean that the world may judge you? Unfortunately, yes... but your focus shouldn't be how the world judges you but on how God sees you. Are you listening to Him and doing His will in this world or are you trying to please the world?

This may seem like too tall of an order to fill, but you don't have to do it alone. God will be there with you. You go out into this world on His behalf - but you never go out alone.

Fun Fact

The US currently has 133 Ambassadors to foreign nations, organizations and the UN.

Question of the Day

If you could pick one country in the world to be the ambassador to...which country would it be and why?

Don't forget to check out the updated GUMY photos from this Sunday's GUMY session



Blessing in the Waiting

"When is it going to be my turn?"       "Why don't I ever win?"    "It's not fair..."

Have you ever said these words...thought these thoughts?

Unfortunately most of us have either said or thought these phrases - or something like them - in our lives. Someone else wins the trophy; Someone else becomes prom queen; Someone else becomes class president; Someone else gets your dream job or your dream date or you dream house...

And you wonder - when is it going to be my turn?

Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,    (Psalm 37:7)

We aren't wrong to desire success or to want to achieve goals - but how we go about the desire can be wrong.

When we focus our attention on what we are not getting we miss out on what we already have. We miss out on the purpose of the time of waiting before we acheive our goals.

We miss out on our time to focus on God and His will.

God wants to give us the desires of our hearts. He wants to shower us with blessings. He is our Father and He wants each of us to find hope and joy; but He wants to give us our hearts' desires in His time.

If we place our focus on what and when we are not receiving what we want, we fall into sin. We make the want of something or some goal or someone more important than God.

If we instead focus our energy on being in the moment - on being content in all circumstances (Phil 4:10-12) - we will find the waiting can be a time of unexpected blessing. In the waiting for our hearts' desires, we grow in perserverance, strength, love, hope and peace. When we wait we learn to see the blessings of where we are.

One of the hardest lessons in life to learn is that it isn't yet your time. Patience is a virtue often desired but very rarely shown.

As a follower of Christ, you have the ability to lean on Jesus so that he will make your time of waiting a time of blessing. He will teach you the joy of patience.

Scripture

Psalm 37

Quote of the Day

For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.

T.S. Eliot

We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.

James Campbell

Question of the Day

What is your heart's greatest desire?

Don't Forget GUMY TONIGHT!!!!



God is Carrying You...

 When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot. (Psalm 34:6)

He's got your back.

God is always there for you - even when you feel like you are all alone - God is there.

Often, we do not understand why something happens - why we face trials or difficulties - why bad things happen to good and innocent people - but in everything, the good and the bad, God is there.

In the darkest of times, God is holding you and when you get through the valley, God will be on the other side helping you to climb out of the pit and into the goodness of life.

In life we will have trouble. Each of the trials we face prepares us for a future endeavor. Sometimes, our future success is dependent on the experience of walking through the valley.

In the moment of the "bad stuff" we likely will not understand the "why", but we have the confidence to know that God is always with us.

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you. (Psalm 34:16)

Cry out to Jesus - He will always be there for you.

Scripture

Psalm 34 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
"Cry Out to Jesus" Third Day

Cry Out to Jesus by Third Day (video link)

Question of the Day

What is the deepest valley you have had to walk through  - how was God present?

(No need to comment today - -just pray it out with God)

Don't forget about GUMY tomorrow night - -

5PM (4th & 5th Grade)

5:45 Dinner

6:15PM (6th-12th grades)



Doing the Church Things...

Spiritual Disciplines or "church things" - Prayer, Fasting, Worship, Service, Study, Tithing, Fellowship - to name a few are all actions in our lives which can draw us closer to the heart of God.

Or they can distance us from Him. 

We have standard prayers we pray. We have a set time of the year when fasting is suggested. We have a pattern to our worship time. We have specific committees which organize service activities. We have organized Bible Studies. We have a frame work on how we should give our tithe. And our times of fellowship are generally predetermined and set in motion.

With all of the pre-set ways of doing things, it can be very easy to "go through the motions" of our religious activities, without allowing the Spirit to motivate the activities. We can become so caught up with the "doing" of something that we forget the "motivation" for it. The "doing" becomes more important than God, and in the "doing" we actually step further away from God all while we are acting in His name.

In spiritual disciplines, as in all things in life, our underlying motivation should be, "What does God want?"

When we pray our focus should be on God and His desires - what His will is for us.

When we fast, we shouldn't make it about the food we are not eating, but about how God wants to use the fasting to draw us closer to Him.

Our worship should be focused on lifting up our praises to God and remembering with a thankful heart what He has done in our lives and in the lives of others.

Our service should be motivated out of being the hands and feet of Christ - wherever and whenever they are needed - not just when it is scheduled and organized.

Studying the Word of God should be an ongoing activity which happens throughout everyday of our lives - not just when someone organizes a study - to learn more about Who God is.

When we tithe, we should be giving from our best - not our leftovers. Tithing is more than giving money it is giving God our best.

And fellowship should be a constant activity for people of faith. Fellowship motivated by a spirit of charity and love is something which builds up the people of God and strengthens the Church, drawing the whole Body of Christ closer to Him.

God wants us to seek Him first in all things we do.

God doesn't want us to put regiments around everything we do - rather He wants us to focus on building our relationship with Him. He wants us to want  to want to spend time with Him, working for Him, learning about Him, loving Him.

Discipleship takes practice - but it also takes a heart seeking out Jesus. As we draw nearer to God, the disciplines, the church things, will become less of a duty and more of a way of life; they will become the framework for an ongoing, deepening relationship with Jesus.

Scripture

Isaiah 58:6-14

Quote of the Day

"David wasn't thinking of being king when he was tending sheep; he was just doing what God sat before him."

John Fisher

Question of the Day

What is your favorite "church" thing to do and why?

Who Will Believe?

Who do you believe?

Who do you think is trustworthy - that you can believe every word they say?

Your parents? Your teachers? Your friends?

What about the person in school or in your neighborhood who gets in trouble - a lot? If he or she told you something, would you believe what he or she said? Probably not.

We tend to have a few people in our lives who we truly believe what they say, and the rest we challenge and weigh their answers against what is reasonable or plausible, but what would make you believe the troublemaker? What could he or she say to convince you this person was speaking the truth?

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” (John 4:39)

In our scripture passage today, Jesus sat down at a well to take a rest and a woman came to the well to fetch water. While they spoke, Jesus revealed to her that he knew all of the bad things she had done in her life and he explains to her that he can give her new life. This woman is so overwhelmed that he would speak to her - despite her sin - and promise her salvation she goes back into her village and tells everyone she can find about Jesus.

This woman, who was so mistrusted because of her poor choices is believed because of the transformation which happened in her life. The people of her town believed because of her encounter with Jesus. The entire town was renewed because one woman was brave enough to share the brokenness and reconciliation of her life with the community which had shunned her.

Who would you believe? Who would believe you?

When we share how Christ is working in our lives, we have an obligation to share authentically - to share how he has transformed us from mere sinners to disciples. You likely haven't faced the ridicule or shame that the woman at the well faced, but you still have a story which can lead people to Jesus so that they can come to know him personally.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)

Because one woman was willing to humble herself and share honestly about Jesus, an entire town was changed. Imagine what could happen if you choose today to share how Jesus has changed your life...whose life could be transformed?

Scripture

John 4:1-42

Quote of the Day

"The salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world."

CS Lewis

“The first step in a person's salvation is knowledge of their sin.”

Seneca - 1st Century Roman Philosopher

Question of the Day

What moment this past week did you experience God in a tangible way?

Don't forget GUMY this Sunday night...

Looking Forward with Desire...

What does hope mean to you?

 Hope defined is, "to look forward with desire and reasonable confidence." To hope in something or for something is to believe that it will come true and to anticipate the day that hope will be fulfilled.

When we hope, we have a direction in our lives which gives our lives  purpose. Hope is fundamental to being a Christian. Each day we wake up, we have hope that today will be better than yesterday. We have hope and therefore we anticipate the beautiful things God will do in our lives - each moment of the day.

But ultimately our hope lies in the promise of what is yet to come - a future we have not seen but we have been promised.

 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain..."

(Revelation 21:4)

A future with no more pain, no more sorrow, no more tears - This is what we can hope for and not yet see. We know this is coming - God promised it to us - it is a future we look forward to with great desire and we have confidence in this future coming to fruition.

Hope is powerful. Hope can save a failing marriage; Hope can give a POW another day; Hope creates excitement for the next step in life. Hope in tomorrow is what gives us the will to live out today. The hope in God's promises is what gives us joy in the harshest of circumstance. Hope transcends all conditions and gives us the desire to press-on.

I recently read an acronymn for HOPE: Have Only Positive Expectations. How different would your world be if you went into every day, situation and experience only anticipating positive outcomes? That would be living a life of HOPE.

Scripture

Romans 8:23-25

Quote of the Day

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do."
Pope John XXII

Question of the Day

What is your greatest hope for the future?

Don't Forget - GUMY is THIS SUNDAY!!! We are playing Goofy GUMY Games - - You don't want to miss out!!!

Two Paths to Forgiveness...

 

 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:15

Scripture

Colossians 3:1-17

Forgiveness is release for the oppressed - it is a freedom which can only be expressed in love and charity. Forgiveness is a hallmark of the Christian faith. To forgive someone who has hurt you, who has wronged you, is hard. At times it can feel as if there is a mountain built out of the reasons for why you cannot forgive the person, but in reality you only need one reason to forgive:

The Lord forgave you.

We, each of us, are only human. We all make mistakes. We all hurt other people - sometimes intentionally, but most of the time unintentionally. Often when someone hurts you, that person is unaware of the deep pain he or she has caused you. You carry around the pain, the hurt, the distrust, but the person who was wrong carries nothing. A big part of the reason why God calls us to forgive each other is for our own peace of mind. Because if our hearts are focused on the pain settled there we have a diminished ability to love.

If we forgive - truly forgive and let a wrong or an anger go - we are free from the core of the pain. Maybe the memory of the action does not fully recede into our minds, but the emotional drain of pain diminishes and the yolk of the burden of anger is lifted.

Forgiveness takes a heart which is fully aligned with God. Forgiveness is not a human condition - it is a divine one. Revenge, an eye for an eye, getting even - these are natural human responses. The supernatural response is to look the person in the eye who has harmed you and honestly tell that person that you forgive him or her.

Poet Oscar Wilde's motivation for forgiveness is a very human one, "Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much." His brand of forgiveness falls into the revenge is sweet category, but the theologian Lewis B. Smedes had a more divine motivation behind forgiveness. He wrote, "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. You will know true forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well."

Forgiveness is not easy. It is a discipline of the mind and the heart working together to release the chains of the pain which someone else has caused you.

If you are holding on to pain, heartache and hurt how will you ever have room for the blessings God has for you? Forgiveness is simply letting go so that you can open up to receiving more love. Let go ... and let God heal you.

Fun Fact

The acclaimed King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 mistresses or concubines as they were called back then

I'm guessing there was A LOT of forgiveness needed in Solomon's house

Question of the Day

When have you needed forgiveness the most in your life?

Finding the Wheat in the Weeds

^"Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

   “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

(Matthew 13:24-30)

As people of faith we hear that we are called to be in this world but not of this world. We are often "wheat amongst the weeds".

Wheat gives nourishment. It is a fundamental ingredient in hundreds of food products we consume daily. But weeds choke out the wheat. They stunt the wheat's growth and can even overtake the wheat, never allowing the wheat to grow into its full potential.

The same thing can happen to us as Christians. We can be planted with a strong seed of faith - solid in knowing who we are and Who we belong to - and yet we can be strangled by the people whose selfish motivations surround us. Our access to the light of Christ can be derailed because we choose to focus on the weeds in our midst rather than seeking to grow around the weeds, rather than through them.

Our focus cannot be on the weeds it must be on the wheat. It is our responsibility to help nurture the wheat so that its roots grow deep; seeking out the nourishment from both the soil and the light.

With wheat there is always the risk of not enough nurture or not enough light; We as Christians must be cautious about these pitfalls as well - - as we grow and prepare for the Harvest we must be constantly seeking out The Light and growing in the nourishment of The Word so that we are healthy stocks which can nourish those around us. Our attention must be placed on the nuture of the wheat so that it grows healthy.

The weeds cannot be our concern - God will take care of the weeds. Just as He has a plan for the wheat, God also has a plan for the weeds.

The weeds will be there - - we just need to work around them to ensure as many stalks of wheat can grow into maturity as possible.

Scripture

Matthew 13:36-43

Fun Fact

Wheat grows best in a dry, mild climate. Climates that are too hot or too cold will ruin the crop. Farmers add fertilizer if their soil doesn’t have what the wheat needs to grow well. If a farmer grows wheat in the same field every year, the crops take away nutrients from the soil. The farmers put this back when they add fertilizer. They test the dirt often to be sure the crop grows well.


Just a little farming lesson for the day...


Question of the Day

 If you had a farm - what would you grow or raise?

Coming Together....

We need each other.

We were not put on this earth to be hermits, sequestered as individuals without the support of others. We need to be supported by each other - we need to give and receive that support.

When we come together as a group of believers, we have the ability to share the love of God in a unique way. By worshipping God together, the spirit of His grace transcends any conflict or problem. During corporate worship, God's love for each of us flows through us and refreshes our spirits, filling us so that we are able to go back into the world and share the love which God has showered upon us.

I often hear people say that they don't need to go to church to know God. Technically that is true. But choosing to not be in corporate worship diminishes one's ability to truly be a disciple for Christ. When we choose to not share in the worship of our Lord - in celebrating His goodness and wonder in our lives - we miss out on the opportunity to exponentially grow the love He has given us. We miss out on the opportunity to renew our spirits and refresh our souls.

Imagine you worked every day of the week, fifty-two weeks a year, without anytime off except for sleep. Would your energy and enthusiasm for your work remain the same or would it decrease? The same holds true for us if we choose to not participate in corporate worship. The time set aside for us to worship and learn together is time intended for us to reinvigorate our love for the Lord and to give direction for how we are to share that love with the world.

Each of us has a unique, one-on-one relationship with Jesus, but that relationship can be enhanced and deepened by consciously seeking out the community of other Christians.

We need each other and Christ has given us a community of believers to help support and guide us on this journey. He knows exactly what we need.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 16:13-24

Quote of the Day

Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to
discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our
richest and most wholesome experience in life.

"A Heart For Worship" by Lamar Boschman

Question of the Day

What is your favorite part of worship?



No Strings Attached...

Winter, spring, summer or fall...

all you've got to do is call...

and I'll be there...you've got a friend

James Taylor

Friends are one of God's greatest blessings in life. They share our joys, sorrows, cares and success. Friends are the family we choose.

Our friends give us a glimpse of the kind of unconditional love we have from Jesus. A true friend puts no boundaries on the love offered, but they do have a voice of accountability in our lives. A friend does not pressure or push you to do something you do not want to do, so that you can call that person friend. Friendship - true love friendship - does not have conditions placed upon it.

Throughout life, your friends may change. As you flow through new phases of your life you will have friends which share common interests or activities - but the true measure of a friend is how he or she loves; and in return the true measure of your ability to be a friend is your willingness to offer your friendship with no strings attached. Friendship is the love offered with grace, mercy and the unconditional love of Jesus.

We learn how to be a friend by studying how Jesus was a friend - his compassion, his generosity and his accountability. He was honest and forthright with his friends. He was kind and giving. But he also stood up for what was right and righteous, going against the common belief - and even at times disagreeing with his closest friends. Regardless of the situation, Jesus was always motivated by love.

In our friendships our first motivation should be to show love. We should not blindly follow our friends, but if our friendships are balanced in a sharing of love then we will have the gift of no strings attached friends; We will have friends like Jesus.

Scripture

Proverbs 17:17

Fun Fact

Here is a link to the Top Ten Ways to Maintain Friendship

Maintaining Good Friends

Question of the Day

What is the best quality you find in a friend?