... which means tomorrow is Saturday.
........... which means tomorrow is the Haunted Corn Maze trip.
..................... which means fun times lay ahead... if you dare.
Join us! You don't want to miss this.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Praying for the Persecuted: Secret Church Simulcast
Here in America, we take a lot of things for granted. Like going to church, for example. To us, it's just getting up on Sunday morning, pounding about 4 cups of coffee, and driving to a building filled with people who probably followed the same routine. It's simple, right?
But this isn't the norm for people all over the world.
In some countries, people are forced to meet in dark, crowded rooms in the middle of the night where they sit on dirt floors, reading God's word by lamplight. See in some countries, it's not so easy to be a Christian. Some people are persecuted for their faith, facing losing everything, including their lives just by accepting Christ.
But this isn't the norm for people all over the world.
In some countries, people are forced to meet in dark, crowded rooms in the middle of the night where they sit on dirt floors, reading God's word by lamplight. See in some countries, it's not so easy to be a Christian. Some people are persecuted for their faith, facing losing everything, including their lives just by accepting Christ.
Would we pursue after God if the risks were heightened? Would we literally give up everything to chase after the Cross?
On Friday, November 4th from 7 p.m - 1 a.m, we have an amazing opportunity to pour into God's word in an intensive study of the Bible and pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk so much to worship our great God.
Here's the info.:
Secret Church Simulcast
November 4th, 7pm - 1am
November 4th, 7pm - 1am
Marriage, Family, Sex and the Gospel
Manhood. Womanhood. Marriage. Parenting. Singleness. Sex. Divorce. Homosexuality. Same-sex marriage. Polygamy. Pornography. Adoption. Abortion. Cultures around the world perceive each of these issues differently. So how does God's Word address them? During Secret Church on November 4, 2011, we will explore how the gospel uniquely affects our understanding of family, marriage, sex, and host of related (and controversial) issues that are ultimately foundational for the display of the glory of God in our lives, in the church, and in the world.
For millions of believers around the world, faith in Christ and belief in the teachings of the Bible are not only discouraged, but actually dangerous.
For millions of believers around the world, faith in Christ and belief in the teachings of the Bible are not only discouraged, but actually dangerous.
Periodically, Secret Church gatherings are held to engage in an intense six-hour bible study as we identify with and pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters across the globe.
The objective of Secret Church is for you to pass along what you learn in these gatherings to others, so that you can make disciples of Christ in all nations for God's glory.
"Scripture is clear that when one part of the body of Christ hurts, the whole body hurts. And we have a responsibilty to pray on behalf of our brothers and sisters all over the world who are in persecuted areas and to serve them in any way we can. Secret Church tries to bring those two together: knowing the Word, knowing our persecuted brothers and sisters, and serving both to the glory of Christ." - David Platt
Friday, October 21, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Heaven knows...
My grandparents say that all the time.
"Heaven knows I'm not as young as I once was."
Oh and Morrissey. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"... You know. Morrissey. Lead singer and lyricist of the 1980's British alternative rock band The Smiths.... Anyone?
Anyways....
I've heard that saying a lot, "Heaven knows...", but I've never really thought about what it means until now.
The world may know superficial things about you; what is evident and what you choose to show the world. But the knowledge of Heaven goes deeper.
"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'" - Luke 12:15
The world may analyze you by what you have or own, but Heaven does not see you that way.
Life is not defined by what you have, even if you have a lot.
Who you are has nothing to do with the clothes you wear or the car you drive.
Heaven doesn't know you as the guy with the new iPhone 4S or the girl with about 500 pairs of shoes. Heaven doesn't see you as the Captain of the football team or the most popular girl in school. The world may see you as the band geek or the redneck, but Heaven doesn't.
Heaven knows your heart.
When God sees you, He may think of your devotion, your kindness, your compassion, your leadership, your gentle spirit or your quick mind, but He doesn't think of your things... and when you think of yourself, you shouldn't either.
Work on growing into the person God wants you to be. Instead of thinking about what you will wear tomorrow or what you're going to get for Christmas, concentrate on who you want to be.
Look past your stuff and see what God's got waiting for you. You won't be dissapointed.
"Heaven knows I'm not as young as I once was."
Oh and Morrissey. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"... You know. Morrissey. Lead singer and lyricist of the 1980's British alternative rock band The Smiths.... Anyone?
Anyways....
I've heard that saying a lot, "Heaven knows...", but I've never really thought about what it means until now.
The world may know superficial things about you; what is evident and what you choose to show the world. But the knowledge of Heaven goes deeper.
"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'" - Luke 12:15
The world may analyze you by what you have or own, but Heaven does not see you that way.
Life is not defined by what you have, even if you have a lot.
Who you are has nothing to do with the clothes you wear or the car you drive.
Heaven doesn't know you as the guy with the new iPhone 4S or the girl with about 500 pairs of shoes. Heaven doesn't see you as the Captain of the football team or the most popular girl in school. The world may see you as the band geek or the redneck, but Heaven doesn't.
Heaven knows your heart.
When God sees you, He may think of your devotion, your kindness, your compassion, your leadership, your gentle spirit or your quick mind, but He doesn't think of your things... and when you think of yourself, you shouldn't either.
Work on growing into the person God wants you to be. Instead of thinking about what you will wear tomorrow or what you're going to get for Christmas, concentrate on who you want to be.
Look past your stuff and see what God's got waiting for you. You won't be dissapointed.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Love.
We use that word so casually.
I love Justin Bieber.
I love my girlfriend.
I love macaroni and cheese.
I love that wolf guy from Twilight.
I think we're losing the meaning of the word love.
Just to make clear to what kind of love they're referring, there are 4 words for love in the greek language.
Storge: affectionate love like parents have for their children
Philia: brotherly love, or love for your friends
Eros: a love that goes beyond friendship, like the love of a husband/wife
Agape: true love, unconditional love, sacrificial love; the love God has for us.
Agape love is hard for us to wrap our minds around. Unconditional love: love that crosses bounds. Love that overlooks faults. God loves us when we feel unloveable. He loves us when all others abandon us. He loves us no matter what.
You want evidence of God's love?
Jesus could have given up.
When the God of the universe, the divine Creator, all powerful and mighty God, had to spend 9 months in the womb, He could have backed out.
When he saw the dirty, smelly, disgusting manger that He would be born in, He could have called a quits.
The first time His stomach growled for food.
The first time He scraped His knee.
The first time He smashed His finger with a hammer.
He could have given up. When He saw the cross, He could have backed out.
But He didn't. Why? Because love (true, unconditional, Agape love) goes the distance.
Christ traveled from the power of limitless eternity to be confined by humanity, to be restricted by flesh.
He didn't have to. But He did. Because, "Love endures all things..." - 1 Cor. 13:4-7
I love Justin Bieber.
I love my girlfriend.
I love macaroni and cheese.
I love that wolf guy from Twilight.
I think we're losing the meaning of the word love.
Just to make clear to what kind of love they're referring, there are 4 words for love in the greek language.
Storge: affectionate love like parents have for their children
Philia: brotherly love, or love for your friends
Eros: a love that goes beyond friendship, like the love of a husband/wife
Agape: true love, unconditional love, sacrificial love; the love God has for us.
Agape love is hard for us to wrap our minds around. Unconditional love: love that crosses bounds. Love that overlooks faults. God loves us when we feel unloveable. He loves us when all others abandon us. He loves us no matter what.
You want evidence of God's love?
Jesus could have given up.
When the God of the universe, the divine Creator, all powerful and mighty God, had to spend 9 months in the womb, He could have backed out.
When he saw the dirty, smelly, disgusting manger that He would be born in, He could have called a quits.
The first time His stomach growled for food.
The first time He scraped His knee.
The first time He smashed His finger with a hammer.
He could have given up. When He saw the cross, He could have backed out.
But He didn't. Why? Because love (true, unconditional, Agape love) goes the distance.
Christ traveled from the power of limitless eternity to be confined by humanity, to be restricted by flesh.
He didn't have to. But He did. Because, "Love endures all things..." - 1 Cor. 13:4-7
Friday, October 7, 2011
It's Friday...
...laugh at football bloopers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mplm57Did9M
have a great weekend, hsm'ers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mplm57Did9M
have a great weekend, hsm'ers!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tear down your towers.
Let’s just face it.
A lot of high school is about hierarchies.
Who’s at the top, who’s at the bottom.
Who gets the royal treatment, and who doesn’t.
Who’s in the spotlight, and who is off to the sidelines.
But Jesus has no room for pecking orders.
“Love… does not boast. It is not proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
Jesus won’t stand for this popularity battle.
It’s easy to see why.
After all, Jesus himself said "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." – Matthew 22:37-39 (The Message).
How can I love others if I’m completely wrapped up in myself and my own affairs?
How can I point to God if I’m pointing at myself?
How can I see God if I’m blinded by my own brilliance?
Stop fanning your tail feathers. Come down off your high roost.
Tear down the towers you've built for yourself. Punch holes in the walls that you've built around your heart.
Put away your royal robes. Clothe yourself in Humility. Lay down your ego. Put on God's righteousness instead.
Let God reign in your life, and look beyond yourself. You have the power and opportunity to impact someone’s life today and grow closer to Christ in the process. Don’t miss it.
A lot of high school is about hierarchies.
Who’s at the top, who’s at the bottom.
Who gets the royal treatment, and who doesn’t.
Who’s in the spotlight, and who is off to the sidelines.
But Jesus has no room for pecking orders.
“Love… does not boast. It is not proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
Jesus won’t stand for this popularity battle.
It’s easy to see why.
After all, Jesus himself said "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." – Matthew 22:37-39 (The Message).
How can I love others if I’m completely wrapped up in myself and my own affairs?
How can I point to God if I’m pointing at myself?
How can I see God if I’m blinded by my own brilliance?
Stop fanning your tail feathers. Come down off your high roost.
Tear down the towers you've built for yourself. Punch holes in the walls that you've built around your heart.
Put away your royal robes. Clothe yourself in Humility. Lay down your ego. Put on God's righteousness instead.
Let God reign in your life, and look beyond yourself. You have the power and opportunity to impact someone’s life today and grow closer to Christ in the process. Don’t miss it.
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