Daily Devotion

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Christ traded spaces with us on the cross. He died in our place, for our sin. But if you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, you only believe one-half of the Gospel. The other half of the Gospel is the fact that Christ fulfilled God's standard perfectly.  He was 100% righteous. So, had Christ been 90% righteous or 80% righteous, his sacrifice would not meet God's demands. He was 100% righteous.
So, once you bow the knee to Christ and ask him to come into your life to take residence, to come into the dwelling place of your heart, then the righteousness of Christ is imputed into your life. Thus, when God sees you, he sees Jesus and his perfect character. This is only able to take place because of the resurrection power.
That's the power that can renovate our minds and hearts today and that will one day completely renovate and restore our sin-torn bodies into glorified bodies that will live forever in heaven. The resurrection is the final hope of every Christ-follower. It is the "final reveal" of God's design and renovation: the perfection of our mind, body, and spirit. On the other side of the grave, when God says, "Okay, open your eyes and see your new space," you will open your eyes in a resurrected, recreated body, a completely new space that you will inhabit for eternity.
It will be the perfect space, designed by the perfect Designer (God the Father), rebuilt by the perfect Carpenter (Jesus Christ) and purchased at the ultimate cost (Christ's precious blood). But you've got to make the choice: Are you going to keep trying on your own to rebuild the rubble left by sin or are you going to let the Carpenter renovate your life into the perfect space.

Expect Opposition Really

Opposition is diverse and relentless and, if given all of your time opportunity one, deadly. Perspective dies as the opposition blurs our vision. Hope can die as the opposition becomes weightier than the opportunity. Fatigue can kill you if you spend more time running from the opposition than pursuing the opportunity.
By opposition I don’t mean some  “bad guy” that doesn’t like what you’re trying to do. I’m referring to the long list of things that battle contrary to our opportunities.

Danger…Danger…Danger

Take the Apostle Paul for instance. His life and ministry were filled with opportunities to preach the gospel, plant churches, and lead people to Jesus. What sort of opposition did he face? He lists a few in 2 Corinthians 11:24–28:

• Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Repent and Trust

Not many people have a comparable resume, but nevertheless there are true costs associated with pursuing the opportunities to which Jesus calls us. The costs are inevitable, and this isn’t an excuse to avoid opportunity, rather a call to discern and choose wisely what to pursue.
When our sin is the opposition, we need to be quick to repent. When the opposition is external, we need to trust God and proceed boldly.

"Be Strong in the Lord"

Jesus opens up significant opportunities to preach the gospel and glorify him. Be wise and be ready. Expect opposition, but don’t be afraid. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph. 6:10).

VIETNAM — Update: Priest Released for Medical Treatment

VIETNAM — Update: Priest Released for Medical Treatment

Father Nguyen Van Ly, who is serving an eight-year prison sentence, has been released and taken to a Church-run home for medical treatment, according to the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA).
UCA reported that at the request of Father Van Ly's relatives, "prison officials allowed him to temporarily stop serving his sentence to get medical treatment at the home for retired priests for one year." The priest has already served three years of his sentence. Praise God for Father Van Ly's temporary release. Pray for his renewed health and strength. Pray that he will not have to return to prison and that the false charges against him will be dropped. Also pray for other Vietnamese Christians languishing in prison.

LAOS — Katin Christians Endure Hardships

LAOS — Katin Christians Endure Hardships

A group of Christians who were expelled from Katin village in January were again urged to recant their faith in Jesus Christ on March 15. The believers have been living in makeshift shelters about 4 miles outside the village, where they were abandoned in January without food or shelter.
"At noon [on March 15] … seven Katin believers were summoned to the district office of Ta-Oyl district," contacts reported. "The district head of Ta-Oyl, Mr. Bounma, urged the Katin believers to reconsider their decision to follow the Christian faith." When the Christians again refused to renounce their faith, the district head stated that although the Lao constitution and law provide for freedom of religion in Laos, he is not going to allow Christianity in his district. The Katin believers later learned that the officials planned to burn down their temporary shelters along with 11 temporary homes at the site where they were taken in January.
Several days after these threats from local officials, a delegation of provincial officials assured the believers that they are free to practice their religion and live anywhere in the district they choose. However, since the temporary shelters are on land owned by a neighboring village, officials could not guarantee the Christians they can remain at the site. Praise God for these faithful believers and for the positive signs from provincial authorities. Pray that local authorities will allow these believers to return to their homes, and pray that the Christians will remain strong in their faith. Also pray for their safety and health; many are sick and in need of medical treatment.

Daily Devotion

Read Psalm 119:89-96
Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances, for all things are Your servants. (vv. 89-91)
God's word is immutable. That means that it can't change. The things said in God's word are as sure as any other indisputable fact on earth. As the psalmist puts it, God's word is settled forever in heaven.
God is faithful to what He says in His word "throughout all generations". That includes the generation we are living in right now! Everything God has promised, everything He has revealed about Himself, everything He has committed Himself to, every warning He has given—all of these things—are as certain as God's own existence.
Nothing can stand in the way of God's word, "for all things are His servants". Do you see what God is saying to you today in this passage? If God's word is the absolutely certain description of how God will act in your life, don't you think you should understand it? If God's Word contains promises that you can claim for your life, don't you think you should be claiming them? If God's Word gives you a true understanding of God Himself, don't you think you should study it?

The Theology of Rich and Poor

Theologically, prosperity theology is just plain wrong. When the Bible speaks of wealth, it does so in four categories.

Everything we have—including our finances, jobs, houses, products of our land, real estate, investments, credit, equity, cash, businesses, automobiles, and personal items—is given to us by God and is part of our treasure, or wealth. Good stewards make every effort to manage their treasure as an act of worship. Sadly, much of the teaching about stewarding one’s treasure is prone to either poverty or prosperity theology. Poverty theology considers those who are poor to be more righteous than those who are rich; it honors those who choose to live in poverty as particularly devoted to God. Conversely, prosperity theology considers those who are rich to be more righteous than those who are poor; it honors those who are affluent as being rewarded by God because of their faith. In fact, both poverty and prosperity theology are half-truths because the Bible speaks of four ways in which treasure can be stewarded.

4 Ways Treasure Can Be Stewarded

1. Righteous rich stewards –    Biblical examples of righteous rich stewards include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job (both before and after his life tragedy and season of poverty), Joseph of Arimathea (who gave Jesus his personal tomb), Lydia (who funded much of Paul’s ministry), and Dorcas (who often helped the poor).
2. Righteous poor stewards –    Biblical examples of righteous poor stewards include Ruth and Naomi, Jesus Christ, the widow who gave her mite, the Macedonian church, and Paul, who often knew want and hunger.
3. Unrighteous rich stewards –   Biblical examples of unrighteous rich stewards include Laban, Esau, Nabal, Haman, the rich young ruler, and Judas Iscariot.
4. Unrighteous poor stewards –   Biblical examples of unrighteous poor stewards include the sluggard and the fool, who are repeatedly renounced throughout the book of Proverbs.

Proof-Texting Prosperity

Those who promote prosperity theology/idolatry are prone to proof text 3 John 1:2 from the New King James Version, which says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” This verse is simply not a promise, but a wish. Like every good friend, John is saying that he wishes and hopes that his friend Gaius would be in good health and would be able to meet his needs. This is a far cry from a promise, especially a guaranteed promise for all. Rather, it is a goodwill prayer for a friend.

 Dr. Daniel Akin, writes about this verse in the New American Commentary:

After an initial greeting, John moves to express his good wishes for Gaius in the form of a brief prayer. He begins by again expressing his love and affection through the second use of agapete (“dear friend”). In Greek concerning “all things” is put first in the sentence for emphasis: “Concerning all things [John] prays that [Gaius] may prosper and be in health just as his soul prospers” (my translation). The word “prosper” (translated “all may go well with you” in the NIV) can mean “to have a good journey.” Here it is used metaphorically. John asks God for the best in every way for Gaius. Further, he specifically prays for “good health.” (New American Commentary: 1,2,3 John, pg. 240)

We should be free to pray for the total well being (spiritual, physical, and financial) of our friends as John did. But to take a prayer of goodwill and twist it into a promise of guaranteed health and wealth is to completely distort the faith we have in the homeless and poor Jesus Christ, who was so distressed that he sweated blood before suffering excruciating physical pain in order to liberate us from the idolatrous worship of created things, such as health and wealth, in place of the Creator God.

The Proof is in the Pudding

Welcome to Cliche Tuesday, where  we deconstruct 4 expressions that we’ve all become a little too familiar with

 

Here we go…
“You hit the nail on the head” – in other words, “congratulations. you did something that even my 2 1/2 -year old can do 9 times out of 10 with his eyes closed. You are not special.”

“A penny for your thoughts” – because I cherish your opinions and equate them with the honor and valor bestowed upon Abraham Lincoln, whose face adorns this zinc and copper circle.
Speak to me with the same wisdom and power that our 16th president manifested and I shall listen intently, satisfied with the fact that I am learning from you and that I am no longer carrying around such a worthless coin.

“That’s the way the cookie crumbles” – yeah, actually that’s the way everything crumbles.
Big pieces become smaller pieces which become little bits of cookie dust that you hate to see go to waste so you lick your thumb and press it into the cookie dust and stick your thumb into your mouth, only your wife is not amused because she saw you do it, and so did the company we had over for dinner. oh well. that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

“It’s nothing to write home about” – Since the invention of the telephone this expression now applies to everything in the entire world. #EXTINCT

INDONESIA — Churches Burned

On Jan. 22, two church buildings under construction in North Sumatra, Indonesia, were burned by suspected Islamic extremists, according to Compass Direct News.

"The attackers came from outside the area to burn the partially constructed buildings of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan Church (HKBP) and the Pentecostal Church in Sibuhuan village, Padang Lawas Residency, during daylight hours," Rev. Lubis of the HKBP church told Compass. "Hundreds of people arrived on motorcycles and burned the empty church."
Praise God none of the believers were injured in the fires. Church leaders reported that many believers in the area have fled, fearing for their safety. The Voice of the Martyrs supports and encourages Indonesian believers in a variety of ways, including through the distribution of Christian literature. Praise God for the unwavering faith of these Indonesian believers. What are we doing? We should at least be praying for all the Christ followers over there and the Missionaries there sacrificing so much to expand the Gospel!! Another way we can help is by supporting the Voice of the Martyrs. Follow the link for more info......... www.persecution.com

Daily Devotion

Proverbs 4:23-27

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you. Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.

If you want godliness to flow out of you, guard your inner life!
What flows out of your life comes from inside you. This inner life—the whole non-physical part of you—is called your "heart" in the Bible.
God's clear message to us from this passage is that we must constantly work to take care of our inner lives. The pressures of school work, being accepted by your friends and temptation all work together to distract us from our inner lives and make us focus on our outer lives. But if you want your outer life to stay in balance and not overwhelm you, you must make your inner life your first priority.
Take time with God each day. Develop your walk with Him. Look at your priorities. Are the most important things in life coming first? Fix your gaze on them; don't be distracted. Remember Hume Lake!

                             Don't neglect your heart. Watch over it with all diligence.

Daily Devotion

Proverbs 3:32

He [God] is intimate with the upright.
Your relationship with God can become the most open, trusting, caring, meaningful relationship in your life!
Think of your closest friend. It may be someone you have known since childhood and you have grown to be completely comfortable together. It may be your roommate from when you first moved out of your childhood home and the crazy experiences you had together bonded you so closely. It may be your spouse, the person who knows all your weaknesses and still loves you.
Imagine having that kind of comfortable, intimate bond of love in your relationship with God! Maybe you feel like you would be eager to have that kind of relationship with God, but you are not sure if He would have that kind of relationship with you.
This verse is your answer from God. "He is intimate with the upright."
That means that if you are "upright"—if you will put God first in your life, if you reject those things that dishonour Him and embrace the things that bring Him joy, then God will reveal Himself to you in a very deep way.
And once you have experienced the nearness of God when He opens up His heart to you and lets you know His presence as you pray—once you have experienced that, you will never be satisfied with anything less.

Daily Devotion

Proverbs 3:1-8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (vv. 5-6)

If you want God to lead you in life, put Him first in everything!

"He will make your paths straight"—that is, the way forward will be obvious to you, and God will remove the obstacles that would keep you from following His will for you. It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? But why are we not experiencing it every day? Notice that there are three conditions to this promise.

Trust in the Lord. When you sense Him leading you and you don't know where you will end up or how you will get through, obey Him anyway. Act on the reality that God is there. If He leads you, you can trust Him. This is not just verbal trust, but the kind that is with all your heart!

Don't lean on your own understanding. Don't try to be the master of your own fate. Don't get the idea that you can plan your way through life. Recognise that you desperately need God's hand in your life, both guiding you and enabling you.

In all your ways acknowledge Him. Make sure that your life shows that God is the one you honour, love and obey.

Meet these three conditions and you can rest in the reality of God's guiding hand. 

Battle of the Sexes week 1- guys

Here is what I talked about with the guys on our first week of the new series

Battle of the Sexes

Week 1- Guys

What is a man? - to you what does it mean to become or be a man

For me growing up it was the first time you got laid, then that catapulted you to becoming a man.

Has times changed at all?

I checked the question on yahoo answers and this is some of what I found

David says “The only standard in defining a "man" is physiological. After you hit puberty, you're a man. Separate from the "boys." 

Ghost says “not being rude and if you could reproduce your a man”

Random person says         5 - 6 inches = Man

3 -4 inches = boy

0 -2 inch = your probably a girl

Elaine answered “XY chromosome denotes male.

Why do you give a rodent's rear what others think?

James wrote “having a good heart in all your affairs doing the best that you can and always be honest.”

Someone who goes by bandit 6 says that “your size and your age don,t always mean your a man. being a man is the way you think and act.”

Another random person put  “Just because you've been with a woman or you are over twenty-one? Boy, have you got a lot to learn! When you get a flat tire or your car breaks down, and you actually take care of it yourself without calling home for help. Turning off the television and doing something productive. Stop telling us there is nothing to do or whining about how bored you are. Go out and explore the world! Live life and learn about everything you can. That's what men do. Picking up your own trash, washing your own dishes and doing your own laundry. These simple things are expected of any adult human being. You are not grown up until you perform these small tasks for yourself. If you can do these things, boy, as I have, then you will join the ranks of men. Until that time, you are still a child.

A lot of people commented on this post, and most had a distorted view of what the definition of a man is.

A lot of us fall into that category, we have allowed the culture of our time to define how we view being a man plays out.

If we are not aggressive, macho, fart, burp, play sports, have sex with any and every girl, spit over 6 feet, can’t beat the game Halo, or just play video games for two days straight no food or drink and without blinking THEN you are not a man.

And society says if you don’t measure up to what they define as a man then you can’t be excepted. Your a girly man

And if your a girly man then you must be Gay!!!!

And if your gay you can never be a man!!!!

This is what our culture pushes down our throats with movies, tv, magazines, etc.....

Hugh Hefner the creator of Playboy stated this: I think that the major message of my life and what I hope to be remembered for is someone who managed to change the social sexual values of his time absolutely. 

Everyone is pushing these ideas out there, so now if we buy into this then we either begin to think this way and have a false view of what a man is, or we live it out (oh I’m a girly man so now I must be gay because no guy excepts me so I’m going to who excepts me, either girls or other gay guys)

Are you seeing how this works.......

so if farting the stinkyest, spiting the farthest, beating Halo the most, having the most sex does not make you a man. Then what does?

Lets look at what the Bible Says:

Five Characteristics of being A Godly Man (there are many more, study God's Word to find more)

1. Self-Control 

To many of us have no self-control. We lack the ability to walk in self-control

Titus 2:6-8 - Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7) Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity,dignity, 8) and⁽sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

We need to be able to walk in this! Self-Control is one of the fruit of the spirit. If we remain in Christ and His word this should take a hold in our lives. Self-control on the internet, video games, friends, GIRLS, all of these things and more we need to walk in self-control.

You say Derek I don’t know how, I live on impulse. I tell you Get into God!!!! It is that simple.

When we remain In Christ God’s word tells us that a Good tree can not produce Bad fruit. Nor can it or should it hang out with bad fruit!!!

You want freedom from your addictions, things that you struggle with in self-control. STARVE IT!!!! DON’T FEED IT!!!! SEPARATE FROM IT!!!!!

1. A Student of the Word

We must be studying God’s word. In order to become the Man God created you to be you must be in the word

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It’s not completely clear exactly how old Timothy was but some say he was in his early teen years.

Paul is telling Him to become a man you must study the Word of God!! Not to be ashamed of God’s word and become a student of His word!!!

The same goes for us it’s time we put aside the video games and open up His Word!!

1. Respectful

WOW this one is a hard one, these days no one is respectful

But as men we are called to be respectful

in our relationships (parents, siblings, girlfriends, etc...)

1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

We are to respect everyone and conduct ourself with honor.

Men don’t pick or throw fight’s-that is not a Man!!!

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

It’s the issue of self-control again

1. Integrity

Integrity is your word, what you do when no one is looking behind closed doors

Proverbs 10:9 The man of integrity walks securely,  but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

Proverbs 21:3 Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance.

The way we live behind close doors where no one can see us, reveals who we really are in the heart

As men we are to have a standard that is above all, Clean living in sight and out of sight. 

When we get this down (and it is a process) then we can fully lead in all of our relationships and in our own life.

Live a life of integrity!!!!!

1. Purity

This one is HUGE guys!!!!

The world has a standard all by itself and will lead you down a road that will lead you to destruction!!

The world tells you to look at whatever brings you pleasure- This leads to separation in your relationships( because of guilt, or discuss), disappointments in your relationships (because you set up a false view/expectation of your marriage)

The world tells you to sleep with anyone you can- This leads to distrust in your relationships, insecurity in your relationships, brings baggage (kids, STD’s, and guilt)

We must aline our standards not with the World but God’s word!

1 Thess. 4 :3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust ^like the Gentiles who do not know God

2 Timothy 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Flee from anything guys that will lead you down this road

Computers, Tv, Friends, Movies, Girlfriend

What is it that is distorting your view tonight, What is leading you down this road of destruction, what do think a man is, and what do you need to flee from tonight?!!!???!!

Name it and FLEE from it!!!!

Become a man who pursues God and His Word!!!!

Define your idea of a man from God’s word!!!

Battle of the Sexes week 1- girls

Here is what My Wife Lily talked about on the first week of the Battle of the Sexes with the girls

The Battle Of the Sexes

week 1-Girls

Who are the most desirable women in our culture today?

 AM's (Ask Men) annual list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women ranks the famous females who rock our world -- from stand-up comediennes and powerful businesswomen to Oscar-bound actresses and swimsuit models.  After a six-week long voting period, 6 million votes have been cast, the ballots have closed and the tallying is complete.

Megan Fox ranked #11 on the list.

She is the transformers hottie, everyone is raving about this young girl. She is 23 yrs old, stars in 7 different movies,  Fox has always been compared to other atresses and with the media now dubbing her as "next  Angelina Jolie".

our culture often looks @girls like Magan Fox and comes to the conclusion that, that is how a woman should look and carry her self 

So What does the modern man look for in his ideal Girl? 

1) Slim (modeling girls having low self-esteem/eating disorders)

2) Sexy (You have to have sex appeal-dress a certain way, cleavage, short skirts, etc.)

3) Aggressive (to take the initiative)

1. Easy (how far can he go)
2. Popular (has to have a sense of popularity) 

Let’s look at a few quotes from todays sex symbols

Megan Fox has been quoted saying “I have no confidence, and because of that I’m always second-guessing myself.”

Angelina Jolie has been quoted saying I am odd-looking. I sometimes think I look like a funny Muppet.

Beyonce Knowles has been quoted saying: The more successful I become, the more I need a man.

Jennifer Aniston has been quoted saying: I don't know what it means to be a sex symbol. When I look myself on a magazine cover I don't see it as me, but as someone painted, fluffed, puffed and done up. 

All these women have specific of view of their sexuality, and all of them are left EMPTY!!!!

WHY?- Many christian girls feel like this, just because you are a christian doesn’t mean this goes away because it’s in our culture!

How does God view our sexuality and us as women, and what does that mean for us today?

let’s look at what the Bible says about this

Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
   is a beautiful woman without discretion.

discretion- Is the ability to make responsible decisions.

How can we apply this verse in our lives?

just being hot or sexy with out being honorable and respectful soon wears thin. 

We should seek God’s word to help us make wise decisions in our character and in our dress not just those that makes us look good. 

While taking good care of our self is not a bad thing we also need to develop a good Godly character.

1 Timothy 4:8- for while bodily training is of some value, GODLINESS is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   

In our culture all the emphasis is put on our physical condition and less on our spiritual 

The latest P90X craze, Turbo Jam, in my younger days it was Tybo....

But what are we doing about our Spiritual Health?

2 Tim 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Paul is encouraging Timothy here to be diligent in studying God’s Word so he can better lead God’s people

We need to study God’s word for several reasons:

1. We get our Identity As girls from His Word

We should not get our Identity from this culture that says you need to look a certain way etc..... WE GET IT FROM GOD’S WORD

Gen 1:26-27 Then God said,"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
 27So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them

Understand God did not make a mistake when he created you.

You were created in His image, God loves you as you are. It’s ok to take care of yourself and look nice but when it becomes your God then you are mistaken!!

1. We see that God should be first in our lives

Rather then seeking this earthly kingdom and seeking to become right in the worlds eyes, we need to seek after God!!

Proverbs 3:6  In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and make your paths straight. 

We must always acknowledge God in all our ways, this means that we turn over every area of our life to Him. Remember what 1 Tim 4:8 says!

This means our View of ourself, And our view of our relationships!!

In what areas are you not acknowledging him in?

1. You become WHOLE and COMPLETE

When you seek God’s word and you find your identity in Christ and you seek Him first, you become complete and made whole through Christ!!

Colossians 2:12-  and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority

When we come to a relationship with Christ we no longer have to seek God by any other means. Christ alone makes us right with God!!!!!

We don’t have to add anything in addition to what God has provided through Christ. We are made complete!!

Understand This Girls!!!!! The world will tell you, you have to look a certain way, act a certain way.

 And like Pamala Anderson said “I have this phobia: I don't like mirrors. And I don't watch myself on television. If anything comes on, I make them shut it off, or I leave the room.”

Pamala Anderson was a Baywatch Babe in the 90’s, Playboy Model, Rock star Wife, she was everything this culture holds value! And yet she couldn’t even look at herself in the mirror!!! 

She put on this front  like she was confident in her body but really she was insecure!

Your sex appeal does not Complete you, and it’s not who you are!!!

God longs for you to understand that He made you and Loves you for who you are.

He created you, He has a plan for you, seek His word, understand what HE says about you.

So what do you need to give over to Him tonight?

Do you spend too much time in the mirror trying to look a certain way, Do you beat yourself up because you find your not pretty enough, do you feel you need a boyfriend all the time to feel complete?

Give it to God TONIGHT and allow Him to come in and transform You!!

Battle of the Sexes

Last March we  had a Battle of the Sexes Game night that brought almost 50 students. We had an amazing time with the students. This year we are doing it a little different. We are taking on the theme of The Battle of the Sexes and we are turning it into a 4 week series.
We will be addressing issues such as sex, relationships, character and how it all pertains to our lives. We will be examining how the Bible views these issues and by His Grace transform the way we view sex and relationships. We will be separating the kids from guys and girls to address more personal issues for each one.
Tonight we are looking at the world's view of what a women/man is and how it differs from God's view. We will be examining God's Word and we ask you to be praying for God to move in a Powerful way!!!!

Daily Devotion

Ephesians 6:13,17

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. …take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Bible is God's weapon for the spiritual battle in my life!

The reality is that every one of us is involved in a spiritual battle. The real struggle of your life is not relational conflict or financial difficulties—the real struggle is in your spiritual life. Have you learned to trust God with the issues of your life yet? Have you put Jesus Christ on the throne of your life? Have you made yourself available to Him? If you are trying to win the spiritual battle of your life without your weapon, what chance do you have of victory? None.

Have you been trying to fight the spiritual battle and do what is right and walk with God, but you find yourself losing the battle at every turn? Do you find conflict and anxiety dominating your life? Are you trying to fight your battles with your Bible closed?

God is challenging you today to use the Scriptures as a central part of your daily life. The Bible is a powerful spiritual weapon in your life in the hands of the Holy Spirit, but only if you open it!

Daily Devotion

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness

The Bible is our instruction manual!

When you buy a new piece of equipment, the maker supplies an instruction manual with it, to help you get the most from it. If you don't follow the instructions in the manual it voids your warranty and can lead to disaster.

Someone has said that B-I-B-L-E stands for `Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth'. When God placed us here on earth, He provided an instruction manual so that we could make the most of our lives. How foolish we would be not to study that manual!

The Bible is "profitable for teaching"—that is, it shows us how to live life. It guides us with God's life-principles. Life is good and right when we live life God's way. The Bible is also "for reproof"—when we go off God's path for our lives He uses the Bible to get our attention show us where we went wrong.

And the Bible is also "for correction"—it shows us the way back to God. Very often God uses His Word to convict us about steps we need to take in our spiritual lives. And the Bible is "for training in righteousness"—when we have renewed our walk with God the Bible keeps us going that way.

Take a moment to speak with God about what His Word means to you. 

Daily Devotion

Read Matthew 6:25-34

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?' or ‘What will we drink?' or ‘What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (vv. 31-33)

When you put God first in your life and follow His call, you never need to be anxious about money!

That statement sounds ludicrous to our secular mindset, doesn't it? It sounds irresponsible. How can I say such a thing?

Read the last sentence of the verses above again. Isn't that exactly what God is saying to you today? He isn't saying, "Don't work hard." Nor is He saying, "Don't prepare for the future"; or "Don't pay your bills"; or "Don't provide for your family." But He is saying, "Do not worry"—don't be anxious!

Read the following statement very carefully and take it in: When you put God and His work in this world first in your life, then God takes responsibility for providing for your needs. God does not promise to provide your needs if you do not put Him first. You are rightly anxious if that is the case.

But if you have put Him first in your life and are willing to wait for Him, He will provide your needs. He's promised!

Daily Devotion

Read Luke 12:13-21

Then [Jesus] said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. (v. 15)

Life is not about what you have; it is about your relationship to God!

Get out your Bible and read the full passage referred to above. After Jesus describes that man's life, He says, "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Catalogues can be fun to flick through, but do you find that as you flip through the latest ones, whether they are clothing catalogues or electronics catalogues or catalogues for books or houses or cars or computers or games or music—when you look, you want? And if you keep looking and longing, you can get consumed with your desire for something. Your life becomes "about" that thing.

God is saying to you today that your life is not about any of these things—your life is about Him and His will for you. Start spending more time in His "spiritual catalogue"—the Bible—and start getting consumed with your desire for the life described in there.

Then you will find that you are not "laying up treasure for yourself," but you are "rich toward God"! There's nothing you can buy that feels as good as having a rich relationship with God.

8 Things that might compel you to Reject Jesus

What would compel you to reject Jesus Christ? Here are eight things that might cause you to reject Jesus, drawn from Luke 4:22-30.

1. Theology

The people in Nazareth love Jesus as a teacher and a healer and a feeder and a defender of the poor. But when he said, “I’m God, and I speak on behalf of God,” they said, “No, you’re Joseph’s son. You’re just a really good guy, but you’re not God.” Some of you do that. “Jesus is a good man, but not the God-man. He’s a good teacher, except for when he lies, saying things like ‘I’m God and savior.’” Don’t reject him theologically.

2. Control

You can reject him because of control. 

This was the real conflict in Nazareth. He showed up and they said, “Here’s what we want, Jesus. You grew up with us. You know that we’re poor and she’s sick and he needs a job, and we’ve got a dumpy, rural hick-town nobody comes from, to, or through, and you—you’re a rock star. You draw huge crowds. You can heal and feed people. We’re gonna set up a tent. You’re gonna be the circus act. People are going to come from miles around. You can feed us, heal us, bless us, make us headquarters. We’re gonna use you for our own mission. We wanna get rich and famous.” It was a control issue.

Jesus said, “I’m not going to do any miracles here in Nazareth. Not because I can’t do any miracles, but because if I do, you will think that you controlled me. And your motives are disgusting, and you don’t love God.” And for the widow, she got her miracle after she trusted the Lord. For the leper, he trusted the Lord and he got his miracle. Jesus says, “You guys don’t even love me, you don’t even trust me. You just want miracles. You want me to be the magic genie who jumps out of the bottle and answers all the requests. No.”

Some people are like that with Jesus. They come in to church or ministry and say, “Okay! Here’s what I want. Jesus, give it to me. He didn’t give it to me? Well, then I reject you. I’m post-Christian, anti-Christian. I’m going to find another religion or go my own way.” It’s how to reject Jesus.

3. Greed

Greed. There’s a lot of money to be made in Nazareth. If you could get Jesus to stay there and all the crowds to come to him, and you could build a huge synagogue, and you could take an offering after you heal people, you’d be doing well. They wanted to use Jesus for the money, so he uses the analogy and the illustration of the widow. She had nothing and she allowed the servant of God to live with her and to eat of her final meal before she starved to death. You don’t use God for money. That’s idolatry. You love God because he’s God. You love Jesus because he’s God.

4. Selfishness

Sometimes it’s just selfishness. The people in Nazareth, when he showed up they didn’t say, “Jesus! This is amazing! We could reach the nations. We could spread the good news that God has come. How could we help you and serve you? How could we give our lives so that others would come to know you?” It was just all about me. “Where’s my miracle? Where’s my healing? Where’s my food? Where’s my provision? What about me?” Complete selfishness can cause you to reject Jesus.

5. Familiarity

Familiarity. They say, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son? He says he’s God, Lord, Savior, Christ, King, and Prophet, but we saw him grow up. We know who he is. That’s not who he is. We know who he is.”

The truth is, you can become so familiar with Jesus that you don’t even know who he is. You can grow up in church, be around Bible teaching, go to camp, go to Christian school, have Christian family, friends, relatives, co-workers, neighbors. You can even go to Bible college and get some goofy, dinky Bible college professor that gives you some weird, funky new liberal insight on Jesus and all of a sudden, you feel like you got it all nailed down and covered, and you reject him and move on and get into spiritism, demonism, and false teaching. Why? Because you’re like, “I know Jesus. I know the stories. I know the doctrine. I got it all nailed down, you know. But I’ve kind of moved on to some other things as well, in addition to or in place of him. Because I know him really well.”

And the truth is, you don’t. You don’t know him at all. You’re like the people in Nazareth. They’ve become so familiar of him that they’re really not aware of his true identity as God among them. I really worry about this with the church kids. See, I’m a fired-up, full-tank-of-gas kind of guy when it comes to Jesus. And part of that is, I grew up in the church knowing about Jesus and the stories of Jesus And I would have said, “Oh, I know who Jesus is. Yeah, he did something with fishes and loaves and, yeah, he can water-ski without a boat and stuff. Yeah, I know a few things about him.” But I didn’t really know much about Jesus and I wasn’t that familiar with him.

When I start meeting Jesus and reading the Bible and being with God’s people, I’m fired up because it’s all pretty fresh and new to me. For those of you who are like my wife and now like my kids, and you’re going to hear the name of Jesus and you’re going to hear Bible teaching and Bible reading and be around God’s people for a long time, don’t get too familiar with Jesus. Still be amazed and shocked and continue to be astonished by this man.

6. Comfort

Comfort. It’s where he uses the examples of the widow and of Naaman. Do you think it was comfortable for the widow to give what she had and her house to the prophet? No. Do you think it was comfortable for Naaman to go to another nation and another God and go down to the river and publically humiliate himself? No. Some of you, it’s just comfort. You’re like, “I would give, but it’s not comfortable. I would serve, but it’s not comfortable. I would pray, but it’s not comfortable. I would whatever, but it’s just not comfortable.” You worship convenience instead of Christ.

7. Embarrassment

Sometimes it’s just embarrassment, because being a Christian does not get you cool points anywhere. This was my big thing as a non-Christian. All the Christians would come to me and they’d be like, “Okay, you need to give your life to Christ.” And I’m like, “I don’t want to join the team, man. The Ned Flanders society. I do not want to join the team.” And it was always the kids with the bumper stickers and the t-shirts and the permagrins and the parted hair and the wristbands, and they’re like, “We love Jesus! We love him, we love him.” I was like, “Aaaargh! Seriously, is there another team that he has? Maybe wearing black, you know? Could I join that team?” It was just embarrassing. “I love Jesus.” You know how weird it is to get converted in college and your philosophy class, when they’re like, “How many of you are Christians?” “Oh, here we go.” You know. History class. “Yeah, I love Jesus.” Sociology class. “I love Jesus.” Women’s studies class. “Oh yeah, I love Jesus.” You know? You’re just a piñata for your whole undergrad degree. It’s embarrassing. And then every time any Christian says or does anything stupid, myself included—I am not beyond this capacity—it’s like, “You Christians.” You’re like, “There are billions of us! Just because one duffed it doesn’t mean we’re all doing it.”

It’s embarrassing. Do you think it was embarrassing for Naaman to go down to the river? “Hi, I’m the mighty man, leper, help.” It’s kind of embarrassing. For those in Nazareth, it’s like, “You’re the bad guys.” “Really? That’s kind of embarrassing, because we took a vote. We thought we were the good guys.” Some of you just need to be humiliated for Christ.

8. Religion

Lastly, sometimes it’s just good old-fashioned religion. Religious people don’t think they need Jesus because they think they’re doing fine without him and they don’t realize that they’re in worse shape than the widow and the leper. The truth is, we’re as needy as the widow. We’re as hopeless as the leper. We’re sinners by nature and choice.

Don’t Reject Jesus

They didn’t kill Jesus on this occasion in Luke 4, but eventually they did. And you know what he did? It was the most amazing thing in the world. He took our sin upon his sinless self and he died to forgive us of all of our sin. That’s amazing.

You know what Jesus is? He’s good to the end. He provides for us like he did the widow. He heals us like he did the leper. He does that as we murder him, and he loves us. Some of you are going to reject him as they did in Nazareth. I would beg you not to do that. Some of you would reject him like the soldier rejected God, and then he had a change of heart and mind, and he received God. See, there’s still hope for you. You’re still alive. Just because you’ve rejected Jesus doesn’t mean you can’t receive him today. Some of you will be like the widow and you will just receive the Lord into your life. That’s what I want for you, because I love you, and I want good for you. And I want you to enjoy the gift of Jesus Christ.