<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834</id><updated>2011-04-21T18:43:17.035-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Teen Church Message</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>7</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-720372841880353359</id><published>2008-02-25T15:54:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-25T15:56:41.147-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Seven Checkpoints -Moral Boundaries (02.24.08)</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Scripture &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;1 Thessalonians 4:3-8&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;“It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="355"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AYsClDclvf0&amp;amp;rel=1"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name="wmode" value="transparent"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AYsClDclvf0&amp;amp;rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;“Many of the things that you love to do God hates.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Today we are going to talk about moral boundaries.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Explain &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“The Seven Checkpoints”)&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;First &lt;b style=""&gt;what is a boundary&lt;/b&gt;?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is a &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;predetermined set of restrictions&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Every arena of life has them.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Relationship thrives because there is some form, no matter how loose, of boundaries or restrictions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Boundaries are something that should not change.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They should be universal.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;For example, what happens if you are spending a nice spring weekend with your kids shooting baskets on their 8’ rim?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Then you come in for your league game at the Y and the basket is suddenly 10’.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What does that do to your shot?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It throws it off.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Because your mind, eye and body were conditioned to throw the ball in basket that was 8’ high.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;No matter how important or trivial a particular boundary may be it was established for a reason.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Take stop signs for instance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What is the central purpose for a stop sign?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;To make you stop so that you and others may be safe.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;Talk about stop sign at corner of Independence and Turtleback&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;).&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Let’s face it no one likes to be told what they are supposed to do.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Your &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;children&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; don’t, your &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;teenagers&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; don’t and neither do &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;you&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;No one likes to be told they can only go so far.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Why&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Because we think we know better.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We think we are more mature or more sophisticated and strong enough to not let that boundary apply to us.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But so what.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Who cares what you think.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Boundaries are never established on an individual basis.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A boundary is always about something else.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;Honestly, the stop sign does not have a disclaimer, “only if you are a student driver…or…only if there is a police officer watching…or…only if you could get hurt…”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It says, “STOP!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Look what the Bible says about people who think they are smart enough or that a particular rules don’t apply to them. &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Proverbs 28:26,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt; “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Ephesians 5:15-20,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt; “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Paul is saying, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“be careful how you live…”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When the scriptures say something such as,&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt; “do not get drunk…”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; what does that mean?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;don’t get drunk&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;) It is a command.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is black and white.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Let me ask you a question, the last time you had one too many and crossed that line, whether socially or not, did you repent?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Or&lt;/b&gt;, did you not think it was a big deal?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A lot of times we have a “no harm, no foul” mentality with sin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If there is no harm then I haven’t sinned, therefore, I don’t need to repent, because there is nothing to repent from.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Now look what &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Psalm 36:2 says,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt; “For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or &lt;span style=""&gt;hate&lt;/span&gt; his sin.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Psalmist says, you have filled yourself with so many lies, you don’t even recognize, let alone hate the sin in your life, or even recognize you have overstepped God’s moral boundaries.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;What happens when we don’t recognize sin in our lives?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(We don’t repent of it)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;So many times we fall into this mindset of convincing ourselves we are good enough with the lifestyle we are living.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In fact we even bring God into the discussion, we say things like, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“Just because I do this or that doesn’t mean God will love me any less.”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;WOW!!! You got me there.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;However what is truth? Notice who the “he” is in this Psalm, it is the &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;wicked&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When you flatter yourself with “it’s okay, God still loves me.” You are behaving just like the wicked.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Does that make you angry?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Does that make you uncomfortable?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Good, because God likes that kind of emotion.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;He hates wickedness and he wants you to hate it as well.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;We like most parents teach Esther not to use the word ‘hate’.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;However, when I searched the word hate I discovered 128 verses containing the word hate.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Here are a few in the context of moral boundaries.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=37&amp;amp;chapter=5&amp;amp;verse=15&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Amos 5:15&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Hate&lt;/b&gt; evil, love good…&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&amp;amp;chapter=97&amp;amp;verse=10&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Psalm 97:10&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Let those who love the LORD &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; evil…&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=104&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Psalm 119:104&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; every wrong path.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&amp;amp;chapter=139&amp;amp;verse=21&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Psalm 139:21&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do I not &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; those who &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; you, O LORD…&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&amp;amp;chapter=8&amp;amp;verse=13&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Proverbs 8:13&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To fear the LORD is to &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; evil; I &lt;b&gt;hate&lt;/b&gt; pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=52&amp;amp;chapter=12&amp;amp;verse=9&amp;amp;version=31&amp;amp;context=verse"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Romans 12:9&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Love must be sincere. &lt;b&gt;Hate&lt;/b&gt; what is evil; cling to what is good.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;You see no one really questions God’s love them.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But one must call into question your love.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Your love for God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see too many times we display an attitude of &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“What is the bare minimum I have to do and still be saved?”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt; &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;When the real attitude should be, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“God what all can I do for you?”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;As I was searching the scriptures to see what God has to say about moral boundaries, I discovered a unique pattern.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When God would say things like, “Don’t do this.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or like in &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Romans 12:9&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;“Love must be sincere. &lt;span style=""&gt;Hate&lt;/span&gt; what is evil; cling to what is good.” &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;It is preceded or followed by community. &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Serving one another.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Encouraging one another. Putting others above yourself&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see when we display an attitude of “I am mature enough to do this, or this doesn’t apply to me” We are not obeying God by taking responsibility to put others needs before our own.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;I want to look at a man in the Old Testament who was considered a good king over Israel, but he did allow himself to be aligned with an enemy of God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;2 Chronicles 19:1-3&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt; “When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;(&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;or make alliance with&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;)&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt; those who hate the LORD ? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God."&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;In a commentary on this passage respected &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;Theologian, Matthew Henry&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; states, &lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;“In sending him a reproof for his affinity with Ahab. It is a great mercy to be made sensible of our faults, and to be told in time wherein we have erred, that we may repent and amend the error before it be too late.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see the prophet called the King of Judah out.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He said you have made an unholy union with a blatant enemy of God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This sin, could be destructive for the kingdom (note: kingdom of Israel)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Guess how the king responded to this awareness?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;He repented&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He made his fault right in the eyes of the Lord and the people&lt;b style=""&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In verse four we find Jehoshaphat gathering the people and once again turning them towards back to the Lord&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;You see you have two choices when you are confronted with sin; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;1. To repent&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; or &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;2. To rebel&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Too many times, we choose the latter.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Why?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Because repentance is admittance, and we don’t like to admit our faults.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Illustration:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt; My Great-Uncle’s wife had passed away several years ago (and he has since passed away too).&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He finally made the decision to move into an assisted living facility.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was a healthy, debonair widower in his mid 80’s.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He began to develop a friendship with a young lady in the facility.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He respectfully called her, “My lady friend.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My mom’s brother, a younger man, wise to the ways of the times told him, “You know Harold, it is the 90’s now and you don’t have to be married anymore to have sex.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;All Harold wanted was a friend, a companion.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In-fact, he was appalled at the advice given him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When is the last time any of us were ‘appalled’ at the flagrant sin in our culture.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Our society parades sin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We are entertained by shows depicting detestable sins.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We squirm at the latest slasher flick as it pushes the boundaries of full-on cannibalism and human sacrifice.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But it doesn’t matter what we do God is still going to love us.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;Living your life within the moral boundaries God has set around his children is a display of his love for us and a very clear example of our love for him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;We sit in the same chair week after week&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;We socialize with the same small group of friends &lt;u&gt;and wonder why we as a church are not growing&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Why?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Because we are living outside the moral boundaries God has established.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;God tells us; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;don’t go outside these guidelines I have set for you&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Instead offer up &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;praise&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; to me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Encourage&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; one another.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Pray&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; for one another&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Take care&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; of those who have needs.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When we as a majority are living foolishly outside the moral boundaries God has established, He will not bless us.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;One reason we may not be growing is frankly because of sin in our lives.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;But&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt; when we submit to the moral boundaries God has established for us out of devotion and love for him, he will bless us.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Listen &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;when we get caught up in the things God loves he blesses&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;When we get caught up in the things God hates, he curses.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So where are you?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I had to do some serious self-accountability in this area.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"&gt;But you know what?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I don’t even remember things I had to step away from.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;But I do remember stepping away. &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"&gt;When we stop the flattery and admit our wrong and that we have stepped outside the boundaries God has established for his children, He will be praised, you will be blessed and the Kingdom will grow.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-720372841880353359?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/720372841880353359/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=720372841880353359' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/720372841880353359'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/720372841880353359'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/02/seven-checkpoints-moral-boundaries.html' title='The Seven Checkpoints -Moral Boundaries (02.24.08)'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-6585779335413045187</id><published>2008-02-18T15:02:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-18T15:15:35.487-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Seven Checkpoints -Healthy Friendships(2.17.08)</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;Proverbs 13:20&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt; “He who walks with the wise grows wise,&lt;br /&gt;       but a companion of fools suffers harm.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;A wise person is someone who knows the difference between right and wrong AND makes the right decision.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;How important is it to pursue wisdom?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What if you don’t necessarily care to be wise –according to the Bible?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How many students you consider friends would you say are ‘wise’ based on a biblical definition?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Good friends are wise friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Good friends know the difference between right and wrong.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Good friends make good decisions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And it will always be easier for you to do the right thing when you are with the right people.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;A fool is a person who knows the difference between right and wrong, BUT chooses to do wrong.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;One of the recurring arguments students use with their parents and youth leaders goes something like this: “But I don’t do what they do.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I just want to be where they are.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or this: “I don’t drink; I just go to the parties.”&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;You need to stop and “give thought to [your] ways.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Oftentimes it is not what you do that causes you to get hurt.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is who you are with.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is the companion of fools – not the fool themselves – who will suffer harm.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;Proverbs 13:10&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt; “Pride only breeds quarrels,&lt;br /&gt;       but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;Choosing friends:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; What are the &lt;b style=""&gt;top five qualities you want in a friend&lt;/b&gt;?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now –are your current friendships falling short of what you really want?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Do you choose your friends?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;The truth is, you don’t really choose your friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You merely gravitate toward acceptance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You hook up with the people who are most accepting of you.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Illustration:&lt;/b&gt; I was observing you guys when you entered the youth room.  When you came in, you immediately went to a particular group of students.  They were people you have something in common with.  They accept you and you enjoy being around them.  You didn't hold up your "Top 5 Characteristics of a Good Friend" and then make your decision who you spent time with, you spent time with your peers who accept you.&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;So if what we noticed is true, then you don’t really choose your friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Your friends choose you.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Have you ever noticed how some people act one way at church events and a completely different way during the week?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They want to fit in, and they are willing to adapt themselves to different environments in order to gain the acceptance they crave.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Bottom line, your choice of friends has more to do with your desire to be accepted than a list of characteristics you draw up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You don’t choose your friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You gravitate toward acceptance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Acceptance is a good thing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There is nothing wrong with wanting to be accepted.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;BUT acceptance by the wrong people can be determined to your life.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Why?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Because acceptance paves the way to influence.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; Relationships don’t stand still.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Genuine friendships move in a positive, mutually beneficial direction.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Have you been friends with someone that only cares about doing what THEY want to do and not what you want to do?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not much fun is it?&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Self Destructive Behavior.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This is important to look out for, because, if your friends don’t care for their own well being, what makes you think they are going to care about you?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Would you loan your car to someone who doesn’t take care of their care?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Probably not.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So why would you put your physical and emotional self in the hands of self destructive people?&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;A lack of solid convictions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;They say things like, &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;“You have to do what you feel is right for you.” &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;“Everybody has to decide for themselves.”&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;“No one can tell other people what is right for them.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Having healthy friendships is probably one of the deciding factors in whether or not you stay committed in your relationship with God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Because acceptance is so important to you.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You will go back on commitments you vowed you would never neglect.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Your need to be accepted will trump your relationship with God.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Do you care more about the friend or the friendship?  This is an important question to ask because here is what happens as a result of caring about the friendship most.  If you care about a particular friendship you have with someone, then chances are you wont say or do much that will jeopardize that friendship.  You don't necessarily care about the person you say is your friend, but rather you are more concerned with how that friendship makes you feel.  Now lets say you know without a doubt that 'friend' is not a Christian.  You know that non-Christians will suffer in eternal separation from God.  However, because the status you receive by being this persons friend is more important to you than their salvation, you don't risk the friendship by saying anything about their need for Jesus.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consider the alternative.  If you care more about that person -the friend than you do the friendship, then you are willing to risk the status you receive from being their friend to talk to them about Jesus -even though it may cost you the friendship. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God knows your friendships and friends are important to you.  He knows you value the acceptance you feel when you are around them.  However, as His child, he would rather &lt;span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"&gt;you  &lt;/span&gt;influence &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;them, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;than&lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt; them &lt;/span&gt;influence &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;you&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-6585779335413045187?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6585779335413045187/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=6585779335413045187' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/6585779335413045187'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/6585779335413045187'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/02/seven-checkpoints-healthy.html' title='The Seven Checkpoints -Healthy Friendships(2.17.08)'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-1805011553196177258</id><published>2008-02-11T08:48:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-18T15:16:31.011-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Seven Checkpoints -Spiritual Disciplinees (2.10.08)</title><content type='html'>&lt;object height="355" width="425"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y2Lr5MaRULg&amp;amp;rel=1"&gt;&lt;param name="wmode" value="transparent"&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y2Lr5MaRULg&amp;amp;rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have a theory that events like church camp, summer conferences and other Christian Gatherings do not work.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The reason I believe this is because they focus so much on the heart and on emotions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There is so little emphasis on the mind –on a transformed mind.  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Jeremiah 17:9&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; says, “The &lt;span style=""&gt;heart&lt;/span&gt; is &lt;span style=""&gt;deceitful&lt;/span&gt; above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So if the heart is deceitful, then why do we play on emotions to get you to make a decision?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Do you want me to prove my point?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;How many of you at one time&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt; or another have made very passionate commitments at camp or some other type of conference?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now, &lt;b style=""&gt;how many of you have within one month gone back to the exact same lifestyle you lived before camp?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So there is something that is not happening.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One of the reasons I believe commitments don’t last is because students, youth ministers and camp directors think the camp experience is all that’s needed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And the fact is that it is not.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It may be a good start, but it is not the end all.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Romans 12:2&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The only way our minds can be transformed is by changing our perspective.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When you see as God sees, you will do as God says.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;When you look at this photo what do you see?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R7B9HXkDljI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Cgopf3OA72c/s1600-h/old-woman.gif"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R7B9HXkDljI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Cgopf3OA72c/s320/old-woman.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165766338131760690" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Some of you saw an old woman and some of you saw a young beautiful woman.  Same picture, but different perspectives.  We will begin to see things differently when we change from viewing circumstances from our perspective to God's perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Mark 1:35&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;1.) Solitude / Silence&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Psalm 46:10&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “"Be still, and know that I am God;&lt;br /&gt; I will be exalted among the nations,&lt;br /&gt; I will be exalted in the earth."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;2.) Prayer&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Matthew 6:9-13&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;“"This, then, is how you should pray:&lt;br /&gt;" 'Our Father in heaven,&lt;br /&gt;hallowed be your name,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="sup"&gt;10&lt;/span&gt;your kingdom come,&lt;br /&gt;your will be done&lt;br /&gt;on earth as it is in heaven.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="sup"&gt;11&lt;/span&gt;Give us today our daily bread.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="sup"&gt;12&lt;/span&gt;Forgive us our debts,&lt;br /&gt;as we also have forgiven our debtors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="sup"&gt;13&lt;/span&gt;And lead us not into temptation,&lt;br /&gt;but deliver us from the evil one.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;3.) Scriptures / Meditate&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; on God’s Word &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Psalm 119:11, 105&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “I have hidden your word in my heart&lt;br /&gt; that I might not sin against you.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“Your word is a lamp to my feet&lt;br /&gt; and a light for my path.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;James 1:22-25&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. &lt;span class="sup"&gt;23&lt;/span&gt;Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror &lt;span class="sup"&gt;24&lt;/span&gt;and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. &lt;span class="sup"&gt;25&lt;/span&gt;But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;4.) Journal&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;1 Timothy 4:7&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;(keep track of what God is doing)&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The one thing that will make each of these disciplines become habit is for you to do them with purpose.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Jesus got up before anyone else so he could spend intimate time with God.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;That should be our goal too.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Illustration&lt;/b&gt;: Losing Weight it takes time…it comes off a lot harder then it goes on.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What do I have to do to gain weight?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Nothing)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What do I have to do to lose weight?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Work, hard).&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Same is true for your faith.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In order to develop a transformed mind, it will take work,&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;it will take consistency and you will need to have a goal in mind.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;All that goal needs to be is a desire to get closer to God…to be found by him.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Illustration&lt;/b&gt;: Hide and Seek –the anticipation of being found.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Our hidden place caused us our senses to be tuned in.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;when we wait quietly in stillness and solitude, our senses will be attuned in anticipation of being found by a Holy God.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;object height="355" width="425"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XCC-urqftd0&amp;amp;rel=1"&gt;&lt;param name="wmode" value="transparent"&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XCC-urqftd0&amp;amp;rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-1805011553196177258?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/1805011553196177258/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=1805011553196177258' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/1805011553196177258'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/1805011553196177258'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/02/authentic-faith-spiritual-disciplinees.html' title='The Seven Checkpoints -Spiritual Disciplinees (2.10.08)'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://bp2.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R7B9HXkDljI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Cgopf3OA72c/s72-c/old-woman.gif' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-7162586872501294392</id><published>2008-02-11T08:44:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-11T09:03:17.560-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Seven Checkpoints -Authentic Faith (2.03.08)</title><content type='html'>&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;color:red;"  &gt;Proverbs 3:5-6&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;color:red;"  &gt; “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;We are starting a new series today to coincide with our student small groups.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So today we are going to look at the most basic checkpoint and that is having an authentic faith.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We aren’t going to talk about whether or not you have faith, but we are going to look at whether or not your faith is strong enough to stand up to the tests that come your way.&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;What does the term, “&lt;u&gt;Authentic&lt;/u&gt;” mean to you?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What images does it draw up in your mind?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If I have an autographed football used in last year’s Colt’s Superbowl victory, &lt;b style=""&gt;how import would the certificate of authenticity be? &lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;(Very important because that is what gives it its worth, value and proves it’s real)&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Unfortunately, one area that causes students to give up on their faith is:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;font-size:11;"  &gt;Immediate &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Circumstances&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;*When tragedy strikes close to home, our emotions ‘need’ an answer.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;* Circumstantial faith requires us to interpret situations around us.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If I issue a prayer request and that request doesn’t take place, so I interpret that God can’t do what he says he will do?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Illustration&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;: “Fairy Tales” In all the Fairy tales I’ve watched, when the magic spell or curse is broken what instantly happens?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;All the dark, dead imagery becomes brilliant colors and beautiful blossoms.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The sleeping beauty is awaken by a kiss of the handsome prince.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now that makes for good, “Happily ever after…” stories, but follow this.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;When you become a Christian the curse of sin is defeated,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt; but your circumstances may not change.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The problem becomes when we think our new life as a believer should instantly result in perfect circumstances. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;We can’t make conclusions about God based on an immediate circumstance of life&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Many teenagers and adults make conclusions based on the immediate circumstances around them.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Ask: &lt;b style=""&gt;If God doesn’t answer your prayers by next week, do you wonder if He even exists?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you don’t see God at work in your immediate circumstances, do you lose your confidence in Him?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Can your faith be summarized by this statement: &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“What’s happening now and what I’m feeling now determine what I believe for now?”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;The passage in &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Proverbs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; says to, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;“Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you are trusting in the Lord with all your heart, that means trust him in the difficult times too.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see &lt;b style=""&gt;authentic faith is trusting, believing that God is who he says he is and he will do what he says he will do.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;It goes on to say, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;“…lean not on your own understanding…”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt; How many of you at one point in your life were confused with God?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You didn’t understand the reasoning as to why something was happening?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(We all have)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Illustration&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;:&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When a dad tells his 4 year-old son, “He loves him.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Then takes the boy to the doctor’s office for his yearly vaccination shots the boy may not believe his dad really loves him, “why would he let him suffer pain that way?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But when the boy is older and realizes his dad loved him enough to do what was necessary for his son’s health.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;Don’t let immediate circumstances sway you from God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Trust in Him, don’t rely on your own ability to interpret or understand a situation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In that you will develop a deep, authentic faith.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;" &gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;What faith is NOT.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Good working definition of faith: &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“God is who he says he is and he will do what he has promised to do.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;                &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;*&lt;u&gt;Faith is not about you&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; –it’s about God holding up his end of the bargain.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;What are some promises you can think of that God has made to us?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One promise you will never read is one where God says, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;“If you trust me, I will give you anything you want.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I will take away all the pain and hurt and embarrassment you have endured.”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That is not a promise of God –Joel Osteen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;One promise we do find is, found in &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Proverbs 3:5-6&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;“Trust in the Lord…and he will make your paths straight.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Does that say he will make everything smooth for you?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;NO!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Does that say he will keep all of your family members alive and healthy? &lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;NO!&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Does that say he will let you have popularity, friends, boy/girlfriends and good grades?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;NO.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But &lt;b style=""&gt;it does promise to put the burden of protection and guidance on God.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;God has not promised to deliver us from our circumstances.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He has promised to deliver us through our circumstances.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Don’t get caught up in the lie that you are the one that has to put on a show for God in order for him to respond.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Don’t let your lack of understanding, of an immediate circumstance lead you away from Him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Understand that faith is not about you, it is about God…being who he says he is and doing what he says he will do.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-7162586872501294392?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/7162586872501294392/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=7162586872501294392' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/7162586872501294392'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/7162586872501294392'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/02/seven-checkpoints-authentic-faith.html' title='The Seven Checkpoints -Authentic Faith (2.03.08)'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-3533039631048502066</id><published>2008-01-27T03:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-27T03:46:48.423-08:00</updated><title type='text'>"How Do You Know You Believe?"</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;“How do you know you believe?”&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;James 1:2-4&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “&lt;span class="sup"&gt;2&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, &lt;span class="sup"&gt;&lt;span id="en-NIV-30254"&gt;3&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. &lt;span class="sup"&gt;&lt;span id="en-NIV-30255"&gt;4&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;What do you notice in this passage?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Notice how our faith, once we become a believer, undergoes testing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Any product on the market goes thru many tests so that the particular product will &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;#1 Say what it says it will do&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; AND &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;#2 Be able to stand up under most circumstances.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Your faith is tested for that same purpose.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When you faith is tested (and you prevail), you develop perseverance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What does perseverance mean? (don’t give up)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;An athlete who perseveres thru the pain, as more at stake than the one who breezed thru untouched.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;James goes on to say, “when you have persevered, you will be mature and complete.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So our faith is tested so that you may persevere so that you may mature and be complete.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Do you remember last week when we asked about a club or organization that doesn’t require anything from you just your name on a registrar?&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;American Red Cross&lt;span style=""&gt;                        &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;                &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery&lt;br /&gt;Amputee Coalition of America&lt;span style=""&gt;                   &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America&lt;br /&gt;Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;My personal favorite&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;There are thousands of organizations, some worth wile and others worthless.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The point is this.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Christianity is not another organization.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It can become that.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When we focus we slip into a repetition of clocking in and clocking out of ‘faith’.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We become another social organization and nothing else.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;But the problem with that is, that is not the institution God established.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;James 1:&lt;span class="sup"&gt; 22&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;span class="sup"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;James&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;2:&lt;span class="sup"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt;14-26&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt; “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt; 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."&lt;br /&gt;     Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt; 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt; 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless&lt;sup&gt;[&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=66&amp;amp;chapter=2&amp;amp;version=31#fen-NIV-30298d" title="See footnote d"&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;d&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/sup&gt;? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"&lt;sup&gt;[&lt;a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=66&amp;amp;chapter=2&amp;amp;version=31#fen-NIV-30301e" title="See footnote e"&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;e&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/sup&gt; and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style=";font-size:12;color:red;"  &gt; 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Do you know the kind of person, usually a man, that says something like this, “I don’t have to tell my wife (kids) I love them, they know it.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now what implication is that statement making?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is saying, “My deeds and actions should show/prove to you that I love you.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;A father that works long, hard hours to provide the best he can for his family –is that a show of love?&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;A husband that spends Saturday and Sunday afternoons fixing broken appliances –is that a show of love?&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;A man who denies his own flesh by staying up late to figure out how to pay all the bills and still have enough left over to give his kids nice clothes and toys –is that a show of love?&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;YES to all three.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But the missing element is the verbalization of his love.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He doesn’t say it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It seems like if he would go thru that much trouble, saying three words would be easy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But the exact opposite is true for some Christians.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We say we love God.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We sing about our love for him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But we don’t show it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We don’t do anything to prove our love.&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;James says, “You love God, good, -now prove it.”&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;John 14:15 says, “If you love me you will obey me.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;Pretty simple. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Pretty cute and dry.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How do you show your love?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Obedience)&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;So what are some things we can do?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What are some jobs God has for us?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Simplifying &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt;James 2:15&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color:red;"&gt; –“Help those in need”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you love God than obey him by feeding the hungry.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;By clothing the naked.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And visiting the lonely.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;Two ways we can be confident that we believe.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"&gt;&lt;!--[if !supportLists]--&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;1.&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;font-size:7;"  &gt;       &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;!--[endif]--&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;We prove our faith by our actions&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"&gt;&lt;!--[if !supportLists]--&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;2.&lt;span style=";font-family:&amp;quot;;font-size:7;"  &gt;       &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;!--[endif]--&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;We show our love by obedience&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;When you leave this building is actually when you go to work.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You said you love God, you said you have faith now prove it.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-3533039631048502066?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/3533039631048502066/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=3533039631048502066' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/3533039631048502066'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/3533039631048502066'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-do-you-know-you-believe.html' title='&quot;How Do You Know You Believe?&quot;'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-6190079758258245549</id><published>2008-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-27T03:51:38.055-08:00</updated><title type='text'>"Where do we go from here?" -You are a Priest</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Have students list any Major or Personal Accomplishments in the following categories:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2" style="text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Sports&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Academics&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Band/Choir/Drama&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Miscellaneous/anything you are proud of&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Kingdom&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/st1:PlaceType&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; of &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;God&lt;/st1:PlaceName&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;What do you have to show for your accomplishments? &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;(i.e. trophy, medal, badge, scar, picture, award?)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Top 10 (10 Minutes)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Have students take about 5 minutes to compile a top 10 accomplishments a person could achieve in their lifetime.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After everyone is done, have them share their top 3.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Then have students compile a ‘corporate’ top 10 list made up of the groups top 10 accomplishments.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Who’s attention/approval are you attempting to gain when you accomplish any of the above goals?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Why is ‘said’ person’s approval so important?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoBodyText2"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 12pt;"&gt;What is the greatest accomplishment you have achieved at this point in your life?&lt;span style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;!--[if gte vml 1]&gt;&lt;v:line id="_x0000_s1026" style="'position:absolute;" from="9pt,6.65pt" to="477pt,6.65pt"&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if !vml]--&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;  &lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;   &lt;td height="8" width="11"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;  &lt;/tr&gt;  &lt;tr&gt;   &lt;td&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;   &lt;td&gt;&lt;img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BRADTA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" shapes="_x0000_s1026" height="2" width="626" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;  &lt;/tr&gt; &lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;!--[endif]--&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;You were put on earth to make a contribution.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What do you think &lt;i style=""&gt;your&lt;/i&gt; contribution(s) may be?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How are you supposed to know what kind of contribution you are to make?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;You first must realize that you were saved so you could serve.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What are you a apart of (group/organization) that you aren’t required to do anything?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Romans 12:1&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;I John 3:14&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Who are the ministers at this church?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;1 Peter 2:9&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;" align="right"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;(also in&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;Revelation 1:6; 5:10&lt;/b&gt;)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;What does it mean the moment you are saved?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Where will you spend eternity?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So, why doesn’t God just take us to heaven then?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Because he has work for us to do)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;The most important light in your house is not a brilliant chandelier, but the little night light that keeps you from stubbing your toe in the middle of the night.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Matthew 20:28&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;-we are commanded to serve –it isn’t an option.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;When you grow up, move away, you will look for a new church home.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When looking, don’t say, &lt;i style=""&gt;“I’m looking for a church that meets my needs and blesses me.”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Instead say, &lt;i style=""&gt;“I’m looking for a place to serve and &lt;b style=""&gt;be&lt;/b&gt; a blessing.”&lt;/i&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Romans 14:12&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt;“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; -God is keeping track of our ‘ministry’. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Are you donating yourself to ministry –serving others and therefore serving God?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-6190079758258245549?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6190079758258245549/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=6190079758258245549' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/6190079758258245549'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/6190079758258245549'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-do-we-go-from-here-you-are-priest.html' title='&quot;Where do we go from here?&quot; -You are a Priest'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104964495796693834.post-109974633259808616</id><published>2008-01-18T21:00:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-18T21:02:00.213-08:00</updated><title type='text'>"Where do we go from here?" -Your own faith</title><content type='html'>Message from 1.06.08 coming soon.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1104964495796693834-109974633259808616?l=teenchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/109974633259808616/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1104964495796693834&amp;postID=109974633259808616' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/109974633259808616'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1104964495796693834/posts/default/109974633259808616'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://teenchurch.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-do-we-go-from-here-your-own-faith.html' title='&quot;Where do we go from here?&quot; -Your own faith'/><author><name>teloesyouth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211550686682454270</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='29' height='32' src='http://bp0.blogger.com/_O2411CKC05E/R5F47lHfZSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ECPbVF4eJUA/S220/teleos_logo_a.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
