When we think of heros, we think of people in tight suites with capes and super powers. Then sometimes we look at ourselves and think that we can’t make a difference in the world, or even the city we live in because we aren’t old enough, wise enough, or special enough. The truth is, God has made each of us with unique abilities that we can use everyday to impact the people around you! We are here to do God’s work, to be his hands and feet. Everything we do, we can show God’s amazing love through our actions. We can make someones day through showing them compassion, and letting them know that there is someone who cares about them and a God who loves them immensely! You can make more of an impact, then you can even begin to imagine. Don’t doubt that for a second! Go out and Share God’s great love, start a conversation with someone you might not usually talk to! Who knows what battles they may be struggling with.

So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
-1 Peter 4:14-

Need some perspective? Think about this. There are only 3 things that can happen when you share your faith. 1) The person will accept Jesus, 2) they will reject Him, or 3) you will plant a seed. Now, you’ll probably find that 2/3 of the time it’s a victory. But what we don’t realize is that that verse, 1 Peter 4:14, says to be GLAD when people reject us for believing in Jesus. God rewards us for our efforts, no matter what one of the options comes to pass. So, although you may not have gotten to tell someone what Jesus has to offer, you showed them who Jesus is. It isn’t a 66% chance that the turnout will be good, it’s 100%, because when He calls us to do something, and we follow through, even if it seems like failure, He will bless us beyond what we can even imagine. Don’t wait until tomorrow to step out. Don’t wait until it’s too late to show who Jesus is. He thought YOU were to die for, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to ask someone if they know The Savior of the world. Be bold, because we are, and will, and should be blessed to tell others about Him.

John 4:21-24 – “Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.””

Do you “get” worship?

It’s a simple question but I believe that it is something that many Christian teens struggle with. What is worship? Why do we worship? What should it look like?

I believe that Jesus was telling us that real worship is more than sacrifice. It is more than giving. It is more than loving others. I believe that Jesus was telling us that true worship can’t be faked. That true worship starts within. In the deepest parts of our soul. True worship starts in our spirit.

We will never find fulfillment in physical acts of worship until we allow God to light us up from the inside. True worship starts with giving everything we have, everything that we are to God and allowing him to have his way. Until our innermost being is motivated by love for God, our outward actions are just actions.

So I guess the real question is, do you burn?

If we could just sit down and be able to listen to God’s heart, we would hear that His heart beats for those of us that are lost and broken, who have nothing to turn to. The abandoned, the lonely, the fearful, the rejected, those of us who feel we aren’t good enough, or have been through too much. His heart beats with a Loving passion, specifically for YOU!

God is the ONE person who will always be there to help you. He will NEVER leave you, NEVER ignore you, ALWAYS except you, and will NEVER stop loving you! He has set you apart from your fear and loneliness, so that you could become closer to Him, and His enveloping embrace.

Will you trust God enough to be so blind to fear, that all you see is His joy and consuming glory? I pray that you would be SO blessed today, with overwhelming strength and happiness. That NOTHING will faze the peace that God will give you!

Sometimes being a Christian is hard

There was a time when one- actually, several- of my very close friends began changing and taking a path that opposed everything I believed. I was looked down upon for my faith, and it appeared that all of my attempts for sharing the good news of Jesus were in vain. They began to build a wall against me and accused me of things I never said or even thought. It really hurt to see what was happening.

Even now, a few months later, it’s hard to see the benefits of it. But God often works in ways that we cannot see. In the same way that He’s been working something in my heart that even *I* don’t know about yet, I believe He could be working something in the hearts of my friends that I just can’t see right now. So even though it’s hard, I’ll continue to let Him work through me to influence them.

My faith has grown as a result of that. I’ve really looked into and considered what I believe after seeing it through a different pair of eyes. Why *am* I really a Christian? What does this lifestyle benefit? Why do I believe in something that a lot of people think is crazy? Despite what I’d been told, considering that made me love and want God even more. I realized it’s when you don’t give up trying that you become stronger. It’s when things hurt and beat you down and drown you out that you rely more on God’s strength to carry you.

So when you find that being a Christian is hard, remember, God will never let you go… And even when you fall, He will lift you up stronger and wiser then before.

He (Adam) replied, “I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
Genesis 3:10

So many times in my christian walk I find myself facing God without my “clothes”, completely naked. I believe the same happy face we put on much of the time for the world, we try to put on when we it comes to God. Little do we realize that God is always watching, and regardless of if we’re doing the wrong thing, or the right thing, He sees it. Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness, just as we are ashamed by who we truly are underneath the surface; sinners. But we serve a God who clothes us. It says in the next verse that God gave Adam and Eve the skins of animals to cover themselves, He also had to send them out of the garden because of their sin. Sure, we will still face consequences, because it isn’t as if we can get away with giving into our flesh. But our God is merciful.

So how about next time you come to God, or He to you, be vulnerable. We are His children, and He longs for us to be honest with Him.

Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. if a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.
-Song of Songs 7:5-7

I’m sure most of us have heard bits and pieces of these verses, or have heard something similar to it regarding God’s love. But I think few realize that this is a love letter from Jesus to us. Us! Gentiles, commoners, sinners, all unworthily betrothed to be a bride of the most high. How? How could this be? I am floored and overcome with emotion thinking about it. How can a God, who I have yet to get to know fully, love me so deeply with all His being? You young ladies, and young men, do you not know that you are loved by the King? The highest and mightiest to ever sweep the earth? He asked you to be His before you even knew about His existence. Before time began, He knew He would ask you to accept Him, for who He is, without ever seeing His face. I don’t know about you, but a love that is that powerful has got to be worth looking into. I feel blessed and honored to be a lover of Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords.

Holiday Anticipation, the feeling you get at least once a year around Christmas time. It’s not your usual “waiting for something special” it’s a certain feeling inside you. It’s the excitement of presents, family, food, and good memories.

If we get this excited over something like the holidays, why can’t we be at least that enthusiastic towards God everyday?

His plans for you are always something to look forward to. He has placed a passion in you for something really great! Our God is awe inspiring, yet He chose to Love each and every one of us so much! He sent Jesus, His most beloved son to be born as flesh. His soul purpose was to die for you and me, that we might have an opportunity to be with Him. God has set you specifically apart from everyone else for a reason; He has anticipated the day you take on this amazing journey! He will always be excited for the next step you take towards Him, the deeper you go into His presence the more joyous He is. I hope that what you can take from this today is to try to re-ignite your fire and excitement for Gods plan and promises on your life.

Always remember, you are Loved!

By: Hannah Masters

So yesterday at church pastor Tani told us about a girl who made a drawing that spoke of an image from God… and asked everyone for an image or drawing from Him. so this is what I saw…

There was a black horse and a white horse. The white horse had been travelling for a while in this dark, evil place, where everything was made from shadows. The black horse approached the white one and taunted and mocked him, saying things like, “This is my home, you don’t belong here. You’ll sink into the darkness. You make no difference here, you should just leave!” But the white horse stood strong. He insisted that his rider was coming, and he would wipe out all of the shadows. But the black horse carried on as well, and said that his own rider- who was stronger and ruled over the land- would come and chase him out of here.

“My rider is coming,” the white horse said gently.

Although the black horse constantly made fun of him and told him that he was weak and worthless, the dark towers and trees surrounding the two suddenly began to crumble and fall. And up in their place rose sparkling white palaces and gardens and trees, and Jesus came and mounted the white horse. Still, the black horse pleaded, “My rider will come!” But Jesus said that the dark horse’s rider has already been defeated.

At that, the black horse ran away in fear as everything he knew vanished.

The white horse endured, and his rider did just as he said he would. He stood firm in spite of the darkness surrounding him, and believed that he would come even if everything around him said it didn’t. We may feel like a white horse, trapped in a world we don’t belong in and waiting for something we can’t see… I know I do lately. But I know my Rider is coming. And I trust and will wait for Him no matter what anyone says.