Romans 10:9 (NIV)
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

PCC Day Camp 2008 starts tomorrow!! Will you be there?

Leave me a comment with something you learned!

One of my friends came home from camp this past summer and told me about a lesson she had learned that impacted me in a way that words cannot explain. She told me how she was feeling so unworthy of God’s love and He had this to say to her:

I love you. That is who I am and I never change. I didn’t decide to love you at some point in your life. I didn’t come to love you after you were born, or even the minute you were conceived. I loved you always. Since the beginning of everything. I don’t love you despite your sin, I loved you before sin existed, and I can’t change that. I loved you before there was evil. I am love.

It brought me a whole new perspective on unconditional love and just how much God loves me. I am truly blessed to have a friend who would care so much that she would share something so deeply personal with me. I have thought about that so many times over the past several months and am very greatful for the reminder that God loves me…no matter what.

This mornng we sang the song “Everything”

You’re all I want
You’re all I need
You’re everything
Everything
You’re all I want
You’re all I need
You’re everything
Everything

Can you really sing that? Is God really EVERYTHING to you? What would it take for you to be able to sing that song and truly mean the words? …think about it

So, we’ve been talking about spiritual disciplines on Sundays and this week i had the opportunity to practice the discipline we talked about on Sunday — Celebration!

One of my best friends got her first “real” job. (I call it that because she is graduating from college this semester and got a full-time job in her field of study.) I was so cool to be praying for her and with her about her interview and then hearing her excitement when she called to tell me she got the job. It was really great to just spend some time thanking God for the way he answered our prayers!

The coolest challenge showed up in my email this week from Karen Ehman at Proverbs 31 Ministries.

One of my favorite passages from the Bible is the “Love” chapter from 1 Corinthians 13. I remember being challenged to memorize it for an English class in my public high school in the 1980’s. Even secular scholars have no doubt that this piece of literature is a beautiful work, flowing in its rhythm and captivating in its cadence. It is actually relatively easy to memorize. However, living out the words is a whole different story!

Let’s pick up the passage in verses 4-8….

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.”

How would you describe your love for others? Are you a patient soul or do you drum your fingers and tap your toes while you stew and sigh not-so-patiently? Is it hard to bring you to a point of anger or does flying off the handle come much too naturally? Do you keep score with those who have wronged you, ready to dredge up the past and become “historical” to make your point? Do you boast? Got a case of the green envies? Ever been rude to someone? How will we ever learn to love the way this passage urges us to?

Here’s an idea to help to flesh this out in real life. Make a copy of the love chapter on your computer. However, wherever the word love is used (or its pronoun ‘it’ ) leave a blank. Then try over the next week or so to be able to write your name in the blank when you have a chance to exhibit this quality in real life. Were you patient at the doctor’s office today and, instead of grumbling while sitting in the waiting room, you quietly thanked God for the extra time and then used it to pray for others? Write your name on the “________ is patient” line. Did you and another family member get into a heated discussion and you were tempted to bring up a wrong from the past but, with great restraint, held your tongue? Bravo! Write your name on the “________ keeps no record of wrongs” line. Were you kind to the grumpy cashier instead of being rude right back? Get out that pen and write away!

Be assured that if you take this challenge, God will give you lots of opportunities to practice displaying these wonderful characteristics of love. And you can count on others noticing the change in you as you seek to love out loud.

Does anyone have any stories about what God has been teaching you during the series on spiritual disciplines?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Do you use this day to reflect on the past year? The blessings God has given you? The people he has brought into your life?

Do you say “thank you”? Why not spend some time today making a list of the people you are thankful God has brought into your life (bet it’s HUGE! :)). Let them know!

You’ve all heard your Youth Coach say “What’s said in small groups, stays in small groups.” Do you know why this is so important?

Have you ever told someone something in confidence (expecting them to keep it to themselves) and had them repeat what you said to someone else? How did it make you feel? Did you want to trust that person again? Have you ever been that person?

Do you come to Small Groups prepared with prayer requests to share? What types of requests do you have? Pray for family? friends? big tests at school? Those are all very valid prayer requests, but are they helping you grow in your relationship with God? Are they helping you build strong friendships and accountability relationships in your group?

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

For most of us, the idea of sharing our personal struggles is very scary. We fear judgment from others. But this is not God’s plan for us. We are not meant to live life alone! I know we can all say this, but for me, I didn’t truly understand it until I experienced it for myself.

I want to share my experience with you, but these were conversations that took place in confidence so I am changing the scenarios a bit.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

I met a friend to hang out after school once day. She was a bit nervous but finally told me that she felt God was telling her that she needed to confess something to me. She proceeded to tell me about her problem with lying and some of the lies she had told and the consequences associated with them. We were able to pray about the situation together and I was able to ask her about it and continue to pray with her when we would meet together. Overcoming sin is easier with a friend!

Psalm 34:4-5
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Because of the trust and strength of this friend, I was able to find the courage to follow her example and deal with some issues in my own life.

Small groups are a safe place to build these accountability relationships. It can be hard to take that first step, but maybe you can help others in your group step out as well. Some of the most encouraging stories of Christian faith are about people we know overcoming their struggles.

Imagine this, it’s time for prayer requests in your group. You decide to take that step and ask for prayer for yourself and your struggle with lying. Then another member of your group confesses a sin issue in her life and asks for prayer as well. You begin to pray for one another and encourage each other, and somewhere down the line you are able to share with your group the ways God is working in your life and helping you overcome sin. You encourage other members of your group to share their trials and triumphs.

Is God call you to step out in your group? To be real with those you can trust? Trust each other and be worthy of their trust. Remember…what’s said in Small Groups, stays in Small Groups. It is a safe place.