Scripture for Life - Balance III

More on the topic of Balance, the scripture verse for today is:

Proverbs 4:25-27
"Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all side-show distractions.  Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you."

My prayer for all of us this week is that we will each be able to control our schedules and manage time to pause and reflect on God.  I believe God intended man to live a slower, more peaceful lifestyle that what is required by modern society.  Do you ever think that life would be better if we were just able to slow down?

-Wes


  

Balance - II

The topic this week is on how it's important to have BALANCE in your life.

Here's a video on the subject, this guy definitely has the balance thing figured out!

Happy Friday!

-Wes

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Scripture Memory Verse; Week 1; Proverbs 3:6

At our meeting last night we agreed to commit to memorizing one Scripture verse each week.  We'll have a quiz on the verse each week and if you have it memorized, we agreed that you'll receive 3 extra points for the week!

The Scripture Memory Verse this week is:
Proverbs 3:6
"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

-Wes

New Weekly Topic - Balance

The topic for this coming week is balance, as in maintaining balance in your life.

From our lesson book:
When life is busy, you have a couple of options. You can over-commit to the point of burnout.  You can get so overwhelmed that you give up and drop out.  Or you can ask God to help you find balance.  A balanced life is a healthy, God-honoring life.  It's the kind of life Jesus lived.  He spent His days teaching, healing, and helping those around Him.  But, Jesus also took time out.  He dined with friends, went to a wedding, and climbed a mountain just to spend time along with His Father.  Want to follow Jesus?  Follow His example by putting firt things first and keeping your priorities clear.

For point, please post a discussion comment on whether you've every felt over-committed and like you were running just to keep up.  Maybe you fell that way now?  What have you done to cope with it before, what are some things you might do now if you're feeling that way?

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Authority V

This is the final scripture verse in this series on Authority.  Today's verse is:

Matthew 28:18
"Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. "


What do you think life would be like if Jesus were here and exercised authority over everything - as the Bible tells us it will be after his return?

Scripture for Life - Authority

Today's post is the final in our series on Authority.

The verse today is:
Titus 3:1-3
"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,2to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.3For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another."


For points, please make a post that you have read this entry and considered it's implications for your life.

-Wes

More on Authority...

Today's posting is a video about submitting to Authority - first to God, then to those God has placed in a position of authority in our lives.

The message in this video is very simple and common, have you ever responded like this? 

Scripture for Life - The Authority of God

Pastor Faron's sermon today was about Abram (Abraham) and how he became a blessing to humanity because he obeyed God.

In a similar way, we are all called to submit to the authority of God.

Today's Scripture verse is:

Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."


For points, please post a comment, can you think of any time in your life when you responded to what you believed was the will of God for you?

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Authority

We're back on the topic of the week - Authority.

The Scripture Verse for today is:
1 Timothy 2:1-2
"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

This message is similar to the previous one about chaos.  You can see how it's important to use to pray for those in power - in the government, etc., that they will lead godly lives and make wise decisions that affect us all.

Have you ever prayed for anyone in the government?  It might seem odd, but it's important.

-Wes 

Proclaim the Name of Jesus!

Since it's Friday I thought I'd post a video for you to enjoy today, with the message that we are called to proclaim the name of Jesus to all the world!

The Scripture Verse for today is Romans 10:9
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Here's a video of Comedian Steve Harvey doing just that...

The title of the video is "Introducing Jesus"

For Points today - please post a comment about a time when you proclaimed the name of Jesus to someone else.  If you haven't done that yet, can you think of a time when you would have the opportunity to?

Happy Friday,
-Wes

Scripture for Life - Authority

The lesson topic this week is 'Authority'

The Scripture verse for today is:
1 Peter 5:5-6
"Be submissive to those who are older.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up."

This is not a scripture verse that is directed only at youth, this is for all of us.  We are instructed here to respect our elders, and especially God; to submit to His authority.

It could be said that God places some in a position of authority over you in order to bring order out of chaos. 

For points, please make a post and explain what this statement means to you - "Without anyone in authority, everything would be chaos."

-Wes

This is the Truth...Video

For points - watch this video and post any comments it brings to mind..
-Wes

Just for Fun - Parking Fail...

Those of you who are soon going to be learning how to drive - take notes....

Scripture for Life - Integrity

The Scripture verse for today is:

Proverbs 10:9
"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out."


For points, please post a comment.
What does this scripture mean to you?  Can you think of a time when you told the truth, or did the right thing, even though it was more difficult, and might have caused you some trouble?

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Praying for Others

The topic of discussion this week is Appearance, meaning that we should look on the inside of people instead of what judging them by what we see on the outside.

A related calling that we have with that is to keep others in our prayers, we are to always place others above ourselves - imagine what the world would be like if everyone actually did that!!!

The scripture verse for today is:
Job 42:10
"And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

For points, please post a comment and share with us about a time when you prayed for another person.

Here's a video on the subject you might find interesting and moving...
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Winter Jam Video - Newsboys

I for one had a great time at the show and the lock-in, I hope you all did as well.

The Scripture Verse for today is:


Psalm 149:1
"Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!


I think it's safe to say that Winter Jam fulfills the calling of this scripture!

Here's a News Boys video. This video is of them in Charlotte, but it looks like the show was the same."

I had a great time with all of you.

For points, post any comments you have about the show or the lock-in.

-Wes
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WINTER JAM!

Today is the day!  I can't wait for the show tonight, then we have the lock-in at the church.

The post for today is this Winter Jam video.

For points, just post a comment that you watched the video today, I'll see you all this afternoon!

In Christ,
-Wes
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Scripture for Life - Love

I'm changing the topic around some today, I'd like to focus on how we are called to support and love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Scripture verse for this today is:

1 John 4:7 
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God"


Does it make sense to you that if God is Love, and we are called to demonstrate the love of God to those around us, then we are called to love those around us?

What does this look like for you?  For points, please post a comment on how we can show love to one another in our everyday lives...

Here's a video on the subject of showing love to each other...
-Wes

Scripture for Life - Acceptance (Revisited)

With Ash Wednesday yesterday, we are now into the season of Lent.  The posts I made leading up to yesterday's service were to help you learn more about what we are celebrating during this season of the church.

I will switch back and forth betwen topics this week, leading up to our next Group meeting next Wednesday.  As you know, we've got Winter Jam this weekend, and the lock-in at the church that night!

I'm shifting back to the topic of study for next week, of Acceptance.

The scriptue verse for today is:
Proverbs 31:30
"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." (NASB)

Another way of saying this would be; "Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.  The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear of God."  (The Message Translation)

What does it mean to you when it says Charm is deceitful, or that it can mislead?  What's another name for charm?

-Wes

Weekly Points Winner!

The winner of the Weekly points challenge - to post the most times during the week - was Christa!  

She made a total of 7 blog posts from Wednesday of last week to yesterday, Wednesday of this week.

She earns an additional 5 points towards her total for winning the challenge this week!  
The runner-up this week was Taylor with 5 posts!  Well done!

The points totals have been updated, Christa is in the lead and is getting really close to earning her first gift card of her choice!  Also as a reminder, the first one to earn a gift card will actually get two as a bonus!

Scripture for LIfe - Ash Wednesday Devotional

Today's scripture verse is:

Joel 2:12-14

"Yet even now, says the Lord,
Return to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
for the Lord, your God?"

We are at that time of the year when we are invited to test our inner freedom and to question the notion: I can take it, or leave it. Try that with pornography, alcohol, complaining, gossiping, anger, gambling. What habits make me hard to live with?

Lent is about regaining self-control, especially in those areas that damage others. We don't admire those whose appetites or habits lead them by the nose. A pure heart create for me, O God. Put a steadfast spirit within me.

For Points; Please post a comment that you've read this devotional.  Are you considering giving something up for Lent?  You don't have to say what it is, if it's personal to you, but we would be interested to know if you're working to grow closer to God during this season so that we may support each other. 

In Christ,

-Wes

Answers Posted

Please click here for the comments section of the "History of Ash Wednesday" post below, I've posted an answer to the question raised by Christa, Kristen and Taylor.  That was a great question, thanks for asking.  Hopefully I've done an adequate job of responding and it will make sense to you.

-Wes

Winter Jam - David Crowder Band "How He Loves"

Here's another video to give a preview of what we'll see at Winter Jam this weekend.  This is the David Crowder Band, the song is "How He Loves"
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Teaching for Life - The History of Ash Wednesday

Continuing with lessons about Lent, and Ash Wednesday which we will observe tomorrow, here is more information about the history of Ash Wednesday.

Again, if you have any questions or comments please post them here for everyone to see, it may be that someone else has the same question.

Like yesterday, for points, please read through this entire post and them make a comment/post attesting that you have read it.

-Wes

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Ash Wednesday marks the onset of the Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and abstinence. It is also known as the 'Day of Ashes'. So called because on that day at church the faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes in the shape of a cross.

The name 'Day of Ashes' comes from "Dies Cinerum" in the Roman Missal and is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary. The concept originated by the Roman Catholics somewhere in the 6th century. Though the exact origin of the day is not clear, the custom of marking the head with ashes on this Day is said to have originated during the papacy of Gregory the Great (590-604).

In the Old Testament ashes were found to have used for two purposes: as a sign of humility

and mortality; and as a sign of sorrow and repentance for sin. The Christian connotation for ashes in the liturgy of Ash Wednesday has also been taken from this Old Testament biblical custom.  Receiving ashes on the head as a reminder of mortality and a sign of sorrow for sin was a practice of the Anglo-Saxon [English(Echurch in the 10th century. It was made universal throughout the Western church at the Synod of Benevento in 1091.

Originally the use of ashes to betoken penance was a matter of private devotion. Later it became part of the official rite for reconciling public penitents. In this context, ashes on the penitent served as a motive for fellow Christians to pray for the returning sinner and to feel sympathy for him. Still later, the use of ashes passed into its present rite of beginning the penitential season of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of the practice observed in the case of public penitents. But this devotional usage, the reception of a sacramental which is full of the symbolism of penance (cf. the cor contritum quasi cinis of the "Dies Irae") is of earlier date than was formerly supposed. It is mentioned as of general observance for both clerics and faithful in the Synod of Beneventum, 1091 (Mansi, XX, 739), but nearly a hundred years earlier than this the Anglo-Saxon homilist Ælfric assumes that it applies to all classes of men.

Putting a 'cross' mark on the forehead was in imitation of the spiritual mark or seal that is put on a Christian in baptism. This is when the newly born Christian is delivered from slavery to sin and the devil, and made a slave of righteousness and Christ (Rom. 6:3-18).

This can also be held as an adoption of the way 'righteousness' are described in the book of Revelation, where we come to know about the servants of God.The reference to the sealing of the servants of God for their protection in Revelation is an allusion to a parallel passage in Ezekiel, where Ezekiel also sees a sealing of the servants of God for their protection:

"And the LORD said to him [one of the four cherubim], 'Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark [literally, "a tav"] upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.' And to the others he said in my hearing, 'Pass through the city after him, and smite; your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity; slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.' So they began with the elders who were before the house." (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

Unfortunately, like most modern translations, the one quoted above (the Revised Standard Version, which we have been quoting thus far), is not sufficiently literal. What it actually says is to place a tav on the foreheads of the righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem. Tav is one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and in ancient script it looked like the Greek letter chi, which happens to be two crossed lines (like an "x") and which happens to be the first letter in the word "Christ" in Greek Christos). The Jewish rabbis commented on the connection between tav and chi and this is undoubtedly the mark Revelation has in mind when the servants of God are sealed in it.

The early Church Fathers seized on this tav-chi-cross-christos connection and expounded it in their homilies, seeing in Ezekiel a prophetic foreshadowing of the sealing of Christians as servants of Christ. It is also part of the background to the Catholic practice of making the sign of the cross, which in the early centuries (as can be documented from the second century on) was practiced by using one's thumb to furrow one's brow with a small sign of the cross, like Catholics do today at the reading of the Gospel during Mass.

source:  http://www.theholidayspot.com/ash_wednesday/origin.htm

Teaching for Life - What is Lent?

As an update to our weekly schedule this week, in observance of Ash Wednesday, we will not have our normal weekly Youth Meeting, we will instead meet with the full church body in the sanctuary.

In order to help prepare us for Lent, and Ash Wednesday, I will use this blog to post information and teaching on the background of these observances.

Today's post is from an informative Devotional prepared by Pastor Faron. If you have any questions or comments, please post them and I will answer them here since it might be of benefit to someone else as well, it could be that someone else has the same question.

For points, please just read the entire posting and them post a comment certifying that you have read it.

In Christ,
Wes

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While I would like to be able to tell you to turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 21 verse 4 to find the beginning of Lent described by Saint Luke, I can not. While there are Biblical events that contributed to its practice, Lent is not in the Bible. Some scholars argue that it is a practice that dates back to the Apostles, but the earliest evidence we have regarding the preparatory fasting before Easter comes from the third century Anno Domini and for the Lenten season as a regularized church practice from the fourth century.

Simply put Lent is a season of penitence, fasting and prayer designed to purify and prepare our hearts to receive the resurrected Christ at Easter. In the early church catechumens, those desiring to be Christians, would go through a preparatory period of instruction and purification that would end with their baptism on Easter morning. While this practice was reserved for new Christians, the church recognized that we all needed to prepare our hearts for Easter and so from early a period of prayer and fasting before Easter was practiced. The traditions of this preparatory fast differed in the eastern and western parts of the church and continue to be different today, just as the Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Easter at a different time than the western church. Since our Protestant tradition is rooted in the Western Church we will focus on that history for our understanding of Lent.

The length of the fast and the extent of the fast varied. Some of the early fasts lasted a few hours, others a few days; the regular practice of the Lenten fast being forty days seems to have been established prior to the Council of Nicea in 313 A.D. Gregory the Great in the sixth century established the modern understanding of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing through Holy Saturday. The season is six weeks of six fast days, Monday through Saturday, plus the Wednesday through Saturday of Ash Wednesday week to bring us to a total of forty fasting days. Sundays are considered feast days, as each Sunday is a mini Easter where we celebrate our resurrected Lord. Gregory is also the person who began the tradition of imposing ashes on peoples’ foreheads on Ash Wednesday.

The extent of the Lenten fast was very strict in the beginning, allowing for one meal a day around the three o’clock hour and requiring those fasting to give up meat, dairy, eggs and oil. It was the giving up of eggs and oil that led to the traditions of Christians giving eggs at Easter and of having pancakes on Fat Tuesday. Exactly what people gave up varied by area and over time, but ultimately the strictness was relaxed to the modern practice of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday being the only strict fast days and meat only being given up on Fridays during Lent.

A final modern practice of Lent has been for individuals to give up something of importance to them. The purpose of this practice is the same as a fast, to demonstrate to both oneself and to God that God has a higher priority in our lives than the thing which we give up and to realize that we depend on God to meet our needs. Too often when we feel lonely, angry, or even stressed we turn to things other than God to cope with these feelings. We might eat chocolate, smoke, drink wine or go shopping. When we give up these coping mechanisms or even something that just consumes a lot of our time we soon discover that God is fully capable of meeting our coping needs and that we can fully place our trust in Him.

Lent is a season in the Church Calendar designed for us to prepare our hearts to fully receive the resurrected Christ at Easter. Through Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection God the Father reconciled the whole world to Him restoring a brokenness that has existed from the Garden. As Christians, we must fully trust in this saving act to reconcile our relationships to God. Lent is a time to condition the soil of hearts to receive this truth for the first time or to renew this truth each year as we prepare to receive anew the miracle that is the Resurrected Christ.

This devotional has been written to create a shared journey for us this Lenten season. It will incorporate scripture, teaching, prayer, praise and spiritual discipline challenges so that we might have a shared practice and focus as we prepare our hearts. The focus of our study will be Saint Peter who is perhaps the New Testament person who is in greatest need of God’s grace. His bold heart had to be humbled and transformed so that he could lead the Church in a boldly humble way. He knew faith, fear and failure, but he was always ready to act whether it was stepping out of a boat or telling a lame man to stand. Peter’s encounter with Jesus Christ completely transformed his life and because of that Christ built His Church upon him and all of us stand here today following Christ. May our shared Lenten study transform our hearts in the same way that Peter’s was to enable us to build upon his faith to continue transforming the world.

More Winter Jam - Newsboys!

Here's a Newsboys video to help you get ready for Winter Jam this coming Saturday!

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Appearance III

I missed making a post yesterday since I was out of the house all day and went to the Monster Truck rally with Joey last night.  Please accept my apologies, I know some of you were looking for it. 

The verse for today is from 1 Timothy 2:10

"Women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do."

While this verse specifically talks about women, it of course applies to both men and women.  

Can you think of a good thing you could do that would make you attractive to others, and to God?

-Wes

Getting Ready for Winter Jam!

The concert is next week!  The headline act this year is the David Crowder Band - here's their latest video...

Scripture for Life - Appearance II

Here's another scripture verse that tells us how God is not concerned with our outward appearance, he's more concerned with what's in our hearts...


Matthew 23:28
"So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."


Have you ever known a hypocrite, or been one yourself?  A hypocrite is someone who tells you to "do as I say, not as I do."  They tell you do act one way, but they don't do it themselves.  We're all guilty of it from time to time, it's human nature to take the easy way out.  But, can you see how that will (always) lead to problems?

-Wes

We have a new Web Address! BUMCYouth.info

Good news, we have a new address for our website - the new web address for this page is:  BUMCYouth.info

You can still use the previous address, but it's easier to tell people how to get to this site now, please share it with your friend!

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Appearance

The lesson subject for this coming week is "Appearance."  No, that doesn't mean that we're going to talk about always looking your best, although that's certainly a good thing to do.

Instead, we're talking about how people normally look at and judge people by how they look.  That's not the case with God, He instead looks at the heart, and judges us on how we show love for Him and for one another, as expressed in the scripture verse for today:


1 Samuel 16:7
"But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.  For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."


For points/comment:  Have you every experienced a time when someone treated you unfairly or inappropriately because they judged you on how you look?  Or, have you ever done that to anyone else?

Below is a video on the subject of accepting people for who they are, it provides a good reminder of what's really important...

-Wes

Snow Driving - Fail!

You could probably call this a post about Anger; my thinking that most of the folks involved with this driving "incident" experienced some sort of Anger reflex...

Scripture for Life - Anger VI

To close our scripture references for the topic of Anger, let's look one more time at God telling us to avoid Anger.

This scripture is from Psalms 37:8
"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil."


For points, read through all of Psalms Chapter 38.  Post a comment/reply and share the text from the verse out of this chapter that stands out to you, along with any comments you may have on the verse you select.

-Wes

Scripture for Life - Anger V

Today's scripture is back on the topic of Anger, we'll be discussing Anger at our meeting tomorrow.

Ephesians 4: 26-27
"Go ahead and be angry.  You do well to be angry - gut don't use your anger as fuel for revenge.  And don't stay angry.  Don't go to bed angry.  Don't give the Devil that kind of foot-hold in your life."

For Points:
Complete this sentence:
"Anger is only one letter short of  _______."
What's a new word you can make by adding one letter?

-Wes