OCYM

During our Prayer Time

2012-02-17T23:52:00.003-06:00

We continue to meet on Friday evenings at 6:30 -- what a great opportunity to get to know each other, have a few laughs, and explore who God is. A couple of weeks ago during our prayer time we asked 3 questions:

Who do we know that needs prayer?
Who do we know that needs friendship?
Who do we know that needs to belong to a group like this?

We wrote those names (first names only) on a poster board and put it on the wall so we can continue to pray for them.

Can't wait to see what God will do in our lives and the lives of those we pray for.

In the News Today

2012-01-22T17:29:00.000-06:00

Operation "Purple Tomato" was a SMASHING success!

(Ok, the picture below is really a plum...who knew purple tomatoes didn't exist?)

The Oakbrook Youth ROCKED the night as they thanked the Youth leaders with a formal dinner! The leaders were blinded by the poparazzi (Scott Daniels) as they walked the red carpet. They were served (by the professional youth in black and white) a delightful dinner of salad, chicken alfredo, and tiramasu for dessert. Glasses were never empty! The servers kept them full the entire evening. The musicians seranaded the group with violins, piano, and guitar the entire meal. Oakbrook youth leaders left with a full belly, homemade thank you cards, and gift bags full of yummy treats (especially the dark chocolate Hersey kisses).

Tom LaPorte was overhead the following day, "The kids showed us a glimpse of what Christ is." Special guest, Pastor Bob Robinson, was so impressed by the youth that he highlighted the evening during his Sunday morning sermon. The Oakbrook Youth certainly pulled off Covert Operation Purple Tomato without ever letting the purple tomato out of the bag. VERY impressive!! Finally, Amy Nolan was interviewed and had this to say, "The leaders were treated like royalty and are ever so blessed to serve as shepherd to such kind and loving youth!!!! I just adore surprises and our kids sure surpised us!!!!"

A SPECIAL thank you to the following:

The Harvey Family for hosting the royal feast
Mrs. Jasinski for her work in the kitchen
Mrs. Judy Lundwall for cooking for the "little youth"
Walt and Amanda Price for caring for the "little youth"
Mr. Harvey and Mr. Docea for chaufering the Leaders
Scott Daniels for photographing the memories of the evening
ALL the Youth for showering the Leaders with God's love

Youth Adventures - Sussex Outreach Services

2011-11-15T13:10:00.001-06:00

This Friday, November 18, instead of meeting at Florin's house for our normal Friday activities, we will be helping out at SOS (Sussex Area Outreach Services). We will be meeting at the normal time (6:30 - 8:30 pm) and will be meeting at the SOS building.

N63W23626 Silver Spring Dr

Sussex, WI 53089

Map: http://g.co/maps/87jn8

We will be packing Thanksgiving food bags for families that are served by SOS. If we have time we will do some other odds and ends for them!

If you can bring a non-perishable food item, that would be great! They are especially in need of tomato based products right now!

See you there!

Tim Hawkins - Dec 3rd

2011-11-12T21:49:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone,

We are making our final plans for the Tim Hawkins event on Saturday, Dec 3rd.

Tim Hawkins
Dec 3rd, 2011
Westbrook Church in Hartland
Dinner @ 5:45
Show @ 7:30
Cost $15 per person (families are welcome)
Website: http://www.timhawkins.net
Sample Videos: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tim+hawkins

Tickets are going fast so we need to know if you will be attending ASAP. Please contact Colleen at colleen@eventartistry.net and let us know if you will be joining us. You may order your own tickets online by visiting this site, or we can order them for you if you let us know.

More details on driving and dinner location will follow.

End of Month Social.

2011-10-28T22:48:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to our end of month Social.! We all had a great time. The comedian video was hilarious and carving pumpkins was also a great time. Click here to view some of our masterpieces.

We also a short brain-storming session about other events we can have in the future. Some of the ideas were:

Bowling
Rock Climbing
Sledding
Laser Tag
Lock-In
Mini Golf
Movie / Game nights

Please let Colleen know if you have any ideas about other events we can have.

Next week we will be back at the normal location so we'll see you at there!

2011-10-22T21:51:00.000-05:00

Keep Up To Date

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God's Covenant with Noah

2011-10-15T09:41:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday we focused on God's Covenant with Noah and especiually on "new or first time things". New food ( meat of animals ), first time for seasons of the year, animals which came to Noah before the flood are now afraid of man; ( another first ), the first rainbow, and most importantly, the first proclaimed punishment for murder. Then finally we talked about God's promise ( covenant ) to never again flood the earth. We also discussed whether the News Headlines of the day should be "God destroyed the World" or "God gives mankind a second chance".

In the high school group we spent a lot of time talking about the historicity of and the science behind the flood event. Flood stories exist in every place humans have come to call home. The fact that flood stories and myths are universal in nature speak to the reality we as Christians hold of the flood as an actual historical event. In addition we talked about the physical effect a flood of this magnitude would have on the world, how things would have been before the flood gates of the heavens were opened and waters of the deep burst forth.

In fact, it is very possible that so much water fell from the sky that a moisture barrier that had existed from the beginning of creation where God had separated "the waters below from the waters above" with the sky that this was the very first time it was possible for a rainbow to be seen by human eyes. And so, God "placed" the rainbow in the sky as a sign of His covenant with us to never destroy the world in such a way again. In this event we see that even in judgment God can bring forth beauty and demonstrate His love and redemptive purposes to us.

What an awesome God we serve!

Christmas shoebox

2011-10-12T22:25:00.001-05:00

OPERATION

CHRISTMAS CHILD

SHOEBOX PACKING PARTY

Saturday, NOVEMBER 12, 2011

10:00-2:00

RSVP to youth@oakbrookconnect.org

Please come to our Christmas shoebox packing party!!!

The boxes are empty and ready to be filled.

Help us make Christmas relevant and special for a child in need. “Your gift of love may be the door God uses to open a child’s heart to Jesus Christ”. If you would like to join us please purchase 12 items that are the same to donate to our gift collection, before November 8. Then you and your family are welcome to pack a box/boxes for a boy or girl of your age choice on November 12. We will have a “to be filled in information sheet” to pack with your box that will tell a little about yourself, so plan a little extra time for this. Please remember your $7 donation, for each box packed, to Samaritans Purse. which helps with shipping and other project costs.

Donation Drop Off the week of November 1 -8. If you are unable to drop them off -call us and we can arrange a pick up.

Gift suggestions:

School Supplies: Pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books
Toys: Small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch, or slinky
Hygiene Products: Tooth brush, toothpaste, mild bar of soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.
Other: Hard candy, lollipops, mints, gum (all candy must be placed in a plastic bag), t-shirt, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry
A personal note: You may enclose a personal note or photo of yourself and/or your family. Include your name and address - the child may write back.

Oakbrook Youth Video

2011-10-07T08:40:00.002-05:00

Oakbrook Church is releasing a new video every on Youtube. Today's video was about the Youth Group. It includes interviews with a variety of people and a great message.

View the video below and be sure to share it with outhers you know. This, and the other videos, are also posted on the Oakbrook Church facebook page which is located at www.facebook.com/OakbrookChurchWI.

boat of salvation

2011-10-06T21:40:00.002-05:00

We continued plowing through the solid earth of Genesis this past Sunday, discovering and growing the roots of our faith. As we continued, we came upon the story of Noah and the flood. Being one of the most famous Bible narratives of all time, it carries with it a wealth of ideas and images, such as a few people on a GIGANTIC floating zoo while the rain falls. We wanted to take a look at this account outside of the story books and cartoons that are usually portrayed, and really dig into where this fits in the root system of our faith.

In the first few chapters we have discovered that from the very beginning -- from the moments right after the fall of man, through the first murder's consequences, and even in the genealogy of Genesis 5 -- God has been telling us He created us in his image and that HE is setting in motion a plan for redemption. He wants to clothe us in "new skin" (Gen 3), give "new birth" (Gen 4), and give a hope for the future (Gen 5). The story of the flood continues this foreshadowing. The most obvious way is through the ark itself, which is a "boat of salvation" for humanity, even if humanity is wicked and corrupt the whole way through. Also the story of the flood is the first place we run into the importance of the dove, which brings the olive branch back to Noah, letting him know it is time to leave the ark.

The major takeaways we discussed from our overview of the ark are:

Even through humanity was corrupt through and through, God still gave them a second chance, and has done so for us too.
God as the Father of humanity watched His family fight and struggle. We can get an idea of how God must feel when we fight, by realizing how we feel when our own families fight. Yet God still loves us, and instead of starting over with a "better family" He gives us a hope for a future.
God called Noah to do this work because He considered him a righteous man; He did not consider him righteous because he built the ark. Our first priority, just as Noah's was, should be to love God first and be righteous. God will use us in His plan in His timing, which for Noah started when he was 500 years old.

Hope to see you this Friday at FnF!

Friday Night Fun

2011-09-29T15:56:00.003-05:00

Friday Night Fun, so named by a vote of the students, has been a huge blast and major blessing over the first month we've been running it. Food, fun, friendship, fellowship, and more, all in one short Friday night! (6:30 – 8:30 every Friday Night) Games have included kickball, volleyball, team-building activities, and much more. We spend time hanging out and eating food, while just getting to know each other better.

In addition, each week we have a group time where we explore two things. First, we've had guests each week telling us about what community is, where they are involved in the community, and things that can be done by anyone to get involved in the community. We've been learning how community can be your family, your church, your school, the strangers you run into at the library or the park, and even the people who you never run into who you can effect by acts of service such as cleaning parks, helping the community trailer parks or libraries, doing road cleanup, and other behind the scenes sorts of service acts.

The other part of the larger group time reviews and expands upon the teaching we did the Sunday before at church. We've been taking a very close so far at the first few chapters of Genesis, learning what it means to be made in the image of God, and had a very powerful and dramatic reading of the first four chapters of Genesis. We also spent time in group prayer for our friends – that was a powerful time.

This coming Friday (tomorrow) is the Parents Open House, and we invite students and parents to all come together! We're excited to see you all for more Friday Night Fun! Also don’t forget to spread the word for October 7^th – it is our official kick-off day.

What do we do with the numbers?

2011-09-20T22:47:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday in the youth group we took communion as a group – everyone who made a commitment to Christ was invited to participate. It was a special time of remembering the Lord’s sacrifice. After communion we read Genesis 5 (the entire chapter).

In large group, by way of introduction, we discussed how different cultures use time measurement differently. For example, in Romanian culture, it is often acceptable to use “five minutes” to mean a short period of time rather than the literal five minutes. A Romanian audience would understand if the speaker means five literal minutes or a short amount of time from the context. Therefore, we should expect similar nuances to appear in Genesis (since it is an ancient and foreign book). This should not discourage us but rather encourage us to (1) search the Scriptures, (2) hold on to what is critical to our faith, and (3) avoid arguing over speculations.

We discussed how the author in Genesis 5 restates that God created people in his image. He then proceeds to list a long genealogy which at first glance seems dry and rather dull. However, this “dry” chapter brings out some tough questions. For example:

What did the author intend to communicate to his audience? (i.e. what is important to the author?)
Why would such a chapter be important to a modern-day youth group? (i.e. why would God allow this chapter to be part of the Sacred Scriptures?)

The large group lesson provided the following “thought nuggets” that were later discussed in small groups:

The creation of men and women in the image of God is once again stressed.
Many people have tried to explain away the long life spans described – these explanations have many assumptions and speculations which makes them “weak” explanations.
The genealogy has a “formula”: the person was born, had sons and daughters, and then they died; even in this fallen state, the image of God in us is not completely eliminated.
The chapter starts with the image of God, and ends with Noah (good news on both ends).
The divine truth of scriptures has stood on solid ground for many centuries – man made theories have proved to be temporary.

The Fall - Genesis 3

2011-09-13T22:45:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday in youth group we took Genesis 3 and treated it as a crime scene investigation. As a large group we read through chapter 3 and then answered some basic questions.

Who was involved?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
What happened?
What was the motive?

We then broke into groups and discussed "Who committed the first sin, Adam or Eve?" Coming back to the large group, we discussed what the groups had said (both said Eve) then took a closer look at just what happened, and what the Bible says about it (Romans 5, Adam sinned first). Following that, we explored as small groups what sin it was that Adam committed, since he didn't eat the fruit first.

As a large group, we talked about it more, and discussed sins of commission versus omission. Application was brought home in the following ways:

Don't stand by and stay silent when you see someone doing something you know is wrong.
Sin is never private, someone innocent always suffers (initially the animals who God used to make clothes of skin, and later, Jesus)
God pronounced them guilty, but did not shame them. Their shame was internal, God sought to restore them.
Adam and Eve were near the tree when they had a whole garden to be in. Don't hang around the edges of temptation, but live in the freedom of what God has given you.
Temptation uses kernels of truth to make a lie sound believable, and often starts with a false question. Adam and Eve didn't need to be more like God than already were, He had made them in his image.
God is God, we are not. The biggest problems come from when we try to be the gods of our own lives, rather than letting God be the God of our lives.

Creation - Genesis 1 and 2

2011-09-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

On September 4th we kicked off the Sunday youth program. Here is what we talked about …

Genesis 1 and 2 are power-packed with much insight and yet, the old adage is true: “the more you now the more you don’t know“. Here are some brief take-aways from the discussions we had in the youth group.

Genesis is an ancient book (it was written more than 3000 years ago) – we should expect it to be different than our modern day newspaper or the latest biography.
Genesis is also a foreign book – we should expect it to say things in a different way than Americans do; we should expect exotic illustrations and metaphors, different chronology (the way they describe time), foreign customs, and unusual ways to tell stories.

This raises the question: If Genesis is an ancient and foreign book does it have meaning for our modern society? Is Genesis relevant to us?

Genesis describes creation from two different perspectives. In chapter 1 we see a macro view of the entire creation; in chapter 2 we get additional insight regarding the creation of human beings in the image of God. One could say there are two accounts of creation in Genesis working together to provide specific insight into God’s work.

CONCLUSION: Since human beings (men and women) are created in the image of God, we should expect to see / understand God by looking at people – but FAIR WARNING, the current image is distorted so we MUST be careful on how we do our investigation.

Sunday Program Kickoff

2011-09-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

Our Sunday youth program started on September 4^th; we are back at our usual room at Woodside School and we are grateful to be in familiar surroundings. The focus for this year’s teaching is ROOTS (of our faith). We are covering Genesis from Adam to Jacob. These scriptures passages in Genesis provide ample resources to discuss topics like: the value of man, violence, terrorism, the reliability of the Bible, relationships with parents, God in charge of history, lies and deception, materialism, war, capital punishment, consequences of sin, sin is everywhere, jealousy, contracts and lawsuits, death and dying, dreams and angels, and a lot more! Here is our planned schedule for the year.

Date	Title	Reference
Sept. 4, 2011	Creation / Kickoff	Genesis 1,2
Sept. 11, 2011	The Fall; Cain and Abel	Genesis 3, 4
Sept. 18, 2011	What do we do with the numbers?	Genesis 5
*Sept. 25, 2011*	*Family Sunday*
October 2, 2011	The Flood	Genesis 6, 7, 8
October 9, 2011	God's Covenant with Noah	Genesis 9:1-17
October 16, 2011	The Sons of Noah	Genesis 9:18-29
October 23, 2011	The Table of Nations; The Tower of Babel; From Shem to Abraham	Genesis 10, 11
*October 30, 2011*	*Family Sunday*
November 6, 2011	The call of Abraham	Genesis 12:1-9
November 13, 2011	Abram in Egypt	Genesis 12:10-20
November 20, 2011	Abram and Lot separate	Geneis 13
*November 27, 2011*	*Family Sunday - Thanksgiving Weekend*
December 4, 2011	Abram rescues Lot	Genesis 14
December 11, 2011	Hagar and Ishmael	Genesis 16
December 18, 2011	God's covenant with Abram	Genesis 15
December 25, 2011	*Family Sunday - Chrsitmas*
January 1, 2012	The Covenant of Circumcision	Genesis 17
January 8, 2012	Three Visitors	Genesis 18:1-15
January 15, 2012	Abraham pleads for Sodom	Genesis 18:16-33
January 22, 2012	Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed; Lot and his daughters	Genesis 19
*January 29, 2012*	*Family Sunday*
February 5, 2012	Abraham and Abimelech	Genesis 20
February 12, 2012	Birth of Isaac; Hagar and Ishmael are sent away	Genesis 21:1-21
February 19, 2012	The Treaty at Beersheba	Genesis 21:22-34
*February 26, 2012*	*Family Sunday*
March 4, 2012	Abraham Tested	Genesis 22
March 11, 2012	The Death of Sarah	Genesis 23
March 18, 2012	Isaac and Rebekah	Genesis 24
*March 25, 2012*	*Family Sunday*
April 1, 2012	The Death of Abraham; Ishmael's sons	Genesis 25:1-18
*April 8, 2012*	*Easter Sunday*
April 15, 2012	Jacob and Esau	Genesis 25:19-34
April 22, 2012	Isaac and Abimelech	Genesis 26
*April 29, 2012*	*Family Sunday*
May 6, 2012	Jacob gets Isaac's Blessing	Genesis 27, 28:1-9
May 13, 2012	Jacob's dream at Bethel	Genesis 28:10-22
May 20, 2012	The rest of the story	Genesis 29-50
*May 27, 2012*	*Family Sunday*

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

2009-12-12T14:53:00.012-06:00

It may surprise some of you to find out that even followers of Christ (Christians) get into arguments with other people. When that happens some Christians don’t know how to “engage”; in other words, they don’t know how to “fight fair”. (Stay with me and I’ll explain)

The Bible has a lot to say about arguments, anger, etc. So it’s fair to say that Christians have guidance about the “rules of engagement” when it comes to arguments. These “good rules of engagement” will help mend relationships and will help in pursuing lasting peace with others. For example, a while back I personally settled on the following rule: “No name calling”. Name calling (even joking) has a negative effect on people. Another rule that I heard last week was “Retaliate with kindness” – I love this one, and I plan to adopt it into my lifestyle.

Here are some Bible verses that will guide you in creating your own Rules Of Engagement:

Proverbs 26:17 It's better to take hold of a mad dog by the ears than to take part in someone else's argument.
Luke 22:24-26 The apostles got into an argument about which one of them was the greatest. So Jesus told them: Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone's friends. But don't be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant.
Proverbs 20:3 It makes you look good when you avoid a fight-- only fools love to quarrel.
Romans 13:12-14 Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don't go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don't quarrel or be jealous. Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.
Colossians 3:8,9 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.
Ephesians 4:31,32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

… there are a lot more… you can use a Bible concordance or a Bible software program like eSword to do your own searches…
Please share some of the rules of engagement that you have adopted for yourself.

WARNING: There are actions that people engage in during an argument with another person that are very destructive. These actions drive relationships farther apart and escalate sin in the people who engage in them. When you find yourself in an argument, STAY AWAY FROM DESTRUCTIVE HABBITS (anything that will tear down the other person).

Shoebox Packing Party

2009-11-02T19:06:00.005-06:00

The Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing Party will be held this Sunday, November 8th (2009) from 12:00 to 3:00.

Call the church office to get additi0nal info.

What to bring: small toys and other gifts that will fit into a shoebox for wither boys or girls ages 2 - 14.

Here are some ideas: small stuffed animals, hairbrush, combs, hair clips, coloring books, school supplies, clothing, hygiene items like tooth brushes, bar of soap, etc, small cars, yo-yos', slinkies, non perishable candy, gum (ok... you get the idea)

We also request a $7 donation per person to help with shipping costs.

Christmass Cookies and Hot Apple Cider will be served as we pack and put together the shoe boxes for children in desperate situations worldwide.

What gives you joy?

2009-10-19T21:21:00.005-05:00

I’ve heard people say that “we buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t know…” and to some extent that is true. But why do we do that? Most likely we do it because we’re looking for something that will make us happy.

To illustrate a point, last Sunday members of our youth group’s Talent Team performed a short skit called “Bluemozoids” that was written by some of our HS students. “Bloemozoids” is a Dr. Seuss style skit about Norma Lanne who is content and living quite a normal life until she meets 3 characters: BuyStuffNow, YouDeserveIT, and Mr. SuperImportant. These 3 convince her that she could not possibly be happy because she does not have the right stuff, she does not do the right things, and she does not know the right people. Their diagnosis is “Chronic Bluemozoids.”

So, what really makes you happy? What gives you joy?

If we were to listen to the voices in our society, the answers would be something like ”more stuff”, “more fun”, or “more popularity”. The voices in our society may be loud and clear but they are not always accurate. Don’t get bamboozled into believing a lie.

The Bible has a lot to say on this. I challenge the young people of Oakbrook church to continue the discovery started last Sunday. Either using your topical index at the end of your Bible or searching a tool like eSword, find (1) what does the Bible say about the sources of joy and (2) what verses in the Bible can you point to and show that “more stuff”, “more fun”, and “more popularity” will not produce lasting happiness? (give Bible references). Take the time to share your findings via the “comments” below.

It’s like giving someone a half-eaten jelly doughnut with bite marks on it…

2009-10-12T22:01:00.011-05:00

Do you have enough time to “love others”? I’m not just talking about the needy person down the street – I’m talking about the people around you. Do you devote enough time to loving the people in your life? Rushing through life and not taking time for those we love is like giving them “love leftovers” -- if love was a doughnut, it’s like giving someone a half eaten jelly doughnut with bite marks on it – hmmm, doesn’t that sound tasty ?

We are to love with our actions not just our words.

All expressions of love (all actions) have one thing in common: they all take TIME. Time is the most precious thing we have because once it’s gone, it’s gone! Our society tries to save time by doing everything faster and faster and faster (yea, we know how well that works…)

So how do you find more time? … this can be a very interesting discussion … but let me suggest one place to start looking: TV. Do you have any “screen-time” limits at home? What are your house rules? Here is an example: if you watch TV ½ hour a day that adds up to 3.5 hrs a week, 14hrs. a month, and 168 hrs. per year (over 4 work weeks) -- that’s like a wasted vacation! So now, be honest, do some of you watch over ½ hour a day?

Now, do you want to be challenged a little more? Great! Let’s look at what the Bible has to say on the subject and think about it throughout the next few days:

The presence of real Love in your life proves that you are part of God’s family. In 1 John chapter 3 verse 14 the Bible says: "Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life. But if you don't love each other, you are still under the power of death." also see 1 John 4:7-11
If your life is fragmented and out of control, love can patch it up and tie it together. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 14 the Bible says:"Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together." also see Philippians 1:9-11 (right choices), Ephesians 4:15-16 (comprehensive growth).
Love pays for my sins. If I am forgiven, and I can forgive others. Cut people some slack and to be gracious to those who wrong you. In 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 8 the Bible says: "Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins." also see Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-7 Colossians 2:14.
Love goes bayond the best preservative. Genuine love is not only contagious, but it has a very long shelf-life. see 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Here is a practical suggestion: try this prayer first thing when you open your eyes in the morning: “God help me to love you a little more today and help me to love the people you placed in my life.”

Love is action. Actions take time.

Get going.

DO YOU love yourself OR are you in love with yourself?

2009-10-06T21:02:00.014-05:00

Last Sunday we had the chance to ask the following question of several young people: “Do we need to teach people to “love themselves” or are we born already loving ourselves?” Some knew their answer right away while others stopped to think for a while. Some debated their opinion with friends, while others did not want to talk about it. Overall the vote was split right down the middle. I picked two very typical answers to share with you:

Do we need to teach people to love themselves?

“YES – We don’t know how to love ourselves because we see movie stars, etc. and judge ourselves based on what they look like, what they do, and we never seem to live up to that.”
“NO – People love themselves; more people are selfish and love themselves than people who have super low self-esteem. When people complain about themselves they don’t necessarily feel bad for themselves, they may just want attention”

It’s interesting to see that the Bible says we are to "Love others as much as you love yourself." (See the Gospel of Mathew chapter 22 verse 39) So, some argue that in order to love others correctly we need to know how to love ourselves correctly. God created the “self” in His image. Check out what the Bible says in Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 and 27:

“God said, 'Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.' So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women.” (Contemporary English Version)

So, with that in mind, how do you (or better yet, how will you) approach the following:
a. The value of each individual (including you)
b. The purpose of each individual (including you)
c. The relationship of each individual to God (including you)
d. The capability of each individual to love, worship, and obey God (including you)

If you have another 5 minutes take time to read what the Bible says in Mathew chapter 22 verses 36 – 40; then spend some time in prayer asking God to teach you how to love Him and how to love others.

What would happen If we really loved God With all our Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength?

2009-10-02T21:06:00.008-05:00

Why should I love God?
Think about a person you really love – do you love that person for what they do or for who they are? So what about GOD? Should my love for God be based on what God does or should it be based on who God is? The amazing thing is that God initiated his Love toward us even before any of us were lovable. The Bible says: “God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven.” (see 1 John chapter 4 verses 9and 10)
Can I love someone I can’t see?
Does God need to be tangible? Think about this: Do you love Justice? Is Justice tangible? To which you may answer: “…but I can’t have a personal, love relationship with ‘justice’…” (and you’d be right). Thankfully, God anticipated that question… so God became tangible through the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible says: ““No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is truly in our hearts. God has given us his Spirit. That is how we know that we are one with him, just as he is one with us. God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. We saw his Son and are now telling others about him. God stays one with everyone who openly says that Jesus is the Son of God. That's how we stay one with God and are sure that God loves us. ” (see I John chapter 4 verses 12-21)

How do I love GOD?
First, let's be clear about love: we are talking about actions not emotions. “Love” is not some gooey emotion that starts and passes like the wind. It is a stream of purposeful actions that bring goodness and blessings to another person. The Bible says “Make sure you obey the law that Moses commanded you: love the LORD your God, DO his will, obey his commandments, BE faithful to him, and serve him with all your heart and soul." (see Joshua chapter 22 verse 5) This indicates that we must DO and BE something. Once we accept God's love, we can respond to His love with what we do and with who we are.

OK, so, here are some personal questions:

How do I demonstrate my love through action?
How do my loved ones experience my love?
If I didn't say the words, could the ones I love tell by my actions that I love them?
Do I demonstrate my love even when I don't feel "loving?"
Do my loved ones have to please me first to "feel" that I love them?
What actions from others do I experience as "loving?"
Do I only show love when I am "feeling" loved?
Who in my life demonstrates their love for me through their actions?
Are there people in my life who say they love me? What evidence is there of their love?
What can I do differently to demonstrate my love?
Do my loved ones know that I love them? How?

Answer truthfully as many questions as you can. Go ahead, no one is looking – except God of course, and He already knows your answers and He accepts you the way you are! Remember: acceptance DOES NOT mean approval.

2009-07-20T18:22:00.003-05:00

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

1. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, "Repent" (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

2. This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

3. Yet it does not mean solely inner repentance; such inner repentance is worthless unless it produces various outward mortification of the flesh.

4. The penalty of sin remains as long as the hatred of self (that is, true inner repentance), namely till our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

5. The pope neither desires nor is able to remit any penalties except those imposed by his own authority or that of the canons.

6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring and showing that it has been remitted by God; or, to be sure, by remitting guilt in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in these cases were disregarded, the guilt would certainly remain unforgiven.

7. God remits guilt to no one unless at the same time he humbles him in all things and makes him submissive to the vicar, the priest.

8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to the canons themselves, nothing should be imposed on the dying.

9. Therefore the Holy Spirit through the pope is kind to us insofar as the pope in his decrees always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.

10. Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory.

11. Those tares of changing the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory were evidently sown while the bishops slept (Mt 13:25).

12. In former times canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.

13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties, are already dead as far as the canon laws are concerned, and have a right to be released from them.

14. Imperfect piety or love on the part of the dying person necessarily brings with it great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater the fear.

15. This fear or horror is sufficient in itself, to say nothing of other things, to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.

16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ the same as despair, fear, and assurance of salvation.

17. It seems as though for the souls in purgatory fear should necessarily decrease and love increase.

18. Furthermore, it does not seem proved, either by reason or by Scripture, that souls in purgatory are outside the state of merit, that is, unable to grow in love.

19. Nor does it seem proved that souls in purgatory, at least not all of them, are certain and assured of their own salvation, even if we ourselves may be entirely certain of it.

20. Therefore the pope, when he uses the words "plenary remission of all penalties," does not actually mean "all penalties," but only those imposed by himself.

21. Thus those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences.

22. As a matter of fact, the pope remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to canon law, they should have paid in this life.

23. If remission of all penalties whatsoever could be granted to anyone at all, certainly it would be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to very few.

24. For this reason most people are necessarily deceived by that indiscriminate and high-sounding promise of release from penalty.

25. That power which the pope has in general over purgatory corresponds to the power which any bishop or curate has in a particular way in his own diocese and parish.

26. The pope does very well when he grants remission to souls in purgatory, not by the power of the keys, which he does not have, but by way of intercession for them.

27. They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.

28. It is certain that when money clinks in the money chest, greed and avarice can be increased; but when the church intercedes, the result is in the hands of God alone.

29. Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redeemed, since we have exceptions in St. Severinus and St. Paschal, as related in a legend.

30. No one is sure of the integrity of his own contrition, much less of having received plenary remission.

31. The man who actually buys indulgences is as rare as he who is really penitent; indeed, he is exceedingly rare.

32. Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.

33. Men must especially be on guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to him.

34. For the graces of indulgences are concerned only with the penalties of sacramental satisfaction established by man.

35. They who teach that contrition is not necessary on the part of those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessional privileges preach unchristian doctrine.

36. Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters.

37. Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.

38. Nevertheless, papal remission and blessing are by no means to be disregarded, for they are, as I have said (Thesis 6), the proclamation of the divine remission.

39. It is very difficult, even for the most learned theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the bounty of indulgences and the need of true contrition.

40. A Christian who is truly contrite seeks and loves to pay penalties for his sins; the bounty of indulgences, however, relaxes penalties and causes men to hate them -- at least it furnishes

occasion for hating them.

41. Papal indulgences must be preached with caution, lest people erroneously think that they are preferable to other good works of love.

42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend that the buying of indulgences should in any way be compared with works of mercy.

43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences.

44. Because love grows by works of love, man thereby becomes better. Man does not, however, become better by means of indulgences but is merely freed from penalties.

45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God's wrath.

46. Christians are to be taught that, unless they have more than they need, they must reserve enough for their family needs and by no means squander it on indulgences.

47. Christians are to be taught that they buying of indulgences is a matter of free choice, not commanded.

48 Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting indulgences, needs and thus desires their devout prayer more than their money.

49. Christians are to be taught that papal indulgences are useful only if they do not put their trust in them, but very harmful if they lose their fear of God because of them.

50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence preachers, he would rather that the basilica of St. Peter were burned to ashes than built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his sheep.

51. Christians are to be taught that the pope would and should wish to give of his own money, even though he had to sell the basilica of St. Peter, to many of those from whom certain hawkers of indulgences cajole money.

52. It is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters, even though the indulgence commissary, or even the pope, were to offer his soul as security.

53. They are the enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid altogether the preaching of the Word of God in some churches in order that indulgences may be preached in others.

54. Injury is done to the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or larger amount of time is devoted to indulgences than to the Word.

55. It is certainly the pope's sentiment that if indulgences, which are a very insignificant thing, are celebrated with one bell, one procession, and one ceremony, then the gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

56. The true treasures of the church, out of which the pope distributes indulgences, are not sufficiently discussed or known among the people of Christ.

57. That indulgences are not temporal treasures is certainly clear, for many indulgence sellers do not distribute them freely but only gather them.

58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the saints, for, even without the pope, the latter always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outer man.

59. St. Lawrence said that the poor of the church were the treasures of the church, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.

60. Without want of consideration we say that the keys of the church, given by the merits of Christ, are that treasure.

61. For it is clear that the pope's power is of itself sufficient for the remission of penalties and cases reserved by himself.

62. The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.

63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last (Mt. 20:16).

64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.

65. Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one formerly fished for men of wealth.

66. The treasures of indulgences are nets with which one now fishes for the wealth of men.

67. The indulgences which the demagogues acclaim as the greatest graces are actually understood to be such only insofar as they promote gain.

68. They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross.

69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of papal indulgences with all reverence.

70. But they are much more bound to strain their eyes and ears lest these men preach their own dreams instead of what the pope has commissioned.

71. Let him who speaks against the truth concerning papal indulgences be anathema and accursed.

72. But let him who guards against the lust and license of the indulgence preachers be blessed.

73. Just as the pope justly thunders against those who by any means whatever contrive harm to the sale of indulgences.

74. Much more does he intend to thunder against those who use indulgences as a pretext to contrive harm to holy love and truth.

75. To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is madness.

76. We say on the contrary that papal indulgences cannot remove the very least of venial sins as far as guilt is concerned.

77. To say that even St. Peter if he were now pope, could not grant greater graces is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope.

78. We say on the contrary that even the present pope, or any pope whatsoever, has greater graces at his disposal, that is, the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written, 1 Co 12[:28].

79. To say that the cross emblazoned with the papal coat of arms, and set up by the indulgence preachers is equal in worth to the cross of Christ is blasphemy.

80. The bishops, curates, and theologians who permit such talk to be spread among the people will have to answer for this.

81. This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult even for learned men to rescue the reverence which is due the pope from slander or from the shrewd questions of the laity.

82. Such as: "Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of holy love and the dire need of the souls that are there if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a church? The former reason would be most just; the latter is most trivial.

83. Again, "Why are funeral and anniversary masses for the dead continued and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded for them, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"

84. Again, "What is this new piety of God and the pope that for a consideration of money they permit a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God and do not rather, because of the need of that pious and beloved soul, free it for pure love's sake?"

85. Again, "Why are the penitential canons, long since abrogated and dead in actual fact and through disuse, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences as though they were still alive and in force?"

86. Again, "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?"

87. Again, "What does the pope remit or grant to those who by perfect contrition already have a right to full remission and blessings?"

88. Again, "What greater blessing could come to the church than if the pope were to bestow these remissions and blessings on every believer a hundred times a day, as he now does but once?"

89. "Since the pope seeks the salvation of souls rather than money by his indulgences, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons previously granted when they have equal efficacy?"

90. To repress these very sharp arguments of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies and to make Christians unhappy.

91. If, therefore, indulgences were preached according to the spirit and intention of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved. Indeed, they would not exist.

92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace! (Jer 6:14)

93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!

94. Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell.

95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace (Acts 14:22).

My testimony -- by Pam Shattuck

2009-03-25T10:33:00.006-05:00

An invitation to a Vacation Bible School during the summer of 1973 forever changed the course of my life. I was not from a Christian family. My only religious training up to that point was that for the first ten years of my life my mom was a Jehovah’s witness. I knew only two Bible truths: God created the world and Adam and Eve were the first two people He had created. I had never heard a Bible story, I didn’t know who Jesus was or what He had done for me, and I had absolutely no idea what happens when a person dies. At the age of 14 I was filled with more ignorance than truth about God. The subject of death scared me because I thought a person just stopped existing when they died. Yet, it was this fear that led me to accept the invitation to the Bible school. I thought maybe I would find some answers.

Church was a foreign place and many of the people were strangers to me. My first thought upon arriving was that I probably wouldn’t be back, but God had other plans. He used something as simple as a promise during craft time to peak my interest in returning. We were told if we finished the first craft (a string art) we could do a second one. I was hooked! But I was also drawn to the Bible and missionary stories that were told. By the third day I was hearing things I had heard bits and pieces of from kids in school and truth was starting to sink in. I knew very little. Almost nothing. Yet God in His goodness and timing helped me to see that Jesus had died for me and that I needed Him to be my Savior.

I let two more days go by without mentioning my need to anyone and yet the whole time I knew I needed Him. I just didn’t know who to ask for help. On Friday of that week, when the Bible school was over and we were dismissed, I thought this was my last chance to get “saved.” As everyone was leaving the auditorium I approached the pastor, Bob Robinson. I tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around I said, “Excuse me, but when would you have time to save me?” I didn’t even realize that was the reason for the Bible school. I still recall the smile that came across his face as he led me over to his wife, Martha, for my answers.

Mine wasn’t a model prayer by any stretch of the imagination but in all of its simplicity it touched the heart of God and He touched mine as well. I knew that day that I would not simply stop existing when I die, I would live forever in Heaven.

Bob not only pastored the church, he was the youth pastor as well. I watched him and Martha closely for I needed more than just Bible teaching. I needed to see those Bible truths lived out in the flesh and they did that so well for nine months before being called to the mission field.

They never seemed to notice the smell of smoke on my clothing or held me at arms’ length because of family issues. Both of my parents were alcoholics by this time and on the verge of divorce. Drugs had found their way into our home via my brothers. Immorality reared its ugly head on numerous occasions. I knew all too well the reputation my last name had earned with the police department and school. So for me, church was more than a place of worship, it was also a place of escape where I felt loved, wanted, and safe.

It was there I learned to pray. It was there I learned Christian hymns and choruses. It was there I took my first steps as a baby Christian and grew. Reading the Bible was exciting because they were all new stories to me and I couldn’t take the truth in fast enough. God was using all of it to lead me down a different path than I would have otherwise taken. My grades improved in school and upon graduating from high school, I decided to attend the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music. I graduated with a diploma in Christian education and began teaching at a Christian school in Colorado.

Several years later I married my husband, Tim, who was a pastor’s son and a Christian school teacher as well. We have been married for 25 years now and have three adult children. Our marriage stands in sharp contrast to my family where divorce runs rampant. I look at our children with gratitude because I know their lives stand in sharp contrast to their cousins. Some had children out of wedlock and two are in prison. Drugs and alcohol found their way into the next generation. The cycle will continue until Christ is invited in.

My story would be incomplete if I left it at this. For you see, my journey has included three decades of living the Christian life with the mindset that God tolerated me more than loved me and that keeping a list of rules equated being spiritual. At a time when others thought I was a strong Christian I was empty because I had bought into the lie that God’s love was dependent upon what I was doing. That lie kept me in bondage to a legalistic, performance based way to live my Christian life and it wasn’t until the spring of 2004 that I learned the truth about His unconditional love. Even in the midst of all the church attendance, Bible reading, teaching in Christian schools, and having a Christian family of my own, without that truth it was all empty.

When truth finally made its way into my life EVERYTHING changed. My view of God took a 180 degree turn around and His Word came alive. I remember the morning I sat in my kitchen with my Bible in my hands and I asked God to show me His heart in Scripture. I wanted it to be more than a book of historical facts to me. So many of the negative verses were easy to slip my name in but any positive verses didn’t seem to be written for me. When I asked Him to show me His heart that all changed. That was the day I also took a notebook and began journaling the thoughts that came to me from His Word. What started out as a paragraph or two eventually grew into several pages. In time, they became the devotionals I now email to 165 people on a daily basis. Those devotionals are now housed at the site http://pathways2freedom.blogspot.com/ .

When I look back to that vacation Bible school, I see now that God wanted more than for me to have salvation. He wanted me to have a living relationship with Him and each day is spent doing just that. He walked me out of the kingdom of darkness and out of a life of legalism. Now He is walking me out of a lifestyle of dependency issues. I have no doubt the outcome will be dramatic.

Over the past 35 years I have continued to keep in touch with Bob and Martha. They are not only dear friends to me but foundational pillars in my Christian life. They were there when I was birthed into the family of God and they have been in the background of my life and thoughts ever since. Their investment in my life was not in vain, for I continue to follow the example they set before me even when they didn’t know I was watching.

Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you. May God continue to finish what He has started in each of us. --Pam

From the QB: “What are all the names God is called?”

2008-06-04T06:46:00.004-05:00

written by Lynda

El Shadday, Adonay, Melek, Yahweh Shalom, Miqweh Yisrael, El Elyon

The Bible is full of names for God. If you know the original Hebrew or Greek you would know the names above mean God Almighty, Lord Master, King, The Lord is Peace, The Hope of Israel, God Most High.

I’m not showing off. I don’t know any Hebrew or Greek. Ann Spangler did the hard work for me. She wrote devotional called “Praying the Names of God.” Ann wrote 26 studies of 31 different names of God. It was a great study.

Elohim (Creator), El Chay (Living God) and Abba (Father) are my favorite names from this study.

Obviously, Elohim was used most in Genesis. God created everything. His imagination and thoughtfulness can be seen everywhere. Just look.

El Chay reminds me that God is still alive and active in this world and in my life. The same Living Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in me.

Literally translated Abba means Daddy. I don’t have a close relationship with my father (That is a blog for another day.) so it is comforting to be able to call God Daddy. I love that.

God has a lot of names. I listed just a few here. Read “Praying the Names of God” by Ann Spangler published by Zondervan to learn more.
Great question – Keep asking!

just because we can't see something...

2008-04-30T20:07:00.001-05:00

Teen Editorial by L.B.

It seems to day that a lot of teens are starting to "give up" on their faith in Jesus. The reason for this is intellectual uncertainty. How can we be expected to believe in something we can't even see or touch? It just doesn't seem logical in an age of such advanced science and technology to have faith in anything. This of course, is rather disturbing to those of us who have accepted Christ and are trying to answer the questions of these people.

Let's get something straight first - just because we can't see something doesn't mean we don't know it exists. We can't see wind, atoms, or black holes yet we see the effects of them every day. Similarly, we can't see God with our eyes, but we see His work done every day. The world itself proclaims His greatness and attention to every little detail. Furthermore, the very fact that separates faith and science is that faith is based on what we feel in our hearts. No amount of x-rays or blood tests can prove that the Holy Spirit is in us - we can only prove Him by living our lives as an example and spreading His love as just that: Love. "We live by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7