1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART Forgive as Forgiven_
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13
Do you think of yourself as a forgiven person? I'm not asking if you believe God has forgiven all of your sins. I know you believe that if you're a Christian. I mean, do you tend to think of yourself as someone who has been forgiven for great and terrible sin? I'm asking because those of us who became Christians as kids -- and never got around to rebelling in any obvious, public way by trying out some of the "big sins" -- we can have a hard time really thinking of ourselves as sinners. What have we done that's so wrong, after all? That thinking is a problem. Every sin is an offense against the character of our Father, reason enough for us to go to hell, and for Jesus to die on the cross. Our pride is no better than sexual immorality, fits of rage, or public drunkenness.
Here's the other problem: If you don't think of yourself as a forgiven person, it's much harder to forgive others. And when you do, you think of it as a big favor instead of seeing it as the least and most obvious thing you could do as someone who has been forgiven for a stinking, seething mountain of ugly sin.
Think: On a scale from 1 to 10, how often are you aware that God has forgiven you for great sins you were helpless to pay for yourself? How hard is it for you to forgive others? Do you see a connection between those two things?
Pray: Ask God to help you to bear with others and forgive everyone just as God has forgiven you.
Do: Read Matthew 18:21-35 to hear a story Jesus told about a guy who refused to forgive a small debt after he'd been forgiven for a big one.
2. FORGETTABLE FACT Why do puppies lick your face? They're instinctively looking for scraps of food.
3. POTENT QUOTABLES
Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.
-- Christopher Morley
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. -- Dan Rather
4. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do you call a song sung in an automobile?
A: A cartoon.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Weekly Newsletter!!!
Hey Guys. The youth blog will be updated every Monday or Tuesday. I hope everyone is going well. I have some interesting newsletter articles that will be published here on a weekly basis. I look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow night. We will be wrapping up Make Your One Turn Count. See you soon!!!
1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
The Big Ones
"You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:13-16)
Can you believe that's four whole verses up there? Commandments numbers six through nine are so simple and straightforward. And they're probably the easiest to keep, right? I mean, you don't usually just have a bad day and kill someone. Or sleep with someone's spouse. Or steal a car. Or lie in court about your neighbor.
Nope. Those are the biggies, the ones that most good Israelites could put on their list of "bad things I've never done."
Then Jesus showed up and took an eraser to their lists. He said those biggies start as real sin in the secret places of the heart. To tune your mind to lust, He said, is heart adultery. To hate a person, John wrote, is to be a murderer. We've all learned how to steal a digital thing or two from the anonymous privacy of our computers. And lying in court is only a public version of lying to our parents.
None of us is really innocent, even of all the biggies. Part of the point of the Law was to convince us all that we can't keep that Law, that we are not good enough on our own for God. We needed Jesus to keep them all for us. And we thank God He did, then died to pay for all the ones we broke.
Think: Do you have a list of sins you are proud not to have committed? Is there any real honor in having broken some of God's Law and not other parts of it?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to kill, hate, lust, commit adultery, steal (anything ever), or lie (for any reason). Thank Him that Jesus died for all your sins and that you've been forgiven for them through faith and by His grace.
Do: Read Galatians 3 to hear what Paul has to say about the difference between living by faith in Christ and living under the Law of Moses.
2. Forgettable Fact
Babies are born without knee caps.
3. Quotes
Search not for a friend in a time of need, for a true friend shall find thee. ~ Anonymous
Football is an incredible game. Sometimes its so incredible, its unbelievable. ~ Tom Landry.
1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
The Big Ones
"You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:13-16)
Can you believe that's four whole verses up there? Commandments numbers six through nine are so simple and straightforward. And they're probably the easiest to keep, right? I mean, you don't usually just have a bad day and kill someone. Or sleep with someone's spouse. Or steal a car. Or lie in court about your neighbor.
Nope. Those are the biggies, the ones that most good Israelites could put on their list of "bad things I've never done."
Then Jesus showed up and took an eraser to their lists. He said those biggies start as real sin in the secret places of the heart. To tune your mind to lust, He said, is heart adultery. To hate a person, John wrote, is to be a murderer. We've all learned how to steal a digital thing or two from the anonymous privacy of our computers. And lying in court is only a public version of lying to our parents.
None of us is really innocent, even of all the biggies. Part of the point of the Law was to convince us all that we can't keep that Law, that we are not good enough on our own for God. We needed Jesus to keep them all for us. And we thank God He did, then died to pay for all the ones we broke.
Think: Do you have a list of sins you are proud not to have committed? Is there any real honor in having broken some of God's Law and not other parts of it?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to kill, hate, lust, commit adultery, steal (anything ever), or lie (for any reason). Thank Him that Jesus died for all your sins and that you've been forgiven for them through faith and by His grace.
Do: Read Galatians 3 to hear what Paul has to say about the difference between living by faith in Christ and living under the Law of Moses.
2. Forgettable Fact
Babies are born without knee caps.
3. Quotes
Search not for a friend in a time of need, for a true friend shall find thee. ~ Anonymous
Football is an incredible game. Sometimes its so incredible, its unbelievable. ~ Tom Landry.
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