Awaken Youth Church
resurrecting a generation
gonna be a great night at awaken – baptism & cookout! Be there. http://awakenyouthchurch.com/?p=221
Jul 1st
gonna be a great night at awaken – baptism & cookout! Be there. http://awakenyouthchurch.com/?p=221
Titus 3: Not Good Enough
Jul 1st
Consider: Titus 3
If you haven’t gotten it already, you’re not good enough. You’re just not. I’m not either. None of us are. If we were than Jesus’ death would have been pointless. It seems so often we try, try and keeping trying to prove something to God that we’re good enough to get into heaven, but the fact is, we’re not.
In Titus 3: 5-6, this is what Paul says about not being good enough:
“He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did.”
Check out a few bits from that passage:
- He saved us, not because of the good things we did
- It’s all because of His mercy
- He generously poured out His Spirit on us because of Jesus
It doesn’t say “He sparingly poured out His Spirit”… or “once we got our act together, He poured out His Spirit”… no. It says He generously poured out His Spirit because of Jesus and what He did for us.
Today, rest in the fact that you’re not good enough. May be an odd way to look at it, but it’s the truth.
2 Timothy 2: Challenges
Jun 26th
Consider: 2 Timothy 2
This entire chapter is one of challenge. Paul doesn’t beat around the bush, he gets straight to the point with Timothy and he encourages him in his faith and relationship with God.
First Challenge:
2 Timothy 2: 4 – “And as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the One who has enlisted you in His army.”
How plain and simple is that? So often we allow things of this life to entangle our hearts. Notice Paul didn’t use the normal Christian cliche of just “keeping God first”. He said if we got focused and distracted by this life, we then could not truly satisfy Jesus. It’s more than just trying to keep God first but actually living your life so that you are satisfying the heart of God.
Second Challenge:
2 Timothy 2:10 – “I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.”
Again, a plain and simple challenge. Paul is letting Timothy know of his suffering for the Gospel, yet he is making sure Timothy knows that it is worth it!
Is it worth it to us? We barely know what suffering is here in America because of our freedoms. Would you be willing to endure anything?
Third Challenge:
2 Timothy 2:19 – “Those who claim they belong to the LORD must turn away from all wickedness.”
Where do we even get the idea that sinning is OK for Christians? I’ve heard many believers talk of since Jesus has forgiven all of our sins for all time then it doesn’t matter what we do after we believe. Need I remind you that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks?
Paul says that we MUST turn away from all wickedness…
Fourth Challenge:
2 Timothy 2:22 – “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust.”
He didn’t say walk, he said run. And he didn’t just say run, but run from. Get away from the junk. Sin is so not worth it. It will destroy our lives.
There are a few other challenges in this chapter, but I felt it important to focus on those above.
In this middle of this chapter, Paul gives us a look at part of our reward for meeting these challenges and fulfilling them.
2 Timothy 2:21 – “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for His purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use for every good work.”
I don’t know about you, but I like being used by God. I like being ready when Jesus says GO. The challenges that Paul laid out in this chapter will keep us ready.
Wednesday Replay: 06.24.09
Jun 25th
Steve Meyer spoke at Awaken last night. What a great message! His points can be found below:
- We cannot let anything hold us back from telling other people about God
Acts 4:20 “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” - Our lives, not just our words need to point others to God
Acts 6:5 “This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism” - We need to make our message contextual but not compromise
Romans 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
The messag recording will be available soon.
1 Timothy 1: Hold Tightly
Jun 19th
Consider: 1 Timothy 1
Paul is laying out an interesting challenge here to Timothy, his son in the faith. Listen to what he says in verse 19:
“Cling tightly to your faith in Christ, and always keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”
That verse speaks to a lot of things, but primarily it simply says our faith has to be the solid thing in our lives. What are our lives founded on? Stuff? The pursuit of happiness? The American Dream? What is it that keeps us going everday?
Paul told Timothy to cling tightly. He didn’t say hold loosely. Or get around to working on your relationship with God when you feel like it. NO. He said cling tightly.
I kind of picture how little kids will latch on to their mom or dad’s leg and just hang on with all they have. That’s clinging.
So what happens if we don’t cling? Check out verse 20:
“Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples of this. I turned them over to satan so they would learn not to blaspheme God.”
Not clinging is a big deal. Not being grounded in your faith in Jesus is a big deal. It’s not just a nice little raise-your-hand-once decision. This faith is life-altering and eternity-changing.
Cling to your faith. Cling to Jesus. He is the only One who never changes and He is the One who pursuing your heart.
Colossians 3: Realities of Heaven
Jun 17th
Consider: Colossians 3
A few days ago I posted a few thoughts on how Paul was encouraging the believers and their thought life.
Our thought life is important… it really impacts our entire lives.
Now here in Colossians 3, Paul lays out that we should: “set our sights should be on the realities of heaven… let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth” (see Colossians 3:1-2).
What does it mean to think on the realities of heaven? It means to constantly remind yourself and bring to the forefront of thought the truth about it.
Here are some of the realities of heaven:
- The LORD sits on the throne in heaven; He’s in control!
- The angels surround His throne singing Holy, Holy, Holy; He is worth all of our worship and more.
- His will is done the moment it is spoken; Instant obedience.
- There is no veil and He is not hidden; His face is in plain site!
Can you see why it would be important to fill our minds with these things? The realities of heaven are not just golden streets and pearly gates… but a place
I challenge you today to set your sights on the realities of heaven; let heaven fill your thoughts, because in that, your mind will be change and transformed. No longer will you be content with what’s here on this earth, but a desire for more and a desire to be with Him where He is will fill your life!
Colossians 1: Freedom
Jun 15th
We live in “the home of the free”. There’s a lot that goes into that statement, but one of those things is, for the most part, we don’t have to do everything the government tells us to do. We don’t have to go to a certain government sanctioned church, we have the choice of which church to go to. We have the choice of which store we want to shop at… where we want to buy gas… we have the choice of who we want to be our next leader.
In freedom we have a lot of choices.
In Colossians 1, Paul briefly touches on the freedom we have in Christ. In verse 13 & 14 he says this:
“For He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and He has brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with His blood and has forgiven all our sins.”
This freedom that Paul was talking about is not just any old good American freedom. It goes beyond anything our military could have shed their blood for. It’s freedom from sin and freedom from the one who wants us bound in sin, satan.
The choice we have through freedom in Christ is that we have the opportunity to live like Jesus and overcome sin. One of the lies the enemy likes to use is that “oh, you’re human. You’re gonna sin anyways. Just go for it.”
BUT through freedom in Christ, remember we are a new creation. We’re not just “normal” humans any longer. We have the Spirit of God dwelling in us. We have the ability to reject temptation and live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him.
So as in America we have free choices, so you have the choice with your life as a believer. You don’t have to give in to the devil’s temptations. You don’t have to sin when the opportunity arises.
The moral of the story: you CAN say no to the devil and his ways and you CAN say yes to Jesus and a life of purity.
Philippians 4: Thoughts
Jun 14th
Consider: Philippians 4
The whole book of Philippians is a challenge to live the life that we’ve been called to live as believers. Paul finishes up this challenge by encouraging the believers to check their thoughts.
Philippians 4:8 says: “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think abou tthings that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
There are so many things that can occupy our thoughts. The cares of this life. Good memories of “how things used to be”. Worries about tomorrow. Truth from God’s word. Lies from the pit of hell. The list could go on forever.
Paul is not just saying have a good thought life. Some have taken this passage and made it in to that… they think it’s a challenge to have “happy, fluffy thinking”. What He is really saying (especially in context with Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 3:1) that we need to have a holy thought life.
He simplifies it and basically just sums it up for us: think on truth and righteousness. Think about pure and “holy things”. Think about things that are worthy of praise.
Worry is not truth. Sinful things are not righteousness. And really, only Jesus is worthy of praise.
The challenge: set your mind on Jesus. :)
“May the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” – Philippians 4:23
Philippians 3: I Once Thought
Jun 13th
Consider: Philippians 3:4-11
This passage of Scripture is very challenging. Paul starts off by letting us know who he was and details about his life that were very important to him.
Some of those things were:
- He was born into a “pure-blood” Jewish family, that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin
- He was circumcised when he was 8 days old (a big deal!)
- He was a Pharisee
- Zealous for his faith
- He obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that he was never accused of thought
All of those things sound fine… right? Wrong.
Once Jesus came into the picture, he let’s us know in verse 7 “I once though all these things were very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”
Here we have another challenge to examine the “stuff” in our lives.
From the list Paul gave, nothing could have been considered “sin”. So when it came to him giving up those things… he wasn’t doing it just to get sin out of his life. He did it because He realized Jesus wanted to change everything, not just the “sin areas” in his life.
Relationship with Jesus is about a complete life change, not us just coming to the point of staying away from sin and waiting for our entry to Heaven. There may be things in our lives, not necessarily sin, but when it comes to Jesus and knowing Him, those things are worthless… and it could be He’s wanting us to give up those things.
Jesus is into new. He is into change. He loves to do both in our lives… in ALL of our lives.
Philippians 1: The Finisher
Jun 11th
Today we read from Philippians 1. So many great things in this chapter!
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”
God is The Finisher.
Paul is here encouraging the Christians in Philippi concerning their faith. So often we feel when we fall short, when we sin, that we’re such failures. But we’re not. God has not given up on you. As long as you keep a humble heart, thus keeping yourself in a position to receive His Grace, what He started in you will come to completion.
God doesn’t give up on you… He’s the Finisher.