What happens when you are a Youth Pastor

This is how you know you are loved......I guess! :)





The fun part is that I know who did this..... :) :) :)

WOW....Biblical facts.....unbiblical conclusions

Foxnews just published this story. It has some very remarkable (and biblical) ideas and facts, however some of the conclusions don't measure up very well against the Bible. The most interesting quote was

"Previous studies using mitochondrial DNA — which is passed down through mothers — have shown that all modern humans share one female ancestor (out of thousands), the "mitochondrial Eve," who lived in Africa about 200,000 years ago."

I remember the Bible (in Genesis) mentioning someone named Eve. I also remember the Bible mentioning the near elimination of the human race (Genesis 6-7). The only people that survived were Noah, his wife, their three sons and their three wives. Which means all people could trace their "mitochondrial ancestery" back to Noah and his wife and then even farther back until you reach Eve (and Adam). Its very cool when people find things that the Bible already talks about. Although we still have to live by faith, not by sight (or facts for that matter!) Genesis 7:7-10

"So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth."

Genesis 7:23-24 "So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days."

Don't mess with Israel

This is an old story but I just found this picture and thought it would be interesting....

The following picture is a supposed nuclear facility that supposedly Israel bombed. The funny part is that the location of this picture is in Syria! If Israel did bomb this nuclear site, then Syria should take note because Israeli jets flew over their country and bombed their facility without being noticed.

Note: Syria has denied this was a nuclear facility and initially said there was an "internal" problem. Israel denied involvement in the bombing. Riiiiiight! :)



The picture was taken from foxnews and you can read their article here.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord.”

Have you have ever been insulted? Have you have ever been made fun of as part of a joke? How did you feel when you were insulted? When I was in elementary school whenever someone would insult someone else I would usually hear one of two responses....

I’m rubber, you’re glue, bounces off me and sticks to you

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

These statements are completely false and are only a lie we say to pretend that we are not affected by what people say. Matthew 12:34 “How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” If you are living a life that fears and obeys God, your words will be evidence of that. The heart speaks through the mouth. James 3:10-12 “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.” You can't get fresh water from the ocean and neither should you hear foul, abusive, or harsh speech coming from someone who has been transformed from a sinful being into a child of God. As a Christian I should be acting like a Christian, especially in regard to how I talk to people. Eph 4:29 “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Is everything I say encouraging? Is everything you say encouraging? Why should we be careful with our words??? Eph. 5:1-4 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” Be imitators of God, walk in love, speak in love because God died for you! Col 3:8-9 “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another.” Don’t be someone who is abusive with their words. You probably all know someone that is and you probably don’t like them very much because they are always putting you down and insulting you! No one likes to be insulted, even if it’s a joke! Everyong likes to be around someone who is encouraging! As Christians, we should be the best at encouraging people! Eccl. 10:12-14 “Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him...yet the fool multiplies words.” Matt 12:36-37 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment. ‘For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.’” This should make you more careful with what you say! You have to give an account for every word you say. It makes me want to say a lot less! James 1:19 “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Most of us are exactly the opposite...we would rather talk than listen! The people I like to be around the most are the people that are good at listening to me. A good friend is one who will listen to you!. You want friends? Be a good listener! Col 4:6 “Let your speech always be with GRACE, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” How often SHOULD your words be spoken with grace? How often ARE your words be spoken with grace? Rom. 14:19 “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Are you pursuing the things which build people up? Are you saying things that build people up? Are you respectful or are you rude? Are you gracious or are you harsh? Are you encouraging or are you discouraging? “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD.” (Psalm 19:14)

Words are cheap, actions are expensive!

This was the main point for youth group Sunday night. I have been studying and teaching about the fear of God in youth group the last couple weeks and have seen over and over again in the Scriptures that a person who fears God will obey God and a person who doesn't fear God won't obey God. John 14:23-24 “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…...He who does not love Me does not keep My words…” 1 John 2:3 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” If you believe in Jesus and have repented of your sin then the results of the transformation that comes when you are filled with the Holy Spirit should be evident! But how? Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” If you surrender your life to Jesus and live your life as a sacrifice to God then the results will be evident to the people around you. You will be different. Jesus was different! If you decide to live your life how you want to live it then you will look like the rest of the world and people will not see the transforming power of God in you! I want to be known as someone who is different, different because of Jesus and what He did for me. But it comes with a cost......"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matt 16:24-25) I want to be known as someone who follows Jesus but that means that I must obey His commandments instead of doing the things which I and the rest of the world want to do because our flesh is weak. (Matt 26:41) Some people (including me) think that keeping God's commandments is hard and a weight not worth carrying......but there is no greater joy than to walk in the Spirit and obey God's commandments. (3 John 1:4) God's "commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3)because God has given us the power and ability to do what is right by filling us with His Spirit (Romans 8:9-11). The weight of sin and guilt is immeasurably heavier than doing what is right. I used the example of driving 75 mph on the freeway instead of the speed limit of 65 mph. When I have driven that fast I have constantly been looking all around to see if there is a policeman somewhere that might catch me. If I only drove 65 then I wouldn't have to be worried because I would be doing what is right and not fearing the consequences of driving over the speed limit. When we do what is right we don't have to worry about the consequences because God is pleased and glorified by our actions. We may get made fun of by some friends for not doing certain things (drinking alcohol, doing drugs, sex outside of marriage, using foul language, etc) but God is pleased when we obey Him and THAT is what matters most! The consequences of disobeying God are far greater than the consequences of following Him and living as Jesus lived while He was on this earth! It isn't enough to say that you believe in God (James 2:19). If you say you believe in Jesus then your actions should be an exact replica of who you say you believe in. 1 John 3:18 "let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Actions speak louder than words! I wonder where that person who said that phrase got that idea from......maybe he or she read their Bible and came across 1 John 3:18. God said it. Don't just say something........DO IT! James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” If you say that you are a Christian then your actions should tell people that you are a Christian! James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” The pattern of your life should be one of obedience and Christ-likeness! PS. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Global Warming

If you are annoyed at the global warming hysteria you should read this article. If you are a proponet of global warming then you should read this article. (Hint: they are the same article) :)

"You will never know God is all you need until He is all you have."

I have been thinking about this quote all week and yesterday God decided to give me a fresh and vivid reminder of the practical application of this quote. I woke up yesterday with some version of the stomach flu......I will not go into details, but it was the stomach flu. I was reminded 7 different times yesterday just how much I wanted to be in heaven instead of stuck on this earth with sickness and pain! God reminded me while I laid in bed all day that all the things that consume my life mean nothing when they are all taken away! I was reminded that He is to be my refuge and my strength.......I couldn't even keep water down! I was also reminded to pray and pray I did, not just when I was bowing down to the great white throne, but as I lay in bed with nothing to do. Today I feel much better, but am I praying as much as I did yesterday? Am I relying upon God to strengthen me like I did yesterday? What about tomorrow? Mattew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 " in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."