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! 

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)

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,

Seek God First

It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who try to find him. (Hebrews 11:6 CEB)

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We have all at one point searched for some place or a circle  of  friends where we  fit in.  You may even be currently searching  for that special something that will fill the voids in your life.  Often what we don't realize is that the tug you feel in your heart  is actually the Lord revealing our need for Him. We need  to  spend time in the presence of God  daily in order to  be sustained while  going through life's up's and downs. That  void you feel , that loneliness ,  the  heartbreak is best filled with time with the Lord. We  must  pursue  God first before we entertain  anything else and lean on Him to guide us to the resources we  need. There a few things that compares to a loving Father who you truly cares about where you are in life and your well-being. So we must really weigh the significance of the things we are clinging to for comfort.  Ask God to change your heart so that you'll desire to be in His presence  and absorb His wisdom.  Wherever you are lacking God will fill in those gaps but you must seek Him first.


Love,

Forgiven

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:22 NLT)

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So you've made a mistake and you've repented  but  have you really moved on or do you find that are you are  still carrying around the guilt of the mistake that God has already forgiven you for?  Romans 3:22 it says that we are made right with God and this is true for everyone  who believes. This means that no matter where we've fallen short in our lives we must 1. Believe that  God has heard our prayers and  2. We can take God at His word when He says that we are forgiven and in right standing with Him. Often we forget that God isn't like us; He doesn't hold grudges  or hold past over our heads, when God forgives it's done! So  in your prayer time today  ask  God to relieve you of the guilt you've been carrying and help you to  live  life  focused on Him as He  moves  you forward.


Love,

The Light In You.

The light (Jesus) shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not defeated it. (John 1:5 ERV)

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Jesus is the light to our path through Him we are not defeated. We have hope for the future and a teacher that will grant us the knowledge we need to navigate through life. We don't have to live bound by  pain, depression or any trick of the enemy. The light of Christ lives in us and with Him we can be confident that the circumstances in our lives that were meant to keep us broken won't succeed.  We serve a God that mends our broken pieces and restores us.  No matter what you you may face today remember that the light of Christ is in you and with Him you win! 

Love,

Pray

Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people. (Ephesians 6:18 ERV)

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Prayer is connects us directly to our creator.  It's a safe place where we can freely place all that's is in our hearts and minds before God without fear of rejection.  We don't have put on theatrics or come up with poetic words, we can simply come to the Lord as we are and express ourselves to the best of our abilities.  One of the great things about prayer is that nothing is too small to bring to God He cares about what's on our minds and desires to hear from us. He not only hears us but He also communicates to each of uniquely.  Spending time with God in this way creates an intimacy that fills every area of our lives.  It is vital that each day we don't neglect this time with God to lift others up in prayer, seek direction  and to simply say I love you  Lord and thank you. 

Love,

Faith over Fear

So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries. (Matthew 6:34 ERV)

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I can tell you from personal experience that worrying never solved any of my problems; I'm sure that you can attest the same in your life. We often make up scenario in our minds that fill us with anxiety and we begin to live in fear of the "what if's".  Worry in essence is the lack of faith that God is know where you are or what you need. God is the author of our lives  he created us with His own hands so doesn't it make more sense that He knows exactly what we need and how to open the right doors in our lives? Of course it does!  If we were as intentional about praying  and meditating  on  the promises of  God as  we are about  meditating  on our fears, we wouldn't waste another minute trying to figure things on our own. Remember, God is faithful , He cares for you and just because things seem a certain way right doesn't mean it will always be this way. Today be determined to chose faith over fear!

Saying No to....YOU

You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. (Galatians 5:13 CEB)

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Whether we would like to admit it or not there is a part of us  that operates on an impulses at times.   These are instances where we don't think the situation through , choose to do things our  way  and  don't seek Christ  for direction.  We end up diving head first into things we have no business being involved in. Now, whatever this scenario looks like for you, here's your chance to ask yourself some important questions. 1. Will this  push me closer or further away from Christ 2. Is it worth it and 3. Will I be happy with the decision I've made  a year from now?  Answer honestly and if your  answers to these questions  convict you then ask God to help you make the necessary changes to making better decisions.   Remember, we don't have to act on every thought we have.   Seek God first He will direct your path  and  grant you discretion.   From there you'll be that much closer to becoming Christ led instead of self led.



Love,

Keeping Up With The Jone's

Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil. (James 3:16 CEB)

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Jealousy is a huge stumbling block in many of our lives.  Desiring to have what others have leads to vicious cycle of disappointment and bitterness.  This is why we must be careful not to get caught up in the hype of attaining "things" .  Before you know it you'll begin to purchase things beyond your means, get involved in pointless relationships just for the sake of being in a relationship or even make  business moves for projects that you haven't thought through. We must not overlook the fact that where you are in your life right now is a important  part of your  story.  

God has already supplemented you with everything that you need for where you are now; so when that " I have to have" mentality fills your thoughts take a moment to really think of how God has always met your needs, don't lose sight of the grace that covers you everyday.  You'll  notice that when you begin to list all of the instances where God has come through for you , saved you from the things that thought you wanted   you cannot help but be grateful . So take this moment and  thank God for right now, choose to live life with an attitude of gratefulness  and when the time come for God to move you to the next level you'll have the wisdom and humility to appreciate it more. 


Love,

Have we lost our compassion?

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15 NLT)

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I believe one of our biggest issues in having authentic relationships is that we've become desensitized. We have been exposed to so much  these days that  have along the way we have  become disconnected from having a heart for others especially when something doesn't effect us directly. But this is not Gods intention, we are all connected to each other as the body of Christ . Our lives aren't just about seeking our own advantage. We all need a support system, we all need that person in our lives to remind us that God is in control and there is still hope.  I understand that we all have issues of our own and it can be hard to imagine being there for someone else.  But remember every situation is different by just allowing someone to vent may makes all the difference in the world in their recovery. Sometimes we just need someone to simply listen. Today lets be intentional about listening, caring and supporting each other because you never know when you'll be in need of support yourself.

Love,

When You Come To God

So Christ can save those who come to God through him. Christ can do this forever, because he always lives and is ready to help people when they come before God. (Hebrews 7:25 ERV)

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Jesus intercedes on our behalf. He talks to God about each of us and cares about where we are in our lives. When we come to Him He is sympathetic and caring like any good father would be towards his children. Sometimes  our  vision  is obscured by our insecurities or the pain of our past  but  He can literally renew our minds with His presence and assure us with the promises of His word. He never rejects us when we miss the mark but instead  He picks us up and moves us past the roadblocks in our lives in  such  a  way that  we  grow stronger. God is faithful and there is no one like Him and with Him at the head of your  life it's guaranteed that your life will never be the same!



Love,

While You're Waiting

I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for him. I trust what he says. Psalm 130:5 (ERV)

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Have you heard the  saying if you want to make  God laugh tell Him about your plans. I believe that God has  put a dream in  all of hearts but  sometimes  our timing  doesn't line up with Gods, In these instances we have to develop  patience and  faith. Often we are so consumed with chasing  down one  plan  after the next that we  neglect to  ask God   what  His plans are. What we have to remember  is that  our life isn't just about us, it's about  our service and living out  Gods plan for us.  You may  feel  a bit  frustrated or even  overlooked but I want to  encourage you to wait on God, trust His plan and believe that  He still has a plan for your life.

Love,

Time Well Spent

 Jesus left and made his way to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom, and the disciples followed him. Luke 22:39 (CEB)

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We are  all so busy with  life, family , and  our personal interest that  sometimes  we  neglect to carve  out enough  time for  God.  We all  have activities and interest  that we  love and  that's great but  nothing brings our life  full circle more than  absorbing  Gods  word and spending time in His presence.  So let's begin to balance the scales in our lives and shift our  focus towards  things that  feed our spirit and equips  us for our  purpose.   Be  intentional about   shutting down the things that distract you and   carve out  a portion of your  day  for  God. Here's  a  good   way to kick things off: In the morning  before you reach for you  phone to check your social feeds find a scripture or  devotional to read first  and pray.  At the end of the day chose a book in the bible to study and take note of things that pop out to you.  Each day make sure that your time was well spent and that  God isn't simply a  option but a priority.

Love & Sacrifice

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

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God gave us  one the  best examples that love  sometimes  means  sacrifice.  Through  God's love for us  He gave us  Jesus and   through  Jesus'  love for  us He gave His life on the cross.  So  we   now   have everlasting life and  our sins  are covered.  Within our own relationships we   must be willing to  see beyond our own needs and learn to  be  willing  give our time,  attention, love and resources to  maintain  balanced relationships. If you're only  seeking to solely  have  your needs met then you're missing the full  picture of what love is.

I understand that some are put off by the word  sacrifice so let's  shift your  perception.  To experience  love  through sacrifice means  you're  proactive about serving  others,  you make yourself   available when there is  a need even if that means  moving some things around in your schedule and lastly giving without  expectation of receiving  something back in  return. When you walk these things out you  may not get the response that you think you deserve but  don't allow that to  harden your heart. Know that  God see's  the work you're doing and He will reward your efforts.


Love,

Connect to The Vine

 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. John 15:5 (CEB)

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With the hustle and bustle  of  life  and trying to  move from one  goal to the next we can  begin to move so fast that we  neglect to  spend time with  God  to find out with His  plans are. We can  only  get so far within our own  power  but  once we  connect our faith and patience with Gods  power  things will come together in ways that you could not begin to imagine.  God  has made  us  a  promise in  John 15:5  the Lord says if  we  remain in  Him  he will remain in us and with His  provision  we  succeed.  If you've been trying to   navigate through life on your own and  find that you are  exhausted yourself , it's time to  let  go and   connect  back  to God our  ultimate source.

Love,

Share The Love

 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” John 13:34-35 (CEB)

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One of the best ways to  receive  the love you would like to experience is to  be the love you want to receive.  So think about  what  makes you feel loved. Is it  through quality time,  a  text  just to say that you were on their mind or sharing a meal? Everyone has their  own particular  love language  so  it is important to  be in tuned to what your  loved ones and friends need to  feel loved. We  should also  mirror the love of  God outside of our circle friends or  with a significant other by  serving others. For example you can  volunteer at  church or at a local non profit organizations of your choice.   As  disciples of Christ loving others in way that doesn't have limitations is what makes us stand out.  So be creative  find ways to not only walk in love but  share  the  love of Christ.

Love,