Do You Know...

In Samuel 1, what were the names of Samuel's mother and father?

Maybe you know the answer already in your head. Maybe you need to look to up. However you can come up with your answer, just make sure you are the first person to leave the correct answer in the comments section!

Odd Facts Known By Few

The planet Jupiter is larger than all of the other planets combined.

What's Your Personal SPF?

It's May 27th...what else could it be but Sunscreen Day!

Make sure you lather up with enough sunscreen to make it through this day. I'm sure this is probably the one day in the year when the sun tries to bake us all.

And let this be a reminder for all those headed to camp with us this weekend: bring lots and lots of lotion with you.

Uh-oh...There Go the Lights

Think back to the last time you lost electricity in your home after dark. It was probably due to a big electrical storm or to power company repair work. Regardless of why these circumstances came about, as a result, you were left completely in the pitch-black darkness of night. As you stumbled around trying to find your way, your hands groped for something that would bring some light into the room and let you see better. Then your hands find that flashlight that you keep around for occasions such as this. Now you are not lost in your own home and will be able to see fairly well even with the power out...as long your flashlight's batteries aren't dead!

Read Matthew 5:14-16; focus in on verse 16.
1) What is the purpose of a light? Is that true when it comes to the Christian life?
2) In John 8:12, Jesus calls Himself the Light of the World. In light of today's passage, what kind of responsibility does that give us?
3) Who is ultimately praised for good works done?
4) What kind of light is being shone on the Lord from your witness?

The kind of light that Jesus referred to in this Scripture from the Sermon on the Mount can be closely compared with a flashlight. Once you pick up a flashlight and turn the light on, you no longer care about looking at the flashlight itself. Now your gaze is fixed on whatever the light is shining on. The purpose of the light is worthless if your attention is only on the source and not on what the light illuminates. In the same way, Jesus is saying that the purpose of our "light" as witnesses for Him is so that the Father in Heaven may be glorified. Sure, He says that they will see our good works, but we shouldn't get any credit for it; all of that will go directly to God. If our lives are to be characterized by the type of "light" that Jesus speaks of here, then our only goal through the things we do is to bring honor, glory and attention to the One who created us. We are to be that light pointing the way to the Lord.

Rush of Fools

This week, I've chosen our Song of the Week by no accident. It is "Undo" by Rush of Fools. Those headed to camp with our church will get to hear Rush of Fools live as they will be leading the worship for the camp services.

This song's chorus talks about the forgiveness that God and God alone offers to those who cry out for it. He is the only one who can wipe away our sins and make us usuable for Himself.

Hope you enjoy this and some other ROF songs in the playlist on the sidebar. To read the complete lyrics for "Undo," click here.

Do You Know...

What part of a ship does James compare the tongue to in James 3?

Maybe you know the answer already in your head. Maybe you need to look to up. However you can come up with your answer, just make sure you are the first person to leave the correct answer in the comments section!

Great Expectations

One of the jobs that I had during my time in seminary was an overnight loader/unloader at UPS. After a few months on the job, I was promoted to a part-time supervisor’s position on the same shift. Before I was officially given the status of a supervisor, I was informed that the expectations that the company had for supervisors were higher than those they had for the loaders and unloaders. I would have to wear a UPS polo and khakis every night, never be late, keep my face clean-shaven and my sideburns to a certain length, effectively manage a group of employees, and generally conduct myself in a way that the company could be proud of.

Read Ephesians 4:1. Find the key words in this verse.

1. Why does Paul call himself a “prisoner for the Lord”?
2. What is the calling that he is referring to at the end of the verse?
3. If someone wants to “walk worthy,” what would that look like? (Check out the next two verses for some hints.)
4. Can we really ever be worthy of salvation? What do you think this verse is really getting at?
5. What does this say about the connection between our lifestyle and our witness for Christ?

Just as UPS or any company has high requirements and expectations for those representing them, Christians have a tremendous responsibility to do all we can to live up to God's standards. Of course, we will never attain perfection this side of Heaven, but that should not keep us from striving for it always. Verses two and three give some details as to how our walk as believers should be characterized: humility, gentleness, patience, love, unified. Which of these comes most natural to you? Which should you focus on trying to improve in this coming week? It is not acceptable in God's eyes to walk worthy in some areas but not in others. Let your life completely show the love God has for all His children and for those who will call on Him.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of people that walk to work.

Pick Strawberries Day

Yes, that's right. There's even a day designated for going out and picking a fruit. We actually have some strawberry plants in our back yard, so if you're getting a late start on celebrating this wonderful day, give me a call. We wouldn't want anyone to miss out on picking their very own strawberry.

Ravic Who?

Stop me when I mention someone you know: Hans G. Klemm, Donald Yamamoto, Deborah Jones, Clyde Bishop, Maurice Parker...ring a bell by any chance? Actually, I'd be surprised if they did. These five people have one particular thing in common. They have been sworn in as ambassadors from the United States to countries throughout the world. The purpose for each person serving as an ambassador for our nation is to represent the United States of America to a specific country. They have our country's best interest in mind, and they do all they can to project a positive image of us to others in the world.

It is in this same line of thinking that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleasding throgh us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." Believers have been entrusted with the incredible responsibility of representing the One who sent them. Much like ambassadors, we are living in a world that is not our real home; rather, our final home is in Heaven. We need to spread the message of Christ in our own community and in the relationships we've been given. Just as you may not have known about who those names were in the beginning, no one may recognize you as any great preacher or missionary. But God knows the work and service that you give to Him through your life. We are the ones who are responsible to take the message "be reconciled to God" to those who are in need of a Savior.

Chris Sligh

The Song of the Week (coming out later than I wanted) is from former American Idol contestant Chris Sligh. The song is entitled "Empty Me" and can be found down in the playlist. Unforturnately, I could not find other songs from this particular artist that I wanted to also include with the Song of the Week.

The second half of Ephesians 5:18 reads something like this: "be filled with the Spirit." The lyrics in Sligh's song point out that you cannot be filled up with one thing if you are filled with something else. If we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit as Paul encourages us to be, then we must make sure that we are emptied inside and ready to be filled. Usually what is keeping us from the filling of the Spirit is that we are filled up with ourselves.

The last line of the chorus is a great prayer for all those who are looking for guidance and direction in the Lord's plan for them: "Empty me of me so I can be filled with You."

Do You Know...

In Jonah 1, what was the name of the city where Jonah was headed to try to escape from God?

Maybe you know the answer already in your head. Maybe you need to look to up. However you can come up with your answer, just make sure you are the first person to leave the correct answer in the comments section!

Odd Facts Known By Few

Polar bears are all left-handed.

Anyone Seen a Little Green Man?

Some people think they have. Today is widely celebrated in Ireland as Leprechaun Day, but that doesn't mean that we can't recognize it here in America as well. How you choose to celebrate it is entirely up to you. My advice would be to see if you can track down a leprechaun, for if you do, you will win their pot of gold.

You may want to head to Alabama if you're desperate to find a pot of gold. This news story below shows exactly why Mobile may be the perfect spot for a leprechaun to turn up: there's people there who believe that it's already happened.



(I love the reactions from the two news anchors in the studio. They make the video so much better!)

Wrong Way on a One-Way

Last weekend, Kim and I took our daughter Caroline to the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta. She really loves when we go there and enjoys seeing all of the different types of fish and animals the aquarium has. After you pass by the ticket booth outside and enter into the actual building, you walk down a wide hallway that leads into the “aquarium atrium” [try saying that three times fast]. The hallway is lined on both sides with glass tanks of fish all swimming continuously in the same direction, as if they were on some type of one-way street. In the past, I’ve never stopped for very long to watch them swim. This time, Caroline was fixated on them, so I had a chance to pay a little closer attention to them for a minute. As I stood there, I was watching for one particular thing: would there be a fish brave enough to swim the opposite direction in the tank?

It wasn’t long before one little fish caught my eye. He turned around about halfway down the tank and started swim against the other fish coming his way. As he made some progress, others turned to follow him. They wouldn’t make it very far before the pressure of the oncoming “traffic” became too much to handle, and they reverted back to the normal direction along with the rest. I watched this happen time and time again – one of them would finally decide to break the trend only to succumb to the resistance that it faced. And who could blame them? Going the opposite of everybody else was no easy task, especially in a tank as full of fish as these were. It meant bumping into others, trying to find their way, and maybe even ignoring the evil fish looks that were cast their way.

Then it happened. Whereas all the fish were going from left to right, one started from the right end headed left. As he went further and further, he would pick up one or two more fish that followed him. Eventually, the ones behind him broke off, but the leader stayed the course. Through all the pressure and all the fighting and all of the opposition, he managed to make it the entire length of the tank going the opposite way.

This scene got me to thinking about another verse that is painted on a wall out in the Youth House: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) If we were to picture the world as a road, it too would be a one-way street, with those on it headed straight for destruction and eternal torment in hell. Paul pointed out in this verse that there is a better way to live. He told us to be transformed, not conformed. At first they may sound the same, but believe me, there is a big difference. Conformity is to give in and just do what everybody else is doing; transformation is about being different and being that new creation that I mentioned yesterday.

If we are living for Christ and sharing Him through our lives, we will definitely be going against the current of society. And there is no doubt in my mind that every step in that journey will be hard and seem like you are going uphill. When you set out to live for Christ, you’ll be on fire and ready to change the world. Chances are that this zealous feeling fades before long, and following the Lord isn’t as easy as you’d imagined. Since most everyone else is on a different path in life, you’re headed in a totally opposite direction.

You can count on times coming when you’ll want to quit, times when it just doesn’t seem worth it, times when you just don’t care anymore. Knowing these feelings are coming helps so that you can be ready for them. When you do encounter the temptation to quit and just follow the group 'cause it's just so easy, think of the fish in the tank. Don't fade out under the pressure like that first group. Stay the course; be the one who remains faithful to God no matter the cost. The key is to avoid blending in with the world, and be transformed in Christ.

But how do we make this transformation? Paul said it is done through the “renewing of your mind.” In a nutshell, aligning your life into God’s plan isn’t necessarily all about changing what you do, but just as much about adjusting how you think. Once you became a Christian, maybe you thought something along these lines: "Now that I'm saved, I probably shouldn't watch those kind of movies/listen to that kind of music/hang out with those friends anymore." And there's a great chance that you're right in making that decision, but that's only half the battle. The important thing is, do you know WHY? Is it because that's not what you think a saved person should do, or not how you've seen a Christian friend act? If you change because of some reason you make up on your own, then you are setting yourself up for a hard fall back into the world's ways.

The real reason for changing, one that we need to grasp if we are going to make a lasting transformation in our lives, is that we are now entrusted to live as Christ would. We are saying goodbye to our old self and our old way of doing things, and beginning the lifelong process of molding ourselves into what God desires for us. True, it may very well feel like going the wrong way on a one-way street, but it is the only way to live out God’s plan and will for each of our lives in the fullest way possible.

MercyMe

Today's Song of the Week nod goes to MercyMe with "So Long Self" off of their Coming Up to Breathe album. Take a close listen to it, along with some other MercyMe songs, on the playlist down in the sidebar.

The song here echoes the feelings behind what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:12: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." If you notice, "So Long Self" sounds like two people breaking up; in reality, it is a conversation between a Christian and his old life. Its intent is to engrain the concept that, once we turn our lives over to the Lord, our lives are forever changed. We cannot go back to doing things as we may have in the past before we knew Christ.

As Bard Millard of MercyMe sings to his old nature, "There's no room for two, so you are going to have to move." May this be on our hearts and minds this week, that we aren't who we used to be before Christ because we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. In order to totally surrender yourself to the Lord's will for you, then you've got to bid your own self farewell.
________

To see the complete lyrics to MercyMe's "So Long Self," click here. And don't miss the other great MercyMe songs in the playlist.

Do You Know...

In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, who did Jesus say will "inherit the earth"?

Maybe you know the answer already in your head. Maybe you need to look to up. However you can come up with your answer, just make sure you are the first person to leave the correct answer in the comments section!

Can a Teenager Be a Champion?

Games of strategy have never made much sense to me too much. I can grasp the basic concept and logic behind a simple game of checkers, but I am lost when put behind an army of chess pieces. Sure, I can tell you how each piece can be moved, and that the object of the game is to protect your own king and capture the opponent’s king. I have no mind, though, for figuring out how a move I make one time affects the game as a whole.

Some people do get it, though. I’ve heard of world champion chess players who can plan eight to ten moves ahead, and it blows my mind. Because chess involves so much strategy and logic, many probably put it in the category as a game for adults. However, this was proven wrong by a teenager named Bobby Fischer. Bobby began playing chess at the age of six and, by the time he was fourteen years old, had won the US National Chess Championship. What an accomplishment for anybody, especially a young teenaged boy. Bobby learned right from the start to not accept the idea that being young would keep him from competing on a national level. And for his hard work and unbelievable achievements, he made a name for himself very early on in life, and in a game that was mostly played by people at least twice his age.

In 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul was giving some advice for his young protégé in the ministry to consider. 1 Timothy 4:12 reads, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Too often, the youth group of any church is referred to as the “church of the future.” While that may be true, never forget that they are also the church of the present.

If you are in middle school or high school, don’t let yourself fall for the line of thinking that being a good Christian means that you have to be a certain age or have so much experience as a believer. Paul was essentially saying for you to start right now being that example. Interestingly enough, you’re not just an example to the others in the youth group, although that is very important. As you set the bar spiritually, you are also modeling the way a Christian should live for the church as a whole. Take a closer look at the verse. Notice Paul said that the example is set “for the believers.” That’s everyone, from the babies in the nursery right on through to the senior citizens’ class. You can be and should be an example for everyone in the church.

As you see, there are five specific areas where Paul said that we as young believers are to set the example for the other Christians: speech, life, love, faith, and purity. As you read each aspect, ask yourself what setting in example for each thing would look like. Then evaluate if that is something that you are currently doing, or if there are steps that you should take to put yourself in a position of being a leader in that way.

Remember: being young is no excuse for not living for Christ with all your heart. God wants to use you as a leader in His church. Will He find you ready and available to use you when He wants?

Odd Facts Known By Few

Every day, more money is printed for Monopoly than for the US Treasury.

Wednesday Night Rewind

Revelation - Chapter 14

As we continued our study through the book of Revelation last night, we read in chapter 14 about the 144,000 Jewish Christians who were sealed with the name of God on their foreheads. Their purpose on the earth during the Tribulation was to be God's messengers or preachers to the people who still remained unbelievers. In return for their obedience to do God's will, God would protect them from those who would try to put them to death. The lives of the 144,000 were preserved so that God's message might continue to be preached even in such an evil time.


Verse four and five of chapter 14 hit on the character and integrity of those numbered in the 144,000. Out of all the qualities that John writes about them, we get a great picture of their faith in the Lord. Also, within the character of these Christians is an example for each us as we do all we can to live for the Lord.


Four qualities of the 144,000 stick out to me as models for us as Christians as well:


(1) They stayed faithful to the Lord. [vs. 4]


(2) They followed Christ wherever He led them. [vs. 4]


(3) They loved and stood for truth. [vs. 5]


(4) They continuously strived for perfection. [vs. 5]

Next week, we'll study through the Bowl Judgments of chapters 15-16. My hope is that, as we take a look into the future and all that will occur in the end times, God will always give us a glimpse of how we can apply priniciples to draw closer in our journey with Him.

Enjoy your favorite soda...

'cause today is Beverage Day! It's a time set aside to enjoy even more than usual the simple joy it is to sit down and sip your favorite ice-cold drink. Personally, my favorite soda is Cheerwine, but I realize it might not be for everybody (though it should be!). So tell me, on this wonderful annual Beverage Day, what soda will you enjoy today?

Tickets, Please!

If you've ever been around me for any length of time, chances are that you have found out that I am a die-hard University of North Carolina basketball fan. I catch almost every game either on TV or on the radio. Recently, the UNC Tar Heels played in the ACC tournament in downtown Atlanta, so I decided to try to go to one of the games.

As I drove down toward the stadium that Saturday, I knew there was only one thing standing between me and a seat inside the Georgia Dome to watch the game: a ticket. Without a ticket, I could not get into the game. It didn't matter how much I knew about the team or how badly I wanted to see them play, I had to have a valid ticket to gain entry to the game.

As I got close to the stadium, it was very easy to spot those who had tickets they wanted to sell. They would be standing on the street corners with their hands in the air, holding the tickets they wanted to get rid of. Usually, there was a small crowd gathered around them as well, as more and more people figured out that those holding the tickets had something they wanted. Eventually, I was able find some tickets and got in to watch all the action. But, had I not had that little piece of paper with some numbers and words printed on it, I would never have had a chance to walk through the doors of the Georgia Dome and into the event that I wanted so badly to see.

The verse that our group has chosen as its theme verse is John 3:3 - "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Much like trying to get into the basketball game without a ticket, the Bible says very clearly that, unless a person has experienced salvation through Jesus Christ, they have no hope of being giving eternal life and the glories of Heaven. It makes no difference how much they know about the Bible, or how badly they desire Heaven; without the salvation that Christ brought through His death on the cross, every one of us would be lost and headed for Hell.

But thanks be to God that He has provided that opportunity, that spiritual "ticket" to gain entry into Heaven and to receive eternal life. We must be careful, though, to never find ourselves thinking that all we need is to get that "ticket" and sit back and coast until we need to use it. Because of all the blessings that God has showered down upon us, we in turn have been given the responsibility to take His message of hope to those who do not know Christ as Savior.

We are to be like those ticket salesmen in that we should not be ashamed that we have the only way that people are going to get into Heaven. Once people see that we have what they need spiritually, then will we have the opportunity to share with them about the Lord. That is the main reason we exist as a youth group - to be a light and a witness in the world, one that would bring others to Him. And that is why John 3:3 is our theme verse: to remind us constantly of the task that God has put before us to reach our friends, family, and anyone else that we can for Christ.

Big Daddy Weave

As we start into a new format for the website, each day will have its own weekly segment. Some days will have trivia, quizzes, and funny information; others will be geared toward Scripture devotions, Christian music, and recapping our lessons in youth.

Mondays will feature a Christian song in our "Song of the Week" post. The song for that week will always be at the top of the music playlist in the sidebar of the website in case you'd like to hear it. Along with it will be other songs by the same band. If you have a song you'd like to see as "Song of the Week," be sure to let me know.

Today's song is by Big Daddy Weave - "What Life Would Be Like." This song reminds me of Ephesians 5:1 - Be imitators of God as dear children. The end of the chorus brings the phrase "I wonder what life would be like if we let Jesus live through you and me." What a concept! To think how different our lives might be if we lived every day, every moment, every situation by letting Christ live is us and through us. That is one of the hardest trials in the life of the Christian: to put aside the things of the flesh and what we selfishly want to do, and to allow our lives to be molded and shaped daily by the Lord. Yet those who do so will find that they are most able to be used in service to Him.

Hope you enjoy this song as much as I do. In fact, leave a comment, and tell me how you like it. And be sure to look for another "Song of the Week" next Monday.
_______________

To see the complete lyrics to "What Life Would Be Like," click here.