It's Been A While

It's been a while since we have used our blog!! We're back. In this blog we'll share sermon topics, bible study lessons and activities that we do. You're probably thinking, "I already use Facebook, why do I need to look at another social media site?" With this blog, we'll begin to share the thoughts straight from the TEENS. Each blog post will come from a different teen in the ministry. They will share what they received out of the lesson or topic and/or share how an activity changed or inspired their lives. I am excited to hear how God is blessing them. You never know....we may even share some testimonies. Stay tuned!!!

How is Jesus Different from......

How is Jesus different from Mohammad and Buddha? This is the question the teens dealt with today in Teen Church. Well, let's look some differences:

Mohammad spent long periods of time in meditation. At age 40, he began to denounce the popular pantheistic religions of his day that taught all religions lead to God. He proclaimed to his culture that Allah was "one". He became the leader of the political/religious movement called Islam. He never claimed to be God, but he claim that his teachings came directly from Allah. In order to be a Muslim, Mohammad's followers must live out the five pillars of Islam which include regular fasting, giving to the poor, going on a spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca, praying five times daily, and testifying that Mohammad is the prophet of the only god, Allah.

Buddha's actual name was Gautama. He was the son of a ruler in the modern country of Nepal. At age 29, he went on a pilgrimage to find the solution to the problem of suffering. Believing he had found the answer through meditation, he taught others that the way to "enlightenment," or freedom from suffering, was focused rejection of human desires. Buddhist are taught to reach Nirvana (the ultimate state of consciousness) through meditation and good living. Buddha never claimed to be God; in fact, he rejected the importance and relevance of the existence of God.

Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies about his life, death, and resurrection. These predictions were fulfilled by only one person. No one except Jesus fulfilled the specific prophecies that described him hundreds, and even thousands, of years before his birth (see Luke 4:14-21 for an example).

Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection and rose from the dead. His specific foreknowledge of his death and his power over that death show that he is God, not just another great teacher or prophet (see Luke 18:31-33)

Jesus said he was God. Jesus never claimed that everyone was God or that all religions lead to the same place. Jesus said that he was the way and the truth. Again and again, he stated that he was God. If he thought he was the one and only true God but wasn't, then he certainly wasn't a great teacher that we should listen to. If he knew he wasn't God but claimed to be God anyway, then he was just a really good con man, leading hundreds of thousands of people astray over the course of thousands of years (see John 7:25-44).

The Fruits of the Spirit Defined

On Sunday February 9, 2014 Pastor Bailey defined the Fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-26. The Nine different aspects of the spirit can be divided into three groups:

1. "Love, Joy, Peace" - Touches our relationship with God
2. "Longsuffering, gentleness, goodness" - Touches our relationship with our Fellowman
3. "Faith, meekness, temperance" - Touches our relationship with ourselves

• Love - Good will toward our fellowman intensified (it acts) and sanctifies (it is set apart). Seeking the good of another above oneself
• Joy - The "glad-heartedness" that comes from our faith in God and His goodness toward us.
• Peace - The serenity of soul arising from the consciousness of being brought home to the favor of God and to the obedience to His will.
• Longsuffering - To suffer long
• Gentleness - Kindness. Sweetness of disposition. A willingness to be of service to others.
• Goodness - The disposition to do good to others
• Faith - Full of faith to the end.
• Meekness - Mild of temper; patient under injuries; longsuffering; absence of passion or wrath and in a consistent mildness of temper.
• Temperance - Self control

The Lord's Prayer Week 4

We've come to the final week of discussing prayer. This has been an awesome month. This last Sunday of January we discussed the Lord's Prayer. Deacon Mike Woods did an excellent job with breaking it down.

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen

Week 3: Different Kinds of Prayer

Prayer of Confession

Confessing (or admit) our sins means to agreeing with God

Ø  When we confess our sins, God will listen to us

 

Psalm 66:18-19

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.

 

Ø  When we confess our sins, God will heal us   James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.   Ø  When we confess our sins, God will forgive us and clean all of our wrongs   1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.   When we confess our sins, we are taking responsibility for our actions     Prayer of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Is Expressing appreciation to God for what He has done!  (EVERYTHING BELONGS TO HIM) Ø  When we give thanks, we see how good and perfect God is James 1:17   Every good and perfect gift is from above. . . . . . . . .   Ø  Giving thanks to God is a COMMAND!   1Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.   Ø  When we give thanks to God, we understand how much we need Him   Ø  Giving thanks acknowledges God’s authority   Ø  It’s God’s Plan for you to give thanks in good times and bad! 1Tessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.     Prayer of Petition   Petitioning God Is Asking God for something for yourself. Ø  When we ask God for things, He promises to give IF ITS IN HIS PLANS! Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.   Ø  The Bible says we don’t have because we don’t ask!   James 4:2 You do not have because you do not ask God.   Ø  When we ask God for things, you MUST have good motives (reasons)     James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Ø  We must COMMUNICATE with God so we can ask for things in His plans.   1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. Ø  Stop being so anxious for things!   Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God

Intercessory Prayer

 

Intercessory Prayer is asking God for something for someone else.

 

 

Ø  Jesus intercedes for us

 

Romans 8:34

Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

 

Ø  The Holy Spirit intercedes for us

 

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

 

Ø  Intercessory Prayer allows you to get out of yourself and pray for others

 

Ø  Intercessory Prayer is the greatest way to Love You Neighbor as Yourself!

 

Ø  We get closer to God each time we pray for someone else

 

Ø  Intercessor prayer teaches and reminds us what Christ is doing for us

 

 

Prayer Week 1

For the month of January we will focus on prayer. What is prayer? How often should I pray? What should I pray for? Those are just a few things but there is plenty more to know about prayer. On this past Sunday, we have decided to fast every Wednesday for the month of January from 8am-4pm. We're asking that you do not consume any food, just water and that you pause in prayer at 4pm (if possible) to end your fast. A few things to pray for are spiritual growth, salvation for your peers, or any specific prayers that you may have. Are you in? I hope so. Please share your thoughts about this month's topic of prayer. Share how God has revealed some things to you. Remember to encourage each other as we come together for corporate prayer and fasting.

Treasure Principle Review for weeks 1 and 2



Below
are a few questions on the topic of our current series Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.


1. In
the
The
Treasure
Principle,
Randy
Alcorn
states
the
first
key
to
unlocking
the
treasuring
principle
in
one’s
life
is
realizing
that
God
owns
everything
and
I’m
His
money
manager.

Contrast
this
truth
with
the
common
American
culture’s
worldview.
What
areas
do
we
often
think
of
in
terms
of
ownership
in
our
lives
and
how
does
that
common
thought
square
with
the
Scriptures?


2. In
The
Treasure
Principle, Alcorn
emphasizes
heavily
‐
the
JOY
of
giving.
what are some things that we can do to foster this concept.


3. In
The
Treasure
Principle, 
Alcorn’s
first
principle is everything belongs to God I’m a money manager” is this the same as being a steward? 


4. In
Matthew
6:21
Jesus
tells
us, 
“Where
your
treasure
is
there
your
heart
will
be
also.”
In
other
words
our
hearts
are
bound
to
whatever
gives
us
the
most
joy.
If
we
live
for
financial
security, 
then
our
affections
are
on
money
and
not
on
God.
What
does
this
mean
for
the
way we
view
God
and
how does this
impact
our
giving? 


5. What
are
some
of
the
reasons
that
keep
Christians
from
giving? 



6. (Personal) 
Alcorn
compares
our
short
lives
on
earth
to
a
dot
and
our
eternal
lives
in
heaven
as
a
never‐ending
line
that
extends
from
that
dot.
If
God
were
to
audit
my
finances, time or talents, 
would
He
conclude
that
I
live
more
for
the
“dot”
or
more
for
the
“line”? 
What would he find? 



7.

Alcorn
says
that
tithing
is 
the
floor (starting point) 
of
giving, 
not
the
ceiling.
Tithing
gets
us
on
the
road
to
giving
more
and
more.
He
also
talks
about
how
many
of
us
 (if
not
all
of
us) 
have
more
than
we
need.
Do you agree yes or no and please explain