Notes From Church: Reaching The NEXT Generation

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

This past Sunday our pastor continued a series on moving forward.  He spoke about the upcoming generation and how we must effectively speaks to them in a manner that captures their  interest and how they prefer to take in information.  Times are changing and must be forward thinking as we fulfill the great commission with the upcoming generation.  As the body of Christ we shouldn't be behind the times or resistant to  change our tactics of  reaching our youth. For instance Dr.Crute mentioned  snackable information to paraphrase this means to give  short quick and to the point information. Long boring lectures and condescending tones will only push them away so we must adjust our thinking.

 Our message shouldn't be compromised but  the methods should be current with the interest of our children.   It is  vital that our   children  know that we care about the things they care about and that their thoughts and ideas are valid. So it is important  not only  to  talk with our youth but to also listen to them as well.  Encourage their dreams and nurture  their relationship with Christ. In  the comments below tell me what are some ideas you may have for reaching the next generation in a  new and exciting way.

Accept Your Mission

I assure you that whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. They will do even greater works than these because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12 CEB)

Our work as followers of Christ are significant. The Lord has chosen each of us specifically to play a role in His plan.  How amazing is that? Just think, God created you for this point in time to serve in a way that only you can. So  comparing ourselves with others  serves no purpose. Within the body of Christ we are all working towards the same mission which is to be a light in dark places and  bring others to Christ.  Each us will carry out this mission  differently  so  we should  focus on the differences of  our paths  but we  should  keep our sights serving God in the manner that He has equipped us to and support those who have the same end goal which is to glorify Christ and make His name famous! 

Life Changes and New Directions.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

I don't often talk about myself in the blog but I have to be honest right now I am  a going  through a  rough season of my life  personally , financially and there are times when I am full of anxiety and my emotions are all over the place.  But  through out it  all  Jesus  has  been  amazing to me and  although my  circumstances are  a bit overwhelming  God  has never let's me stay in my little cloud of  depression.  I am realizing this more and more each day  that there are amazing people in  my life that  genuinely  care about me this was confirmed for me  this past  Sunday.  I am so grateful that in the midst of all that  is  going on  I have hope.On paper  my current situation seems like  more than I can handle but  I know that God is faithful   and  He  cares.



 I've  decided to  change some the way I  post  on the blog.  Coming up with something to write each day  can  be a daunting   task  and  along the way I've lost  some of my passion for it.  So in effort to preserve the integrity on the blog from now on  I will only post when I  have something that I  really  feel lead to share and that is meaningful.  I don't want this post  become a chore I  want the content that  I write to be helpful and  from my heart.  I want to thank those who take the time to read my  post it means  more to me than you know.   So  keep me in your prayers and I'll do the same for you if you need to catch up with me  you can find me  on  most  social  media  platforms @LesliAllynBlogs .


God Bless

Listen With Compassion

We who are strong in faith should help the weak with their weaknesses, and not please only ourselves. Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith. (Romans 15:1-2 NCV)

There are  times  when we really need to talk to someone  that we can share  our  thoughts freely   with  without the fear of judgement.  When  someone  trust you with their weaknesses we need to be careful to listen   intently  so that we can offer well thought out advice rather than rash judgement. We have all had our ups and downs and have made poor choices . So let's not lose sight of where we've been and how we needed reassurance and advice  at some point in our lives. Be intentional about sharing your testimony as a reference point of Gods grace. Remember  no one  want to hear long drawn out lectures instead  show compassion and advise how God leads you to  and  build up  those who  are  growing in their faith .


Love,

Keep The Faith

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalms 27:14 KJV)

It takes courage to  follow through with Gods plans for us.   Trusting Him completely and doing things His way means exchanging your will for His.  And let's be honest,  we don't always get this concept right the first time around.  Letting go can be a scary thought for some of us and we can  become anxious and try to rush progress to fit our timing.  But even as  we find ourselves feeling unsure of how things will work out we  must not waiver in our faith.  

Fully trusting God to move before we take things into in our own hands shows  our total reliance on Him  and our willingness to follow His lead. Remember, the Lord will never bring us to circumstance that his provision doesn't cover or that He  didn't intend for us to have victory over. So as you waiting for your next steps don't lose faith let this experience be a building block towards maturity in boldly trusting God and his plan for your life.

Love,

Life Changes

Nonetheless, the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you, and will rise up to show you compassion. The Lord is a God of justice; happy are all who wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18 CEB)

Feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the obstacles you're facing?  We've all been there; To be honest I'm going through a pretty rough season myself.  But what I've learned  is  that we all have or will experience seasons in our lives where we cannot begin to figure out how  we are going to get through rough periods in our lives.   We must come to terms with the fact that life is a big  series of test.  Our faith is tested, our relationships and our peace are tested. But the good news is that the Lord desires to be a lifeline in the times where we are uncertain and have come to the end of our rope. It is in this place where we recognize our desperate need for Christ and his direction.  So what's our next move? Trust God completely, cast down every defeating thought from the enemy  and  meditate on the word of God instead of your circumstances.  Below are  couple of verses to get you started.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9 KJV)

How To Serve

But the one who is greatest among you will be your servant. All who lift themselves up will be brought low. But all who make themselves low will be lifted up. (Matthew 23:11-12 CEB)

As the body of Christ we are meant to serve others. However sometimes the  sincerity  of our service is contingent on whether we are recognized for our efforts. But our service should mirror the way Christ served.  No task was beneath Him , He humbly served others  with grace and love. The difference between Christ, and you and I is that He deserves  praise. His love, His works in the earth  and His sacrifice is second to none.  So by His example  we should  we should serve without anticipation of any fanfare and be secure enough serve others  without the possibility of even receiving a thank you.  Remember we are living for a audience of one and when you serve Gods people you serve God and He will recognize and reward you.  So shift your focus and live a life that reflects Christ's example.


Love,

When Life Happens

I wait patiently for God to save me; I depend on him alone. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. (Psalms 62:1-2 GNB)

Life sometimes has a way of turning upside down and completely throwing you off.   I can tell you from personal experience that when things change drastically it can be very hard to adjust mentally because your emotions are all over the place because the comfort of what you're used to has been disrupted.  When we go through these types of changes its important that we realize the only thing in our lives that is consistent is the Lord. We must rely on Him to sustain in every area of our lives so when  challenging things happen to us we don't just fall apart but we become more aggressive in our faith. Remember, God is with you , He cares, and His love and protection consistently follow you all the days of your life. So no matter what you are facing has to submit to God. You will get through this.

Love,