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Mar 10th | Who Do You Say That I Am?
Names are given to us to provide some sort of identity. My birth name is Brenda; that is what I am called, and that is how I am known. The meaning of my name rings of no importance to me, nor do I think it could transform all of the world or make those around me respect or love me any more or less. But what if a name could do such a thing? What if someone’s name truly defined who he or she is, had the ability to alter the course of history, and just by believing in that very name, we could be saved?
Matthew 16:13-16 recounts a time when Jesus was talking to His disciples and aske[READ MORE | Posted on: March 10th, 2011 PST | By: Brenda Abel] |
Mar 5th | Behind the Scenes
At the Summer Camp I attend I have on occasion had the opportunity of leading the early morning devotions for the counselors. Though I don't love early mornings, I do love the opportunity to minister to the guys and girls who pour their insights and guidance into our students. I remember one year, after the week was up, an adult who had come to the early morning devotions came to me and said, "You know I really enjoyed your devotions this week." Before I could say thank you, he said, "I don't normally agree with you hippy types, [READ MORE | Posted on: March 5th, 2011 PST | By: Bryce Cooley] |
Mar 3rd | Where have all the Christians gone?
This is more a rant than a theological treatise, but it is something that has been on my heart to an overwhelming degree lately.
It seems our churches are filled with a whole lot of cultural Christians and not very many true, comprehensive Christians. By Cultural Christians I mean those who go to church, go through the motions while in view of others, but don't live their lives for Christ on a day-to-day basis (also referred to as Sunday Christians). They are those who walk around unchanged, still stuck in their old ways, not taking hold of the new life Christ has for th[READ MORE | Posted on: March 3rd, 2011 PST | By: Bryce Cooley] |
Mar 1st | A Valuable Life
By what means do you measure the value of life? By how happy you are? By how much money you make? Perhaps, your standard is how comfortable your life is? As Christians, our answer to finding the value in life should not be found in worldly wisdom but rather in the teachings of scripture.
In Acts 20:24, Paul is talking to the church of Ephesus about how our lives as Christians should be measured. Scripture says that Paul was constrained by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem to preach the gospel. Even though he did not know what was in store for him, he knew he was called by God to g[READ MORE | Posted on: March 1st, 2011 PST | By: Brenda Abel] |
Feb 28th | God has a plan for all of us!
We all have a purpose in life yet we sit back and expect everything to be brought to us without any active involvement in God's plan. We search and search, and eventually give up because "nothing is happening." We wonder why we haven't grasped what we are called for as men and women of God. Inevitably, we start to create excuses for ourselves about why we are not fulfilling the purpose God has called us to. We live in fear rather than step out simply because we MIGHT fail in what He asks of us.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 says,
11."For I know[READ MORE | Posted on: February 28th, 2011 PST | By: Mercedes Novak] |
Feb 26th | I'm A Real Boy
Just recently I took a large group of students to a conference hosted by a California-based worship band and youth movement not far from my home in the Sacramento area. During one of their amazing movie-quality intro videos, a verse from the book of Deuteronomy popped up and it got me thinking.
Deuteronomy 28:13
13 If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.
Being a young person who loves to "go against[READ MORE | Posted on: February 26th, 2011 PST | By: Ryan DesJardin] |
Feb 21st | Everything is Meaningless.....unless...
[24] There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God...
(Ecclesiastes 2:24 ESV)
I didn't like my job. In fact, most days I really hated it. I didn't really like where I lived. There was a ton of stuff in my life that I didn't like. We all have these types of things right--family, jobs, school... (insert witty answer here)? My days used to consist of driving 50 miles to work. I would clean windows at a person's house, usually risking life and limb by [READ MORE | Posted on: February 21st, 2011 PST | By: Matt Davis] |
Feb 1st | Sniff Sniff
As I sat at a table staring out at a Costa Rican backdrop, I started my not-so-normal jungle time with Jesus. Usually my devotional time is spent in a completely different jungle, the jungle of local coffee houses with kids that are way too "Indie" for their own good. This week, however, I got to spend my time in the Word in a completely different place. As I read a story I had encountered many times before, something different, new, and fresh hit me that I hadn't ever noticed. This moment came in one verse.
Genesis 8:21:
21 And the Lord was pleased with the a[READ MORE | Posted on: February 1st, 2011 PST | By: Ryan DesJardin] |
Feb 1st | Of God and Countries
Recently I asked my youth group the question, "What do God and Belize have in common?" Before I answer that question for you, I feel I should give it a little context.
I just got married December 18th [holds for applause]...thank you, thank you. As most newlyweds do, we went on a Honeymoon. Part of this Honeymoon included a cruise ship and a stopover in Belize, where we did cave innertubing. Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds. The entirety of our visit to Belize was comprised of getting off the ship, taking an hour-and-a-half bus ride to the cave [READ MORE | Posted on: February 1st, 2011 PST | By: Bryce Cooley] |
Jan 16th | You Are Revolting
Or at least you should be.
I have become increasingly frustrated in the past couple months of the weak way in which I see Christians living. I will put myself in that category. I apologize if I sound harsh.... I have become increasingly passionate about this. I have to say something, for everything I say that may be convicting to you I realize, that with the same rule, I am casting judgement upon myself....
We spend so much time on everything else and no time on Christ. We take upon us the encouraging scriptures but do not apply the convicting ones to our lives. Far be it for[READ MORE | Posted on: January 16th, 2011 PST | By: Bryce Cooley] |
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