Monday, October 30, 2006
Totally Awesome 30th
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Lost (Share your story)
Let me share a story... There was once two bothers, Peanut and June Bug, tha lived on a farm in Glennville, GA. When Peanut was about 18 years old he thought to himself, "I'm grown!." So Peanut went to his Papa and asked for his share of the money. Papa relunctanly gave him all the money.
Peanut left the farm in Glennville for the big city of Atlanta. There for about 6 months he spent all he had on parties, girls, drugs, food... when Peanut slowed down to check his mail, he realized he had over ten over draft notces from the bank. Peanit had spent all his money. Since he didn't want to go back to the farm in Glennville, he started cleaning out the bathrooms at a High School. All he wanted was the left over lunches, but the lunch ladies didn't even give him that. Peanut grew weak, hungry, tired. He thought to himself, "Even my Papa's employees eat and have a roof over their heads. I'll go and ask him to forgive me and maybe he will let me work on the farm."
When Papa saw Peanut walkign up the road to the farm, he ran out to hug him. He called to his employees and told them to prepare a big party. Meanwhile, Junebug got jealous. While everyone was at the party celebrating, Junebug stayed out on the porch sulking. Papa came out, put his arm around Junebug and said, "You don't understand what I've been through. I thought I had lost one of my sons. Now he's back! Be happy for me. Be happy for him."
Tell others what God has done in your life. Papa could have left Junebug to sulk and get bitter. But Papa decided to share what God had done in his life so that Junebug could understand and hopefully change his outlook.
Share your story. Tell others what God has done in your life in three easy steps..
- The Problem: Tell them the issue, situation, whatever was goign wrong.
- The Help: Tell them how God helpe dyou out of the situation or solved the problem.
- The Zinger: Let them know that God can do the same for them.
The Princesses...
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Spotlight on... Reggie Dabbs
Most of LOYC knows Reggie Dabbs and what it means to sit down and listen to him speak. First of all, you spend most of your time son your feet (voluntarily or cuz he's told ya to get up). Secondly, he will have you laughing and then all of a sudden like a sharp curve on a slippery road, you will be sucker punched emotionally, leaving God an avenue to work in your life.
Reggie Dabbs will be speaking Winterfest Weekend (March 9-11, 2007). Get to know him: He has a myspace account with 3,000 plus friends (go ahead, add him); read his testimony (his story); and visit his website.
My personal Reggie Dabbs anecdote? Click here.
Lost (Let it go)
Yesterday we discussed the positive side of things being Lost. Sometimes it is good to lose. Jesus said, "If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you will lose it, but if you let go of that life, you will have life on God's terms." We have got to realize that any plan, idea, goal we have for our own life pales in comparison to what God has planned. God's terms are much better than our terms. So we must learn to let go.
We must lose our hold for God to have control.
What are some things we are holding on to tightly that we should let go of?
- Let go of the ATTITUDE: Whether it is anger, an air of rebillion or just plain "mean-mugging" nastiness, let go of it. Sometimes we hold on to our attitudes becuase it is a crutch, a feel-good, and we are afraid to see what we cna become with it. Let it go.
- Let go of your HABITS: Habits can be broken if you replace them with something else. If staying in front of the computer gets you into trouble, then break it by getting that computer out of your room and into a heavy traffic area in your house. Do whatever it takes to let go of the habits that are keeping you from lif ein God's terms. Let it go.
- Let go of your RELATIONSHIPS: Sometimes it's not even a specific individual you are holding on to tightly. It is the idea of having someone that you think you can't live without. Let go of that boyfriend/girlfriend and make God your priority.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Lost (Be Willing)
Last Wednesday, I took a goldfish out of its bowl and dropped it on the floor. It bounced and gasped for air. Not for very long, however. Stephanie Curry swooped in to the rescue and plopped the fish back i it's bowl. I attempeted to take the fish out again, and with glossy eyeballs, Stephanie mouthed the words, "No, don't. Please."
Question: Are we that quick to help out those that are Lost? Those that do not have a growing relationship with God? Do we hurt for those that need Jesus? Need help?
Just like that goldfish was gasping for air, dying on the floor, we cross paths with people who are Lost every day. People who are gasping for air. People who are headed for death. And God wants us to go after them. God wants to use us to help recuse the Lost.
First step: Be willing.
Be willing to help your friends, classmates, family, anyone that God places in your path, even. Be willing to be used by God to help rescue the Lost.
Check It Out
Monday, October 02, 2006
LOST returns
What Are Others Doing?
- The Mix: Located in the Dallas, TX area, this youth group took a mission's trip to New York City. Check out the video.
- Oneighty: This youth church in Tulsa, Oklahoma had a Flex Night to include competitons and $400 in door prizes. Click on the pictures link.
- Fire House: This is TD Jakes' youth ministry also in Dallas, TX. Check out their podcast.
- InsideOut: This youth church is located in Atlanta, GA. Check out their videos. Click on "Media" and take a look at Number 3.
- HSM: This stand for High School Ministry and they are located in Saddleback, CA. Cool site.
- Refuge: This was a featured youth church on a Youth Pastor's Website. Funny thing, they call there youth pastor PJ. (Noahalani?)
Extra: "Chew it"
Now Cora eats, and she likes eating what she likes to eat. But she will not voluntarily try new things. I knew she liked nuts. She ate peanuts when I would eat them. So when I had sunflower seeds, I offered them to her. She said, “No. I don like ‘em.” I asked her how she knew she didn’t like them and she responded, “cuzth I don.” I took a deep breath and said, “Cora, eat this right now.” She reluctantly put the sunflower seeds in her mouth and moved them around a little in her mouth and finally smiled. “Papi, I like dos.” And me being me used it as a learning opportunity, “Cora, I told you you would like them. You have to try new things. Trust Papi, okay?”
It’s been the same way with cheese, chili, certain crackers and so on and so forth. We have had to force her to try something knowing that if she gives it a chance, she will like it.
For us, I think the Bible is that food that we may know is healthy for us but we just don’t want to try it. I mean really try it. Give it a chance. We either see in our minds the overwhelming amount of knowledge, the language, or just the amount of time needed as a barrier. We say “I don like it.” And when asked why, we responded “Cuzth I don.” We haven’t given it a try. A serious once over. And usually it’s because nobody has taught us how to practically chew it up.
In reference to itself, the Bible says: Mediate on the word. And we actually don’t know or fully comprehend hat that means. It means, in LOYC terms, to chew it up.
A grazing cow takes some grass and starts grinding it in its mouth. Adding saliva. Like a washing machine, grinding, wetting, rolling, moving, swishing that mixture till it becomes cud. Then it slows it. For the Word of God to taste good to us we must have some type of way of grinding it up, adding saliva to make it easier to swallow.
Here’s an awesomely simple way of breaking down Scripture so it makes sense to us:
1. Read it out loud three times. Each time you read it, stress differently words. Vary the pace of your reading. Change voice inflection, especially when someone is speaking.
2. Write it out. And when you write it out, make some words bigger than others depending on how important you think those words are. You can use all caps for words you want to add emphasis to.
3. Diagram it out. Circle words. Underline them. Put a box around them. Come up with your own system. For example: You can circle words that you will define. Underline words you would like to highlight.
4. Define it out. Get a dictionary and define the words you circled. Don’t define things in your own words. Getting the literal definition of a word will open your eyes to the meaning.
5. Ask questions. Go crazy writing out questions about words, phrases, circumstances, etc. But you must write them out. Many times, the act of writing a question done allows us to come up with an answer.
6. Use helps. There are plenty of resources available to you. First, if you have a study Bible there will probably be commentary on the particular Scripture you are reading. Then, online there are numerous Bible study helps. Also, read another translation of your Scripture. NIV, MSG, NKJV, etc. However, only go through this step after you’ve done the others.
7. Paraphrase it. Now after defining the words, asking the questions and getting a better understanding of what you just read, put it in your own words. This will be your translation of the Scripture.