SCY Youth Minister’s Weblog

This January we will embark on a new journey for most of the youth (for some it will be a reminder of the good old times) at SC.  Starting Jan. 09 through March 09, Todd and Beth will be administrating a class that teaches our youth a better way to live- waiting until marriage before intimately pursuing a sexual partner.  We won’t reveal all here but in time this “favorite” class of many former SC youth will affect all of us.  Please be in prayer for this setting; pray it will bring our youth and other youth closer to God through allowing Him to affect the way they view sex.  WEDNESDAY NIGHTS!

Hey!

As the summer nears completion. 

Think BIG

Think GOD

What would you do with the rest of your summer if you were only trying to bring God glory.  Do THAT for the rest of the summer!

I dare you.  I already know you don’t have the gut/ faith/ strength.  But if you let God control your life your guts/ faith/ and strength will be exactly what he needs to DO THROUGH YOU Amazing things.

I get stuck some times.          At least I’m honest.

I get stuck in my faith trying to reach for a true relationship with God and not the kind people in churches have.  And I’m not alone.  Many people of faith mix and match different worship settings, favorite online teachers, kind of Christian music, ways how to read scripture- although it isn’t any different than it was years ago.  When people choose a church by denomination (they had brand pride) and would find the right fit or find faith in the fit chosen for them by the family.  It was a choice.  The combination of commitment, time requirement, study habit, etc. came into play in the decision.

I like the new generation of faithful people today that are kind of stuck what to do next- I envy those that keep no connection and can do what God leads them to do, but I also hurt because in that freedom many of the blessings of faith will never be realized by the mobile faithful.

We must respect and honor one another.

But all of this is just a lead in to what I feel is truly important tonight.  I’ve had this idea for some time that while Christ was here he was among inferior beings and had to deal with our mess (I was thinking of the smelly stuff).  He stepped in it.  He stepped in churchy stuff, family stuff, friendship stuff, false idol stuff, daily distraction stuff, animal like stuff.  And he did it so admirably-didn’t even get messy. 

WWJRD.  what would Jesus really do? How can we live without getting it on us?

What would a Godly group of mothers do on Mother’s day?  Take their gifts and use the money for the poor.

What would a Godly church do for holidays?  Bless others with all they have.  Spend the free day doing something that would show the world Jesus.

How would we worship?  In a way, place, style, manner, with whatever it took that brought in floods of people from the outside.  (Instead of collection, give money away) Whatever it takes to develop their connection to God.  It is easy to see who is connected to God.  Help others be connected like those people are connected.  WWJRD?

If we could remove the blinders and live with the Spirit (which would allow us to see our material world for what it really is- the way Christ saw it) how would our lives be different.  It is very difficult to live in a nice home.  Am I doing what I see Christians do or am I doing what I know Jesus would do.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem there were many religions being practiced.  Jesus being the Son of God already knew the problems these religions caused for humans and their connection to our Creator.  We are already disconnected from God, and many things we do in our search for a filler for the emptiness of life are not helpful.

The Greeks had 100’s of gods.  The Romans embraced most idols and believed their earthly leader (even murderous emporers) was a god.  Buddhism, Hinduism, and even the Judaism of Jesus day all kept people from connecting to God.  Let us never forget the difference and uniqueness of our faith.  Jesus is the one and only Unique Son of God. 

Jesus taught us that ”the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;  I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”  John 10:10.  The thief will use any means possible (addictions, evidences against God, lazy approach to life, selfish desires, etc.) to keep you from God.  The thief also uses religions to steal peace, minds, hearts, to kill you inside and out, and destroy your connection to God.  Let us be clear to everyone that our place lives first and teaches second a pure dedication to Christ.  In so doing we will help ourselves, our families, and everyone we know from being taken in by Satan.

BECAUSE!  “Jesus came that [we] may have life, and have it to the full.”  I love this great life of faith.  It may lead to simplicity, lack of (worldly) productivity, not getting some extra attention, and curbing your appetite for entertainment, but it leads to LIFE, and a better life than any other. 

Find the life of overflow (connectedness to God) and live freely.

Other religions don’t have the unique son of God leading you into the life of connectedness to God.  They are flawed.  They do not love you.  They do not let you be free yet call you to love others as you are loved by God. 

Ask yourself> 

What does that life look like to you?  What would you need to remove from your present life to gain the life of overflow?  What would you need to add to your present life to gain the life of overflow?   

What a beautiful time to be alive.  And to be alive for us is to be in touch with God.  Nothing is more Right in life than to be close to our Creator God.  Never can any other thing substitute for a life that is with God.  When you are with God- in prayer, daily duties, sacrifice, friendship, goals, study, worship, you are alive and it is beautiful.  Maybe you know what I’m talking about, or maybe you don’t.  I am telling the truth. 

It is my prayer that there are beautiful things happening in your families.  We don’t see each other very often.  I pray you are whole, feeling good about your walk with God, feeling confident in your raising of children, in love with your spouse, honoring others and blessing them the way you have been blessed.  And in those things I pray your life is beautiful.  Admit that it is a beautiful time to be alive.

It is true that there are times of drought.  No water from above for those that are hurting.  Or at least it feels like that- sometimes it could be a small challenge from God for you to find water and be equipped to help the hungry find spiritual food.  But my response is usually that when I am dry, it is my own doing (or undoing), or it is the work of someone else in their hurting me- it is not because God wants you to suffer.  Imagine a downpour of Joy and love and you choose to hold an umbrella.  You don’t want to get out from under it becaues you don’t know the temperature of the water or how you will get dry or how funny you will look when drenched.  

Take away the umbrella.

Explore what God has for you.  Life is beautiful.  Even the clouds.  God is everything you could ever want or need.  I won’t try to get you to come to a class or event this time, but do find the life freely given to you from our Father. 

I know you hurt.  There is no other way to explain the make-up of this body.  You are not OK.  But as a Christian we must begin to embrace our -not OK/ yet OK-ness.  You are OK and healthy when you embrace the fact that the natural pains, uncertainties of self, and just plain weaknesses are FROM God to help us carry out our mission.  It can be more possible to grasp the fact that 1. others are hurting and 2. those that hurt without God cannot be whole.  It is our duty and call in life to help others be whole through knowing God, not to care for ourselves constantly so that we feel whole all the time.  Accepting that our wholeness gift from God isn’t always easy and that brokeness and worthlessness is in the depth of those without Him is helpful and tranformational.  It doesn’t matter how others appear from the world’s perspective, it matters that we know and they know (when they reach deep inside and find nothing) that they must connect with truth and that they know and we know that when we live we are full. 

Hurting is OK, but not helping those who truly hurt is unacceptable.  It is what you are still hurting and remembering for (to help others). 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT OF MYSELF IF I AM  GROWING SPIRITUALLY?

 HOW MUCH OF ME DOES GOD WANT?

AM I CURRENTLY MORE HOSPITABLE THAN I WAS TWO MONTHS AGO?

DO I LIVE A LIFE OF PRAYER?

please comment and share your thoughts to help our family

This new year imagine yourself doing something for Jesus.  Something he’d do if he were in your shoes, your school, your job, your friendships, your family.  Would it be a service you can provide, conversations you can have, a thing you can give, or just treating someone differently?

After you imagine it, do it (for a short while).  Then step back and make a decision whether or not God can use you to do this good deed on a regular or daily basis.  Now pray that it be effective at changing you and the other parties involved, and accept the gift God will now give you.  A gift that will make you better.

You are always changing in your faith- for the better (more glorious) or for the worse (more hurtful).  You change in the faith for yourself and for others.  Allow God to use your efforts (the above mentioned activities) to mold you into someone that will continually bring glory to God and continually have a more fulfilling life.

John