Day 31: Are You a Christian or a Christ-Follower?

F=Fast from “taking out frustrations on others” when irritations arise

E=Encourage a family member today

A=Admit to wanting to control how others act rather than developing your own sense of self-control

S=(Scripture) Psalms 4:3-5; Psalms 37:7-8

T=Thank God for developing self-control in you

Look at this: look
Who got picked by God!
He listens the split second I call to him.

Complain if you must, but don’t lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict. (Psalms 4:3-5; Message Bible)

Wait and trust the Lord.
Don’t be upset when others get rich
or when someone else’s plans succeed.
Don’t get angry.
Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble. (Psalms 37:7-8; New Century Version)

This is a parody on the macintosh / p.c. commercials, but with a “religious, Christian/Christ-follower” twist.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c5e5d1c6e28598e8cbbe

Day 30: What is Your Lifesong?

This week will be a mixture of different topics. Only 10 more days left of the FEAST.

F=Fast from withdrawing from people to avoid rejection. Sometimes people withdraw to somehow “pay” someone back for their behavior. Instead of withdrawing choose to work things out.

E=Encourage someone you feel like withdrawing from.

A=Admit any jealousy/envy in your heart

S=(Scripture) Proverbs 14:30; Ecc. 4:4; James 3:13-18

T=Thank God for His blessings to you

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones. (Proverbs 14:30; New Living Translation)

I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless, like chasing the wind. (Ecc. 4:4; New Century Version)

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. (James 3:13-18; Message Bible)

A worship song by Casting Crowns called “Lifesong”;

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9a5bc0fa34381bf42fbd

Enjoy encounters cafe @ various locations this summer

encounters cafe offers young adults a casual, relaxed spot to enjoy refreshment, worship, and informal conversations with GOD and each other. As part of GODencounters gatherings happening across the nation, look for an encounters cafe to open up near you giving you an opportunity to invite friends to a warm ambiance to refresh, relate, and relax.

Sheri Denny, Lane Campbell, and the team from Texas Conference did a phenominal job putting together the encounters cafe for IGNITION. If you enjoyed it, I would encourage you to post a shout out to Sheri & Co. here letting them know of your appreciation. encounters cafes like this one, although each with their own flare, will be popping up in Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and possibly Washington in conjunction with GODencounters gatherings this summer. Go to the GODencounters website for more information, soon to be released.

Music, poetry, art, and comedy are familiar staples to the encounters cafe, offering an array of creative expressions of worship. Special thanks to Elia King and Nick Zork for leading our worship sets at IGNITION, as well as the artistry of True!mprov and Rik Swartzwelder, director of the award winning short film, The Least of These.

Volunteers are the secret ingredient to the vibe at the cafe, offering their willing service to the patrons making for a great experience for all. Everything from decor, to serving beverages, to set up/take down is done by young adults.

Would love to hear about your experience of encounters cafe at IGNITION or if you have experienced it as part of another GODencounters gathering. Post your thoughts here or share your interest to take part this summer in any one of our coming cafes.

Day 29: Forgiveness is a Difficult Choice

This past week we have focused on forgiveness. Consider the following as a review of what forgiveness is and is not.

1. Forgiveness is not forgetting.
2. Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of your will. Since God requires you to forgive, it is something you can do.
3. By forgiving, you let the other person off your hook, but they are not off God’s hook.
4. You forgive others for your sake so you can be free. Forgiveness is mainly a matter of obedience to God. God wants you to be free; there is no other way.
5. Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin.
6. Do not wait for the other person to ask for your forgiveness before forgiving them. They may never do so.
7. How do you forgive from your heart? You allow God to bring to the surface the painful emotions you feel toward those who’ve hurt you.

We need to forgive others so satan cannot take advantage of us (2 Cor. 2:10,11). Ask God to bring to your mind the people you need to forgive. You can do this by praying the following prayer out loud:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the riches of Your kindness, and patience toward me, knowing that Your kindness has led me to repentance (Rom. 2:4). I confess that I have not shown that same kindness and patience toward those who have hurt me. Instead, I have held on to my anger, bitterness and resentment toward them. Please bring to my mind all the people I need to forgive in order that I may do so now. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

On a seperate sheet of paper, list the names of people who come to your mind. At this point don’t question whether you need to forgive them or not. If a name comes to mind, just write it down. Often we hold things against ourselves so write “myself” at the bottom of your list so you can forgive yourself. Forgiving yourself is accepting the truth that God has already forgiven you in Christ. Also, write down “thoughts against God” at the bottom of your list. Obviously, God has never done anything wrong, but sometimes, we harbor angry thoughts against Him because He did not do what we wanted Him to do. You can pray the following prayer out loud after you have gathered the names:

Lord, I choose to forgive (name of person) for (say what they did to hurt you) even though it made me feel (share the painful feelings). Lord, I choose not to hold any of these things against (name) any longer. I thank You for setting me free from the bondage of my anger towards (name). I now ask You to bless (name). In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Something to Grab Hold Of

Often at this stage, in race terms, one meets “the wall.” After the adrenalin rush of starting the run and the expenditure of those initial endorphins, one gets to the part of the course that calls for perseverance.

When you feel spent, and don’t believe there is anything left in the tank. You need something to grab a hold of.

Tonight as I was looking over again the images from IGNITION, something caught my eye. I was again inspired by Stephan’s passionate worship of the GOD of wonders, but this time by a different focal point. Wow! What was on my first view not even noticable, this time around leaped out from the background.

Now that is something to grab a hold of!

Unwanted Disciplee

Why do they find you when you least want to be bothered?

50 minutes. I just wanted to get in and do my cardio & reading multitasking routine. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to read. And I didn’t lug my 5lb text and quarterlie along with me to the gym for no good reason. I just wanted to catch up on the Sabbath School lesson and then get a head start on my reading for class.

He just appeared. Richard Simmons type minus the hair. He’s the guy with the lavender tank top and shorts. “Oh, no. Please don’t stop. Please don’t stop.” I quickly recollected our conversation sometime within the last 6 months. I continued to read my lesson holding it as if to ward him off, and then I couldn’t register one more letter without being interrupted by his political rant. I just nodded and smiled and kept moving, but he just kept yapping and cussing and laughing at his own not-so-funny jokes.

I guess Obama started it. He was on one of the televisions airing The View, and so this stranger started in on how the republicans are whining about democrats who are really the ones who actually do something for our economy. It always happens to me at random. I’m not the most approachable person in the gym. I get in and get out - minding my own business. But occasionally these random quirks will start discussing politics. Maybe it’s the law books (I should leave them at home). So anyways, in an aggravated tone I quickly prayed “God, tell me what to say or make him go away.” I was hoping for the latter being more concerned about getting through the lesson and on to my assigned reading.

I tried to listen intently over the high tempo music and weights clanking all around us. He spoke with a raspy tone and said about 10 miles a minute. I didn’t catch everything, but pretty much everything was about conspiracy and how education and wealth are foolish aspirations. I finally jumped in and offered a few lines of hope trying to steer the conversation towards Christ. He responded with, “Yeah, but that’s the thing about republicans. If you are going to say Christianity is the right thing, then you ought to actually strive to be that way.” I had an answer for that, but what he said (as one-sided as the statement may be) hit me when I finally got rid of him and opened my quarterlie with the big bold print on the cover “Answering Christ’s Call: Lessons on Discipleship”

My cell phone had interrupted us, and I thought “Hmm, maybe this is God giving me my out.” Of course I said “Excuse me,” and he went away. 31 minutes. Before I could gripe any further, a sense of guilty irony broke my sweat with a chill. “What was that Janice? God practically had to force the words from your mouth.” We are on lesson 13 - the end of the quarter and you still haven’t swapped out your frames. Rather than seeking out disciplees, I was more invested in getting rid of an odd one. I could have stayed there scolding myself, but God must have planted that stranger’s words in my head “…strive to be that way.” We won’t always have the desire, but we need to know enough to call on Him to give us the passion for reaching lost souls - even when we don’t feel like it. I thought, “At least, I prayed.”

I’m not sure what all I said to that man, but I know when I started talking about what we have to live for being more than a political tug of war he started asking me to repeat myself as if I wasn’t enunciating well enough. I had a tug of war going on within my own heart. One part of me was feeling like I need to help this guy see things differently for his soul’s sake, and the other part of me just wanted to maximize my 50 minutes. Being a disciple as a young adult is challenging when really important priorities call us to manage our time strictly. But God’s call can come at any time, and if we don’t want to answer - we need a light. Call on Him to burn within you a compassion for humanity like only Christ can ignite.

Although, I didn’t get around to reading about business organizations, I made it through the rest of the Sabbath School lesson. But, my unwanted disciplee had already helped me refocus on the object of the lesson.

Day 28: Who gets the credit?

F=Fast from one meal today (Some people can not fast or should not because of low blood sugar - a suggestion would be to eat a light meal instead of fasting. A meal in which you leave the table a little hungry.)

E=Encourage a neighbor or co-worker

A=Admit that there have been times when you have been overly concerned about getting the credit you feel you deserve.

S=(Scripture) Philippians 2:3; Matt. 16:24; Proverbs 3:5-12

T=Thank God for a specific blessing He has given you

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3; New Living Translation)

Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me. (Matt. 16:24; New International Reader’s Version)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
a father’s delight is behind all this. (Proverbs 3:5-12; Message Bible)

Day 27: Do we need to forgive God?

F=Fast from unforgiveness or unforgiving thoughts towards God

E=(Encourage) Ask God who He wants you to encourage today and then listen in your heart (all day) to what He may impress upon you.

A=Admit to being angry with God over _____________________(You fill in the blank).

S=(Scripture) Isaiah 1:18; Heb. 4:14-16

T=Trust that God is BIG enough to understand your anger and/or hurt towards Him

God says, “Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.” (Isaiah 1:18; Message Bible) Some versions say, “Come let us reason together.”

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb. 4:14-16; Today’s New International Version)

Events

You’ll notice in the right hand column that I’ve added a new page, “Events,” where we can post info about upcoming young adult events. First up, a young adult Sabbath in the Northern New England Conference, April 26.

Day 26: Give yourself the gift of forgiveness

F=Fast from unforgiving thoughts towards other’s actions or words

E=(Encourage) Sometimes we forget that we need our own cup filled - so encourage yourself today by doing something that you enjoy.

A=Admit that you have been unable to forgive yourself because______________(You fill in the blank).

S=(Scripture) Psalms 19:12; Dan. 9:18-22; Hosea 14:2

T=Trust God’s forgiveness for you

Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults. (Psalms 19:12; New International Version)

I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain. As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision. (Daniel 9:20-23; New Living Translation)

Come back to the Lord
and say these words to him:
“Take away all our sin
and kindly receive us,
and we will keep the promises we made to you. (Hosea 14:2; New Century Version)

A song about forgiving yourself = History is in the Making:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d081a33c48b660249a06