How Big is Your God?

It's easy to put God in a box, right?
To wrap Him up tight and pull Him out only when we're in a tight spot or in need of some Heavenly assistance.
Like a genie in a bottle.
But this isn't the way God intended for our relationship with Him to be.
He is the reigning Lord over our life. He is THE power, THE direction, THE purpose, THE meaning, THE source of our lives.
Have you ever wondered why God chose Mary to bring His son into the world? She was just a regular girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Nazereth wasn't known for a lot of good things, but it's where God appointed a young girl to do His will.
So why Mary? Of all people, what was so special about her?
After Gabriel came to Mary with the news of God's plan for her, she didn't freak out or stand in mocking disbelief like most people would today. Instead, she sang praises to God:

"And Mary said: 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.'”

- Luke 1:46-55

And that's why God chose Mary. Because even at a young age, she recognized the majesty and reigning power of God.

So are you worshipping the same God Mary did? Do you see Him the way she did?

We can't surrender to God and give Him control over our lives until we see how big and powerful and mighty He is. God can use us just like He used Mary, but first, we need to understand just how great He is.
Here are some verses that paint a clear picture of who God is. Read through them and reflect on who God is, or how you can give Him more glory in your life.
Exodus 34:5-7

Psalm 33:11-13

Psalm 59:9-10

Psalm 62:7-8

Psalm 68:19-20

Psalm 84:11-12

Psalm 116:5

Proverbs 30:5

Acts 10:34

Romans 5:5

1 Cor. 4:20

2 Cor. 9:8

Christ in Us...

"Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should." - Col. 4:5-6

Those who don't know Jesus make decisions about Christ by watching us.

When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious.

But when we're dishonest, or disrespectful, or harsh, what will an outside observer think about our Lord?

We bring honor to Christ by the way we interact with other people.

When you help a classmate figure out a tricky math problem,

Or when you eat lunch with someone who is sitting alone in the cafeteria,

You are bringing honor to Christ.

We bring honor and glory to Christ when we serve others and shine His light in the world.

How do we show the love of Christ to the rest of the world? He gives us a formula in 1 Cor. 13:4-7:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

When I am struggling with showing the perfect love of Christ to others, I look at this passage this way:

Christ in me is patient. Christ in me is kind. Christ in me does not envy. Christ in me does not boast. Christ in me is not proud. Christ in me is not rude. Christ in me is not self-seeking. Christ in me is not easily angered. Christ in me keeps no record of wrongs. Christ in me does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Christ in me always protects, always perserveres. Christ in me never fails.

Will we ever love perfectly? Of course not. But we are called to love above ourselves. By experiencing the love of Christ, we will love others.

So today, step back and think... What are your actions revealing about your Savior? Are they shining a spotlight on Him or distracting others from His grace?

Have a great weekend, BCSMers!

Switch Christmas Party this Sunday Night!

This Sunday.

2.5 days away.

Student Center.

5:00 p.m.

Switch Christmas Party.

You don't wanna miss this.

Bring a $5 or less gift and everyone you've ever met.

We'll see you there!

Wash Away.

After the Last Supper, Christ washed the disciples feet.

That has always blown my mind.

On the night before Christ sacrificed His life for all mankind, the disciples should have been washing His feet, not the other way around.

But no. What were the disciples doing? They were arguing.
"No, I'm the better disciple."
"No I am!"

While they are fighting, Christ is reaching for the water basin.

These hands will be pierced tomorrow. Why are they scrubbing dirty feet today?

John tried to convince Jesus to destroy the city. Don't wash his feet.
James wanted special treatment and a seat of honor. Don't kneal before him.
And Peter? He lost faith in you out on the water. Why serve him?
And Judas? Those same feet you are washing are about to sneak off to the Roman soldiers to turn you in. He doesn't deserve your affection!

So why did He do it?

Jesus saw it as a necessity to wash their feet. "If I don't wash your feet, you're not one of my people." - John 13:8

I often find it hard to understand God's kindness. In washing the disciples feet, Jesus is washing ours. We are part of this story. We are at the table. That's us receiving cleansing, not from dirt, but from our sins.

Jesus cleansed us because we can't cleanse ourselves. We can't remove our own sin. Our dirty, grimy feet must be in His hands.

When we recognize our own filth, Jesus dresses Himself as a servant, and washes away the darkest part of our lives.

Let him wash you in mercy and forgiveness, so you can in turn shower that same mercy on others.

Big Picture.

Have you ever seen a movie based on a book you've read?

When something bad happens, the whole audience gasps, basically sucking the air out of the theater. But not you. Because you've read the book. You know how it all plays out. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot in the end.

I think this is how God views our lives, with that same confidence of knowing the outcome. The difference is, He didn't read your story, He wrote it.

Sometimes we have a tendency to make a big deal out of not so big things.

What we count as a complete disaster, God sees as a tiny little issue that will pass.

Why? Because He knows the outcome of your story. He sees the big picture. And He's asking you to trust that the little speed bumps in your life, the mole hills that you see as mountains, will not only pass, but lead you to a life of recognizing the power and glory of God.

All the Small Things

I'm sure when David was staring at an overwhelmingly massive giant, the tiny river pebble in his hand seemed a little impractical and pointless.

But God used it to topple Goliath.

And I'm sure that staff in Moses' hand felt like a toothpick in comparison to the massive sea ahead and Pharoah's army right on his tail.

But God used it to carve an escape route for the Israelites through the parted Red Sea.

And I'm sure Dorcas' sewing needle seemed tiny and insignificant in comparison to a whole world full of needy people.

But God used it to provide clothes and paint a picture of love to widows and orphans.

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." - Zechariah 4:10

Nothing is too small to be used by God.

A tiny seed will eventually grow into a mighty oak tree.

God inhabits the tiny seed. And He empowers the tiny deed.

Never underestimate God's active power in your small actions.

Let Him use you in a big way through small steps.

Have a great weekend, guys! See you Sunday morning for Part 2 of our Hostage series!

Hostage

hos·tage (noun)\ˈhäs-tij\ - one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence

Cages. Chains. Handcuffs. Straight jackets. Blindfolds.

We've all got them. But they may be called different names.

Like bitterness. Or lies. Or worry. Or addictions. Or anger.

These are the things that keep us from growing deeper in our relationship with Christ.
These are the things that bind us to the world, and not our Eternal King.
These are the things that rob us from the true joy and peace and satisfaction that God is yearning to pour over us.
These are the things that hold us hostage.

We are about to start a new series at Switch MSM called Hostage.

What is your captor? We're all held hostage by something. Maybe it's fear, pride, lust, jealousy, or any number of other things that divert your attention from the goal Christ has set before you.

But here's the good news: Our ransom has been paid in full. The son of the Lord of the universe came to the world to take on the wrath of the Father in innocent blood just to release our chains and bust open our prison cell doors. Jesus came to free us from what holds us captive. Are you ready to accept this freedom and allow Christ to lead you to a place far better than anything you could have imagined for yourself?

Come join us this Sunday and discover how to truly break free, once and for all, from the ties that bind. See you there!

Strap on Your Armor.

"But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation." - 1 Thessalonians 5:8

I love this image of putting on armor. You put on armor to protect yourself, right? We strap on football pads before we walk out beneath the friday night lights, we put on a helmet before jumping on a skateboard, and we put on sunscreen before we hit the beach. We obviously recognize the importance of protecting our physical body; Paul is just urging us to apply that principle to our spiritual lives as well.

Christian author Max Lucado stated it well when he said, "No person should walk into the world to begin the day until he or she has stood beneath the cross to receive God's love."

As Christ followers, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to live in the light. Being a follower of Christ is not easy. But Christ is giving us something to help us through it - the armor and watchful protection of His love, faith, and the assurance of salvation that allows us to approach every situation with a clear mind.

Don't try to pile on armor of things that change - relationships, money, talent, or beauty. Set your sights on the One that will never change, approach the cross daily, and let your heavenly Father drench you in His protective love.

Run Your Race: Wrapping Up Galatians

It's easy to start things, right? When the excitement and anticipation are rushing, it's easy to knock out the early stages of a task. But what happens when that wears off? When things get tough, it becomes exceedingly easy to quit; to bail out; to give up.

Paul talks about this in Galatians 5:7
"You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom."

Paul is saying, "You guys started out so well. What happened?" I like Paul's metaphor of running, because it paints a really clear picture of what being a Christian is like. Running starts out easy, but sticking with it requires discipline, determination, and strength. The Galatians' race started out easy, but when things got tough, they quit.

People were opposing them and trying to talk them out of believing what God had revealed to them. Instead of fighting through and working through their faith, they gave up. But this message Paul brings isn't just for the Galatians. We struggle with this constantly. We decide to follow God and things are going well, but then before we know it, things begin to get tough. Maybe we're afraid of being judged, or we know that we have to change the way we live our lives; either way, we have to make a tough decision: we either stick with God, or we do life our way.

The struggle doesn't always end in us rejecting God or giving up on Him completely, but it could just be us not pursuing after Him anymore.

"For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another." - Gal. 5:14

Paul is saying, "You want to know what it looks like to live this out and keep running the race? Love as you want to be loved." When you keep on running and persisting in your race, you are pursuing after God. You are doing what Paul says in v.16-17, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions."

To keep running the race means to be guided by the Holy Spirit. When you stop running, you take over the direction and guidance of your soul. Something is going to guide us and lead our lives.

"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" - Gal. 5:19-23

So are you running the race being led by the Holy Spirit, producing love and goodness and self-control? Or have you given up and are taking over control for yourself?

Have you stopped pursuing God? Have you stopped letting Him lead you? Have you been finding your worth in what people think of you or in what God thinks of you? Here's the good news: It's not too late to start running again. God's grace is big enough to cover up your mistakes. Your true worth lies in Christ. Keep running your race towards Him.

Free at Last: Galatians 4 Recap

slave:
/slāv/
(noun) - a person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something.

Galatians 4:8-9 says, "Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?"

Paul is concerned for the Galatians because they used to be slaves, but they had been set free from slavery by God. But then, all of a sudden they started going back to their old ways.

Let's break this concept of slavery down. Slavery as we know it is someone who is controlled by another person. We also think that slavery is a thing of the past. But we still have slaves today. But there are more than 30 million slaves in the world today, more than at any other point in human history. Human slavery is not a thing of the past; it is consuming our world today. Every day, men, women, and children are forced to work with little or no pay, and women and children are forced into sexual trafficking scenarios.

Like the story of Debbie, who was taken from her own driveway, with her mother in the house. She was kidnapped by two men who held tied her up and taped her mouth and eyes. The men told her that they would shoot her if she screamed or cried out.

Paul is trying to get the Galatians to understand that when we were slaves to sin, we were like Debbie, completely under the control of her captors. Our sin was like our captors; it dictated everything we did. Our sin called the shots.

But like Debbie, if we have a relationship with Jesus then we have been set free from the controlling power of sin. Imagine after Debbie was set free, do you think there was ever a time that se wanted to go back to her captors? No way. Just like there should be no reason for us to return to a life of captivity by sin.

Let's look at v.12-16:

"Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?"

It's easy to be distracted by the allure of sin, and stop focusing on God. But the first thing to do when we stop focusing on God is to take a look at our relationships. The way the Galatians treated Paul was a result of their relationship with God. It's hard to love others when we aren't loving the One who has taught us to love.

When we are enslaved by our selfish ways, we don't put others before ourselves and we don't consider the Kingdom of God before our own messed up world. Just like the anonymous letter from a restraunt employee to a youth pastor who had brought his reckless and destructive youth to her place of work. The woman had been struggling with Christianity and believing with God and after coming into contact with the inconsiderate youth group, she wanted nothing to do with the God they worshipped.

As Christians, people are watching you constantly. We are a living, breathing representation of the God we worship. When God's important to you, your actions show it.

So what are your actions showing others? Do you love God so much that everyone who comes in contact with you can see His presence in your life?

Roller Skating Countdown: 1 day.

(even the uncoordinated are welcome.)

Roller Skating countdown: 1 day.
That's right, folks.
MSM Roller Skating trip is ONE day away.
That's tomorrow.
Make plans to join us from 6-9 @ Skaters Choice in Hendersonville. Meet at the church at 5:45; $5 entrance fee, $3 extra for roller blades.
See you tomorrow!

Roller Skating Countdown: 5 days

We will count down the days until our Skating trip with funny/awkward/random pictures of people skating.

Enjoy.

The Details:

When: This Saturday, October 8th, 6-9 p.m. (Arrive a little before 6)

Where: Meet at the Student Building. We'll provide transportation from there to Skaters Choice in Hendersonville.
How much: $5
If you have your own skates, bring them! If you want roller blades, bring $3.

Galatians 3 Recap

"Deep inside me there's this burning that just won't let me go.
You are my fire, You are my righteousness, You are my rock and roll.
I wish I could fit you down inside my chest, God,
I wish that I could swallow you whole.
I'd wrap you up in a blanket of my skin and you could call my body home."
-John Mark McMillan, "I Am a Temple"

Picture it:

Paul has just traveled through Galatia on his first missionary journey and had won people over to Christ and started a new church there. The Galatians were on fire for Christ and they got it; they understood it. But not too long after he left, some people began to teach that faith alone wasn’t enough to be saved. They believed that there had to be more to becoming a Christian than simply believing in Jesus; that just seemed too easy. These false teachers got to work at every church in Galatia, trying to get people to believe their skewed and twisted message of salvation. Paul hat to set them straight.

Gal. 3:1-3
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?”

Paul is frustrated because the Galatians got it, they understood their salvation, they saw the picture of Christ on the cross that Paul had painted for them. But now, they had began to believe that in order to attain spiritual perfection, they had to follow all these laws. It's hard for us to understand Old Testament laws that were written 3,000 years ago. They were extensive and demanding and honestly, would be impossible for us to stick to. Because of Adam and Eve's choice to sin, to defy God, we are now inherently sinful and bad; sinning is in our nature.

So why did God require these laws in the first place? What was He thinking? Well, the reality is, the Law prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. The law was put forth so that we could recognize the truth - that we're messed up by our sins. God loves us so much that He clearly communicated to us what pleases Him and what doesn't please Him.

Paul is urging the Galatians, and us, to remember that salvation is a gift; all we have to do is accept it. Paul is saying, "Look. It's easy. All you have to do is accept it; Believe that Jesus did all the work for you and that you are immediately free. Free to be changed inside, free to live a new kind of life, and free to be welcomed into Heaven by God Himself."

So often we focus on our failures. But as it says in ch.3 v.27, "For all of you who were baptized in Christ have put on Christ." We put on Christ like new clothes. We wear Him. When God looks at us, He doesn't see us. He sees Christ. We are hidden in Him; we are completely covered by Him. In Christ, God doesn't look down on us with dissapointment, He always looks down on us and smiles. This fact doesn't give us a free ticket to sin. On the contrary, it gives us an opportunity to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ. It gives us an opportunity to not obey just because we feel forced to, but because we genuinely want to love and please our great God.

You are going to mess up; you're human. But when you do, don't give up. Don't stop trying. Don't just throw your hands up in the air. Recognize that Christ's sacrifice and grace has covered you and keep going. Keep pursuing after the Kingdom.

Run your race,
Bre

Blades of Glory.

October 8th : 6-9 p.m,

MSM is going old school.

We're takin' it to the rink.
Skaters Choice in Hendersonville, that is.
Bring $5 to the Student Building at 6 o'clock.
If you have your own skates, bring them along.
If you want roller blades (rather than skates) bring $3 extra.

We'll see you under the disco ball.

Parenting: A New Generation

Hey Parents.

You want to attend the Parenting a New Generation class but can't make it to Midweek U?

You're in luck.

You now have two chances to attend!

The Parenting a New Generation class will be offered during first worship (9:30) , starting October 9th. The class will be lead by Grant and Trudy Pierron, and will meet in the Brown House.

The class will also still be offered during Midweek U starting Wednesday, October 5th.

Take your pick! We'll see you there!

You can't win 'em all.

For the most part, we aim to please.

We do our best to fit in.

We try our hardest to impress people.

Our friends, our boyfriend/girlfriend, our could-be boyfriend/girlfriend - We are desparate to please them and to gain their love.

But the truth is, you can't win the affections of God if you're putting all of your time and energy into winning the love and adoration of people.

You can't serve two masters.

You either please God or you please people. You can't do both.

Take it from Paul:

"Obviously I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." (Galatians 1:10)

Paul wasn't on a nice little vacation, traveling the middle east. He was on a mission from God. He wasn't concerned with impressing people or taking it easy; He was busy being the hands and feet of God, something that is not an easy calling.

Paul had his priorities together. He recognized he couldn't split his affections for people and for God because one would get short-changed. Paul wouldn't risk robbing his attention from Christ.

So what about you? Are you caught up in impressing your friends or impressing God?

If you're too wrapped up in your social life, make more time for God. Sure it may be hard, but it's the same as making time to grab coffee with a friend or to watch that tv show that you never miss. If something is important to you, you'll make time for it.

Make God a priority in your life, and spend more of your time getting to know Him and drawing near to Him. Trust me, you won't regret it.

God is Good...

"God is good and God is great. And now we thank him for our food. " I remember saying this prayer almost every time my family sat down to eat dinner. To be honest this prayer as I was growing up didn't mean much to me. All too often we overlook the truth of that prayer. GOD IS GOOD. Truly knowing God is good should have an affect on us and the way we live our lives. God's nature is to be GOOD and through his goodness He desires to bless us and give good gifts. The greatest gift, blessing, and proof of His goodness is His very own Son: "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners " (Romans 5:8). Our heavenly Father is soooooo good that while we were STILL sinners He sent His ONE AND ONLY PERFECT Son to die for us, so that we could inherit eternity and be with Him forever. That truly is the greatest gift ever and shows how GOOD God is. This week may the goodness of God come to impact your life in such a way that ALL will see how good He is.

BELIEVE

We are so excited to be announcing this event.

We have the opportunity to take 30 Middle Schoolers to a Middle School ONLY Conference: Believe.

It takes place at the Gwinett Center in Atlanta and we will stay the night Friday at Hyatt Place.

It is April 8-9 in Atlanta and the cost is only $60!

We will need a $25 deposit by March 9th to secure your students spot.

We will be meeting at the church at 2:00pm.

This is going to be a great opportunity so please get your deposits in soon, because we anticipate spots to fill up quickly.

If you have any questions please call Brad here at the office 884-5932.

check out http://www.ciy.com/believe/ for more info...

Crazy Love

SMALL GROUPS.... THIS SUNDAY.... THEY'RE BACK!!!

5-7 pm. Girls at Siobhan's. Boys at the Student Center.

going to be doing the Francis Chan "Crazy Love" study.

check it out here---> http://crazylovebook.com/

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!!!

Control Freak

Who's God in your life? You or Jesus??? This can be a hard and tough question to answer. Not necessarily hard and tough because we don't know the answer, but because the answer stings a bit. All to often the God of our lives is ourself.

This is evident by our decisions and the sacrifices we make. Think about it. We say we want a relationship with Christ but what are we willing to do to have that relationship. Are you taking time to read His Word, talk with Him in prayer, obey what He says to do??? or do other things you want consume your life.

Think about it this way. Many of us play sports and want to be good at sports. Or we want to be good at school. Or there are numerous other things we want to succeed at. What do you do to attain those things. You go to camps, you go to long practices, you do it in your free time. You make sacrifices to become the best. You do just about anything to get what you want.

Now here's the thing to have a relationship with Christ and to truly live out the life He has called you to, you are going to have to make sacrifices. He has to become a priority. You are going to have to sacrifice some of your time on facebook, texting, watching TV, hanging out with friends, playing video games in order to truly have a relationship with God. Because you are going to need some of that time to read, to talk to Him, to let Him change you from the inside out.

The purpose of our lives is to Glorify God. To tell the world about Christ through our words and our actions. We need to come to the point in out life that we are so in love with God we are willing to sacrifice anything and everything for Him.

Our prayer is that you will start to daily take time with Him and follow where He leads. We love you and are here for you. If you ever have any questions please call, email, text, or facebook.

Winter Jam or school? how about both!

Well it seems like every year we have trouble getting to winterjam.

Snow last year now school on Saturday.

We are still going to Winter jam tomorrow.

Leaving BCC @ 3:30 pm

Please bring a permission slip:

download one from www.bcsm.org under forms.

We just want parents to use their wisdom on if their kids should

be able to go because it will be a late night.

Our plan will be to try to return to BCC by 12 midnight.

If you have questions or concerns please give us a call

at the office tomorrow: 884-5932 ask for Brent or Brad

Jump In

It's not too late to jump in and start reading the Book of Acts. The Book of Acts is the start and growth of the church. It brings our attention to the POWER of the Holy Spirit and Christ's desire for each of us to know Jesus Christ as Savior. It is an example to each of us on how to live out a Christ centered life. It is filled with miracles and amazing stories of lives changed. I hope you accept the challenge and pick up your Bible and dive into the inspiring story of the beginning of the church.

What's Fasting All About?

As a church we are currently on a journey for 40 days through the book of Acts. We are learning how the early church started and how it applies to the modern church. Our hope is that you will take time to evaluate personally where you are at in your connection to God. It is very easy for us to get consumed with “stuff”, whether it is: TV, Facebook, possessions, sweets (love the Cadbury eggs), or other cravings. It can be difficult to see how much these cravings control your actions and even attitudes.

During this journey many people in the church are “fasting” something. Fasting is not a term that you hear much about in today’s world.Fasting is basically a choice to go without something for a period of time. The purpose is to use that time that you would normally be eating, watching TV, or connecting through Facebook to spend with God.

Do you want to go deeper in your connection to God? Ask what would be something that would benefit you the most during these next thirty plus days to surrender to God? You might be surprised what the answer is?

Here some examples of things you may try:

Fasting TV for a day or a week

Fasting Facebook for a day or a week

Fasting sweets for a week

The key is to start small and do it with the heart of wanting to seek God. Before starting a food fast I would recommend talking with someone who has done it and ask your parents.

Coming Soon in February...

FEARLESS

Let's face it. All of us are afraid of something, whether it's clowns and spider or heights and water or failure and rejection. No matter what we all fear something. Week 2 in the study of Acts brought about the bottom line that the Church as it should be, should be FEARLESS!

Acts 3:1-10 tells the story of Peter healing the lame beggar and proclaiming the gospel of Christ and you know what happened because of this. Acts 4 shows us that he was arrested and 2000 came to know Jesus as Savior. Think about it. Put yourself in his position. If you knew you were going to be arrested or even die would you still have proclaimed the Good News? Sadly the answer for to many of us is the answer would be no. But the thing is Peter had no fear because he knew no matter the consequence the only thing to fear was God alone.

We all too often listen to our fears versus listening to God's leading. What would happen if we begun to listen to God alone and ignored our fears of rejection, failure, persecution, and being outcasted for our beliefs??? We need to come to the place where we simply trust Jesus' leading. Trust that our Father only has the best in mind. Remember we are His BELOVED.

Peter had no clue what would happen and what was at stake in following Jesus but he followed because he loved and trusted his heavenly Father. What is it in your life that God is calling you to do that you are afraid to do? Is it to love the out cast in your class, tell others that you are a Christian, is it to respect your parents when everyone else is bashing theirs? What ever it may be that He is calling you to, know that He is with you, He loves you and because of those things you can FEARLESSLY do the things He calls you to.

Surrender

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John 3:30 (NLT)

TOTAL SURRENDER INVOLVES . . .

1. A Surrendered HEART!

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment.’” Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)

A surrendered heart is the first step to being totally surrendered to God. Without a surrendered heart you will remain focused on yourself and miss out on the things that have Eternal value.

* What would it look like for you to have a Surrendered Heart?

2. A Surrendered WILL!

This is the outward expression of a surrendered heart. This is where our words and actions collide with our beliefs. This is what James talk’s about in his letter to early Christians. Look what he says,

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:22 (NLT)

“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42 (NLT)

Jesus knew it wasn’t about His pleasure but about Gods Glory. A surrendered will is where follow-through happens. It’s what allows others to see Christ in us.

* What areas do you find it hardest to surrender?

3. A Surrendered PLAN!

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”’ Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”

Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

* Share a time that God's plan & your plan were totally different? What did you do?

4. A Surrendered LIFE!

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

* What keeps you from a surrendered life?