Are You a BB Head?

Here's another one from dare2share.org. Kinda made me think a little differently about my role in our church. Let's see how you like it.

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

I once heard a story about a startling exhibit in Del Mar, California. A man took a glass beaker which had a small neck, but was enlarged to about seven inches in diameter below the neck. The beaker would hold about a quart.

The demonstrator used the glass beaker as a hammer to drive a spike into a wooden plank. The glass was so well tempered that the beaker did not break.

The man then took a small steel marble or bearing the size of a pea, and holding it at the neck of the beaker, dropped it inside. When it struck the bottom the glass was shattered and the beaker was broken from within.

Have you ever thought of your church/youth group as a beaker? It may have a label on it that reads Methodist, Presbyterian, Charismatic, Baptist, Lutheran, or a hundred others. Or it may have a general tag on it that says 'community church' or 'fellowship'- but can you guess what they all have in common with the beaker mentioned in the story above?

"Is it that all churches are like glass and therefore transparent to the outside world?"

That's a great guess, and in fact I agree- we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that the non-Christian world isn't watching us as closely as a lion waiting to pounce on his prey at the first opportunity...but that's not what I'm looking for.

"Is it that the beaker is designed to be filled in order to be useful, therefore we should pray for our church to be filled with the Spirit?"

Again, spectacular speculation, and we should definitely beg the Holy Spirit to sweep through our ministries like a level 5 tornado in Kansas...but that's still not it.

"Is it that glass needs to be cleaned, therefore we should look for some holy Windex® to clean off the fingerprints of sin?"

Oh forget it. I'll get to the point!

As you read in the verse above, Jesus promised the He would build His church, "and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18). In other words, no outside opposition-not even hell itself- would ever be able to break down the strategy of the Savior. So just like the beaker, we may look fragile- but in the hands of the Almighty we can deliver a death blow to the 'spike' of sin on this earth.

By the same token, though, all it takes is some BB head to shatter the structure from the inside! Maybe that's why the Bible warns again and again of malcontent mischief makers that putrefy the pews. Satan doesn't have to attack from the outside to destroy a ministry; he just needs to infuse a few flibbertigibbets into God's family.

Perhaps it is time for us to encourage the marbles in our midst to move on before more damage is done.

Can you see them rolling around your building? If not, let me give you a few characteristics.

• They gossip maliciously and call it 'prayer requests' or 'sharing concerns'
• They complain more than they praise
• They go to church to 'get something out of it'
• They refuse to do 'lowly' work like fold up chairs or clean-up
• They refuse to forgive
• They can easily spot the splinter in others and miss their own personal plank (Matthew 7)
• They do not play well with others
• They go out of their way to be applauded, praised, and popularized in public places

On and on and on the list goes- but I think you should have a pretty good idea by now of the kind of folks that break the beakers. So this week, take an inventory first of yourself- then of others- and pray about how you can do your part to keep the integrity of your church as strong as God intends it to be. Walk away from gossip, confront negativity on the spot, worship in Spirit and truth, and pray for unity in your group- because God is definitely not into the game of marbles!

Questions:

1. Are you a part of the glass, or rolling with the marbles?
2. How can you help keep the 'beaker' strong?
3. What are some of the ways you are contributing to the mission of the church?

POSTPONING OBEDIENCE

Here's another one from the guys over at wcacyg.blogspot.com. This was a subject that I personally struggled with, so I hope that you all take it to heart.

A notable heresy has come into being throughout our evangelical Christian circle-the widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ only because we need Him as Savior, and that we have the right to postpone our obedience to Him as long as we want to! The truth is that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures. Peter makes it plain that we are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience." It seems most important to me that Peter speaks of his fellow Christians as "obedient children." He knew their spirituality-he was not just giving them an exhortation to be obedient. The entire Bible teaches that true obedience to God and His Christ is one of the toughest requirements in the Christian life. Actually, salvation without obedience is a self-contradicting impossibility! Humans do not want to admit it, but the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans long ago that "by one man's disobedience" came the downfall of the human race!

Verse
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31

Thought
The entire Bible teaches that true obedience to God and His Christ is one of the toughest requirements in the Christian life.

Prayer
Lord, let me always remember that odedience to your will is not just sanctioned, but manditory

Going One-on-One with Sexual Curiosity

Here is a Devotion from the www.josh.org 's daily devotional. It may be more for some of the older folks, but it's definitely something for the younger folks to keep in mind as you get older. So here you go.

Bible Reading: James 1:12-16

Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. James 1:14

CURIOSITY doesn't just kill cats. Sometimes it also clobbers young people.

Sexual temptation is a battle you can win, but you have to know how to prevail. If you survive with a healthy sort of sexual curiosity, it will be a fantastic gift when you someday marry the man or woman you want to love for a lifetime.

There's nothing wrong with sexual curiosity—wondering what's under the wrap­ping of someone you love. It's natural. Healthy. Normal. The problem comes in how you satisfy that curiosity. You might be committed to saving sex for marriage, but curiosity can still catch you off guard and clobber you big-time.

So here are some tips on managing sexual curiosity as the pressure on you in­creases to be sexually active:

First, deal with your curiosity immediately—before it has a chance to dig in.Of­ten when your guard is down, the thought will dart through your mind that "just one look" or "just one touch" won't hurt. If that lie has a familiar ring to it, think back to the deceit of the old serpent in the Garden of Eden. God made sexual desire so that one thing leads to another. Once you light a sexual fire, stopping it is almost impos­sible. So your best defense is to stop it before it gets started.

Second, find a few friends who share your values. Talk seriously with them about sexual pressure. When you have friends who share your beliefs and with whom you can talk honestly, you gain amazing moral strength. You can support each other when you're feeling weak and your resistance is down. And low resis­tance happens to everyone.

You get amazing moral weakness, by the way, when you have friends who don't support your values. The Bible makes a lot of sense here when it says, "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NASB).

Third, the most important sex organ God created is your mind—not your body. It's control of your mind that shows your maturity. Being able to manage and control your sexual desires proves a whole lot more about your readiness than anything you could "prove" by letting those desires run wild. It takes guts to guard sex like a valu­able diamond.

The sexual pressure you face will be great. The battle to stay pure will likely be furious. But the rewards of toughing it out are beyond description.

REFLECT: What are you doing to effectively resist sexual temptation? What are you doing to deal with your curiosity?

PRAY: Thank God for giving you a marvelous body worth keeping for the one you marry.

Beware the Mule

Here is another devotion from dare2share.org. Hope you like it!

I've read that when a group of thoroughbred horses face attack from an outside enemy, they get together in a circle facing each other- then they kick out at the attackers using their hind legs. Donkeys, on the other hand, do just the opposite. They circle up, facing the enemy, and use their hind legs to kick each other!

Good move guys...nothing scares an enemy away faster than when you start beating each other up.

Perhaps that's why the popular television show highlighting people with the IQ of dryer lint is named after donkeys.

Have you ever noticed that many Christians have lost their 'horse sense'? We are always under attack from Satan and his demons, so naturally we should be circling up and kicking the enemy behind us. But this is not what I have seen. More often than not, believers turn into burros and start kicking each other around, even though they are facing attack.

The 'kicks' come in many forms- and they are all as helpful to the devil as his own attacks. For example, some burro believers use legalism as a favorite kicking tool. They think that they are God's gift to the church or youth groups, so they self-righteously apply their idea of the Christian life to everyone else around them. They love to smack struggling believers with a 'holier than thou' attitude and make them think that they are saved by grace and kept by works.

I've seen other delivered donkeys who strike with the hoof of gossip. They love to hear the latest tidbits of information about others in the group- especially if it's negative. Then they smugly pass along the tittle-tattle by way of a 'prayer request' because they are 'concerned'. Sounds like a lot of hee-haw to me.

Ever been kicked by cliques? Try to work your way into the well established group of folks who play favorites with each other. As long as they are happy, they are oblivious to the needs and concerns of others. Sometimes I think Jesus Himself would have a hard time fitting into some of the mule-like ministries I've observed over the years.

I've been kicked by bitterness before...it does not feel good. It was that person's responsibility to make things right and restore the unity between us, but instead this individual chose to turn around and whoop me upside the head.

Mules are very stubborn. It is extremely difficult to get them to change their ways. I think God knew this, which is why He gave a certain command:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

In other words- get along little donkey! Turn your life around and stop kicking your own brothers and sisters! It breaks the heart of God to see us change from beautiful believers to malicious mules. It also brings Satan great happiness when he perceives us applying the donkey defense technique...it makes his job of destroying believers *oh* so much easier- especially when it is an inside job.

My guess is that you have been on the giving and receiving end of kicks in the end...now it is time to change. It is your job to leave the pack and get back in the race with the thoroughbred horses. I think you will find that the Christian life works much better when you are working together...in fact, you may discover that it is quite a kick!

Questions:

1. Is your church/youth group more like a group of horses or donkeys?
2. Why do we give in to Satan and kick our brothers and sisters around?
3. What is one thing you need to change as a result of reading this devotion?

You Could Learn a Lot from a Donkey

Well hello again. Hope you all had a good weekend, and that the start of the week is a good one as well. Here is a word from the folks over at dare2share.org. Hope it helps!

"Crucify him!" they shouted. (Mark 15:13)

O.K.- let's do an exercise in self-reflection for a moment. Think about the past few days, and how people's words have impacted you. If you are like most folks, the regular repartee of a routine day deeply encouraged and/or discouraged- and one or two words may have made the difference between brave action and boring apathy.

Or perhaps there were things that you truly wanted to do, but decided against doing because of what people might say.

A missionary named C.T. Studd had great insight into the impact of opinions. Here's a story he told:

There once was a miller, his son and their donkey went to the market. The miller rode the donkey all the way and people exclaimed, 'Cruel man, riding himself and making his son walk' So he got down and his son rode; then people slanged, 'What a lazy son for riding while poor old father walks.' Then both father and son rode, and people then said, 'Cruelty to animals, poor donkey.' So they got down and carried the donkey on a pole, but folks said, 'Here are two dumb animals carrying another dumb animal.' Then all three walked and people said, 'What fools to have a donkey and not ride it.'

Ever have a day like that? Especially when it comes to living the Christian life. As soon as you make a definite decision to serve God one way or another, I guarantee you will soon have critics of what you are doing. Let me illustrate:

"I'm not going to rated R movies anymore, Satan is using images from them to distract my mind"

"Oh c'mon, you are so legalistic- come down from your soapbox and let's go catch the latest Vin Diesel flick!"

or...

"I think it's o.k. to be friends with non-Christians as long as they aren't influencing you away from God."

"Are you serious? Christians should totally avoid unbelievers and just hang out with other believers- preferably from their own denomination. I think that's in the Bible somewhere."

See what I mean? When you start communicating your convictions, get ready to be carped and cajoled.

So when it comes down to a fight between your beliefs and your buddies, who will get the upper hand? The Apostle Paul was aware of this battle, which is why he wrote:

I'm not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ's servant. (Galatians 1:10)

The point being that you can never make everyone happy, so why try? In fact, Paul takes it a step further to say that basing your decisions on public opinion is not only foolish, it is also a form of rebelling against Christ!

I would challenge you to fulfill God's calling on your life. Remember, the purpose of life is not to be wealthy, popular, well liked, successful, educated, good-looking, thin, buff, or even happy (though you would think so if you read some 'Christian' literature).

Jesus told us that life is about seeking first the Kingdom of God...

Perhaps it is time to start listening for the applause of heaven rather than the curtain calls from the crowd?

Questions:

1. What is God calling you to do right now?
2. In what areas are you listening to the crowd instead of Christ?
3. Is it ungodly to be popular? Why or why not?

How Far Would You Go for God?

Here is a devotion from dare2share.org about the events that happened on September 11, 2001. This is part of the story of the 4th plane, the one that didn't make it to the intended target because the passengers rallied against the terrorist.

Christians Of Courage And Compassion

In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise-- in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:10-11)

On September 11, a man named Todd Beamer boarded flight 93. The majority of people in America had never heard this name before, but after that day his notoriety has grown considerably. Did he write a hit pop single? Did he produce a groundbreaking video? Did he write an amazing best seller? Actually, Todd Beamer did none of these things, but his actions far surpassed all musician, producer, and author's works combined.

Flight 93 was supposed to be the fourth plane used as a devastating weapon against our nation. The smallest flight to be hijacked with only 45 people aboard out of a possible 289 had 84% of its capacity unused. Yet these people stood up to the attackers and thwarted a fourth attempted destruction of a national landmark, saving untold numbers of lives in the process. One of those people was Todd Beamer- a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. Moments before he and the other passengers rallied against the hijackers, he prayed Psalm 23 with a phone operator, and his last words were: "are you ready? Let's roll!"

Todd Beamer gave his life so that other lives could be saved. His faith in Christ and his assurance that he would be in heaven gave him the tremendous courage it took to accomplish his heroic acts.

In Acts 6 and 7, we read about a man of God named Stephen. He was full of faith, power, and conviction. He was brought before the Jewish ruling council on trumped-up charges and allowed to make a statement. Stephen, however, decided to play a different role. Rather than allowing it to be a setup for him, he turned into a powerful condemnation of the religious leaders. They despised him and his message, so they dragged him out of Jerusalem and stoned him. Stephen fell to his knees and prayed for his killers. The way he died spoke as eloquently as his sermon.

These men should serve as an amazing example to us. We are called to be people of conviction, standing tall for Christ and serving Him fearlessly. Be prepared believer- you never know what day you may be called on to offer yourself for His glory.

Questions:

1. Would you be willing to pay the ultimate price for Christ?
2. What are your biggest fears about serving God everyday?
3. What would you have done if you were Todd Beamer?

Have Courage in God

Here is a devotion from teenmailbiblestudy.org. Hope it brings you courage!

We all experience situations in life that create a bit of nervousness. Perhaps there are times we have wished for a little more courage than was felt to be possessed. However, when we are faced with things WE KNOW MUST BE DONE anyway, hopefully we have the courage to step forward and do them. Paul asked for prayers for such courage.

Writing from prison to the church at Philippi he stated…
“(19) for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, (20) as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but THAT WITH FULL COURAGE NOW AS ALWAYS CHRIST WILL BE HONORED IN MY BODY, whether by life or by death.” ( Philippians 1:19-20 ESV)

There is no question regarding the convicted and courageous life lived by Paul. It seems nothing could possibly stop him from pressing on! What was it that kept him moving on in his faith and work to the glory of the Lord in spite of the challenges he faced?

In 1953, a columnist for the Chicago News -- a writer by the name of Harris who had gained a large following of readers by what were noted as frank and often caustic comments -- wrote what he called “A Prayer For The President.” It went like this: “O Lord … give him the courage, not of his convictions, but of Your commandments.” [original source unknown]

Perhaps that would not be a bad prayer for any of us! When Paul (as Saul) was a persecutor of the church, we might agree that he was very bold and courageous based on his convictions. This was his mission when his confidence was in the flesh. ( Philippians 3:4-6) However, those convictions were wrong! Convictions must be based on the RIGHT FOUNDATION! When Paul’s life became firmly established in the TRUTH OF JESUS, we see His readiness to press on with it mattering not whether he faced life or death. Whatever came, Paul was determined to honor Christ!

May we heed the words of the Hebrew writer as he exhorted…
“(35) Therefore DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE, which has a great reward. (36) For YOU HAVE NEED OF ENDURANCE, so that when you have done the WILL OF GOD you may receive what is promised.” ( Hebrews 10:35-36 ESV)

When our life is based on the WILL OF GOD we can develop the greatest courage for pressing on in that which is right. This is the stand that is of eternal significance. May we, like Paul, have a mindset to honor Christ regardless of what we face. Let us pray for sufficient courage as we press on with each step securely placed on God’s foundation of truth!

Have a great day CONFIDENTLY LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUS WILL!
Carl

"Forgiveness at the Cross"

Here's a word from the folks over at www.creativeyouthideas.com on Forgiveness.

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

"Father"
These are the first recorded words we have from Jesus on the Cross. He begins with a prayer to our intimate heavenly Father. He does not address his beloved disciple John, nor the grieving women who followed him nor the religious leaders, nor the sinners on each side, nor the gawking crowd below. Jesus did not look at the people around him, but up to the Father above. He will only be able to see the people around him in proper perspective when he focuses on the Father first. Are our first thoughts toward God in everything?

"Father, forgive them"
But there's more. While in excruciating pain, Jesus asked God to forgive his tormentors. I don't know about you, but in the midst of the pain, especially when I am on the receiving end, I find it difficult to think about forgiveness. Christ's pain wasn't even over yet, it had just begun! The people on the receiving end of God's forgiveness certainly didn’t deserve it. They didn’t even ask for it. It wasn't even a past event. More was to come. Yet he still asked the Father to forgive them. What amazing grace! What amazing love! This may be the most powerful example of grace and forgiving love in the whole Bible.

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." 
Did the soldiers, the gawkers, the Jewish leaders, the angry spectators, fully comprehend the consequences of their actions? We don't know all the reasons they were there on that day at the cross. All we need to do is to think about ourselves a little -- How often do we actually think through the repercussions of what WE do? We may think we are doing the right things. We have noble ambitions. We may be protecting the truth. Standing up for righteousness. Making sure the wicked don't go unpunished. Our reasons may even be less than honorable or outright rebellious. In the end it doesn't really matter why they were there. They thought they knew what they were doing, but in the eternal scheme of things they had no clue!

But Christ's concern wasn't the "Why?" When faced with persecution, with trials, with pain, our first response is to ask God "why?" Maybe we want to understand to have a reason to grant forgiveness! But Christ's didn't need a reason. True love doesn't need a reason. His first response was reconciliation, forgiveness, grace!

That's the first and final conclusion of the cross - grace - God loved us first, taking the initiative to reconcile with us, even at the greatest possible cost to himself.

May this Easter season be a time of reconciliation for all of us! Don't ask for an explanation. Don't try to understand. Don't wait for someone to ask you for forgiveness. Don't focus on what is happening down here. Focus on your heavenly Father. Look up in prayer on their behalf. When you do, you will find the grace to take the first loving steps toward loving forgiveness for those around you, regardless of what they are doing, or why they are doing it. Simply forgive and leave the rest up to God!

"Bad Company"

Here's a devotional from the guys at www.Dare2share.org.

"Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character." (I Corinthians 15:33)

They influence your speech, dress, and mannerisms. They are your constant mirrors. They are in your address book and in your phone 's speed dial. They have a firm grip on your heartstrings, and oftentimes they are the difference between success and failure in the Christian life. Good ones can nudge you to victory. Bad ones can drag you to defeat. What are they? You guessed it...friends!

The bottom line is that the type of friends who form your inner circle will most likely determine how faithfully you serve Christ, and whether or not you make a spiritual difference on your campus. When Paul wrote today's verse: "Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character " - he was addressing a friendship situation.

The Christians at Corinth had friends who basically denied the resurrection. In other words, their main goal in life was to try and find happiness through partying, because there would be no judgment day. So these believers had friends who were pulling them in the wrong direction. My guess is that those Christians thought that they were strong enough in their faith to resist the bad influences of their friends.

Paul says- I don't think so...

So what about it? Are you being misled? Do you have as your best friends those who have Jesus as their best friend? If not, it's just a matter of time before your character is corrupted with the virus of spiritual compromise.

I can't help but think of Ronnie. We went to school together all through Jr. High and High School. In fact, Ronnie helped lead me to faith in Christ as my Savior. We held each other accountable and witnessed to our unsaved friends. But as high school continued, Ronnie began to make other alliances. More and more of his friends were less and less concerned about Christ. Pretty soon his closest friends were absolutely unconcerned about the Lord, and positively concerned about their own happiness before anything. Bit by bit Ronnie got his eyes off the bull's eye of serving Christ.

There came a time when I had to choose between my friendship with Ronnie, and my allegiance to Christ- and guess what? Rock breaks scissors: Jesus wins. Sound judgmental? Perhaps, but the judgment was more on myself than on Ronnie, because I knew that eventually I would shipwreck my faith if I stayed on course with that friendship. Sound difficult? Absolutely, breaking off a close friendship is like having surgery. Yet if you don't go through with that spiritual operation, you could lose your spiritual life.

By the grace of God, when I graduated my eyes were set on entering the ministry, and today I serve the King of Kings. By the time Ronnie graduated he was just like his closest friends...spiritually weak and disinterested. To this day, 18 years later, Ronnie is totally unconcerned about following Jesus, and completely miserable.

In the words of one pastor: "If you drop a white glove in the mud...the mud doesn't become 'glovey'...the glove becomes muddy." This is especially true in relationships. Christian teens that continue with godless friendships will themselves become godless.

Maybe you need to make some decisions right now about your inner circle of friends. Don't put it off! The whole direction of your spiritual life hangs in the balance...

Questions:

1. On a scale of 1-10 (1=bad, 10=good), what kind of influence do your friends have on your spiritual life?
2. Do you really think that "bad company corrupts good character?"
3. If your closest friends were put on trial for being Christians- would they be convicted? Would you?