BEAUTIFUL NEWS- 2:42 blog

The Impossible Journey

2007-10-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

What an amazing night! I think the best part of it all was seeing all of you respond to the challenge to bring your friends out to hear about Jesus! What an amazing thing to know that we as Christians have access to the kind of living water that takes away the flaw of sin and we can live knowing that are right with God. Also, isn't it amazing that we get the opportunity to live out the life God has for us everyday and make his name famous in our schools, our homes, and our relationships. Check out the devotions for this week and let me know what you thought about our amazing journey last night.

The Impossible Journey: Devotions

Thursday October 11th
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8-9
It’s amazing to think about how my life used to be before I decided to accept what Christ did for me. Maybe you are like me and you have made some really poor decisions in your life. Maybe you feel that because of the “bad” things you have done that Christ could never love you enough to save you. That simply isn’t true. Christ died for even the ungodly-the ones who couldn’t care less about church, God, or anything to do with Him. I love the part of this verse that says that “while we (you and I) were still sinner, Christ died for us.” The Bible doesn’t say that we have to “clean up our act” before we come to Him, but Christ invites us to come as we are. He will then begin to work on us and take care of the rest!
How does it make you feel to know that no matter what you have done, Christ still loved you enough to die for you? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you struggle with the fact that your past is too bad and that you can’t possibly change? ________Remember, that Christ died for sinners, not perfect people. None of us are perfect. If you are serious about accepting Him and His love, write a prayer about what it is you need Christ to do in your life. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Friday October 12th
“No, in all these things we are more that conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
If we will accept Christ, He has promised to help us overcome the things that have hurt us, destroyed us, and have left us feeling so empty. Whether those things are relationships, material things, or things that we have abused, God’s word says that we are more than conquerors! It doesn’t mean that we will never face challenging things or go through hard times, but He does say that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Jesus). This verse goes on to say that there is NOTHING that can separate us from the love of God. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes you have made in your past, God overlooks those things and chooses to love us, IF we are seeking Him consistently with all of our heart. I am not suggesting that we can just do whatever we want to because we know that Christ will forgive us anyway. The truth is, if we truly put God first in our lives, we are going to try with all of our heart to do the things that please Him. Yes, we might slip and fall sometimes, but if we come to God with a broken heart, are truly sorry for hurting Him and turn from our ways, He overlooks our mistakes, because His word says that there is NOTHING that can separate us from His love.
Is it hard for you to believe that Christ really loves you, in spite of all your mistakes? Explain your answer.
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Think about the fact that there is NOTHING that can separate you from the love of God. Write a prayer about what this means to you. You might want to write a prayer of thanks, a prayer of confessing your sins, etc. Just meditate on that very idea that NOTHING can separate you from the love of God.
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Monday October 16th
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Did you know that when you become (became) a Christian that you become a new person? You make not look any different on the outside, but your heart is changed. When you become a Christian, you begin to see things differently. As you spend more time in God’s word and in prayer, you learn who Christ is and you become like Him! Therefore, as the verse says, “the old is gone”, the way you viewed things, old habits and sins no longer become a part of your life. Maybe your friendships change, your priorities change, and you even “feel” like a new person. It is the new creation that has come (Christ coming into your life) and your old self begins to disappear. Becoming a new creation simply means that you have decided to live your life in a way that pleases God, and you leave your past behind you.
If you are a Christian, describe in your own words how you have changed and become a new creation? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Maybe you are just checking things out and would say that you call yourself a Christian, but you really haven’t made that commitment to live every aspect of your life for Christ. If you decide to become a Christian, what are some things that you know represent your “old self” and how does it make you feel to know that Christ may ask you to leave these things behind? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday October 17th
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” I Peter 1:14-15
I know. That sounds like a pretty hard statement to live out—“be holy in all you do.” And the truth is, it is impossible to be holy without Christ in our lives because He is what makes us holy. When Peter wrote this portion of scripture, he was referring to the “ignorant” as those who didn’t know about Christ. Obviously, if we are not Christians, we are ignorant to who God is, His word, and how He expects us to live our lives. But when we accept Christ and take on the identity as being a Christian, we are called to be holy. To be holy means to live a life that is pleasing to God, to love Him, to have respect for Him, and to honor Him in everything we do. How do we know how to please God, and love Him, and honor Him? By reading the Bible, spending time talking to God (prayer) and by being around others who have chosen to live holy lives (Christians). You see, when we were ignorant (when we weren’t Christians), we had a lot of evil desires—maybe jealousy, gossip, getting drunk, being disobedient, sex before marriage and the list goes on. Basically, evil desires are anything things that are unpleasing to God. But when God calls us to live for Him, we are called to be holy because He is holy. And only He can help us to be like Him.

What are some “evil desires” you struggle(d) with either before you became a Christian or maybe you are struggling with now? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think the things you listed above are labeled as “evil desires”? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What does the statement “be holy in all you do” mean to you? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday October 18th
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1

Who are the “witnesses” that this verse is referring to? _______________________________________________________________________________
What are the things that hinder you and entangle you? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Write a prayer to God asking Him to help you “throw off” the things that hinder you from a relationship with Him, as well as, confess any sins that are entangling you. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Healthy Friendships: A life of influence

2007-10-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

BIG IDEA: Who we allow to influence us determines the influence we have on others

I believe that this series is so incredibly important for who we are becoming as followers of God. The BIG IDEA challenges us to really think about who we allow to influence our lives. Who do we listen to? Who do we follow? But also we must think about who we are influencing. Are we having a positive influence on our friends? Do they see the light of God in our lives or are our lives just like people who don't live for Christ? Below are the devotions for this week. I pray that God will speak to you and give you the strength to live a life of INFLUENCE.

DEVOTIONS: A LIFE OF INFLUENCE

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

Thursday October 4
If we look at Matthew 5:13, we see that we are to be salt. I know, it sounds a little odd, but if you look at the scripture and its context, you will see that salt is a good thing. Salt is what gives food like potato chips, popcorn, and mashed potatoes flavor. Have you ever had one of these foods without salt? I would just assume not have them without salt! It’s kind of what this verse is saying When we are become Christians, God gives us influence (salt if you will). But if we are not using our influence to further His kingdom, we are pretty much not living out our purpose. So, make sure your life is filled with “saltiness” so to speak…go and flavor your world!

Have you lost your “saltiness” (your influence for Christ)? If so, what are some ways that we can reconnect with God so that we can get our “saltiness back”?
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Friday October 5
“You are the light of the world.” It is true that we live in a dark world. Crime, hatred, broken relationships, etc. fill our worlds everyday. Therefore, as Christians, not only has God made us salt so that we can go and flavor our world so to speak, He has also called us to be light. However, we are not called to hide our light. In Matthew, Christ talks about putting our light on a stand so that everyone can see. Christ, himself, is the One and only Light. And because we are called to be like Him, we must shine our lights for Him.

Are you living your life to tell others about Christ? In other words, are you shining your light or are you hiding it?
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Maybe you shine your light to some friends but feel embarrassed to shine your light around others. How can you take steps to really begin shining your light to EVERYONE around you? Remember, sometimes words aren’t even necessary. Sometimes it’s as simple as showing love.
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Monday October 8th
The whole reason we are to shine our light is so that we may glorify God.
Think about the word Glorify. What does it mean to glorify God? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you feel that you are consistently glorifying God with your life?_______
If yes, then how are you glorifying Him? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If not, how can you begin to start glorifying God with your life? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday October 9th
We’ve talked about being salt and light this week. Reflecting over the past week, do you feel that you learning to be more like Christ by being more aware of Him and trying to bring positive influence to those around you? If so, how? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you thirsty?

2007-09-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

I am just curious why it seems so hard to thirst for wisdom the way scripture tells us to? Is it because we think we know better? Is it that it just seems hard? Is it because we can't focus long enough to ask and listen to what God wants to say? Or maybe we just don't believe that he will answer or atleast answer us the way we want to?
I just think that it is imperative that we understand that the decisions that we make today will shape who we become tommorow. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we exist in a vaccum and that what we do now is somehow disconnected to who we are becoming. But that is simply a deception that tricks us into scars and pains that God never intended for us to have to deal with.
At 2:42 we have been talking about HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS and the importance of using wisdom in choosing the people that we allow to influence our lives, because we believe: Friendships determine the quality and direction of our lives.
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!

TwentySomething

2007-05-19T18:51:00.001-07:00

Hello to all my friends from TwentySomething. I have really enjoyed being able to share the small amount of time that we are able to share once a month. I would love to hear your responses to this blog for two reasons 1) To hear feedback on what God is doing with the talks that I give at TwentySomething (kind of follow-up) and how I can be praying for you. 2) To hear your ideas for how I can better serve you at TwentySomething and things that you think can enhance the experience.
I wanted you all to know that God has been making me so aware of my words ever since the talk from Thursday night. Just really kind of spiritually "tapping me on the shoulder" to show me where my words fall short of His standard in Ephesians 4:29. I would love to hear from you about what God is doing in this area of your life.

Navigating the Turn

2007-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

"Momentum dies in our lives when we allow people, circumstances, or our past to author our lives instead of choosing to prayerfully decide our direction".
- Dan Webster, REAL DEAL: Becoming More Authentic in Life and Leadership

Navigating the weeks and months of our lives after a spiritual high or spiritual mountaintop is like trying to make a sharp turn into a straightaway. I am two weeks removed from one of the most meaningful "Christian Conference" experiences of my entire life. The first week back was easy. I applied what I had learned....put new spiritual disciplines into my life and began to revive my time/relationship with God. And then came the turn. Up ahead I could see that the narrow and straight road of "post-spiritual high" interstate was beginning to turn...sharply. And I was presented with a choice. OPTION 1: stay straight and trust the energy from the high to guide me through or...OPTION 2: Lean into the turn and use the knowledge I have to navigate that curve with faith in the ability God has given me to turn a steering wheel (insert "Walt's a bad driver" joke here) and faith in my car to be able to handle it. If I choose OPTION 1 I go offroading into disaster...if I choose OPTION 2, it takes some faith, but I end up heading in the right direction on a solid road and that turn gives me the momentum and confidence to be able to handle the next one.
What's my point? The point is this. If we rely on spiritual highs (retreats, worship services, etc.) to steer us then we end up driving off of the road. Eventually after we get back, we hit that wall of life that zaps of us the emotional high that we felt when we were on the spiritual mountain. I am learning that momentum is created and sustained by drawing from God's power everyday and putting yourself in a position physically, emotionally, and spiritually to be able to hear from God, love God, and have God at the CENTER of your life.
Here are five practical ways to do that:
1. Do things that feed humility
It is hard to focus on your wants and desires when you are focused on others (that's a good thing)
2. Have a non-negotiable time with God EVERYDAY
I have tried to shortcut this for years and have found that there is no substitute for reading God's Word and talking to him
3. Enjoy God by giving yourself positive pleasure outlets
Humans will seek pleasure. If you don't find positive ways to seek it you will seek it in negative/harmful ways
4. Get enough sleep and do some exercise
Easier to hear God and resist temptation when you are energized, healthy, and awake.
5. Pray and ask God to speak to you [and then listen]
Talk to Him...but also be quiet and listen to Him

"...shake the whole wide world."

2007-05-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

My first blog. It is May and we are already thinking about a new school year of 2:42 at Ocean Drive Student Ministry. I have been thinking alot lately about what we are all about. Thinking alot about wanting to do something with a global impact. Our theme for the Fall is going to be "Beautiful News" and it is a line from that song that has been ringing in my head. "Something so powerful should shake the whole wide World." I have just been thinking..."how much is God shaking the world through me." I am so fallen and fragile that it seems like most of the time I can't get past my own "stuff" in order to get to the "world shaking". But, I really want to. I long to. I desire to be a part of something that will shake our world to the core for God's fame. So I am simply going to start praying that God will use me (inspite of my selfishness, lust, and greed) to do something larger than I can fathom so that I can know what it means to be caught up in the wave of God that is working even now across the globe. Will you join me in this prayer?