C.H.A.O.S.

You Don't Know Christmas

2011-12-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

Did you know that over 1.9 BILLION Christmas cards are sent each year? Yep, that’s the most of any holiday - not even Valentine ’s Day comes close.

And the Bah- Humbug thing to me is that the vast majority of the cards are just.plain.wrong. Especially when it comes to their portrayal of the Reason for the Season!

Now… my heart is not an empty hole, in fact I really don’t have an ounce of Grinchyness in me. But I am concerned about the blatant and misleading perception that the covers of Nativity Christmas cards have created. So if you’ll indulge me for a moment, here is a brief overview of my rant.

• Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus did not have freaky looking halos around their heads
• 3 Kings? No Kings - they were, in fact, scholars and astronomers from Persia
• But were they at the birth? Nope…they arrived over a year later…at Jesus’ HOUSE!
• Ox and Lambs keeping time? Ah, no - you see farm animals don’t have opposable thumbs for drumsticks, plus people don’t give birth with farm animals around. Besides Jesus wasn’t born in a-
• Barn… Most likely He was birthed in a cave used for shelter, not a structure hosting a petting zoo.
• Little Drummer Boy? Wait, that’s Justin Bieber - right?

Anyway, I think you get the point. We’ve sanitized, Santa-fied and commercialized our image of the Holy Night into an ordinary night.

But in reality, this was the Silent Night that was the hush before the spiritual storm that shattered the veil between heaven and earth when angelic armies cried out a victory song: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14, NLT).

But when we take this lightning in a bottle moment and trim it down into a syrupy sweet Hallmark portrait, we end up overstuffing our stomachs and overindulging our materialistic fetishes because that’s what Christmas has been reduced to.

We box up and tie a neat little ribbon on the event that split that calendar and proclaimed that Immanuel - God in the flesh - has been unleashed on our planet!

And what’s worse, our Christmas card lenses blind us from the glorious and life changing proclamation made by the angels:

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:8-11, NLT).

I believe we should be more like the shepherds who received this announcement. By the way -these guys in no way, shape or form resemble Linus with a blanket asking “Lights, please?”. The shepherds of that day were the outcast outsiders who were considered the lowlifes and losers. But the High King of Heaven entrusted them with the message that-

The Savior

The Messiah

And

The Lord

Had been born that day in the little town of Bethlehem.

These three titles were being used at that time to describe Caesar Augustus - the Roman Emperor - but the angels revealed the true nature of this seemingly insignificant baby lying in a manger. What the world needed to know was that a new King - the King of Kings - had come to establish His rule and reign. The Savior who had been chosen by God before the world is now here to deliver all people from the tyranny of sin and death.

Wouldn’t you have thought that a message as crucial as this would have been given to the rich, the powerful, and the influential? Yet God picks those who weren’t even allowed in the Temple to worship Him and to proclaim the message that “God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them!” (Revelation 21:3, NLT).

And what was their reaction to the announcement of the first Christmas and seeing the Christ Child?

“After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished” (Luke 2:17-18, NLT).

This Christmas, let’s take a lesson from the poor and dejected shepherds whose entire world was transformed with just one glance at the real Nativity scene. Let’s feel the excitement that welled up inside those men when they realized that God chose them out of all humanity to spread the word that the Word made flesh had come to save the world.

Merry Christmas friends…may we be a living Christmas card that advances THE Cause and tells the real story of our Savior’s birth!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Statistics show that more people attend church this time of year than any other week. The Christmas season creates a huge opportunity to bring up the birth of Christ, especially when you have the interesting facts about what really happened. Don’t let this chance fly by you like Santa and his reindeer - get out and talk to people like the shepherds did!

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Pray- Jesus, thank you that You came to earth as a baby so that you could experience every aspect of life on this planet you created. Praise You for being the Savior, the Messiah, and the Lord. Help us to be as excited as the shepherds on the first Christmas, and give us the boldness to share the gospel with our friends.

Read- Matthew 1:23.
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’” (NLT).

Check out this humorous “Silent Monks” Christmas video on YouTube and let it inspire you to find your own creative ways to get the word out about Jesus this Christmas season!

www.dare2share.org

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Would Jesus Have Tebowed?

2011-11-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

Move over Chuck Norris…you’ve been Tebowed, my roundhouse kicking friend! Why? Because:

When Tim Tebow makes a great play he points to the sky, when other players make a great play they point to Tim Tebow.

Tim Tebow was late for practice one day. The rest of the team had to run laps for being early.

Tim Tebow set Adam and Eve up on a blind date.

Tim Tebow can make a snowman out of rain.

People with amnesia still remember Tim Tebow.

And my personal favorite:

When Tim Tebow was born, he ran an option play on the doctor and made it straight into the nursery untouched. ∗

Yep…unless you’ve been a bit out of touch for the past few weeks, you’ve no doubt been hit by the media bombardment of the Denver Bronco’s quarterback - known as Tim Tebow coverage. And I have a sneaking suspicion that many of you have even been unable to control your urge to get your ‘Tebowing’ on, right?

Which to me begs the question: Would Jesus have Tebowed? In other words, does Christ approve or disapprove of this phenom that has captured the attention of the nation? Well, Jesus was certainly not unclear about how we live out our faith, but His teachings give us a seemingly contradictory picture.

On one hand you have this clear directive:

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-6).

But in the same passage of Scripture Christ has charged us with this sacred mission:

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16).

And this is why the Heisman trophy and perpetual winner has become one of the most polarizing figures in sports.

In my opinion, Tim Tebow is not guilty of breaking Jesus’ commandment to avoid hypocritical and pretentious prayer. To charge him with that is to assume that his motives are for show and praise, and only God can truly judge a person’s heart.

I also believe that Tim Tebow is being obedient to our calling to be the “light of this world.” It’s hard to argue that #15 isn’t a BIG city on an EXTREMELY elevated hilltop, right? And agree or disagree, he is using his platform to let his good deeds out for all to see.

For example, when he was criticized by another pro quarterback for his public displays of affection for Christ, his response was:

“My relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing in my life. So any time I get an opportunity to tell him that I love him or given an opportunity to shout him out on national TV, I'm gonna take that opportunity. And so I look at it as a relationship that I have with him that I want to give him the honor and glory anytime I have the opportunity. And then right after, I give him the honor and glory.”

—Tim Tebow

For me, the issue is not about Tebowing or Tweeting or why I can’t make a snowman out of rain. When I see or hear news about the Broncos QB and his latest statement or action, I can’t help but turn the spotlight on my own heart and ask a few questions:

Where is the hypocrisy in my life? Maybe I don’t pray publically on national television, but I’m certain there are times when I say or act a certain way to look just a little more ‘godly’ than I really am. And is there a time in my day - every day - when I “shut the door and pray to my Father in private”? If not, then you can paint me with the same brush that Tebow’s detractors are so fond of using on him.

And finally…what is the platform of my life? I don’t don the jersey of a professional athlete each day, but I am a light on the stand that God gave me to illuminate my little corner of the world. And so many times I use the excuse of “I don’t want to offend people” as a basket that hides the light and leaves people in the dark.

The truth is - and Tebow would testify to this fact - that if you let your light shine, it is impossible not to offend at least someone. You are part of THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples - so let’s take a lesson from a guy who gets it. Get out and light up the playing field God placed you on - and don’t worry about what others might think.

Oh, and remember, Tim Tebow’s Rice Krispies don’t snap, crackle, pop…they recite John 3:16.
*http://www.tebowisms.net/

Flash Point Ignite Into Action

Tim Tebow is an excellent example of someone who loves Jesus very much and is unashamed to demonstrate it in no uncertain terms. But you don’t have to be an NFL quarterback to make a difference. Don’t hide your light under a basket, let it shine and God will use it in incredible ways for THE Cause!

Accelerant Feed the Fire
PRAY: Jesus, You have called us to put aside our hypocrisy and serve in Your Kingdom as a city on a hill and a light on a stand. Forgive us when we’ve been hypocritical and when we’ve been ashamed to be a light for You. Fill us with Your Spirit so we can go out and light up the playing field to which you have called us.

READ: Philippians 2:14-16. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing..

http://www.dare2share.org/

The Twilight movie "Breaking Dawn part 1"

2011-11-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

The Twilight of the Twilight Series

Twi-Hards unite again! The first part of the final film has hit the screen, and theaters everywhere are being sold out as the stage is set for the conclusion of this blockbuster series.

Unless, of course, the producers would like to keep chopping up the final final part into more and more parts. In which case you would have Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 ½ , then Breaking Dawn Part 2, then 2.1, etc. But of course the problem there is the possibility of RPatz hitting puberty and subsequently losing the man/boy looks that have earned him the status of pre-pubescent poster child of the decade - right?

Also Jacob the performance enhanced werewolf could lose the abs and then be required to wear a shirt even when it’s raining! And *man* would he be angry - so we’d see a blank stare from him. Then later on he would be in love - so we’d see a blank stare from him.

But for now, we know that that Ed and Bella get hitched, furniture gets broken, half-vampire buns are in the oven - and the rest of the film could only be described as the Twilight series letting the crazy out.

Yep, love bites.

Still I must admit that stories about vampires, werewolves and women who breathe loudly through their noses have a certain appeal. We all have a craving for drama, especially when supernatural elements are involved.

Speaking of which, I have a real account of a supernatural showdown that you probably never heard about:

Jesus and his followers went to the other side of the lake to the area of the Gerasene people. When Jesus got out of the boat, instantly a man with an evil spirit came to him from the burial caves. This man lived in the caves, and no one could tie him up, not even with a chain.

Many times people had used chains to tie the man's hands and feet, but he always broke them off. No one was strong enough to control him. Day and night he would wander around the burial caves and on the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones. While Jesus was still far away, the man saw him, ran to him, and fell down before him.

The man shouted in a loud voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

He answered, "My name is Legion, because we are many spirits." He begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of that area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on a hill near there. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us into the pigs; let us go into them." So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the hill into the lake and were drowned. (Mark 5:1-7; 9-17)

This is one of the strangest moments in the Bible and one of the clearest throwdowns between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. Jesus went to this 10 city area to share the gospel, but the devil had a different plan. So he sent a man possessed with literally thousands of demons to face off with Christ.

But even a million demons combining their forces doesn’t even hold a candle to the infinity watt power of our Almighty God. With scarcely a thought, Jesus banished the demonic army into a herd of pigs, and then the nearest water source was renamed “Pork Lake.”

Now I’ve never met a Cullen or a wolfboy, but for years Satan sent his minions to keep me from meeting Jesus. But on a picturesque summer day between my freshman and sophomore year in the Rocky Mountains, my Savior expelled the forces of darkness that would have kept me from finding salvation and I trusted in Jesus as my only hope of salvation.

You might say that defining moment was the breaking dawn of God’s love in my life!

And are you curious as to what happened to the guy who Jesus liberated from the demonic oppression? Check this out:

As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who was freed from the demons begged to go with him.

Jesus would not let him. He said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you."

So the man left and began to tell the people in the Ten Towns about what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed. (Mark 5:18-20)

You see, there’s just something supernatural that happens when we know we’ve been forgiven and granted eternal life in heaven. The immortality we’ve been granted through faith in Christ should cause us to make THE Cause the driving force behind everything we do.

So enjoy the 2+ hours of Twilight fantasy, but don’t forget about the reality that there is a battle for your soul and the eternal destinies of your friends!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
The Twilight series and other supernatural books/movies have definitely caused a resurgence in interest in terms of spirituality. This is a great opportunity to ask our friends about their spiritual beliefs, and then pray for God to create space in the conversation about the incredible offer of immortality from Jesus.

Accelerant Feed the Fire

Pray- Jesus, thank you for coming to earth and showing us that you are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank for defeating the power of the enemy and calling me into salvation. Help me to shine for you in this dark world and lead the charge of THE Cause in my world.

Read- Romans 16:20. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

www.dare2share.org

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Where Was God on 9/11?

2011-09-06T17:34:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wonder what it’s like to be God…have you?

If you are God, you witness the symphony of light from a billion galaxies as they soar through endless space.

If you are God, you are surrounded by an angelic choir and the voices of praise from every corner of the universe envelop your throne.

And if you are God, you are unceasingly barraged with the wailing and weeping of those in pain and loss. Not a moment goes by that isn’t laced with the sound of tragedy and death.

And ten years ago, there was a day when God witnessed 2,819 innocent lives brutally taken as the towers fell and our entire nation was hurled into a state of shock and disbelief.

What would it have been like to be God on that day?

If you were over the age of 6 or 7, you most likely remember where you were and what you were doing when the first reports of the terrorist attacks hit the airwaves, and after the initial distress tapered off, there were many who asked this question:

Where was God and what was He doing on that day?

Any “‘answer” to this question that comes from a finite and limited human being would be in the category of flawed opinion. It seems to me that if we have a question for God - especially one that involves such a weighty issue - we should let Him answer. So let’s listen to the words of the One who has graciously chosen to speak to us:

The Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness (Psalm 9:7-8).

So the initial answer to “where was God on 9/11?” is simple…He was where He is today 10 years later. He is on the Throne of heaven where He always has been and always will be. He is perfect, so it is impossible for Him to operate outside the parameters of justice and fairness.

But how is it “just” and “fair” when planes are used as weapons of war?
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

In other words, in our limited perspective we take complicated scenarios and try to simplify them so we can try and make sense out of senseless violence. Or worse, in our arrogance we try and take a higher moral position than the God who is the source of all morality in the first place!

But what we should keep in mind is that for reasons known only to an infinite God, the acts of wicked men were allowed to fulfill some kind of purpose. This is one of the most difficult truths about God to wrap our heads and hearts around, but it remains a truth regardless of our understanding or agreement. God is God, and we are not. God is good…all the time…because that is His nature.

So rather than asking “where was God on 9/11/01,” perhaps a better question would be: “Where am I on 9/11/11?” Have I come to the realization that the world is a place of great beauty and love, and it is also the stronghold of unspeakable evil? And because of this reality, I have the highest calling and responsibility in the universe - which is to make disciples who make disciples.

The events that transpired ten years ago are some of the darkest days in the history of the United States. Let the dark memories of this great tragedy remind you of Jesus’ incredible promise:

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12).

Our nation needs the “light that leads to life,” and you carry that light with you wherever you go. God is on His throne and His ways are as far above our ways as the heavens are above the earth. While you may think that the world is asking “where is God?” in times of tragedy, they are also asking “where are His followers when I need them???”

Will you be a first responder?

Flash Point Ignite into Action

The 10th anniversary of 9/11 provides a unique opportunity to talk to your friends about their spiritual beliefs. Don’t let the chance to share the gospel in the midst of our nation’s remembrance of the dark and evil days that pervaded our land.

Accelerate Feed into the Fire

PRAY:   Sovereign God and Maker of Heaven and Earth, hear our plea for healing in our land. Comfort those who lost family and friends on 9/11, and use this anniversary to bring many people into Your family. Give me the eyes to see and the heart to respond when opportunities to share the gospel appear.

READ:   2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

GET:   For more insights on why God allows evil in the world, check out the free article Evil: Evil: Blame it on God?

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Let Jesus be the HoH!

2011-09-02T18:04:00.000-04:00

Would it be worth $500,000 worth of prize money to be the last one standing on the Big Brother reality show? I realize that’s serious coin, but if you’ve spent any time following along with the house guests, you realize that most folks would rather be half a million dollars poorer than spend extended time with this “family.”

Or perhaps you’re a fan and you have immersed yourself in the drama and unique vocabulary of the program? I particularly like “crybernating”- as in when the houseguest Rachel goes off and has a crying spell for a bit. Or “demasculinize” - which is fairly self-explanatory: “I had a great conversation with Rachel about making sure that she doesn't inadvertently demasculinate me in front of other people."
All these behaviors lead to a somewhat complicated system of procedures that eventually get someone (nominated by the Head of Household) “evicted” from the house, and on it goes until we have a winner.

To me, the fact that Big Brother is now in its 13 season says a lot about its appeal to the general human need to connect and exist in relationships. Even the title indicates this - right? The show should be called Highly Dysfunctional Gold Diggers Who Stab Each Other in the Back…but I guess Big Brother is easier to market - and it tells the truth about the viewers who watch through cameras in the wall to devour the latest gossip or intense encounter between the guests.

And what might be behind our attraction to human interaction? In my opinion, I believe that at some level we all feel a bit lonely - and what better way to alleviate this ache than to jump into a hornet’s nest of relational intermingling and escape our own drama for a while?
But then the show is over, and at some point we need to realize that while these programs are entertaining, they still leave us sensing that there is an incompleteness about us that can’t be healed by anything this world offers.

You should know, however, that there is an offer on the table that isn’t from this earth. It is from Someone who wants to be more than a houseguest in your heart and soul, and the reward He offers dwarfs any amount of cash you could imagine:

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth…All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:15-17; 23).

These are some of Jesus’ last words to His disciples before He is crucified. They are beginning to understand that He will be leaving soon, and they are in a state of near shock as they realize the sadness of losing their best friend in the world.

So the comfort Jesus gives them is a truth about our relationship with God. Did you notice the progression of His promise? When we trust Christ, we enter into relationship with Him, and it is out of that love that we obey His commandments - which are summed up in loving God with everything we are, and loving anyone and everyone with whom we come into contact. And when we are obedient to that charge, we experience the fact that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit actually “make their home inside us”!
Think about it…no matter how alone you feel, you are never alone. And no matter how disconnected you sense you are from friends and family, you are personally and permanently connected to the God of the universe in total love and forgiveness.

But as I mentioned before, God wants to be more than a houseguest…He desires to be the Head of Household for your entire existence. When you let the Holy Spirit fill you, He will evict all the other “houseguests” like guilt, bitterness, and addictions that have made your life miserable.

Perhaps you’ve already experienced this, and you know how incredible life becomes when you live out the reality of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Remember though, that the great news of Jesus’ offer to make His home with us is not to be kept a secret. In many ways, the world is a “Big Brother” in our lives - always watching to see how we handle the daily grind of this world and the pressure cooker of our culture. Is your life so obviously sold out to Christ that they can’t help but be attracted to Him through your life?

Don’t hide the light of Jesus’ love with insecurity and fear…live out THE Cause of Christ with your lives and your lips so others can discover the joy of letting the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make their home in their hearts!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
This week, take some time to reflect on the truth that the Eternal God of the universe has chosen to live inside the core of your being! Wherever you go, He is there to comfort, cheer, guide, protect, and embrace you. Because of His presence in your life, every moment is a divine appointment.

Accelerant Feed the Fire

Pray: Loving Father, eternal Savior, and gracious Holy Spirit, come dwell in my heart through faith and make Your home in my heart. Let others see and hear the difference You’ve made in my life, and use me in Your Cause to make disciples who make disciples.

Read: I Corinthians 6:19-20. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

It's Back to School, So Spill Your Guts!

2011-09-02T17:55:00.001-04:00

Ahhh, summer break…

Cool evenings, BBQ’s, concerts, camping and relaxing by the pool.

And remember the first smell of cut grass and the soothing sound of crickets that lent a hand in getting you to sleep?

But it’s all gone now my friend! School is back and you’ve been served up 9 months of papers and projects and performance evaluations!

Now…don’t you feel better having this harsh reality out in the open?

And I can feel your pain…I’m a teacher, and while I may not be doing assigned homework, I am grading it - and trust me, I’d rather be doing it. Bible teachers like me toil long hours instructing students about the greatest Book ever written, and we get answers like these on tests:

• The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. One of their children, Cain, asked, “Am I my brother’s son?”

• Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandos. He died before he ever reached Canada but his commandos made it.

• Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines. He was an actual hysterical figure as well as being in the bible. It sounds like he was sort of busy too.

Yep, many times there is an obvious communication breakdown between teacher and student, but now that school is back in session, let me be clear about Jesus’ view of your school and fellow students:

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:35-38).

This is a perfect picture of what Jesus sees when He looks at all the hundreds or thousands of students going to classes, breaking for lunch and headed to practice or home each day after the last bell rings:

He has “compassion” on them-

In the original language of the Bible, the word “compassion” means to literally “spill your guts.” In other words, His heart breaks and He is sick to His stomach when He sees your campus.

Why?

Because just like the people in His day, your friends are “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

The eyes of our Savior get past the external labels to the condition of the soul. When we come to school, we look at the clothes, the car, the group of friends, and the expressions on faces. But Christ’s gaze cuts through the façade and goes straight into the reality of how a person is feeling. In His day, the people confused about who God is and how they could be forgiven. They were helpless before the powerful religious leaders of that day who led them astray into thinking they had to earn God’s love.

And absolutely nothing has changed.

Your friends are confused by so many competing religions and truth claims, and they feel helpless when they confront their sinful habits and behaviors without Christ’s power.

So did you notice what Jesus’ command to His disciples?

“Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

What Christ is saying is that your school is bursting at the seams with people who are ready to hear the gospel and respond in faith to this incredible message. The problem is that there are few who are willing to risk their reputation for THE Cause, and before you know it, the school year is over and your friends remain as confused and helpless as before.

So there are basically two ways to look at this season of back to school. You can complain and be bitter that summer is over and you have to plug your brain back into academic disciplines…

OR

You can see your school through the eyes of Jesus, who saw you in the same condition and sent someone to harvest your soul to eternal life. Let your heart break over the fact that your friends have broken lives and shattered dreams. Look past the exterior of people to the perplexed condition of their spirit and powerless state of their lives without Christ.

And when you do, Jesus will use you to reap a harvest for His Kingdom, and each day will be a victory for THE Cause instead of a frustrating exercise for fulfillment!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Your campus is a harvest of souls that are ready to receive the gift of eternal life and start a journey with Christ that is more meaningful than they could ever imagine! But if you and your Christian friends don’t pray, pursue and persuade those who are confused and helpless, the harvest for this year could be totally wasted!

Accelerant Feed the Fire

Pray: Father I thank You that You called me to my school to be a missionary for THE Cause. I pray that as Lord of the harvest, You would send me out to share the gospel and be a part of the amazing transformation of my school for Your glory.

Read: Matthew 28:18-20. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Get: Sharing Your Faith podcast Check out this free seven minute video from Greg Stier about how to share your faith. Packed with practical how-to tips for sharing Jesus' message with others.

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Get to know Jesus

2011-09-02T16:09:00.004-04:00

Get to know Jesus. The more you get to know Him, the more you fall in love with Him. The more you fall in love with Him, the more you follow Him. The more you follow Him, the more you'll become like Him. The more you become like Him, the more you'll become yourself. ~Ned Erickson

2011-08-17T10:08:00.001-04:00

Psalm 46:10

Kingdom Bound Packing List

2011-07-17T14:27:00.002-04:00

1 duffel bag or suitcase per person!

Clothes
o Shirts/shorts for 4 days, plus an extra outfit
o Hoodie/sweats for night when it gets cooler
o Comfy shoes……..lots of walking!
o MODEST swimsuit- NO bikinis, ladies!
o Pajamas
o Under stuffs and socks

Toiletries-
o towel (bring 2 if you are going to the water park)
o washcloth
o soap/body wash
o shampoo/conditioner
o 1 roll of toilet paper
o Toothbrush
o Toothpaste
o Deodorant, deodorant, deodorant
o Sunscreen
o Bug spray

ETC...-
o Sleeping bag
o Pillow
o Flashlight
o Sunglasses
o Cell phone charger
o Medications if needed -–please provide instructions for leaders-
o Camera/batteries
o Bible
o Notebook/pen
o Spending $
o Camping chair or blanket to sit on
o Small backpack to carry things around @ park

Leave behind-
o Bad attitude
o Alcohol
o Tobacco
o Narcotics
o Critical spirits
o Foul language

Food- * We have a microwave and refrigerator/freezer in RVs *
o Breakfast x 4 days –- suggestions are granola bars, fruit cups, pop tarts, pre-hard boiled eggs
o Lunch x 4 days –- suggestions are PB & Jelly, lunchmeat, bread, cheese, crackers, cut up veggies and fruit
o Dinner x 4 days –- suggestions are same as lunch
o Snacks-- individual bags/servings recommended
o If you plan on making sandwiches to take to the park, remember to bring any condiments you may want and sandwich bags!
o If you bring canned foods such as ravioli or spaghetti-os, make sure you bring a can opener and bowl to heat it in the microwave or better yet, get the microwavable containers with the pop-top lids!
o Beverages x 5 days- Souvenir drink containers are available for purchase at the park and are refillable for a couple of bucks. Bringing a case of water for yourself is suggested.
o There is a General Store at the entrance to the park that has a pretty good selection of food, drinks, snacks, toiletries, etc.

Kelly & Justin will provide-
o First aid kit
o Napkins
o Plastic silverware
o Paper plates
o Hot dogs for our campfire at night
o S’more fixins
o Hours of endless entertainment
o Night time snoring, so pack your earplugs

Feel free to show your leaders and chaperones love and appreciation with energy drinks!

Kingdom Bound 2011 Permission Slip

2011-07-14T20:47:00.001-04:00

I give permission for my child, ________________________________, to attend the
Kingdom Bound Festival in Darien Center, NY from July 31st, 2011 – August 4th, 2011.

Supervision and transportation will be provided by Kelly, Justin & Brianna Bricker and Micah Reitz.

I understand that if my child’s behavior is disruptive, puts themselves or others in danger, or is
otherwise deemed inappropriate by the leaders, it will be my responsibility to immediately come and pick up my child.

In case of injury requiring medical attention, I will be contacted immediately and give permission to have my child taken to the nearest hospital for treatment if necessary.

Parent Signature ________________________________________ Date _________
Student Signature _______________________________________ Date _________

The Three Arks

2011-06-28T13:42:00.002-04:00

Did you know that around 20% of Americans surveyed believe that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax? Yep, I worry about these folks, as well…and hello - don’t they ever watch Mythbusters???

Then there are those who believe that there is more to the story than just landing on the big rock in space, because maybe we weren’t the first to make contact with that dust ball!

No, not really, but it’s fun to imagine the scenario portrayed in Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. The idea here is that the Apollo mission was a secret investigation of something that crash landed, of course, where we can never view it from earth.

Get ready for the cinematic equivalent of a hard rock concert in 3-D. New Transformers are introduced, Chicago is pretty much leveled, and Megan Fox is gone. I know that you will miss her Academy Award caliber acting proficiency, but I’m sure in the midst of the “whoa!” factor in this movie from the special effects, you will survive.

And didja know that the Autobot ship that crashed into our moon is the Ark? Apparently it was launched in an attempt to save the Autobot’s civilization. So where would one come up with the concept of building a craft that would contain the essential elements of life in case of a huge disaster?

I may be way off here, but my guess is the idea of the Ark in the movie came from…the Ark in the Bible. You know, the one built by Noah per God’s instructions to save humanity from the worldwide flood.

Of course, there are some who believe that the record of Noah and the Great Flood are a myth like the moon landings. But could someone explain to me why there is a crash landed vessel on top of a mountain in Turkey, and why there are over 500 separate ancient accounts of a worldwide deluge from every corner of the planet?

And beside that fact, we have this certain and concerning warning from Jesus Christ Himself:

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 24:37-39).

There’s a reason that our Savior specifically referenced Noah when painting a picture of His return for us. Noah lived in a time when everyone turned their backs on God and decided that the summation of existence could be found in pleasure and violence. Jesus also lived in a time like that, and *shocker* - so do we.

And as well, the people in Noah’s day went from denial to destruction in no time flat…and it will be the same when Jesus returns to claim back this planet from the ultimate Decepticons - Satan and his army of demons.

So how should we respond to Jesus’ forewarning? He tells us in no uncertain terms:
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” (Matthew 24:42; 44).

I know that the Bible clearly teaches that no one will know exactly when Jesus will return, but don’t let that fact lull you into a season of complacency when it comes to living your faith out loud! The gospel message is the “Ark” in our day and age. When people respond to Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and salvation, it is as though they are stepping into a place of refuge from the coming judgment and preserving God’s civilization for the new heaven and new earth.

Noah was ridiculed and laughed at for living THE Cause in his day, but I’m sure thankful that he didn’t waver one inch from his calling - aren’t you? Otherwise we definitely wouldn’t be here.

And there will be those who are grateful to you in the future because you stayed the course in a wicked and cynical generation. Like Noah, you are God’s rescue plan in your corner of the world, but instead of constructing an Ark with hammer and nails, you are using THE Cause circle of praying, pursuing and persuading to liberate your friends.

Noah was an amazing “transformer” back in his day…what kind will you be?

No doubt about it, you are the Noah of this generation, and so am I. THE Cause is very much like the mission that was given to Noah to warn our culture about God’s plans for the world and how we can escape His rightful judgment. If you are ridiculed or dismissed as a joke, think about what Noah withstood and yet remained faithful.

PRAY: Jesus, thank you for the example of Noah and his faithfulness. Help me to fulfill the role and calling you’ve placed on my life to literally be a rescuer of those who don’t know about or don’t believe in your soon return.

READ: Hebrews 11:7. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

McQueen or Mater?

2011-06-28T13:35:00.003-04:00

Was it really 5 years ago when Lightning McQueen and the gang roared onto the screen and created the magic known as Cars?

I place Cars in the category of mesmerizing because if I start watching this film at any point, I simply have to finish it. One might think that after the 374th time of seeing the movie, I might have grown weary of it. That coupled with the constant reminders of the 200 billion dollar merch empire (i.e., I feed my children breakfast in a Pixar Cars bowl on top of their Disney Pixar Cars placemat, which is next to their Disney Pixar Cars backpack that has their Disney Pixar Cars folders and Disney Pixar Cars pencils)-

And YET- I still love this animated phenom…

Now Cars 2 is here, and the gang takes the world stage with Lightning in a mega race and Mater (Tow- Mater) involved in International Espionage.

Beside all the humor and entertainment in Cars 2, there is a moral lesson that runs like a frontage road beside the “ life is a highway”’ plotline:

The lemons are losers, and losers go bad.

By ‘lemons’ - I mean terrible, ugly, poorly built automobiles from years gone by. They are the bad guys in Cars 2, and it seems that their rejection had made them into bitter vehicles fueled by revenge.

This storyline works well in an animated world, but do you think this is a reflection of real life? Is it easier to turn bad when you are not one of the sleek, cool “cars” in our culture?

Probably so, because we Americans (and Christians too) love our “hip-ness,” and rejection might be one of our greatest fears.

And no WAY do we want to play the lemon role in our life movie. But can I let you in on a very important truth about following Jesus Christ?

You’re a lemon and loser in the world’s eyes…and so am I. Don’t believe me? Then trust God’s portrayal of us:

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

So there we have it. God chose the lemon that is me so that no “coolness” would get in the way of His perfect and awesome plan for my life. The world may see a loser, but God sees a living display of His amazing grace.

And you have a choice as well. Satan may tempt you to bitterness when the world rejects you for following Jesus, but remember that the God of the universe chose you to do things for Him that will last forever! Isn’t it incredibly freeing to know that God made you exactly the way you are and loves you unconditionally?

What this means for me is that rather than wasting time and energy on peer acceptance and social standing, I can focus on THE Cause to which God called me. While most people are in the race to be the world’s winner like Lightning McQueen, I can just be more like plain old ‘Mater and get involved in the real excitement of good vs. evil.

Does this mean you shouldn’t dress nice, take care of yourself, and treat others the way you’d like to be treated? Absolutely not! But don’t just focus on your shiny paint job and what others think of you. Trust me, you can be the “coolest” human being on the planet, but when your life shouts out allegiance to Jesus Christ, the world may turn on you faster than last year’s winner of the Piston Cup.

So as you head out on your personal race called life this week, take encouragement from another “loser” who was killed for his faith:

I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me - my banner will be clear!

—An unnamed African pastor

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Overcoming the fear of rejection and embracing the Biblical calling to “go against the flow” of culture is a difficult process, but when you are able to accomplish this through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will find amazing freedom in Christ. One of the keys to success in living out THE Cause is caring infinitely more about what God thinks than the crowd around you.

Accelerant Fuel the Fire
PRAY: Jesus, the Bible says that you were despised and rejected by people, and we know that you understand hatred from the world more than anyone who has ever lived. Help me to forget about what people think and always remember that you have called us to be “losers” for your sake and THE Cause.

READ: Galatians 1:10. Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

You are a Letter from God

2011-06-28T13:29:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wanted to write a letter to God? If you sat down right now to compose a message to the Creator of the universe, what would you say?

I think most would go with the whole series of "why?" questions...why me God? Why did my parents divorce? Why am I depressed a lot? Why did you make me this way? Why are things turning out like this?

Valid questions to be sure - and also ones that God is not threatened or angered by. Life is sometimes plain and simple awful, and it is human nature to point our finger at the sky and blame the One in charge - right?

That is certainly something Tyler Doherty could have done, and no one would have blamed him.

Who is Tyler Doherty? Well that's not his real name, but he is a real 8 year old boy who went from an easy going, soccer playing childhood to the darkest journey anyone could ever face when one simple word entered his world:

Cancer

In the process of his battle with this deadly disease, Tyler had to quit his beloved sport, lose his hair and eyebrows, and face a daily battle with a reality that could crush the spirit of anyone on the planet.

But Tyler had an unshakeable relationship with God...a childlike faith that turned his pain and discouragement into a community transformation. That's why the letters he writes to God are not about the "why," or even about him. Tyler writes to God about other people and their problems, and in turn becomes a living letter from God to everyone around him.

And now his story has the chance to transform - not hundreds - but literally millions of lives through the movie Letters to God.

I can't say if I would have the faith that Tyler had when facing a giant of that size, but one thing I have in common with him is that I, too, am a living letter from God to the people around me.

And if you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, this statement is true about you:

Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. (2 Corinthians 2:2-3).

This truth formed the foundation of Tyler 's outlook on life. He wrote pen and ink letters to God on behalf of others, and in turn God used him to be a beating heart letter from Jesus Christ. His deepest wish was that the sad, hurting, and broken people in his world would come to know God.

We've been granted an unbelievable opportunity - haven't we? Every day God is texting the world through our eyes, our words, our attitudes, and our actions. The ink from our hearts bleeds onto the paper of our world, painting a picture of Jesus Christ.

So what kind of living letter are you? The answer to this question can be found in another question-

What kind of letters are you writing to God?

Your prayers are your letters, so if they are generally composed of complaints, questions, and self-focused requests, then that is the kind of God the people around you will see.

How about we all start a new letter writing campaign? One that asks God to touch lives and heal the pain in our corner of the world. One that begs God for the salvation of our friends who don't know Him because they haven't trusted in Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation.

Let me start this campaign with a letter from God that changed me to the core of my being:

He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God's paths to follow our own.
Yet the L ord laid on him
the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Remember, the ink that God is using to write His message to the world through you was paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Don't waste this precious gift with selfish and self-centered prayers and living, rather make each day a magnificent composition to your Savior, then watch Him write His message of unconditional love and salvation to everyone around you!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Ask your friends what they would put in a letter to God. Would they ask questions? Would they question His goodness? Or would they be more like Tyler and praise God for the life they've been given? Pray for an opportunity to talk about the Biblical description of Christians as "living letters"' from God, telling the world about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10).

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:15-17).

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. (Philippians 2:14-16).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

I am an Alien

2011-06-28T13:23:00.003-04:00

Do you believe in aliens? Surveys show that more and more folks are open to the idea that we are not alone in this ginormous universe...that lurking out there - or maybe even here - are beings that are definitely different in nature and not at home on this planet.

Like Teletubbies - right? I mean, if Tinky Winky and Dipsy who annoyingly repeat the phrase "Bibberly cheese!" aren't aliens, I'm not sure what would qualify...

Then there's the new Sci-Fi series that has a lot of people talking called V . The V stands for "visitor" - as in aliens who are "visiting" Earth, but it seems pretty clear that they are not here to chill out and try and figure out great mysteries like why so many humans get into arguments over Edward and Jacob.
The visitors are on a mission to conquer the planet, and this just might be...

The end of humanity! Nooooooooo!!! (Cue the epic music.)

Personally, I like being an alien. Not that its always easy, but having a "stranger in a strange land" mentality helps me get why life on planet Earth just seems so messed up at times.

Don't worry, I haven't lost my mind - not yet anyway. I call myself an alien because that's what God calls Christians:

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (1 Peter 1:10-12).

The day that I trusted in Jesus Christ as my only hope of salvation, something incredible happened. I ceased being just a person and became a child God. I was freed from the chains of humanity that would have you believe that joy and contentment can come from anything in this world. My true citizenship and home is in heaven, so my life is now an alien journey on planet Earth.

On the show V , the aliens are there to distract, deceive, and ultimately destroy the native folks, and that is obviously why the Christian kind of "visitor" is on a completely different mission. Our task is to:

Live an exemplary life among the natives so that our actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives (1 Peter 2:12, The Message).

Isn't that incredible? As believers in Jesus Christ, we get to show our "alien-ness" by loving the unloved, forgiving our offenders, and passing along the greatest message in all the universe:

Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died (1 Corinthians 16:3-6).

This gospel message is also alien, because it wasn't invented by any human mind. The gospel is from the mind of God and is the power of God. It is capable of transforming any guilt-ridden, hopeless life into unbelievable meaning, purpose, and value.

Are you feeling a bit alienated and alone at times? Unfortunately, that's a part of following Christ. To feel not at home and rejected by a culture that cares only about selfish personal happiness and limitless pleasure is natural when you dare 2 share a Christ-like life and the gospel message. But remember that no matter how dark and lonely the path, there is an amazing end to the journey - then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives. The end for us aliens is actually just the beginning! Jesus Christ is returning to gather all His followers, and there is going to be a homecoming party that is beyond your wildest imagination.

I'm sure you're familiar with the common alien phrase: "Take me to your leader."

Well, fellow alien...let's turn that around and ask our friends and family this: "Would you like to meet my Leader?"

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Talk to your friends about alien movies and why they like or don't like them. Use that discussion as a springboard to talk about how Christians are called "aliens" in the Bible and what that means - especially in terms of the "alien" message of the gospel.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth (Hebrews 11:13).

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"
(2 Corinthians 6:16-18).

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

What if Jesus Had Never Been Born?

2011-06-28T13:18:00.003-04:00

NO! Not the buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!
Alright then! Who's hiding them?
Ok. I'll tell you. Do you know... the muffin man?
The muffin man?
The muffin man. Yes, I know the muffin man. W-who lives on Drewery Lane?
Well, she's married to the muffin man.
The muffin man?
THE MUFFIN MAN! She's married to the muffin man...

I'm pretty sure if you saw the first Shrek movie, you'll remember this classic reference. That's because the first Shrek movie is a classic - as in something that seems to just get better with time.

I don't know if you are a fan, but by all appearances this is the last installment of adventures in Far Far Away...so good, bad, or ugly, I'm definitely seeing this one.
Shrek Forever After borrows heavily from another classic movie often seen at Christmas called It's a Wonderful Life. In that film, the main character is given the gift of seeing how life would have turned out if he had he never been born, it was pretty much a mess. In Shrek's case, the world is also pretty much a mess. Puss-n-Boots is fat and lazy, Fiona is kind of a gang member, and a creepy little dude named Rumpelstiltskin is on the throne instead of Sir Justin Timberlake.

Well maybe that Rumpelstiltskin vs. Justin Timberlake part is sort of in sync, but overall the Shrek parallel world is a darker and crueler place to be, because Shrek is trying to be a savior on many levels. It's up to him to save his friends, restore his world and reclaim his one True Love.

This alternate reality stuff can really mess with your mind, but have you ever considered what the world would be like if Jesus had never been born? At first glance, you might shrug and think about a couple implications like the need for a different way to measure time and not having to go to church, but I would like to paint a deeper picture that should fill you with appreciation for the immeasurable gift given to us on that first Christmas.

If Jesus had never been born, the world would be a much more primitive place where women are slaves of free men, children are sacrificed to idols, and the concepts of charity and love are all but missing from society.

If Jesus had never been born, education and science would look very different and much more primitive,* and most likely the United States of America would have just been an unrealized historical dream.

But worst of all, if Jesus had never been born, there would exist only one spiritual destination for our eternal souls; a dark and tormenting place where we would be eternally separated from God. Jesus Christ came to earth as a man to live a perfect life, die a horrible death, and rise from the grave so that the penalty for the world's sins would be paid in full...and eternal life made available to anyone who puts their faith in Him for salvation.

Here's the way the Apostle Paul describes it:

If corpses can't be raised, then Christ wasn't, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ weren't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It's even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they're already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we're a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries (1 Corinthians 15:16-20).

In other words, a world without the birth, life, death, and resurrection from the dead is a world that is "always winter...never Christmas."**

But we can happily wake up from that nightmare, because 2000 years ago in a dark and dirty cave near Bethlehem, the cry of a baby started a shockwave of change that is felt just as strongly today as ever. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, and God with us.

So the question I have for you is...

Has Jesus Christ entered into your world? If not, I can tell you that the darkness will remain and your destiny is not a pleasant picture by any stretch of the imagination.

If He has, then how much have you let Him change your world? He is the single most influential figure in all of history, but is He the centerpiece of your soul?

Let Jesus Christ set off a chain reaction of change in your life. Let that chain reaction include living out THE Cause of Christ – making disciples who make disciples. Start by telling your friends the Good News about Jesus' free gift of salvation to those who trust in Him. I promise you'll have an amazing forever after!

** C.S. Lewis: Chronicles of Narnia

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Ask your friends what they think the world would be like if Jesus had never been born. What might be different? Pray for an opportunity to share how your world would be changed if Jesus hadn't lived, died and come back from the dead.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16-18).

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:5-7).

So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:3-5).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

How Cool Are You?

2011-06-28T13:11:00.002-04:00

If I could write you a song to make you fall in love,
I would already have you up under my arm.
I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this,
But you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me.
Shh, see I got you all figured out,
You need every one's eyes just to feel seen.
Behind your make up nobody knows who you even are,
Who do you think that you are?

How about you? Ever thought that you were cooler than someone else? At some point in life I think we all have classified groups of people into the "way cool" crowd all the way down to the "LOOOOOSER!" people at the bottom of humanity's scrap heap - right? And isn't it funny how we always compare up the cool chain, not down? We're always focused on the group that we want to move up to in order to further our popularity agenda, instead of down at the groups who apparently aren't worthy of our time and attention.

And that's about the time that God looks down at us and wants to puke...

Why? Because He made everyone the same, and when we endorse and even further the popularity social structure that is on every school campus in America, we become part of the evil that comes out of the "How cool am I? And how can I move up the chain?" mentality?

Did you know that the "who's cool and who's not" mentality started way long before America was even a nation? Over 2000 years ago in Jesus' day, the coolest crowd in his world was actually the religious teachers. They were given these great positions to help people, but instead they let it go their heads and they changed into spiritual bullies – and that earned them a seriously strong rebuke from Jesus:

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you" (Matthew 5:43-47).

Put simply, Jesus is saying that if you follow Him, you do not play favorites. You do not have an agenda to climb the popularity ladder, and you have permanently dropped out of the "I think I'm cooler than you" way of thinking.

God is singing an unconditional love song to everyone on the planet, and the lyrics tell us that His affections have no exceptions, no exemptions, and no requirements.

And if we claim to follow Jesus, the soundtrack of our lives should play the same song so loud that it can't be missed by those in our lives.

In other words, Christians aren't cooler than anyone...

But oftentimes we think we are, don't we? The world needs to see Jesus in us,
but instead we give them cheesy movies, confusing bumper stickers, televangelists, and judgmental attitudes.

Meanwhile God is asking - "Who do you think that you are???"

Let's all take a lesson from Mike Posner in terms of it not being cool to think that we're cooler than others, but more importantly, let's remember Jesus' teaching to the cool crowd in His day to love everyone and treat everyone the same. Otherwise, the beautiful and life-changing message of the gospel could get lost in the impression that we are playing the same silly drama game as all the other teens on campus.

And when you truly show that kind of love, God's love for everyone comes shining through, and that makes people want to run to Him.

"Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." – The Apostle Paul

What's it going to be for you?

Flash Point Ignite into Action
The topic of "coolness" is definitely a popular subject among teens, so take this opportunity to share your beliefs about the immaturity of the social structure and how you want to show everyone that your acceptance of people isn't based on how "cool" they are. Pray for this conversation to open a door to share the gospel.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1-3).

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-3).

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism (James 2:1).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

You Have One BIG Friend Request

2011-06-28T13:06:00.002-04:00

I probably don't know you, but I would say I know something about you that is at least an important part of your life, or may even border on an obsession.

You checked it this morning, you'll check it later, then right before bed...maybe even when you get up in the night to use the bathroom.

You think about it at meals, during school, and daydream about it most waking hours.

In fact, you probably have it open right this second!

Yep, talking about Facebook...and if you fit in the above description, you have something in common with 400 million other people on the planet that have allowed the little social networking site from Harvard to paint the backdrop of their lives.

And why not? Facebook is an amazing internet phenomenon. It allows people to broadcast to the world how great/boring/meaningless/exciting their lives are in just one little status bar, it helps grandparents keep in touch with family in seconds, and most importantly, we can all be compelled and riveted by what our friends are having for breakfast:

Dude...I so dig the Frosted Flakes! Crunch Crunch! LOL!

So no wonder some folks finally got around to making a film about the inception and birthplace of Facebook, with the inventive and creative title of... The Social Network . Essentially, guy gets dumped, hires friends to start a female rating network site, steals idea, now is a billionaire. Oh and he has a lot of folks in his life that are definitely not sending him friend requests.

In a phrase...a Geek Tragedy.

The interesting thing to me is that here is a story of success where the main character has invented a way for millions of people to be connected, yet he is probably one of the most relationally disconnected humans in the world. The brains behind Facebook is also the heart that is isolated...

Ironic, isn't it?

And yet it fits as well. Yes, Facebook is a 'community', but there is no way that messaging and checking statuses can meet the infinitely deep need for relationship that we all carry in our souls.

Here's an example. Do you think Shia Lebeouf has a ton of 'friends' on Facebook? Um, I would say that's a yes, but check out this quote from him: " I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it's a God-sized hole. If I knew it, I'd fill it and I'd be on my way."

Have you felt it too? The nagging need and constant craving to connect and relate with something or Someone infinite and eternal. The Bible puts it this way:

He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds: a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy (Ecclesiastes 3:11 Amplified Bible)

So eternity and a sense of infinity lurk around the chambers of our hearts calling for attention, but most people try to answer that call with temporary things like sex, possessions, and chemicals. The bad news is that this strategy flat out does not work. If you haven't discovered this yet, believe me - the 'if it feels good do it' crowd will inevitably end up saying: 'it felt good, but now I'm paying for it'.

But there is great news! God did not leave us in this trapped condition:

At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! (Colossians 1:21-22).

In a very real and tangible way, you have a 'friend request' from God. But He wants so much more than just to check in on your status and send you an occasional message. He shed His blood to give you a life that is dominated by an enduring sense of peace and contentment, joy and purpose, meaning and value. You'll wake up with a sense of His love, you'll go through your day embraced by His perfect will, and you'll lay your head on the pillow of forgiveness and the knowledge that you are valued more than anything else in the universe.

But please don't turn your back on your friends like the selfish inventor of Facebook by keeping this friendship to yourself. Post the message of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection on all the walls of people who still walk painfully through this life because of the God-shaped hole in their hearts.

Let's turn The Social Network into a Salvation Network!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Facebook creates an unprecedented historical opportunity to share the love of Christ and the message of the gospel with a huge number of people across thousands of miles. Pray for opportunities to witness to your unsaved friends, and brainstorm with other believers about how you can creatively use this great tool for the glory of God.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:16-17).

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Pray for You...But Pray the Right Way

2011-06-28T13:00:00.003-04:00

I haven't been to church since I don't remember when.
Things were going great til they fell apart again.
So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do.
He said you can't go hatin' others who have done wrong to you.
Sometimes we get angry but we must not condemn.
Let the good Lord do his job, you just pray for them.

I pray your brakes go out runnin' down a hill.
I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill,
And knocks you in the head like I'd like to.
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls.
I pray you're flyin' high when your engine stalls.
I pray all your dreams never come true.
Just know wherever you are, honey, I pray for you.

(Lyrics from the song Pray for You by Jaron and The Long Road to Love)

Wow...a bit on the dark side - don't you think? But I know for a fact that there are a lot of people who can relate to Jaron and The Long Road to Love's sentiments. Relationships can be exciting, fulfilling, and confidence boosting, but they can also end up being complete disasters that leave us in emotional devastation.

So what do we do with the ashes of our dreams that were burned alive in the fires of betrayal and abandonment? Basically you have two choices: bitter or better.

You just read a great example of the bitter option. You can construct a little mental voodoo doll of your enemy and imagine the pins of pain being infused into his/her life - like flower pots dropping or brakes failing at inopportune times - and to be sure there is some level of satisfaction that you could draw from that tactic.

But I would highly recommend a radically different approach... a better approach. You may have guessed that while being funny, Pray for You doesn't quite capture what followers of Jesus Christ are called to do. In fact, not letting go of our hurt and pain is the quickest path to a joyless and bitter life. That's why when Jesus taught the disciples to pray "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us," He added this:

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:12; 14-15).

Not a confusing message, is it? In other words, when we tightly grip an attitude of unforgiveness, God withholds His offer of grace and pardon.

I know what you're thinking. "You have no idea what's been done to me!"

And you would be correct. But what I do know is that Jesus Christ is the most innocent human being who ever walked this earth, and He also suffered more than any person has or ever will. Listen to some of His dying words as He writhed in agony from the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing" (Matthew 23:34).

Wait a minute...did they know what they were doing? Of course they did! 'They' were the ones who drove the spikes into our Lord's hands and shouted insults at Him as He spoke those words!

The way I see it, if Jesus offered undeserved forgiveness to His tormentors, how can we not forgive anyone and everyone who offends us?

We can't. Jesus doesn't give us that option - and there is a very good reason for His command to forgive:

Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others (Colossians 3:13).

The key to finding the strength to forgive comes from remembering that God forgave us when we trusted in Jesus for our salvation. Our crime against God is nothing less than the murder of His Son, so I can see why it would be incredibly offensive to Him if we refuse to extend to others what He extended to us.

So let's get practical. Think about someone who has wronged you that needs Jesus Christ in their lives. Have someone in mind? Yes, we should pray for them - but not in the way Jaron modeled for us. Instead I'd like to propose a lyrical change to his little ditty:

I pray that God will calm your restless heart.
I pray the gospel gives you a brand new start,
And fills your life with grace like He gave mine.
I pray your bitterness turns into newfound peace.
I pray your anger finds a way to cease.
I pray all God's dreams for you finally come true.
Just know wherever you are...I pray for you.

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Being wronged and sinned against is a normal part of life. But instead of letting Satan tempt us with bitterness, we should choose to forgive and let God use that as an opportunity for you to share the gospel with people who expect you to be angry.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22).

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you (Proverbs 25:21-22).

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

The Tree of Life…The Source of Life

2011-06-28T10:27:00.003-04:00

In the cinematic garden of Pirates, Pandas, and Part II of The Hangover, we find a fascinating offering that stands like a tree in the middle of the multiplex lists.

I’m talking about The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn. It’s basically an experiential film that opens your heart up to everything from family issues (got some?) to The Big Bang that started this whole shebang in the first place. Summarizing The Tree of Life would be like trying to nail Jello to a wall…so you’ll have to take my word on its quality.

Keep in mind, though, that this picture won’t takeyou to 3-D stranger tides or rev up your adrenaline to fast and furious levels, but it may well be worth shelling out the $300 bucks (or whatever movie prices are these days) to get you to process some extremely critical questions.

I know, I know. You’ve probably finished finals and have unplugged your brain from anything more challenging than what new structure you should build in Mindcraft or how you can resolve your clothes crises…but follow me to the edge of where your deepest feelings about life begin. Let me lay out God’s script for a perfect existence that got hijacked by the darkest of evil and produced every manner of trial and tribulation that infests and infects our world - but can be reclaimed if we are willing to play our part.

Act One:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...(Genesis 1:1).

No arguments or evidence for God’s existence here - just a simple acknowledgement that He exists. And since this majestic and multifaceted universe CANNOT have come about by chance or from nothing, we know that the origin of reality was spoken into existence from an infinite, all powerful, and loving heavenly Creator. Plus…

Act Two:

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27).

Yep - that’s you and me. Not a product of mindless mutation, but the crowning achievement in all of God’s artistic genius. Stamped with His very image so we can create, reflect, and relate to each other and our world…we were set up for paradise with every possible advantage. But…

Act three:

She took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves (Genesis 3:6-7).

There was only one rule in Paradise - set up to show that we would choose God willingly. But that original rebel, Satan, whispered dissension in our ear, and we lusted for God’s job - and in doing so we brought about the fall of Humanity. We hid from God and tried to hide our shame. Until…

Act four:

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12).

This little child lived the perfect life that we could never live. He died the horrible death that we should have died in payment for our sins. He now offers eternal life to anyone with the humility and sense to receive this gift of God by grace through faith. This joyful news is meant for everyone, everywhere, and the best part is…

Act five:

Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The story continues with you and me in the leading roles. We carry the very authority and presence of Jesus Christ as we carry the message of salvation and deliverance to our friends and family who don’t see any end to the nightmare that life often produces. And there’s one more thing:

The Final Act:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away. God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:1;4).

The Tree of Life movie will raise questions about who we are, where we come from, why we are here, and how will it end. But praise God - you don’t have to worry! You are handcrafted by God with an eternal purpose and destiny. His cause for you is THE Cause…so go follow your script this summer and let God use you to be a source of life to everyone around you!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
At some point, most people wrestle with questions about where they come from, why are they here, etc. This week, ask your friends where they think everything came from, and what their role in the big picture of life is. Pray for an opportunity to share what you’ve learned from this Soul Fuel so you can share the true answers from the Word of God.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
PRAY: Father, thank you and praise you for creating the Earth and the universe. Thank you also for breathing life into me and creating me in Your image. Help me to use my time here to help fulfill your Great Commission to make disciples of everyone by being a part of THE Cause.

READ: Acts 1:8. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: Stranger Tides is All Washed Up

2011-06-28T10:24:00.003-04:00

If you’re reading this, the Rapture didn’t end up happening on May 21st. Bummer that we’re not seeing Jesus face to face, but at least you can go check out the latest swashbucklin’ high seas adventure with Captain Sparrow and his band of ruthless raiders.

Which reminds me…what does a pirate think happens at the end of time? Arrrrrrmageddon!

Yep, Jack is back and he’s in a mad race to find the fabled fountain of youth. And if I looked like the majority of the characters in this film, I’d be searchin fer it too, matey! You have to give props to the director though, because he finally found in Penelope Cruz someone who shares the same passion for mascara as Johnny Depp.

And does anyone find it strange that Geoffrey Rush is working for King George II, when just a few months ago he was teaching King George VI how to speak without stuttering? Maybe Barbossa’s great-great-grandson gave up pirating to become a speech therarrrrrapist?

But with a title like Stranger Tides, one would expect a treasure full of fun and excitement. Unfortunately the average moviegoer is going to be man overbored after sailing with this one for over 136 minutes. Don’t get me wrong - there’s definitely swords-a-clashing and guns-a-blazing action and killer special effects, but the film just doesn’t have enough wind in its sails to stay afloat. Captain Sparrow was funny back in 2003, but I kinda doubt they even bothered to wake him up for Pirates 4.

And as cool as Ariel the mermaid gone bad and ships with afterburners sound, it still doesn’t compare with a pirate ship throw down in the middle of a vortex. Just sayin.

One thing they did get right, though, is our world’s fascination with The Fountain of Youth. For thousands of years the human race has been enamored with the idea of a source of water that would heal and preserve you so that you could live forever.

Which tells me that there are many, many “thirsty” people drudging through this life and dreading what happens in the next. They know something is missing, but like a tickle in your throat that refuses to go away, they just can’t figure out what to “drink”’ to bring relief and peace of mind. Some guzzle booze, some sex, some success, and some entertainment, but in the end the spiritual dehydration lingers.

This is exactly what Jesus noticed one day when He risked His life to attend a festival in Jerusalem. He knew that there were religious leaders there who plotted to end His life, but He showed up anyway. Why? Because He knew that in the middle of the partying, there was an overflow of emptiness that saturated the crowds. So in a hugely dramatic moment, He leapt to a high point and shouted at the top of His lungs-

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him) (John 7:37-38).

The Fountain of Youth is NOT in Florida, folks, nor is it in some secret location that requires a map and a pirate ship to locate. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fountain, and He offers infinitely more than something as fleeting as youth…He offers life that is more fulfilling and flooding over with joy than you could possibly imagine!

Are you thirsty? Then take Jesus up on His offer to quench your parched soul. When you trust in Him as your only hope of salvation, the Holy Spirit enters your life and replaces that thirst with a fountain that never runs dry.

And remember that your friends are thirsty too. They are chasing happiness and contentment like groups of grumpy pirates, but they will never find their true destination until they throw away the world’s map and follow the plan of salvation God reveals through the gospel message.

Life may seem like a journey through stranger tides, but you have the choice to take the wheel and chart your course through THE Cause Jesus gave us. It may not always be smooth sailing, but it will be a greater adventure than you ever imagined!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
In many ways, being a part of THE Cause is like being in a race for a great treasure. Think about it - your friends’ eternal destiny weighs in the balance each and every day - and Satan is on your heels to get to their hearts first. This is serious, high stakes business.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
PRAY: Lord, I know that you are truly the ‘Captain of our salvation’,so we ask that you wouldlead our journeys to places that make us effective for your Kingdom. Thank you for giving us living water, and we pray that you would cause rivers to flow from our hearts.

READ: John 4:13. Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again."

Taking time to focus your attention on God each day will help you chart your course. For help with this, check out Dare 2 Share’s free online devotions.

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Born This Way…Born Again is the Only Way

2011-06-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

Put your paws up if you’ve ever had this question: What do (ahem) Lady Gaga and God have in common?

No really…there is more here than you might think - for example:
• Lady Gaga believes in God: “It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M.”
• The Bible believes in God: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, NLT).

• Lady Gaga believes God is perfect: “'Cause God makes no mistakes.”
• The Bible believes that God is perfect: “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, NLT).

• And finally, Lady Gaga believes that loving yourself and others should be a high priority in life: “Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you're set.”
• And so does Jesus: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31, NLT).
So there you have it…who would have thought God’s Word and Gaga’s words would line up in agreement?

But sadly there is a definite point of disagreement on a very key issue:

Lady Gaga:

No matter gay, straight or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track, baby

The Bible:

Don't fool yourselves! No one who is immoral or worships idols or is unfaithful in marriage or is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual will share in God's kingdom. Neither will any thief or greedy person or drunkard or anyone who curses and cheats others (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, CEV).

Notice, though, that homosexual behavior and other types of immorality are in the same list as thieves, drunks, and cheaters. So the Bible isn’t singling out LGBT folks any more than any other types of self-destructive behavior…and neither should we, because we have no room to judge since we all share in humanity’s sinful condition.

And that’s what it comes down to, doesn’t it? We all are all “born this way”…what way? This way:

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. (Romans 3:23, CEV).

We all fall and fail. We all do and say things that bring physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual destruction. Lady Gaga might sing about a sinful lifestyle being the design God had for her, but I promise you He has something infinitely better for her, and you, and me.

How do I know? Because Jesus had an encounter with the “born this way” guy of His time. His name is Nick, and he was confident that the state of pride and religious passion that he was born into would get him into heaven. But Jesus’ response might surprise you:

There was a man named Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a Jewish leader. One night he went to Jesus and said, "Sir, we know that God has sent you to teach us. You could not work these miracles, unless God were with you."

Jesus replied, "I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!" (John 3:1-3, CEV).

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that nothing short of a complete spiritual rebirth would save him and secure his place in heaven. Nick thought that being good and following God’s law would earn Him favor with God, which is why Jesus needed to reveal a critical truth that we all need to hear:

We are all born this way…but being born again is the only way to heaven.

What Nick didn’t realize is that the human labels don’t matter. Straight, gay, lesbian, drunk, thief, boy scout, pastor, priest, or just plain normal person…we all have one thing in common. We are all sinners separated from God and in need of a rebirth. And at the moment we are born again through trusting in Jesus Christ as our only hope of salvation, God comes in and remakes us into the beautiful and unique people He intended us to be!

But there is so much more than just a place in heaven, because this new birth gives us a brand new perspective on life:

We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace (2 Corinthians 5:16-19, CEV).

Did you catch that? We see people in a different way, and our primary goal in this life is to help others find peace in this crazy life through trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation.

When you walk the halls of your school or hang out with your friends, engage in conversations with people about the whole “born this way” idea, and how we are all born with a predisposition towards behavior that breaks God’s perfect design for life. Pray for an opportunity to share how you’ve been born again and show by how you don’t judge people.

Trust me, God desperately wants the people who are trapped in the “born this way” mindset to find true freedom in being born again as the only way!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Many Christians (unfortunately) miss a huge opportunity to reach out to a group of students who are probably being bullied more than other groups. Jesus went out of His way all the time to share His message of forgiveness with the most persecuted people of His time, so why aren’t we?

Accelerant Feed the Fire

PRAY: Dear Jesus, please give me the eyes to see people the way you do. Fill me with your Spirit so that I can be used by you on The Day of Silence to share the gospel.

READ: Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins (NLT).

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Dealing With Disaster

2011-06-28T10:09:00.002-04:00

Raise your hand if you’re aware of the terrible and heart-wrenching natural disasters that are plaguing our nation.

Yep, as I expected, nearly all of you have heard about or watched footage of the fearsome tornadoes that have ravaged through the southeast corner of America killing hundreds in their wake. And then there are the deadly fires that consumed millions of acres and destroyed lives in Texas.

Now, raise your hand again if the awareness of all these disasters leaves you with the questions that most Christians wonder about, but are sometimes afraid to ask:

God…where are you in all these catastrophes? Couldn’t you have simply spoken a word to still the tornadoes and quench the fires?

And then there is THE question behind all others:

If God is all-powerful and loving, then why didn’t He stop the tragedies from happening? So He must either not be all-powerful, or not loving…end of story.

Or is it? When people experience calamity and heartbreak, is that the end of their story?

That’s certainly what a man named Job thought when he endured an onslaught of disasters that would have driven most people to inconsolable despair. Try to put yourself into his world as you read about the tornado of adversity that stormed through every area of his life-

Sometime later, while Job's children were having one of their parties at the home of the oldest son, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing in the field next to us when Sabeans attacked. They stole the animals and killed the field hands. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."

While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them-burned them to a crisp. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."

While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Chaldeans coming from three directions raided the camels and massacred the camel drivers. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."

While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they died. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened" (Job 1:13-19).

And things continued to spiral downward following these events. Job lost his health, was accused by his ‘friends’ of being the sinner responsible for his losses, and though he valiantly kept his faith through nearly all the ordeal, the haunting questions about God’s goodness and love overtook his thoughts:

How I wish we had an arbitrator
to step in and let me get on with life—
To break God's death grip on me,
to free me from this terror so I could breathe again.
Then I'd speak up and state my case boldly.
As things stand, there is no way I can do it" (Job 9:33-35).

In effect, Job is saying, “God, I’d like to meet you in court so you can stand trial for not stopping the disasters. Either you are not all-powerful or not loving…so which is it?”

Much to Job’s surprise, God answers from the eye of a storm with a hurricane force series of questions that all fit under the category of “Are YOU talking to ME, Job???” It’s not that God was being cruel or evasive, just the opposite actually. The answer to our question lies in another question, which is—

Is God in control or not? The answer is a resounding YES…God is in control! And because I can hold on to this truth like a ship’s mast in a violent tempest, I can be sure that by allowing trials in my life He is acting in the most loving way possible for my ultimate good. It is not only possible but absolutely true that our all-powerful God allows tribulations because He is knitting us into a grand story of His love for the world and the salvation of humanity.

That’s why He boldly declares this truth:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

When we are walking through the storms of life and feel like innocent victims in this broken, fallen andsometimes evil world, it is easy to only be aware of the pain and loss, but we can trust and be certain that above the dark clouds is a loving Father who will redeem all evil and reshape it into His perfect plan.

Remember also that pain and trial are instruments that God can use to reach people who are far from Him. As C.S. Lewis brilliantly stated:
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
Perhaps you have friends who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior who are experiencing difficulty right now. What a huge opportunity you have to be not only to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but also the voice as well.

God is all-powerful and loving. Let’s trust in His plan and share the most powerful and loving message ever proclaimed…the Good News about Jesus Christ—the One who will “wipe every tear from our eyes and make all things new!” (Revelation 21).

Flash Point Ignite into Action
It is a sad fact that our fallen world is plagued with difficulties and trials. When Adam and Eve introduced sin into our world, it wasn’t just humanity itself that was impacted by their fall—sin affected everything, included the physical word we inhabit (Romans 8:19-21).

Instead of blaming and questioning God, we should see these difficult times as opportunities to trust in God and believe His promises that He is at work redeeming the pain in our lives. Christians who persevere in the midst of disaster are powerful witnesses for Jesus Christ, and believers who reach out to hurting friends create awesome opportunities to share their faith.

PRAY: Jesus, we thank you that even in our darkest hour you remain the Light of the World. Father, we thank you that Your ways are not our ways, and that you that You are always in control. Holy Spirit, we ask that you fill us with your power to help those who are hurting so they can find true peace and healing through the Gospel. In Jesus Name, Amen.

READ: John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

© Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Jesus is the Situation

2011-06-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

Can you picture the shores of New Jersey? Crystal clear waters lapping up on flawless sands, and you can faintly hear the soothing calls of seagulls as they skim the beach for leftover picnic food left by families who spent their day playing along the coastline.

Oh wait, that would be a picture from 100 years ago or so, because today the shores of New Jersey are called the Jersey Shore , and they are not exactly, shall we say, a clean family environment.

Look! There's Snooki! And what's that she's saying? "My bronzer is leaking off my face..."

Tough times Snooki.

And what's that we hear from The Situation? " I mean this situation is gonna be indescribable, you can't even describe the situation that you're about to get into the situation."
Can we all agree that such brilliant comments rival even the best thinkers of our day?

No doubt, Jersey Shore has somehow captured the hearts of millions, and it looks like the beaches of this beautiful train wreck of a show are not closing up anytime soon.

So, would you want to hang out with the fist-pumping-gym-tanning laundry gang from the northeast? I agree that there is a certain appeal to their sense of humor when it isn't riddled with profanity, but then another part of me would worry about an IQ dropage of at least 50 points or so within the first hour.

This may come as a surprise, but I believe if Jesus physically walked the earth today, His footprints would be found in the sands of the Jersey Shore.

Now before you dismiss this opinion as radically ridiculous, I'll have you know that it is based on solid examples from what we already know about the life of our Savior:

Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people-even eating with them!

So Jesus told them this story: "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away! (Luke 15:1-7).

Jesus is a friend to the sick, the poor, the hurting and the abandoned... but it is clear from the Bible that He has a special place for those who were labeled 'sinners' by the church going crowd. They pegged Him as a party bus driver, but they entirely missed the point.

Jesus didn't love or accept the party scene, but His heart broke for what was really going on in the hearts of the party people. They may raise a glass to cheer on the unrestrained life of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, yet on the inside the true lyrics of their soundtrack are hurt, pain, loneliness, and rejection. They are 'lost sheep', and Jesus is the good shepherd who wants to lead them back to a path of fulfillment and purpose that is infinitely preferable to a perpetual lost weekend of pleasure pursuits.

If you are a Christ follower, you need to follow His heart for the Jersey Shore people. People who live like that have something broken deep inside, and the only life-giving cure is the gospel message. When you trust Christ, you have a restored relationship with the God who handcrafted you and promises this:

"I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:7; 9-10).

So what's your 'situation'? Why not join the cause of Jesus Christ to reach those who have wandered away from the 'rich and satisfying life' that God has planned for them? Remember that the party laughter is usually followed by lonely weeping in the late watches of the night, and Jesus wants to turn those tears into true joy through your faithfulness in sharing His love and message of forgiveness.

Talk to your friends about the popularity of Jersey Shore and what they think about it. Pray for an opportunity to talk about Jesus' lifestyle of hanging around with the 'lost sheep' because of His heart for those who were hurting and masking their pain with the party scene.

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, "He has a demon." The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and 'sinners.'" But wisdom is proved right by all her children (Luke 7:33-35).
Not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? (1 Corinthians 5:10-12).
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:44-48).

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Talk to your friends about the popularity of Jersey Shore and what they think about it. Pray for an opportunity to talk about Jesus' lifestyle of hanging around with the 'lost sheep' because of His heart for those who were hurting and masking their pain with the party scene.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, "He has a demon." The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and 'sinners.'" But wisdom is proved right by all her children (Luke 7:33-35).

Not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? (1 Corinthians 5:10-12).

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:44-48).

Lohan’s Demons

2011-06-28T09:51:00.002-04:00

Ten years ago she was considered to be one of the most talented actresses of her generation. The winsome be-freckled red-headed star of The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday seemed to be on a light speed course to all the fame and fortune most people fantasize about in the duller moments of life.

But what words would you use to describe Lindsay Lohan now? Here’s a few I found on the ‘net:

• Train wreck
• Nightmare
• Indescribable mess
• Hopeless
• A joke

Yep, I’d say that pretty much sums up the Lohanity we’ve seen over the last 5 years to be sure, but now that she’s been released from rehab and given another chance to pursue her passions and talents, I’ve thought of another way to describe her experience:

Demonized

No, I don’t believe LiLo is or ever was actually possessed by demons, but real and/or figurative demons definitely invaded her psyche and nearly destroyed her life. But thankfully it seems as though she has finally rid herself of the addictions and impulses that clung like a shadow and turned her into something she probably never envisioned in her worst nightmares.

Lindsay Lohan’s story of bondage and freedom from the demons that tortured her is not unlike an incredible account of a man who had more demons than you could imagine:
So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid (Mark 5:1-15).

In many ways I think Lindsay Lohan could relate to this man. He was isolated and tortured - alone and terrified in an uncontrollable spiral of demonic oppression. No one knows how this poor man arrived at this horrific destiny, but there was one Man who went completely out of His way to free him.

With just a word, Jesus liberated an agonized man and restored him to a sane mind and free will.

So what would your reaction be if you experienced deliverance of that magnitude? Let’s look at his:

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them (Mark 5:18-20).

At first glance this seems a bit strange, doesn’t it? Is Jesus actually telling someone who wants to follow Him that he can’t? In reality though, Jesus is saying ‘no’ so He can task him with a bigger ‘yes’. Because of the miracle done in his life, our Lord empowered him to become a missionary to his own family and friends so that hundreds could experience deliverance and freedom from the demons that trapped them as well.

Can you relate to this man as well? I know I can. Before I came to Christ, I was isolated in a graveyard of broken relationships. My soul was cut and bruised by poor choices and the demons of hopelessness and despair.

But then with just a word Jesus delivered me from the seemingly bottomless pit my life had become and put my mind and destiny straight.

If you’ve trusted in Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation, you know what I’m talking about. And Jesus is asking you and I to do the same thing as the man who was delivered from the demons. Proclaim the great things Jesus has done for you and put the demons on the run!

Flash Point Ignite into ActionThe continuing saga of Lindsay Lohan and her recovery is a great way to bring up the subject of spiritual bondage and deliverance. Talk to your friends about what they think about her and pray for an opportunity to share how you were ‘released’ from your spiritual prison.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Romans 16:20).

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves (Colossians 1:13).

Save others by snatching them from the fire (Jude 1:23a).

© 2011Dare 2 Share Ministries

“It’s About Jesus Raising from the Dead and Saying BOOYAH to Death!” – Easter Linebacker

2011-04-07T10:43:00.000-04:00

“It’s About Jesus Raising from the Dead and Saying BOOYAH to Death!” – Easter Linebacker

He Caught a Grenade for You

2011-02-15T09:21:00.003-05:00

"I'm kinda the best right now. I don't know what else to say..."

Said Bruno Mars to Fuse.tv a little while back - and I’m sure he’s feeling that way right now as his #1 single Grenade is blowing up the charts week after week.

And then there’s the video as well - currently at 76,000,000 hits and climbing as more and more folks invest 4 minutes of their day to watch a well dressed and neatly groomed Bruno lug a piano through L.A. to his girlfriend’s house. Along the way, he is spoken to by random people, has an encounter with a less than friendly looking gansta group, and ends up seeing the love of his life with another guy who obviously got there sooner because he didn’t pull a 500 pound object across a major US city.

Dejected and rejected, apparently the only course of action is to follow through with your promise and let a train ruin what could have been a perfect opportunity to go home and write a new version of ‘Grenade’:

I’d throw a grenade at ya (yeah yeah yeah)
Use my hand to throw a blade at ya (yeah yeah yeah)

Or something like that…

To me, this song and video raise many questions.

• What kind of neighborhood does his girlfriend live in where she’s in constant danger of being blown up, sliced, or demolished by a train?
• Why didn’t Bruno hire a piano moving company? Or at least offer the ganstas some serious cash to help him pull it?
• Why didn’t he pick a different route home - say one that didn’t involve getting stuck on railroad tracks with a deadly choo choo?

And perhaps you noticed something else about the video that struck me the first time I viewed it. It is the image of someone in deep love mingled with sorrow and pain, struggling to move a heavy object to a destination while He is ridiculed by the crowds and scorned by religious people. Remind you of someone else?

They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle… (John 19:17)

Jesus had to carry the 125 pound crossbeam of the very instrument of His death nearly half a mile to where they would drive the nails through His hands and feet and let Him slowly suffocate in total agony.

And why? In one word, it was love:

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6).

In other words, He took a grenade for us. He carried His cross to the place of His death where He carried the weight of our guilt so we could be set free from our sin and declared innocent of our shameful past.

If you are feeling like Bruno Mars in your search for a true love that will never change, you are not alone. Since the beginning of time humanity has been pulling the weight of loneliness in our search for connection, and before time began God had a plan in place to solve our desperate problem. Jesus caught the grenade of an eternity in hell for us so we could enter into a relationship with Him that will last forever.

And speaking of grenades, I can think of a good kind of explosion that should be a part of every Christian’s life:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

The word for “power” in this verse in Greek is dunamis - from which we get our word “dynamite.” That’s what makes sharing our faith so easy! If the gospel is like a grenade that blows open the prison doors and sets people free to live the amazing life God intended for them, then we need to realize that it doesn’t matter who pulls the pin on the grenade. The gospel’s power will do its work whether it’s presented by Billy Graham or a twelve-year girl.

Trust me, there are quite a few Bruno Mars type folks who are walking lonely streets in hopes of finding true love, and we have the message that will turn their thoughts away from self-destruction to the reality that they are more valuable and cared for than they ever imagined.

Jesus caught a grenade for us, now are we willing to throw the gospel grenade for Him?

Flashpoint Ignite into Action
Grenade is a wildly popular video that brings up several serious and relevant issues that teens face. The story that is portrayed is one of love, betrayal, and hopelessness, which are perfect tie-ins to the gospel. So get moving and talk to your friends about Jesus matchless love.

Accelerant Fuel for the Fire
Pray: Father, the world is so full of people who are in desperate need of love and a relationship that will last forever. Our hearts are truly restless until they find rest in you, so please use me this week to share your message of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, Amen

Read: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)

Copyright 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Release Your Inner Bieber!

2011-02-10T17:52:00.002-05:00

Who’s got Bieber Fever? Apparently quite a world wide Bieber boatload of you, since I can’t pass a news stand or spend even a few minutes on the web without images of the mop topped man child popping up like bowl cut Meer cats in the sand dunes.

And considering the fact that his video “Baby” has well over 450 million views, I believe we can safely claim that ‘The Bieber has Landed!!!”

(Not only that - but did you see the Biebs on CSI? Nope…neither did I)

I’m not a hater, in fact you have to shout out a least a bit to a small town Canadian kid who can go from fuzzy You Tube videos to selling out Madison Square Garden. I just struggle with anyone who declares that his "street cred" is due to having worked with a "swagger coach."

Swagger Coach??? UnBeliebable…

And now his story hits the big screen in the much anticipated Never Say Never. A full length feature film chronicling his meteoric rise to worldwide fame.

Marvel as you witness the varying degrees of his hair movement!

Gasp as you see never before footage of his dressing room where he, you know, GETS DRESSED!

And be sure and take along some earplugs as the high pitched tweenage screams will rival the noise of 100 jets simultaneously launching from 2 feet away…

Isn’t it fascinating how one ordinary person with off the charts determination can blow the lid off the world’s expectation and have a global impact? Bieber fever definitely reminds me of an even bigger worldwide phenomenon that Jesus predicted nearly 2000 years ago:

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade(Mark 4:30-31, NLT).

The “Kingdom of God’ that Christ mentions here is God’s rule and reign over this world as the gospel message spreads across the globe. Jesus is promising that the simple and relatively unknown message that we can be saved by grace through faith will start as a tiny seed, but grow into the biggest phenomenon the universe has ever known.At the time Jesus made this prophecy, there were very few followers of our Savior. If they would have made a You Tube video promoting His Cause—now known as THE Cause, it would have maybe 12 hits?

But just like Jesus forecasted, the good news blasted out of Jerusalem, and within 30 years it invaded Rome like a conquering army.

And 2000 years later? The gospel message has over a BILLION followers. It is the small town seed that rocked the Earth without the help of Twitter, Facebook, or You Tube. The good news of salvation through faith in Christ doesn’t need promo help from The Situation, because it IS the Situation!

But what God does need is for you and me to release our inner Bieber. How? Well thankfully, Jesus taught us the formula for success:

Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message).

Inside of you is a gifted and talented person who is a “light-bearer” for all to see. The message of the gospel is more powerful and impactful than 1000 Biebers, Jonases, and Cyruses put together. It takes the lonely out of despair and puts them into a loving family. It breaks the chains of addictions and it frees the prisoners of poor self esteem and peer pressure.

And most importantly, God is asking you to never say never! If you think of yourself as someone God could never use to reach your friends - definitely think again!

• Never say that you could never have enough courage to share your faith.
• Never say that your friends would never respond to the gospel message.
• Never say that God would never use you to transform your school, family, or workplace.
• Never say that God could never use someone with your background, situation, or personality.
And never forget what God has promised to all His children:

“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you”(Hebrews 13:5).

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Most, if not all, teenagers have an opinion about Justin Bieber, so just mentioning his name will give you an opportunity to talk about Bieber fever and the movie Never Say Never. Pray for an open door in these conversations to talk about the incredible phenomenon of the gospel and its worldwide impact.

Accelerant Fuel for the Fire
Pray Father, thank you that Your Kingdom is here on the earth and continues to grow and spread across the globe. I pray that you would use me in powerful ways to reach my friends and family who have yet to trust in Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation. Make me a light bearer that shines forth the light of your glory. Thank you that you will never leave me or forsake me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Read "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8)

Dare 2 Share Ministries

Super Bowl XLV and The Kingdom of Light

2011-02-01T08:46:00.002-05:00

Sunday, February 6, 2011 - 6:30pm ET on FOX...No, this isn't an 'official' holiday, but it is officially estimated that there will be well over 170 million viewers from 200 countries around the globe.

(Side note: I'm trying to paint a mental picture of what a Super Bowl party might look like in say, Switzerland, where it is illegal for men to go to the bathroom after 10 pm...)

The Pittsburg Steelers and the Green Bay Packers face off for a much anticipated smash mouth football battle that should be one for the ages. Big Ben vs. Aaron Rodgers - or is that Steve Carrel with a beard???

I have a hunch...just a slight hunch, mind you...that the boys from Blitzburg are going to come at the Green and Gold like a spider monkey on steroids performance enhancers. Sorry Cheeseheads...just callin' it like I sees it.

I also have a hunch that you will either host or attend the great American event known as the Super Bowl Party where a collective 10 billion dollars total coin will be spent and 80 million pounds of guacamole will be consumed.

That's one grande avocado!

One thing that I've noticed over me years of being a part of the Big Game celebration is that there are some interesting parallels between the types of people who attend the party and the types of Christians in the world. Picture in your mind the last Super Bowl party you were a part of - and see if you agree.

First, there are the curious.

The curious are those who don't know football from foosball, but they want to hang out with friends, get free food, and watch the commercials. You can spot the curious as the ones who are trying to learn about the game while the rest of us are WATCHING IT! If this is you...*pleeeeze* look up 'American Football' on Wikipedia before the game.

Then there are the called.

These are the true football fans who know that you don't wear a jersey to the party from a team who isn't playing in the game. The called know the point spread, who is injured, and logged at least one hour reading about or watching the pre-game profundity.

The called are studied up and psyched up for what they hope will be an exciting match up.

So are you seeing the parallels? Like the Super Bowl, there is an even bigger battle being played out on the stage of the universe between two foes:

"Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me" (Acts 26:17-18).

This is the calling and the "match up" God has placed on every Christian. But this is no game, and the stakes are the highest in the universe. We are the warriors in the battle between the power of Satan and the power of God, and when we are victorious, people find forgiveness and the promise of eternal life in heaven.

But unfortunately and sadly, there are many Christ followers - too many in fact - that I would call 'the curious.' They love the parts of Christianity that include hanging out with others and being entertained at church, but they don't really understand what's happening on the big screen of the world. In the background of our chit chats and life's activities is darkness in combat with light, but the curious are content to simply cheer for their team.

Praise God, many of you are the called. You are consumed with loyalty to your Savior, which is why you are not content to be an observer. You understand that life is so much more than what we can see with our eyes, and that despite what others might say, our real purpose for being on this planet is to bring victory to God's Kingdom of Light by sharing the gospel and loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So when you think of the Big Game...don't forget about The Biggest Struggle, which is a fight that can't simply be observed out of curiosity. You are called to be a key player in the advancement of God's rule and reign on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Flashpoint Ignite into Action
Talk to your youth pastor about hosting a Super Bowl Party at someones house or host your own. Use the party as an outreach to invite your unsaved friends and begin the spiritual conversation with them.

Accelerate Feed the Fire
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Ephesians 6:12-13).

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of deatha light has dawned." From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matthew 4:15-17).

© 2011Dare 2 Share Ministries

The Right Way to View The Rite

2011-01-25T16:03:00.002-05:00

I guess if there isn’t enough drama and adrenaline producing scenarios in your life, you could always go see the new supernatural thriller called The Rite…right? Not that it’s a newsflash that this movie is out and has the attention and curiosity of pretty much everyone I’ve spoken with, so the real question is -

Are you going to see it?

Word on the street is that it’s definitely “not for the faint of heart,” but since it garnered a PG-13 rating, I’m guessing the scare factor is born more out of images and intense dialogue rather than spinning heads and spewing soups.

At its heart, The Rite is a movie about faith - hence the tagline of “You can only defeat it when you believe.” Perhaps one of the most appealing draws of this film is the idea that it will help people as they uncover their doubts and raise their questions about the reality of the dark underbelly of this world.

But that’s not the right way to view The Rite. While I’m certain it will deliver a barrage of psychologically thrilling moments and opportunities to respond with “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHGH!” while the color drains from your face and the chills race up your spine, I personally wouldn’t base my beliefs about the demonic world on a film that is “inspired by true events.”

Why? Because you have teachings and accounts related to Satanic possession that are inspired by God Himself! The Catholic practice of exorcism may have started in the 1600’s, but the Biblical teaching on Satan and his demons has been on file since the 1st Century.

So let’s take a look at what God considered to be the critical pieces of information for us as we deal with the very real and very dangerous world of the enemy and his fallen angels.

#1- Satan at the core of his being is a deceiver.

One of the big mistakes people make when dealing with evil is to assume that it will always look, well, EEEEEVIL! To be sure, many demonic manifestations are dark and horrifying, but remember the flipside:

For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Don’t be fooled, there is definitely a beautiful side to evil, which is nothing more than the bait set to trap you and devour you before you even saw what was coming. “Just one drink….just one ‘hook up’…just one lie…” says the angel of light. Then you are ensnared in the dark prison of self-destruction.

#2 - Satan has a specific agenda for your life.

No…it’s not possession. He saves that plan for people who are foolish enough to open a spiritual door and invite demons inside. He captures plenty of prey who play with Ouija boards and tarot cards and/or delve into Eastern meditation.

But for the everyday ordinary folks, his plan is very straightforward:
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10a).

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The Deceiver and his army of fallen angels are hell-bent on stealing the joy God intended for you to have, killing any meaningful relationships and purpose in life, and ultimately finding great victory in seeing people destroy their lives on as many levels as possible.

I’d say he’s finding great success in this venture…wouldn’t you?

And most of all, he works overtime to keep people from responding to the most powerful message in the universe - the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel is the dynamite that blows the doors off Satanic prisons and frees everyone from everything that enslaves them. Then they are free to live out the fulfilling life God has planned for all His beloved creation.

The gospel, actually, is the ultimate exorcist, because it is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The priests who enter into the ministry of exorcism care deeply about people who are locked in the clutches of Satan and his minions. They enter into petrifying circumstances in the name of Christ to free the captives.

But don’t be deceived by Satan with the idea that you aren’t called to play just as critical a role in helping set people free from his agenda. Pray for your friends and share the gospel at every opportunity…that is the ultimate *right* that you have as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Flash Point Ignite into Action
The Rite has a lot of teens asking questions about the nature of the spiritual world and how much influence and power they have over humans. This presents a great opportunity to discuss the Biblical truth about Satan and his demons, and how his agenda is to deceive and destroy. Pray for an opportunity to present the gospel in these discussions with your friends.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:10-11).

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18).

© 2011 Dare 2 Share Ministries

True Christians Have True Grit

2011-01-11T15:07:00.002-05:00

Did you hear about the 3-legged dog who walks into a saloon in the Old West? He sidles up to the bar and says: "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

And such is the set up for True Grit, except it's a girl, not a dog...and she's looking for the guy who shot her Pa ...(just in case you didn't get the joke).

Annnyway, folks 'round here think that True Grit is the movie to see, and besides - who wouldn't pay cash to see an actor who was trapped in a video game for 30 years get gussied up in his best cowboy gear and pump some folks full of lead?

And don't worry, this movie doesn't require a completely engaged IQ and attention span like Inception. Other than the fact that Jeff Bridges needs a translator who speaks Mumble Mumble, this flick is essentially a revenge story that shows that true 'grit' can be found in the least likely of people.

Have you ever thought about what might drive a 14 year old girl to leave her comfort zone and take on a personal mission to track down her father's killer even though it might end up getting her killed? In other words, what helped her discover her grit - defined as " firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger."*

I think it was the love she had for her father and the deep passion for justice. Those two elements combined enabled her to overcome all fear of danger and peril and accomplish the mission she was destined to fulfill.

This story reminds me of a whole group of people who lived quite a while back who definitely demonstrated true grit as well. See if you agree:

What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away.

Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure that they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground. All of them pleased God because of their faith! (Hebrews 11:32-39).

If you think being a Christian is difficult in this day and age, take some encouragement from those who walked with Christ before us and experienced trials we cannot even begin to fathom.
But...don't leave the testimony of these heroes of the faith on the pages of the Bible. They were ordinary men and women like us, but through their love for the Father and their faith in His perfect plan, they became the most "true grit" people who ever lived. The reason God left the record of their calling with us is to get us off the couch and full on into His Kingdom work!

Make no mistake, you have some true grit waiting to bust out of your soul like a wild horse set free. The God who spoke the universe into existence and knit you together in your mother's womb also has placed a calling on your life and equipped you with a purpose and mission. It's called THE Cause, and it is the solemn and staggering responsibility to be the very hands and feet of Jesus everywhere you go and to everyone you know.

Yes, it could be dangerous and laced with rejection, but I promise there are no dull moments in life when you let the light of God's love and the gospel disperse and dismiss the darkness that you already know surrounds you like thick clouds.

A crime has been committed. Satan holds your friends in a prison of loneliness, depression, hurt, and hopelessness. But the prison door has been opened by the death and resurrection of Jesus from the grave! All you have to do is invite them out by telling them the greatest message of freedom in the universe...

Are you a true Christian with true grit???

*Source: www.webster.com.

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Think about the opportunities you have each day to step out in faith and courage to help reach your friends with the gospel. Pray for opportunities to show your true grit and I guarantee God will send answers to your requests!

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience (2 Corinthians 5:11).

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19).

© 2011Dare 2 Share Ministries

New Year's Resolution or Riskolution?

2011-01-04T22:44:00.002-05:00

New Year's Resolutions...do you make them? Do you keep them? Why do we even have them?

Perhaps it's the crisp air and the feeling of starting over - like getting another life in a video game or hitting the reset button on our calendars. What an amazing feeling to gaze at the 365 blank canvases that stretch out before us through the seasons of nature and the seasons of life in 2011!

Yeah...right. We all know that the only resolution the majority of us keep is the resolution to not make any more resolutions - because they usually go in one Year and out the other (ba-dum chhh!)

We're just not resolute enough for resolutions, as in "characterized by firmness and determination" - don't you think? By nature we are half-hearted creatures wedged into the ruts of our habits and molded into the image of whatever we think the world expects us to be.

That's why I would propose a whole new plan for the New Year. One that offers freedom from the maddening cyclical monotony that drives the deep desire for change, but never quite fulfills it. So rather than a "resolution," would you prayerfully consider a "riskolution"?

What I mean is, rather than resolving to change through your own will power and strength of mind, take a step of faith and offer God 365 opportunities to use you in ways you never would have thought possible...

That's a riskolution!

Trust me, riskolutions are *way* better than the whole silly resolution tradition. In fact, the entire Bible is a chronicle of people no different, better, smarter, or more "spiritual" than you or me, except they took God at His Word:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Did you catch that promise? When you stand up and step out in unhindered love for God and unwavering faith that you are the man or woman that God has prepared unimaginable things for, you will have the newest New Year you've ever experienced!
Need some evidence? Sure:

• What if Noah decided to play it safe and not become a boat builder in his old age instead of saving the human race?

• What if Moses resolved to stick with tending sheep instead of delivering 3 million people from slavery?

• What if David did the common sense thing and kept his mouth shut with Goliath instead of taking him down to Chinatown?

• What if Daniel hid his faith instead of seeing an angel close the jaws of man-eating lions?

• What if Mary told God "no" instead of having the honor of giving birth to our Savior?

• And yes, what if Jesus decided that it wouldn't be worth the pain and suffering on earth to pay the penalty for our sins?

• And what if you exchange this incredible opportunity in 2011 to take riskolutions and change your corner of the world?

Do you know what happens when nothing changes? Nothing. And to be honest, this is a huge fear of mine. I don't want "nothing" to be the ending credits of my story, which is why I see this new year as a new challenge to help fulfill the greatest riskolution ever put on the table:

Jesus came to them and said:

I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world (Matthew 28:18-20).

Not a minute of any day goes by when you don't have the power and presence of Jesus Christ within you, and the people God has placed in your life are not there by accident. God's heart beats in love not only for His children, but for everyone! And the mind blowing truth is that He has placed the message of the gospel and the ability to make disciples in our hands.

So what does 2011 hold for you my friend? Don't waste your precious time and fleeting effort on "dust in the wind" resolutions. Take riskolutions like asking God to use you in someone's life, sharing the gospel, going on a missions trip, volunteering in a ministry, or a thousand other ways to make an eternal difference in this temporary situation called life.

Happy New Year...and heavenly cheers to riskolutions!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Take some time this week to think about what riskolutions God might be calling you to make in 2011. Start each day by asking God to give you an opportunity to risk something so God can bless you and use you in big ways.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1).

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

What if Mary and Joseph had facebook?

2010-12-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

You Are the Music of Christmas

2010-12-21T11:02:00.002-05:00

So what comes to mind when you hear the word “Christmas”?

Decorated trees? Church bells ringing? Friends and families?

X-Box 360 and Call of Duty?

For me, I can’t help but think about music. For some reason I never grow weary of hearing the classic carols and the Christmas songs that I’ve sung as long as I can remember. And here’s a list of songs that I don’t exactly remember, but seem to fit our world pretty well. Check these out:

Schizophrenia -- Do You Hear What I Hear, the Voices, the Voices?

Amnesia -- I Don't Remember If I'll be Home for Christmas

Narcissistic Personality Disorder -- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

Manic -- Deck The Halls And Walls And House And Lawn And Streets And Stores And Office And Town And Cars And Buses And Trees And.......

Multiple Personality Disorder -- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

Paranoid -- Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Us

Antisocial Personality Disorder -- Thoughts of Roasting You On an Open Fire

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

Alzheimer's -- Walking In a Winter Wonderland Miles from My House in My Slippers and Robe

Oppositional Defiant Disorder -- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus So I Burned Down the House

Social Anxiety Disorder -- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate

Attention Deficit Disorder -- We Wish You......Hey Look!! It's Snowing!!!

No offense meant and all kidding aside, have you ever wondered where the first Christmas song to Jesus Christ was sung? You may be surprised, and you definitely don’t want to miss the meaning behind this incredible scene:

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed (Luke 2:8-18).

Can you even imagine being at this breathtaking scene? Imagine the greatest music your ears could attend to and multiply it by infinity, and it still wouldn’t compare to the heavenly choir’s harmony celebrating the tiny infant who would one day walk out of His own grave.

And not only is the music ridiculously awesome, even better is the message that the angels proclaimed:

“Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master”

This is the heart of Christmas - which comes from ‘Christ + Mass’ (mass being a celebration) - so we rejoice and marvel at the fact that the God of the Universe wrapped Himself in flesh to give us the greatest present that humanity could ever experience: Jesus Christ.

So this Christmas, take some time to be still and reflect on the incredible weight and implication of the angelic message: our Savior has appeared, and because of His birth, death has been defeated. Christmas means forgiveness. Christmas means eternal life.

And Christmas also means that we have the same opportunity as the shepherds - remember what they did?

“They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.”

The shepherds were so overjoyed and overwhelmed by the good news of Jesus that they ran to tell anyone and everyone who would listen…

And how about you? Have you tuned out of the message because of the busy/stressful/materialistic/food coma season that robs us of the true joy that comes when we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world?

Let’s make the music of our Christmas a song of deliverance that celebrates the Christ and tells the world the Good News!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Christmastime gives us one of the best opportunities of the year to share our faith. Use some of the time you have off to connect with friends at a coffee shop or over lunch to ask them what they believe is the significance of Christmas. Pray for an opportunity to share Christ through the story of the angels and the shepherds.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5).

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Cookie Decorating at The Refuge

2010-12-20T13:17:00.005-05:00

We began our journey at Barbatos for some pizza and tasty beverages.

Brian likes pepperoni.

We were told to expect 14 kids at The Refuge, but only had 2. We soon found out that 2 were PLENTY!

We have quite a group of creative decorators. LOL

Not sure who is having more fun....

The best part...and pic...of the day!

A Blessing for the Bullied and a Cure for the Cutters

2010-12-15T10:59:00.002-05:00

The entertainment world was a bit rocked when the account of Demi Lovato's self-check in at a rehab facility hit the news.

But should it be?

Of course, I am always saddened to hear about people in pain, and I am so glad that Demi cares enough about herself to get some help. But honestly, I am not surprised when news of this sort comes out of Hollywood. How many examples do we need of people who make it big only to find out that no amount of external success can truly give us peace and contentment?

And that leads me to think about all the pressures you have to deal with from just a normal-ish type life. No, you don't live in the rock star fish bowl, but you are in the shark tank called High School - and that's a world of anxiety, stress, and performance that can emotionally cripple even the strongest of teens.

So how do teens deal with it?

Well, there's the obvious ways like drugs and alcohol, but I've also seen more subtle ways of coping with the emotional pressure that aren't as obvious, and they are related to Demi Lavato's situation. Sometimes teens who don't know what to do with the erupting waves of anxiety turn to bullying and/or cutting. I know that you already know this, but did you also know that Demi was bullied as a child, and her reason for checking into rehab might be related to cutting? There are some deep issues going on with her that need specific and radical treatment.

And you too, right? Maybe you've been bullied - maybe you've bullied others. Perhaps you cut because you think it can release the emotional stress and pain from your life situation. Or it could be that you are simply tired...sick and tired actually...of running on the treadmill of life and not seeing any way to get off and catch your breath.

Not everyone can afford professional help at a treatment facility, but there is an ancient cure that has a complete and 100% success rate that I would like to point you towards. It is a blessing for the bullied and a cure for the cutters, but you have to ingest these truths into the core of your being for them to be effective. So let the words wash over you like an ocean of comfort...hear Jesus Christ speaking to you in a gentle and soothing voice as His words bring peace to your anxious feelings:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message).

Here's another way to hear this promise:

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

This promise is for anyone in any situation - and especially for those who feel trapped and unloved. Jesus beckons you to offer up your life to Him, then watch Him take the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly and craft it into something miraculous.

So if you are bullied, remember that He was beaten...He knows the shame and embarrassment.

If you are mutilating yourself, remember that He was mutilated to the point of being unrecognizable - and He took the wounds to heal yours!

If you are tired, remember that He fell to the ground in exhaustion on His way to the Cross...but He made it to the place of His death so we could live a life of love and fellowship with Him now and later in heaven forever!

Jesus Christ invites you and your friends on a journey through life that will teach you to live 'freely and lightly.' The moment you trust Him as Savior is a passage into an entirely different world than the selfish, cruel, pressure filled place we all find ourselves in.

Weary traveler...may you find rest for your souls!

Flash Point: Ignite into Action
Do you have friends who have been bullied or maybe are cutters? Pray for them, and pray for an opportunity to share the gospel and the message that can free them of the emotional stresses and pressures of being a teenager in this anxious and pain filled world.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you ( Isaiah 26:3).

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Of Horcruxes and Eternal Life

2010-12-15T10:47:00.002-05:00

So the beginning of the end...or the end of the beginning, depending on how you look at it, has finally arrived. Harry Potter and his grand adventures are drawing to a close. And as you know, the story is finishing in a two part format so everyone involved can make more money adventure in this magical culmination called The Deathly Hallows.

Experts are predicting Pottermania to soar through the skies like a Quidditch broom in full flight, so before we go any further it might be in your best interest to take a quick "You Know You're Too Big of a Harry Potter Fan If" test.*

Ready?

You mutter nonsense Latin words under your breath.
You call your least favorite teacher Snape.
Your computer says "You've Got Mail" and you run outside looking for an owl.
You sort everyone you meet into the four Hogwarts houses. (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin.)
You were burned when you couldn't get through the flames of your fireplace.
You had to go to the hospital after you broke your nose running headfirst into the wall between platforms nine and ten.
You point to normal things like parking meters and say "Look at the things these muggles dream up!"
When playing chess, you yell orders to the chess players and get upset when they don't move.
You get extraordinarily emotional every time you hear "Hedwig's Theme."
You tell your teacher that your homework ate your dog.

(*Source: mugglenet.com)

I don't think I'm actually spoiling anything by telling you that Part One basically revolves around Harry, Hermoine, and Ron on a desperate search for the horcruxes that give Voldemort eternal life. All the while they are chased by Death Eaters and all sorts of additional peril...shocker, right?

But one thing that really intrigued me is the whole concept of the horcrux. Basically it is a magical object that contains part of a person's soul, so when he/she perishes, the horcrux can give you another life. The only way to make a horcrux, though, is through the murder of an innocent person. Voldemort obviously had experience in that area, which is why he could make so many horcruxes in an attempt to live forever - but shattering his soul into multiple pieces is also why he looks like E.T. on steroids.

Are you seeing the parallels here to the reality of the greatest story ever told? Humankind for thousands of years makes up religions and tries desperately to find eternal life, only to fail and live shattered lives.

But then "God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Do you see how it took the murder of an innocent Person to open a way for true eternal life? But Jesus was not just a human, He was also God in the flesh, which is why He could pay the penalty for all the world's sin and offer everlasting life to everyone who receives it by faith.

But here's the critical truth we often miss. Every human being already has eternal life - that is we all have a soul that will exist beyond our time here on earth into eternity - the question is where will that time be spent? In a perfect and unfathomable place called heaven, or in a tormenting and unspeakable place called hell?

That's why the Bible defines "eternal life" as much more than something measured by time:

"Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent" (John 17:3).

Eternal life is not found in an object and it is not just defined by quantity. Jesus teaches us that it is a relationship of intimacy with Jesus for life on earth, then a perfect relationship with God in heaven after death. That means the eternal life we have found through trusting Christ adds an eternal element to everything we do and say. As Maximus said in the movie Gladiator: "What we do in life...echoes in eternity."

Perhaps you feel like you are running through the woods of life being chased by your fears and the presence of evil. You can stop running and rest in the fact that if you have put your full faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, you have received eternal life and "every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith" (1 John 5:4).

And don't forget about your friends. Have you noticed that a central theme in all the Harry Potter stories is the valiant attempt to intervene and rescue friends in danger? It's a theme that that should ring true in our lives, as well, when we remember that our friends who don't know Jesus are in real danger too – the danger of spending an eternity separated from God in a place the Bible describes as unbearable and unending. So share the good news of the gospel with the passion and fervor of a Harry Potter maniac, and God will use your efforts to place them into a beautiful story that will never come to an end!

Flash Point: Ignite into Action
The Harry Potter series provides an easy way to bring up the topic of spiritual things and the unseen world. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to use the fantasy world of Harry Potter to bring up the real truth about heaven, hell, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire
The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them (John 3:35-36).

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water" (John 4:13-15).

"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life " (John 5:24).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

Life in the Fringe

2010-12-15T10:39:00.002-05:00

Deep down you feel it, don't you? Maybe not when you're in line at Starbucks or hanging out at the mall...but in the dark recesses of the night when you're all alone you sense something.

Not a physical presence, because I'm not referring to something your eyes can see directly. Much like the wind, you can't observe it straight up, yet the results of its invisible force are obvious.

This is the premise of Fox's hit show Fringe - which chronicles the adventures of an FBI team that investigates unexplained occurrences. Because they appear unsolvable by ordinary means, they have to use "fringe" examination methods in attempting to unravel the paranormal messes that keep popping up.

Of course that's just a well produced television series that takes full advantage of CGI and other special effects to create the illusion that our universe runs parallel with a whole other unseen world...right?

Yeah, right. The paranormal world of Fringe exists in the minds of the writers and the designs of the producers, but don't be fooled into thinking that there isn't a very real and very dangerous parallel universe that intersects ours on a minute by minute basis. The Bible is as stuffed as a holiday turkey with accounts and examples of these two worlds colliding with shocking and life altering results. Now you can deny or ignore this truth, but that does not make the reality of the spiritual world any less real. You are living in the fringe, so I would highly recommend being informed and aware of how to survive and conquer.

Ready?

Survival tip #1 - Open your eyes!

Because you possess an eternal soul, you have two levels of awareness. One, obviously, is what you observe on a physical level, but that is only half the equation. We need to ask God the same thing that a prophet of God prayed for his freaked out servant when they were surrounded by an enemy force:

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. "Oh, sir, what will we do now?" the young man cried to Elisha.

"Don't be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:15-17).

Can you imagine? The servant thought they were completely outmatched - but in reality there was an angelic force surrounding their enemies that dwarfed their numbers by comparison. Ask God to make you aware of His presence and protection even in the midst of the most frightening circumstances.

Survival tip #2 - Open Fire!

Far too many Christians live on the fringe of the fringe. We sometimes think that being a Christ follower is occasionally showing up for church, praying before meals and tests, and reading the Bible when the mood strikes them. Hey guys, that's like being drafted into the military during war time and showing up to the battle armed with an i-Pad and wearing footy pajamas!

Bottom line: there is no neutral position in this war. You either take your journey with Jesus Christ seriously, or you will be seriously rocked. Get in the game by suiting up each day with the armor God has graciously provided us:

Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-17, CEV).

Survival tip #3 - Open your mouth!

This battle is about the destiny of humanity - which includes your friends who don't know about the good news of Jesus Christ. Trust me, no one has ever been saved by watching Christians, which is why we need to join the Apostle Paul and all the saints who made this their daily prayer request:

"Pray also for me. Pray that when I open my mouth, the right words will be given to me. Then I can be bold as I tell the mystery of the good news. So pray that I will be bold as I preach the good news. That's what I should do" (Ephesians 6:19,20b).

You are living in a dual reality where the physical and spiritual worlds collide each day in a battle for souls. Will you choose today to let God open your eyes? Will you open fire on the enemy? Will you open your mouth and share the gospel with your friends?

Let's get off the fringe of the fringe and make an eternal difference in both worlds!

Flash Point: Ignite into Action
Commit today to start each day by asking God to open your eyes and "suiting up" with His armor. Then go out each day with the attitude of opening your mouth and opening fire in the daily battle that God calls you to take part in.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12).

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left (2 Corinthians 6:4-7).

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

The Dawn Treader and Your Dragon Skin

2010-12-15T10:34:00.002-05:00

"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." So begins The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - and if you miss this voyage on the big screen, you'll definitely regret it. Breathtaking visuals, fascinating plots, and an overwhelming sense of wonderment are just a few of the delights that await as you join Peter, Lucy, and...

Eustace Clarence Scrubb.

Wait a second - who is Eustace, and why did he almost deserve his snobbish smarty pants name?

Trust me, it will not take you long to figure this one out. Eustace is Peter and Lucy's cousin, and within a few minutes of experiencing his on-screen character, you'll be instantly transported to memories of "that kid."

Remember "that kid"? The one who is so egotistical, so annoying, so absolutely infuriating that you would cross the street just to avoid being anywhere near him/her. Eustace is the definition of every self-seeking, self-centered person you can think of, and he's stuck on a ship for a very long journey with a very bad attitude.

Until... he experiences a life changing moment while on the journey. On an island where he is supposed to be helping the others, he sneaks off and finds a dragon's lair. Long story short - Eustace is transformed into a dragon, and in his loneliness and isolation he realizes that if he doesn't change, he will die alone as a monster.

Be careful, because if you're like me, you'll see a little bit of yourself in Eustace. We are all fire breathing dragons on the inside, and sometimes it takes extreme circumstances to make us see our desperate need for a complete internal make-over.

And that's just about the time that God does His amazing work of transforming the least likely people (like you and me) into something totally different. In Eustace's case we have this incredible scene where Aslan comes to him in a dream and invites him to remove his ugly scales so he can immerse himself in a healing pool that will restore him.

At first Eustace thinks this will be a simple task as he easily and painlessly scrapes and sheds his dragon skin. But as soon as he heads towards the waters, he discovers that a new one has quickly taken its place. That's when Aslan graciously offers to take the scales off for him, and even though it is a painful process, the end result is the healing, restoration, and transformation of Eustace into a completely different person.

Isn't that also like us? We want to rid ourselves of our monster like qualities - and at first we may show some improvement...but soon comes the realization that our ugly sin covering has simply grows back. But then we hear the calling of Jesus to let Him remove our sin and make us into the person He intended us to be.

Here's the way the Bible describes this incredible alteration:

Therefore if any person is trusts in Christ, he is a new creation- a new creature altogether; the previous moral and spiritual condition has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!!! (2 Corinthians 5:17 Amplified).

So where are you in this process? Are you still wearing your dragon skin, feeling isolated and a bit like a monster? Give up your struggle to rid yourself of your sin and let Jesus' forgiving power make you into something beautiful.

Maybe you've already been "undragoned," and you know what it's like to be restored and transformed. I know I have, which is why we have this enormous responsibility put before us:

He sent Christ to make peace with us and to bring us back to himself. Now he has given us the work of bringing other people back to God.

We are not looking at things that can be seen, but at things that cannot be seen. The things which can be seen last only a little while. But the things which cannot be seen last forever.

So we are messengers for Christ. God is using us to call people. So we are standing here for Christ and begging people, 'Come back to God!' (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

As you already know, there are "Eustace" people all around you. They carry an attitude and mindset of selfishness and even cruelty. But as a follower of Christ, you do not have the option of simply avoiding those who push your buttons. Why? Well for one thing we are "messengers for Christ." If we don't deliver the message to those God has placed in our lives, we are more guilty of selfishness and cruelty than the worst Eustace you can think of.

Secondly, remember that you once wore dragon skin too. It took the death of God's perfect Son Jesus to restore your true self and transform you into a new creation, so rather than look down on others with criticism, look back at your past with gratitude for whoever it was that shared the gospel with you.

At the end of the story Aslan sends the children back to their world and tells them that they cannot return to Narnia. Desperate to experience Aslan again, Lucy and Edmund ask if he exists in their world. He replies, "I am... but there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

Let's continue to know Jesus and lead others to know Him as well. That's the voyage that is meant for every follower of Christ.

Flash Point: Ignite into Action
It is indeed a rare event when a blockbuster movie comes out with so many ways to bring up the gospel with your friends. Go see the movie with as many unsaved people as you can, then ask them over afterwards to talk about it. Pray that God will give you an opportunity to call people back to Himself.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16).

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature [a] a slave to the law of sin (Romans 7:24-25).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

How to Be Reunited with Your Father

2010-12-15T10:23:00.003-05:00

So do you think you'll become a TRON-ie when the popularity of TRON: Legacy grows as fast as a rampant computer virus? In a weird way, it feels like it's 1982 again, when the original TRON was released, and it quickly morphed into a pop culture icon and video game.

I'll freely admit that I popped the quarters into the TRON arcade experience that might have otherwise paid for my college education...but who cared? I was a TRON-ie and proud of it!

Now the sequel is out with incredible computer generated firepower and Jeff Bridges (looking like Obi Wan Kenobi) making a return as his original character. And yes, the TRON: Legacy brings up a few important questions:

• Why does everyone run around in cat-like unitards with glow sticks superglued all over them?
• How do computer programs end up feeling pain when they are PROGRAMS?
• Why can't I be 'derezzed' instead of, you know, like dying?
• Can I please please please have a 'light cycle' for Christmas?
• How cool is it to have Jeff Bridges and Daft Punk in the same movie?

Despite containing many of the same elements as the first TRON, there is a new plot point that wanders through the movie like a lost puppy in a crowded city. I won't give anything away, but it deserves mention because it will probably cut through some of the eye candy straight to your heart:

Father and child reunion.

So what comes to mind and memory when you think about your dad? For some there may be pain or a feeling of abandonment. For others, it can conjure up warmth and a sense that everything will be OK. And then there are countless others who probably fall right in the middle - with good and bad mixed experiences that paint a sometimes confusing picture and oftentimes leave you with a heart that is aching for a deeper and more meaningful fatherly connection.

Isn't it interesting that the God who made the universe and formed you in your mother's womb desires His children to call Him "Father"? And He does this at great risk in my opinion, because we tend to transfer our perception of and feelings about our earthly Dad towards God.

But our Heavenly Father simply cannot be put in that category, which is why Jesus tells us this amazing story to show us what God the Father is truly like:

"There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'

"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.
"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he
ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'

"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here-given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours-but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'" (Luke 15:11-32).

Our Heavenly Father is not like the dad in TRON who has gone missing - nor is He like any earthly Father who oftentimes makes serious mistakes with his kids. No...God the Father is the Dad who - even when we've run far away - stands and gazes longingly at the horizon with a broken heart and a desperate hope that we will come to our senses and run to be reunited with Him.

And most importantly, this is the Father who sent His Son Jesus to die in our place for our sins so we could experience that reunion with Him by trusting in Christ for salvation.

Maybe you think God the Father has given up on you? He most certainly has not, and He waits with open arms for you to experience the deepest fatherly connection you could ever imagine.
Maybe you have friends who are struggling with choices and negative emotions? My guess is that somewhere in that mix is a broken relationship with their dads, which is why you have an amazing opportunity to tell them about our Heavenly Father who has a pounding heart and unconditional love awaiting them.

Don't be like the jealous brother...be a life saving friend!

Flash Point: Ignite into Action
At the heart of the movie TRON:Legacy is the story of a father and son being reunited after a long separation and rediscovering their relationship. Pray for an opportunity to talk to your unsaved friends about the relationship you have with your Heavenly Father that has met your need for a dad who loves you unconditionally.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27).

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:7-9).

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

The Cell Phone Addiciton Challenge: Can You Do It?

2010-11-13T17:41:00.002-05:00

Never have a conversation longer than 5 minutes. (Including a text message conversation.)
Don't use your cell more than a half hour per day.
Don't talk on it while you're walking to class. Be open to having conversations with the people right in front of you!
Turn it off except when you really need it or your parents might need to get in touch with you.
Don't hold it in your hand while you walk around.
Don't look at it every time it rings if you're in a deep conversation with someone else.
Don't have it on during mealtimes. Show the people you are eating with that they are important to you.
Don't interrupt conversation with your friends to answer the phone unless it's your parents or another important person, not just another friend who wants to chat. Interrupting is rude and shows everyone that your phone is your idol and being rude is caring more for yourself than others.
Never talk on it in a restaurant, in a class or in the library.
Make talking in person more important than texting or talking on the phone.
Manage your minutes and don't let your cell phone become your master. God's Word says we can't serve 2 masters. (Luke 16:13)

My Dad Says I'm Addicted to My Cell Phone

2010-11-13T17:31:00.002-05:00

Need I say more? Help me keep it.

Well, you're not alone. Cell phone addiction might be one of the biggest addictions of this century. People the world over can't let go of their mobile. Lots of people have multiple phones and talk or text on them for hours a day.

Here's how to find out if you're addicted:

Do you spend more than 30 minutes a day on your cell?
Do you use it more than you mean to?
Does it freak you out to think of losing it?
Do you miss out on class or family functions because you are talking on it?

If you answered yes to any of these, then you may be addicted.

Maybe your dad's onto something. But who cares, right? What's the big deal about a cell phone addiction? It is a big deal, actually, because an addiction is something that controls you. When you are addicted to something, you have essentially made that something your god. And that means that the real God has been demoted. Not only to you demote and disrespect God with your addiction but you disrespect people as well. Addiction to a cell phone, like anything else, can cause you to hurt those around you. If your dad says you are addicted, then he's one of those who is feeling the sting of your addiction. Your family is more than likely becoming less and less a part of your life as your friends and your cell take up more and more of your mind-space. You may or may not have an addiction, but either way, it sounds like you have a problem . Your cell and your dad aren't getting along. If you really want to keep your phone, then you have to take charge of it and make some changes. I know it may seem impossible, but if you can't do it, then you should lose your cell phone!

Friendless; I Don't Have Anyone to Talk to

2010-11-13T17:21:00.002-05:00

I started at my school two months ago and I hate it. I'm so lonely. I have no friends and I don't have anyone to talk to. It's like hell. I hate my life and don't want to do anything but sleep. My mom says I need to get over it, but how can you live without someone just to talk to?

Friends are awesome. It's definitely great to have ones you can call on, but your mom is right: you can't let yourself get all bummed out, because it's only been two months. Give yourself a break. It takes time to get to know people and to let them get to know you. If making a friend is something you want to do, you can't just give up on it and sleep your life away. You nave to put some effort into it. The main thing to do is to be really nice. There's no time to be shy. You have to make yourself talk to strangers, smile at people and go out and do things. Girls need to see that you are nice to be around and happy. No one wants to hang out with a depressed girl. So yep, you have to get over it. Change your perspective.

In the meantime, before you find a new BFF, turn your heart and mind upward. Maybe God is using this time of isolation as a call to you. He's calling you to get down on your knees and go to Him. Get into your Bible and read about Him and His truth. Study it and memorize it. Let Him know how much you need Him. Close your eyes and imaging sitting next to Him and telling Him everything you want to talk about. He's sure to listen, but just like with your friends, you have to be willing to do some listening too. So take some time each day to do that. Find a great place in nature and think about how cool He is for making the things He's made. Make a list of stuff you're thankful for and read it often. Listen to worship music and let your pent-up feelings flow. God is there for you and He's always willing to listen. And take heart - it won't be long before you'll have friends at school and life will be good again..

The Best Girlfriend on Earth

2010-11-13T17:17:00.002-05:00

Is there such a thing? Well, there might be if she looks something like this:

She appreciates the things he does and tells him so.
She doesn't complain.
She's happy.
She doesn't tell him all her problems all the time.
She doesn't ask him what he's feeling.
She lets him have his own interests, whether she likes them or not.
She lets him have guy time.
She doesn't smother him or act too needy.

My Dad is Driving Me Crazy!

2010-11-13T17:07:00.003-05:00

My dad won't leave me alone. I don't mean in a bad way like he's mad all the time, but he is just always around. Always asking me questions, always wanting to do things with me. It's like I'm his best friend or something. I love him and all; I just need my space. I mean, I have a life. What do I do? My dad is driving me crazy!

First let me say, that's a good problem to have. Lots of girls would love to have a dad who gave them any attention at all. So take heart; it sounds like you have a great dad. But I totally understand about the "enough is enough" thing. Your dad needs to understand that you aren't his little girl anymore. You are becoming your own person, a young adult who has friends and a life separate from his. And it might just be that he's realizing that and it's scaring him. He doesn't want to lose his little girl. The best thing to do with parents like this is to talk to them. Let them know how you feel, and most of all assure them that you won't leave them forever. Tell them that you'll always be their little girl, just not in the same way you used to be. You need them to let you go a little so that you can grow up, test your wings and learn to fly. Help them to understand that being out on your own more now is just preparing you for when you one day will go off in the real world on your own. I mean, you can't stay home forever.

Encourage your dad by letting him know how much you love him. Plan times when just you and he can still go out and do stuff alone, but be honest with him and make sure he understands you don't hate him - you are just growing up.

I'm Sick of Being Called a Tease

2010-11-13T16:53:00.002-05:00

I'm sick of being called a tease. The boys at school always say that and I don't get it. I'm not easy, I don't sleep around, in fact, I've never even had a boyfriend. Why are they so mean? I just want to be good and not mess up sexually, so why do they treat me like I'm a tease?

While it's good to want to be pure and not mess up sexually, it sounds like you might be missing the mark when it comes to your sexuality. See, staying pure is more than just not having sex. It's also watching what you do to the thought life of the guys around you. If they are calling you a tease, that means that in some way or another, you are teasing them - taunting them into thinking they can get you sexually - but then you reject them. And that's not purity.

There are 2 ways that you could be teasing boys. One is by flirting with them so much that it leads them to think you want them sexually. And the other is just by how you dress. Dressing sexy can tease them because how you dress tells others how to think about you. And the mere fact that you dress "sexy" says you are sexual. Even though it may not be true, that's how it looks to others. So if you want to stop being called a tease, then you've got to simmer down on the sexual innuendo. No more flirting as if you're a sexual girl and no more dressing like one. It's time for an image makeover. Get into your closet and your vocabulary and get rid of everything that hints at your sexuality. In other words, lose the low-cut tops, tight pants, short minis, belly button ring, tongue ring - anything that would suggest you are ready for sex.

Taboo Topics for a First Date

2010-11-09T10:28:00.001-05:00

Don't talk about...

your ex-boyfriend(s)
your problems at home
your cat's health problems
anything negative
your health problems
how much you want to get married
how much you like him
how great you are

11 Ways to be the Best Date Ever

2010-11-09T10:12:00.004-05:00

Don't offer to meet him somewhere. Let him come and get you. He loves that part.
Let him plan the date. Some guys have no idea how to do this, but they should. If he asks, he plans. If he doesn't plan, then you can make a suggestion, but don't take that role away from him if he is man enough to step into it.
Make conversation, but if he is really nervous and talks about himself the entire time, don't get upset. That's just his way of telling how much of a catch he is and how much he wants to prove to you that he's worthy of you. By the second date, he should be more calm and open to hearing from you.
Let him get your chair. A true gentleman will pull out your chair for you and slowly push it in as you sit down. Smile and say thank you.
If he's talking too much, don't ask him a lot of questions. He doesn't bond by talking like you do, so if you think that asking him questions makes him like you more, you are wrong. It just makes him like himself more. Let him ask you questions and if he doesn't then feel free to just interrupt him to make comments on what he is saying. Guys interrupts each other; that's how they talk. They don't ask questions. So feel free to be part of the conversation and cut in. Don't change the subject; just join in.
Slow down and let him get doors. That's him showing you that he is a gentleman, so don't try to steal that job from him.
At the movie theater, once you two pick the best place, go into the row of seats first.
Eat. Order a sensible meal, meaning one you can eat. And then eat it. Don't order a steak and then not touch it - oooh, he hates that - or a small salad and water. You eat, so don't pretend you don't. Guys love to see a girl with a good appetite. It's one of the things they find attractive in girls.
Let him pay, and then say, "Thank you for dinner. That was so nice of you. I loved it." This is a big part of letting him lead. It is a symbol of him as provider and protector. (If you go out with this guy a lot, you can start to offer to pay every so often. But not all the time and definitely not on the first date.
Talk about good things. Don't whine about bad stuff. And laugh at his jokes (or his attempts at jokes).
Don't call him the next day or even the next week. Let him call you. You are the one who is being chased, not the chaser. Call him first and I guarantee you'll drop 5 points on the hotness scale. :~)

It's a date! What do I do now?

2010-11-09T10:02:00.002-05:00

This boy at work who I've liked forever just asked me out. I've always wished he would, but now that he has, I'm scared. I really like this guy and I don't want to mess it up. I've had some miserable dates in the past, and guys don't usually ask me out again. How do I act? What do I say? What do I do? Help me!

Don't panic. Dates are easy, really, if you just remember one thing: he's not a girl! Seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of us forget and treat guys just like our girlfriends. That's when things get messed up. Girls share all their deepest, darkest secrets with one another. We tell our friends everything. The good, the bad and the ugly. And doing that with guys is a disaster. Don't tell him all about everything you are feeling or thinking; it's too much information. That means no complaining, no bragging, no gossiping, no long stories about your childhood. All a guy really wants on a date is a happy, relaxed girl who thinks he's funny and strong and smart. Happy means you like whatever he has planned and don't complain about the little things. Relaxed means you are focusing not on yourself and your fears to on him and his thoughts and feelings. And that means you are listening to him talk, laughing when he jokes and trusting him to give you a great, fun evening. You do those things and you'll look like a confident and fun girl who he'd love to be with. A first date should be a fun, lighthearted time when all you have to do is enjoy his company, not identify your soul mate!

The Father's Song

2010-10-14T10:40:00.002-04:00

I guess you would expect a wide variety of responses to the highly anticipated (or dreaded) release of a Miley Cyrus movie - as you can tell by a few of the comments I picked up from the 'net:

I love Miley cyrus and am so excited to see this movie!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ughhhhhh hate miley but this movie looks good!!!!!

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH NOT another one! Nicholas Sparks must be stopped! (pounding head on table).

So there you have it - everything from EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK to AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH.

Which reaction do you have? For me, I'll admit I'm somewhere in-between, sort of an EEEEEEAAAAARRRGGGGHH!!!

On the one hand, I'm not exactly hitting the mileyfans.net website very often...or never actually, but I am a fan of Greg Kinnear, and the story is based on a novel (i.e., book with lots of words), instead of a videogame, cartoon, bad idea, etc.

The part that intrigues me most is how a father-daughter relationship gone horribly wrong can be salvaged - even to the point of mutual love and acceptance. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty certain that there are millions of teens that can relate to Miley Cyrus' character Ronnie, in terms of the heartbreak, alienation, and anger that is born out of divorce and parental struggles.

And, sadly, millions of fathers as well that want nothing more than to have a good relationship with their kids, but find it is as elusive as trying to grasp smoke in the air.

I don't know where you are in your relationship with your earthly father, but can I tell you that there is another Father that longs and yearns to have a relationship with you? Can I also paint a picture of what He is like from His very own words? Check this out:

Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the LORD – rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows -
this is God, whose dwelling is holy (Psalm 68:4-5).

The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him (Psalm 103:13).

Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? (Matthew 6:26).

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15).

And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:18).

Believe me, this is the Father every soul on earth desires to be in relationship with. He is patient, kind, and merciful. He doesn't get stressed out and blow up. He loves you and accepts you exactly as you are, because He's the one who made you in the first place! And best of all, He promises this:

"I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you" (Hebrews 13:15).

Here's the way another version of the Bible translates this verse:

"God Himself has said, "I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down or relax My hold on you! Assuredly not!"

Isn't it time you reconnected with your Father? Or maybe you've never met your real Dad because you haven't trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation. At that moment, you are adopted into His family, and you enter into a personal and permanent relationship with the perfect Father. This is a connection that goes way beyond explanation, and for me it has been the foundation of my life.

Maybe you feel like your Heavenly Father is a thousand miles away and you've not seen or heard from Him in what seems likes years. Or perhaps you feel like He let you down because life has not turned out the way you thought it should. Please don't let misperceptions and missed expectations keep you from the relationship you were meant to be in.

And hopefully, like the quote from The Last Song, the time you've spent apart from each will make you love Him even more!

And just as importantly, don't let the love song from the Father be kept just in your heart. Share the amazing news of reconciliation with everyone you know that is living in a spiritual orphanage and see the amazing difference it makes when they come home to their true family.

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Talk to your friends about their relationship with earthly dads, and how it has impacted who they are. Pray for an opportunity to share the news about trusting Jesus for salvation and being adopted into God's family with a perfect heavenly Father.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11).

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:28-30).

"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50).

Jesus, Remember Me

2010-10-14T09:57:00.002-04:00

So Robert Pattinson has traded in Bella and his body shimmer for a shot at a non-supernatural romance called Remember Me. This was probably a major challenge for Pattinson as he must transition from a brooding and semi-sulking character in love with Bella to a brooding and semi-sulking character in love with Ally.

Word on the street is that if Remember Me is playing at a theater near you, it's probably a good time to consider moving. No, it's not Pattinson's fault...and I'm sure Team Edward would be content just to watch him floss his fangless teeth and work that Zoolander Blue Steel look of eyebrows and cheekbones.

Remember Me is a film about love embedded in the midst of dysfunctional families, tragedies, and ultimately the need to appreciate each day of life we are given. A worthy message, to be sure, but be warned that the *surprise* ending could be one of the most shameless acts of audience manipulation I have ever seen.

Seriously, the directors of this film should be locked in a clown decorated room and forced to watch 27 episodes of The Wiggles non-stop for this one.

Rather ironic, I think, that a film called Remember Me has a plot line that screams out
'Pullleease forget me!'

By the way, how do you want to be remembered? I guess another way to phrase this question is:
What do you want on your tombstone?

This is an issue that most people don't think through too well, and at the end of their lives there is regret and disappointment because all they have to show for their existence is a history of trivial pursuits and soon to be forgotten accomplishments.

That was definitely the case with a man we only know as 'a criminal,' but check out how he changed it all with the words "remember me":

Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed Jesus to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified-one on his right and one on his left. One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself-and us, too, while you're at it!"

But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."

And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:32-33; 39-43).

Here's a person who led a life of crime, and now he is being crucified right beside Jesus. At that moment, he realizes that even though he has wasted the gift of life he was given, he can change the condition of his eternal life with three simple words,

"Jesus, remember me..."

That 'criminal' is now in heaven, but I bet he big time wishes that he had asked Jesus to remember him much earlier in life, because it would have radically changed his journey.

Have you asked Jesus to remember you? Not just when you die, but how about each and every day?

Jesus, remember me when I face the struggles and stresses of life.

Jesus, remember me when I feel like You're not there.

Jesus, remember me when the guilt of my past haunts me like a relentless ghost.

And Jesus, please remember me when I strive to live each day for You, loving You, obeying You, telling others about You and living for THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples.

Remember me, Savior, and help me to remember You. You spilled Your blood on the cross and came back from the dead to give all those who trust You for salvation a new and amazing life. You have called me to share this good news with everyone I meet, so that they too can be "with You in Paradise."

Don't wait until the end of your life to ask Jesus to remember you, because life is too short to be squandered and wasted on silly selfish drama and what you hope will make you happy. Following Jesus Christ is without a doubt the greatest adventure anyone could hope for...so what are you waiting for? Remember Him, and you'll be remembered forever!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Ask your friends how they want to be remembered and how they think they will be remembered. Transition that conversation into the story of the criminal who asked Jesus to remember him, and what a difference that made. Pray for an opportunity to share the gospel.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD (Psalm 25:7).

Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them (Psalm 106:4).

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

Top Podcasts for Christian Teens

2010-04-05T21:21:00.003-04:00

You probably know what podcasts are, and you probably have some playing regularly on your mp3 players. Yet, there are a lot of podcasts out there that pertain exclusively to Christian teens. Many of them can encourage you in your walk, make you laugh, and help answer your questions about Christianity. Here are some of the best podcasts available (all are available through iTunes and their websites):

StudentCAST – Your Student Ministry Podcast http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/mainpage/0%2C1701%2CM%25253D200732%2C00.html
If you want to listen to what the Bible says on different topics from balance, homosexuality, and internet social sites this podcast covers a range of topics balancing the world you live in with Bible scripture. It is not just a great resource for students, but also for youth workers and parents.

onething(TM) Podcast http://www.ihop.org/Group/Group.aspx?id=16836
A podcast brought to you by the International House of Prayer (IHOP), it covers everything from prayer to missions. There’s also worship and interviews with people meant to inspire and help you grow in your faith.

We Need Help! http://weneedhelp.libsyn.com/
Entertaining with a purpose, We Need Help podcast discusses pop culture and current issues so that you can grow while presenting it all in a fun and laugh-out-loud kind of way.

NRT New Christian Music http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/wordpress/?cat=5
Love Christian music? NRT’s podcasts are all about contemporary Christian music with interviews from some of your favorite artists from Jeremy Camp and Sonic Flood to the Newsboys. You can hear many new tracks from recent releases.

LIFETEEN.com http://www.lifeteen.com/
Looking at the headlines of these podcasts, you may question some of the topics. This is a Christian podcast? Yet when you start listening it’s all the word of God. Topics focus on issues like finding your passion, dealing with boredom at church, and more.

Student Bible Studies for Life Podcast http://www.christianpodder.com/cast/index.cfm?cast=206488
A combination of Bible studies and sermons, this podcast offers a life question and then looks closely at scripture to answer that question. The pocast takes real life situations and brings the Bible into focus.

Battle Cry for A Generation http://www.battlecry.com/
Fun videos that are both entertaining and educational. There are videos about evolution, concerts, and what youth around the country are doing for their faith.

The Winkie Pratney Weekly Podcast by God’s iPod http://www.godsipod.com/
Winkie Pratney is often called the world’s oldest teenager. A prolific youth speaker, this is an essential for your podcast collection. Winkie’s preaching has changed lives around the world, and you’ll laugh, cry, and walk away inspired from each podcast.

Catholic Rockers http://www.apostlemusic.com/jukebox/podcast/catholicrockers.asp
A podcast devoted to contemporary Catholic rock music. They play a variety of music and even link to Spanish speaking podcasts and music. There’s also some informative conversation and information about different events.

RADIANT Magazine Podcast http://www.radiantmag.com/
While not necessarily the most blatant Christian podcast, once you get past the surface there are Christian messages to be had for the older female teen. It is a great resource for teens facing the next step of becoming an independent woman.

Kelli Mahoney, About.com Guide

Top 5 Best Christian Radio Station Live and On the Net

2010-04-05T21:05:00.004-04:00

As a Christian teen you probably love your music. Today we are all attached to our iPods, listening to everything from our favorite tunes to top Christian podcasts. Still, there are times when you just like listening to what's on the radio - either to hear upcoming artists and new songs or just an inspiring word. Here are some popular Christian radio stations you can listen to on your radio or on your computer:

1. K-Love http://www.klove.com/
K-Love has radio stations and translators all across the U.S., meaning you can tune in almost anywhere to hear Christian music and inspirational DJs. However, the Christian radio station also provides a live, streaming broadcast so you can listen online no matter where you live.

2. Air1 Radio http://www.air1.com/
Most Christian teens want a great combination of modern Christian rock and faithful support from the DJs. Air1 doesn't think of itself as just a radio station, but a ministry in itself. You can either find a station close to you or even listen to the Christian radio station online via a streaming broadcast.

3. Way-FM http://www.wayfm.com/home.php
Way-FM broadcasts traditionally in six U.S. states, but also offers online streaming of its Christian radio broadcasts. This way any Christian teen can listen to the wide variety of modern Christian rock.

4. KLTY - Texas http://www.klty.com/
While you may not live in Texas to enjoy KLTY, you can enjoy the music and message via the Internet. The live, streaming audio allows Christian teens from all over the world to enjoy the family-friendly and inspirational Christian rock music .

5. CMradio.net http://www.cmradio.net/
While CMradio doesn't necessarily broadcast to your radio, the Christian radio site does offer a great range of music stylings via the Internet. It is actually a great place for Christian teens to discover up-and-coming artists and emerging Christian musical talents.

By Kelli Mahoney, About.com Guide

Internet Safety

2010-04-05T20:55:00.003-04:00

Are you a member of MySpace? How about Facebook? LiveJournal? Xianz? Most teens today are a member of some social networking site. While they may seem like a lot of fun, they also pose a risk to your safety. This does not mean that you can't join any of these online social networking sites. It just means that you need to be careful about how you use them. Here are some tips to keep yourself safe when you use the Internet:

1. Be Truthful
When a site asks you how old you are, you need to be honest. There are reasons that these sites ask for your age. They want to make sure you are appropriate for the site. If you have questions, you need to talk to your parents. You should also let your parents know that you are joining a site like MySpace, Live Journal, or Xianz. They can offer you help and advice about being safe.

2. Be Private
One of the things that amazed parents and professionals the most was the amount of information a person could get from a simple profile. You want to reveal some things about yourself, that's understandable, but you do not want to post information that will allow someone to find your location. This means avoiding posts that tell people where you hang out, your schedule, last name, and more.

3. Do You Use Pictures?
When the profiles of students were studied, there were some visual cues that could be used by a predator to find you. For instance, do you have pictures on your site where you are wearing school logos? How about friends messaging you using your last name? Got something on there about your youth group and what time you meet? Those are all easy ways for you to be found by a stranger.

4. Stay Private
One way to make yourself a little more private is to only use sites that allow you to "lock out" anyone that does not have your permission to view your site. MySpace and Xianz both have that capability. People need to request permission to view your profile. If you do not know that person, do not allow him or her to have access. Even if they say they are a "friend of a friend," you should really know the person you are talking to online.

5. Don't Meet in Person
Christians are supposed to witness to people. This means inviting them to go to church and discussing your faith with people you may have just met. Yet the anonymity of meeting people online is a little more dangerous. You need to be very, very careful. If you do feel like inviting that person to church, you should discuss it with your parents and only go with friends.

6. Get Rid of Bad Comments
As a Christian you need to live up to a different standard, but it doesn't mean you live in a vacuum. You probably have non-Christian friends that are not as appropriate about their posts in your comments section. Even though they are non-Christian, it does not look good for you to have those comments on your profile. Also, if you see something too revealing in your comments section, you should delete it right away.

By Kelli Mahoney, About.com Guide

Who Does Jesus Think You Are?

2010-04-05T20:46:00.002-04:00

Do you know what genealogy is?

“The study or investigation of ancestry and family histories.”*

In other words…barking up your family tree to find out who you think you are.

Typically this sounds as exciting as watching paint dry, and I’m sure you’ve already had some convos with your grandparents about your great-great-great uncle who raised cabbage somewhere and met President Lincoln, right?

Or if you’re like me, you have a semi-redneck background - if you shake my family tree hard enough, many nuts will fall out.

But enter the new reality TV show “Who Do You Think You Are,” and I think you’ll see genealogy in a new light. The program features big names like Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, and a few others who have interesting roots and stories that have had a profound impact on their view of themselves. For example, Sarah Jessica Parker is related to a witch… who knew?

So this begs the question, who do you think you are? More importantly, does it even matter?

It sure mattered to Jesus Christ. In fact, one of the most heated debates He ever had with the prideful religious leaders of His time involved a genealogy smack down that will probably surprise you:

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

Surprised, they said, "But we're descendants of Abraham. We've never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, 'The truth will free you'?"

Jesus said, "If you were Abraham's children, you would have been doing the things Abraham did. And yet here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth he got straight from God! Abraham never did that sort of thing. You persist in repeating the works of your father."

They said, "We're not bastards. We have a legitimate father: the one and only God."

"If God were your father," said Jesus, "you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn't come on my own. He sent me. Why can't you understand one word I say?”

Here's why: You can't handle it. You're from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn't stand the truth because there wasn't a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me.

Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me? Anyone on God's side listens to God's words. This is why you're not listening - because you're not on God's side" (John 8:31-33; 40-47, The Message)

Picking up a little tension here? This is one of the original “who do you think you are” arguments on record, and it very much applies to you and me.

How? Jesus draws a spiritual genealogy line in the sand that involves two fathers. Father #1 is God in heaven. His “descendants” are those who love Jesus Christ and have trusted in Him for salvation. At that moment we trusted Christ, we were born a second time into the family of God.

Father #2 is “the Devil,” according to Jesus. He’s not saying the Jews were all Satanists, but He is making the point that in a spiritual way, children turn out a lot like their dad.

He is also saying that from a spiritual perspective, all genealogies go back to one of two sources (God or the Devil) and I couldn’t agree more, because that’s the story of my life as well.

Yep, before I trusted Christ for salvation, I acted like my father, the Devil. I lied, I didn’t listen to God, and like every human on earth, my sin was the reason for the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

But at the moment of my salvation, my old family records were erased, my sins were forgiven, and I was adopted into a new family with a new Father. That’s why I am totally sold out about sharing the gospel with others who are still in the family with the most dysfunctional father who ever existed. Freedom from the past is available through Christ - that’s why the word “gospel”
means “good news”!

So do you know who you are now? The Apostle Paul put it best:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

* http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/genealogy

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Knowing that our unsaved friends and family are trapped in the cruel family of the world with a spiritually abusive father should motivate us greatly to share the good news that the Devil is not the only “dad” in town. Remember how amazing it was when you were set free into the family of God and share that memory with your friends.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
“The people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:16-17).

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).

www.dare2share.org/

4 Ways to Stay Strong in Your Christian Faith

2010-04-05T20:39:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you doubt your faith. Sometimes just finding five minutes for God seems like just another chore. God knows that sometimes Christians struggle in their faith. Sometimes devotions do not really seem like devotion, but work. Sometimes Christians wonder if God is even there. Here are some ways to keep your faith strong even when you feel a bit weak.

1. Remember that God is Always There
Even in the driest times, when you just don’t feel God’s presence, you need to remember that God is always there. He does not forget you. True faith is developed even when you don’t feel God.

Deuteronomy 31:6 - “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

2. Do a Daily Devotional
Developing long-term habits is important to maintaining your faith. A daily devotional will keep you in the Word and enhance your prayer life. It will also keep you closer to God even when you struggle in your faith.

Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

3. Get Involved
Many people become apathetic over time, because they do not feel connected to a church body. Some churches do not offer ways to connect. Yet, there are a lot of activities on campuses and in the community. You can even look into other ministries. The more connected you are to the body of Christ, the more likely it is that you will maintain your faith.

Romans 12:5 – “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

4. Talk to Someone
If you feel separated from God or you find yourself backsliding, talk to someone. Try your old youth leader, a pastor, or even your parents. Talk through your issues and pray with them about your struggle. They can offer insight into how they have worked through their own struggles.

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God”

By Kelli Mahoney, About.com Guide

What's in Your Wonderland?

2010-04-05T20:31:00.002-04:00

“There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter…Which luckily I am.”- The Mad Hatter

I don’t know about you, but if I were in an uncomfortable situation with a room full of people, and I saw a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and pocket watch booking towards a maze, I’d be outta there in a heartbeat.

That’s what Alice Kingsley does for the second time in ten years - and this time the stakes are much, much higher.

Welcome to Director Tim Burton’s vision of Alice in Wonderland…complete with a goth-esque Alice, Johnny Depp playing the Mad Hatter, and what Disney film would be complete without a smoking caterpillar?

A fun ride to be sure, but traveling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland is not for the faint of heart. And perhaps you do need to be at least a bit mad to survive…

Which luckily for me, I am as well.

I didn’t see a white rabbit and follow him down a hole, but when I was 15, I heard a message and an invitation that sounds just about as crazy as Alice in Wonderland. The speaker talked about an invisible spiritual kingdom that co-exists with the physical world we live in. There are good and evil forces locked in battle, and the stakes are the highest in the universe, because the war is for eternal souls.

So I checked it out in God’s Word to see if he was correct, and this is what I found:

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Are you seeing the picture here? When I trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, I entered into a spiritual wonderland that has been the greatest adventure I ever could have imagined. I’ve seen and experienced things that simply cannot be described with human language…and yes, there are those who might call me mad. But who cares? I’m in league with someone else who was labeled similarly:

“I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic…‘I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’”

Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” (Acts 26:17-18;24)

This is a scene from The Apostle Paul’s life when he was on trial for being a Christian. When he told them about the spiritual rabbit hole that Jesus called him down, they wrote him off as the original Mad Hatter.

And I guess we all seem a little mad. We appear mad because we believe that God loved the world so much that he sent Jesus to save us. We look crazy because we believe life was designed for us to love/serve God and to “rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment” (Jude 1:23). But really, this is the realest reality of all.

Can I be a white rabbit for a second? I’d like to invite you to the wonderland of Christianity. Following Christ is not a boring religious exercise designed to keep us from having fun - that’s what Satan would like you to believe. Rather this is what God promises:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

This pledge is not referring to heaven - although that will be amazing as well. This is a guarantee to those who love Jesus, that their lives will be as radically different and more exciting and breathtaking as Wonderland compared to England. It’s a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger.

So…what’s in your Wonderland?

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Ask your friends what they think about Christians and Christianity in general. Talk to them about how following Christ is a radically different way to see life, and pray for an opportunity to share the gospel.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

www.dare2share.org/

The Flying Tomato and Judgement Day

2010-03-10T09:59:00.002-05:00

You might not know this, but the words “U.S.A.,” “Winter Olympics,” and “domination” have never quite worked out to be in the same sentence. For the last 50 years, we’ve picked up a few medals here and there, but generally speaking, the competition has buried us in a blizzard of skill and athleticism.

That was then… This is now. World, meet Lindsey Vonn, Shani Davis, and, most impressively of all, Shaun White, also called The Flying Tomato because of his red hair.

In case you missed it, The Chairman of the Snowboard flipped out the “also rode”
competitors with a double McTwist 1260 (invented by him, not McDonalds) and a near perfect score of 48.4. I guess the only way to score a 50 with those judges is to leave orbit, circle the moon, and land a triple cork, all while singing “Oh Canada.”

It’s obvious to me that Shaun White goes way beyond wanting to win, because he has made his biggest competitor himself. No one wants to defeat Shaun White’s old scores more than Shaun White, and I can totally see him getting a 50 in the 2014 Olympics… can’t you?

Watching these events and awards ceremonies makes me think of the day that I hope to receive my own gold medal. It’s the day I will stand before the Judge, who will show me my own scores and, I hope, say, “Well done!”

I’m not talking about summer or winter games. I’m referring to the most important day of my life - Judgment Day:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The Apostle Paul wrote this verse with the ancient Olympics in Greece in mind, and the “judgment seat” he refers to was actually the podium where the judges sat to determine contest winners and give them rewards according to how well they performed.

So Paul is saying that the Christian life is an Olympic event and, just like Shaun White, your greatest competition is with yourself - your sinful nature against your spiritual nature. Even though your spirit desires to follow God’s will and reflect Christ, your flesh wants to you to crash and fall down the hill. It takes intense discipline and focus to beat that kind of competition – so intense, in fact, that only Christ the God-man could beat it.

Your performance here on earth is not a determination of whether or not you get into heaven… that deal was sealed when you trusted Christ for salvation. There is nothing that you can do to make your heavenly Father love you less or more than He does right now. Instead, this Olympic event is an evaluation of your commitment and follow-through to love and serve Jesus with every fiber of your being.

Here are some of the winning categories:

Are you studying the Bible and praying? Are you sharing the gospel relationally and relentlessly with your unsaved friends? Are you able to overcome sinful actions and attitudes through the power of the Holy Spirit? Are you plugged into a church and using your spiritual gifts?
These are the things the Judge wants to see in your life.

On that day, there will be Christians who will come to the podium, and after Christ reviews their life, they will have the look of sorrow and regret that you've seen on the athletes who have crashed. They will deeply wish they had done more for their Savior, but even in the midst of the disappointment, Jesus will "wipe every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 21:4) and lead them into eternal joy. And then there will be others who receive an evaluation of a life focused on serving Jesus Christ, and their faces will shine out joy and jubliation that could light up heaven itself.

So, how is your Olympic run going? Are you distracted and doubtful about God’s ability to use you in incredible ways? Have you forgotten to “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24)? Or are you soaring to new heights in your relationship with Christ?

The good news is that if you’re reading this, you still have a chance for victory! Take a lesson from Shaun White and the other Americans who went to the games, not just to compete, but to do their personal best. “They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Remember, your biggest competitor in these eternal Olympics is you. Like every athlete, there is a side to you that wants to coast and just do the easy thing. Don’t listen to that voice. Rather, take this advice and dominate your sinful nature in massive fashion:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT).

Because you already have God’s favor, go for the gold!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Ask your friends what they think motivates Shaun White to be the best and if they want to receive that kind of recognition. Share with them the good news Christ that will proclaim to His followers on Judgment Day. Remember, it pleases your Father in heaven when you are faithful witness for the gospel and do your part in obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Accelerant Feed the Fire
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat (Romans 14:10).

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

www.dare2share.org/

According to Him

2010-03-08T18:03:00.002-05:00

Question: What rock ‘n’ roll chica has the rare combination of one of the most unique names in musical history and *mad* guitar skills?

If the name Miley Cyrus came to mind, please dismiss that thought immediately…you’re fired.

Ladies and Gentlemen, her name is Orianthi Panagaris, her eco-friendly guitar is named “Pepper,” and you probably know her as “that blond chick that sings‘According to You.’”

According to you
I’m stupid
I’m useless
I can’t do anything right
According to you
I’m difficult
hard to please
forever changing my mind
I’m a mess in a dress
can’t show up on time
even if it would save my life
According to you, according to you

Who is “you”? Apparently it’s the guy she was dating who obviously didn’t have a lot of good things to say to her:

According to you
I’m boring
I’m moody
and you can’t take me any place
Can anyone out there relate to Orianthi and her unhealthy relationship? I would bet that there are a few voices in your world that would fall under the category of “According to You”…that cause you to feel “stupid” and “useless,” and any other number of things, making you wonder if you mean anything to anyone.

Sometimes it’s our parents, teachers, coaches, or even the images and expectations we get from the media that make us feel worthless. But ultimately, those messages come from the one that the Bible calls the enemy of our souls, “the accuser” Satan.

Satan accuses you of being worthless, unlovable, incompetent, and hopeless…why? Because if you have trusted Christ, you are God’s child, which means Satan wants nothing more than to steal the joy out of your life, kill your dreams, and destroy your hope of finding God’s amazing plan for your life.

In the song “According to You,” Orianthi discovers another voice which she refers to as “According to him”:

But according to him
I’m beautiful
incredible
he can’t get me out of his head
According to him
I’m funny
irresistible
everything he ever wanted

Aren’t those the words we all want to hear? Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had a person in our lives who believed in us and saw the best in us even through our flaws?

You do have Someone like that. There is a heavenly song playing for all believers in Jesus Christ that started even before the universe existed called “According to Him” - and here are just a few of the lyrics:

According to Him*

I love you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

According to Him

I know the plans I have for you, they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

According to Him

No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what He has prepared
for those who love him.

According to Him

His unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

According to Him

He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
He is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Are you picking up on how God feels about His children? In Christ, we are way beyond “beautiful, incredible”…in fact, according to Him, He chose to die rather than live without us.
So now, like Orianthi, you have a choice between two voices. Don’t listen to the accusations of the devil and the world. Instead, tune your soul into the melody of heaven that assures you for eternity that you have the unfailing love of your Father, the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

And just like you would pass along a link to an amazing video on YouTube to your friends, get the word out about the Bible’s version of “According to Him.” You have friends that are trapped in the world of negative messages but you have the voice of the gospel that will allow them to choose a different perspective – that they are loved by God the Father when they put their faith and trust in Christ.

According to Him… He made you, He loves you, He died for you.

*Jeremiah 31:3; 29:11; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Psalm 103:11-13

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Isn’t it great to know that the Creator God of the universe has forgiven us and loves us unconditionally because of Christ? That’s why it is so critical that we get the word out to our friends and families that are only hearing the “according to you” messages. Send your friends the link to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu1aQvm5MrU) and then bring up a conversation with them about the different voices in their lives and how they impact them. Pray for an opportunity to share the true “according to Him” message.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands (Deuteronomy 7:9).

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

www.dare2share.org/blaze

The Lovely Bones and the Scary Truth

2010-03-08T17:54:00.002-05:00

Personally, I don’t “see dead people”…nor have I ever, and I hope I never do…

But what if they could see us? Have you ever thought about that? And if you could watch them as they watch us, you would have a great idea for a book/film.

Welcome to The Lovely Bones, a film adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel, directed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Essentially, this is a tragic story of a murdered teenager who watches her grieving family from beyond. She is trapped in an afterlife waiting station, suspended between heaven and earth with a front row seat to life as it progresses without her.

I, for one, would not be too excited about that sort of destiny. To think that I might end up as an unanchored soul being tortured with scenes of what was taken from me sounds more like hell than “waiting to pass on.”

But how do we know what will happen? There are hundreds - if not thousands - of ghost stories and tales of supernatural encounters from people who don’t otherwise seem to fit the category of “nut job.” Maybe that’s why the plotline of The Lovely Bones is so intriguing – it’s a “what if” scenario that makes your skin crawl when you really think about it.

But I have something that should go way beyond curiosity to the top of your list of concerns. It is a picture of our future and our destiny, and it is the final word on what really happens when you die:

…Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment… (Hebrews 9:27 NLT).

It seems clear to me that the notions of reincarnation, ghost walking, and any other “in-between” theories that we’ve seen in fictional movies are just that…fictional. According to the passage from God’s Word above, we die and then we face judgment. We are not allowed to take care of unfinished business and we are not allowed to “wait” and watch what unfolds with our family and friends.

A few years ago, there was an emergency room physician named Maurice Rawlings who became curious about the experiences of people who survived clinical death and returned to recount their experiences. According to his book Beyond Death's Door, most of those who have near-death experiences later speak of seeing light, lush green meadows, rows of smiling relatives and feeling tremendous peace.

But what he discovered after interviewing 300 people immediately after they had been brought back from their near-death experience was that about 50% of the revived persons told of having gone to a place of great darkness filled with grotesque moaning and writhing bodies crying out to be rescued from this place with overwhelming feelings of eeriness and nightmarish terror. He says they later changed their story because most people are so ashamed at possibly having had a glimpse of hell, they won't even admit it to their families.

Check out his conclusion:

"Just listening to these patients has changed my whole life. There's a life after death, and if I don't know where I'm going, it's not safe to die."

If all we had to worry about after death was how long we were going to float around and haunt people, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the afterlife. But when God’s Word and an ER doc both tell you that you’d better be prepared for the inescapable destiny of heaven or hell, I would suggest you listen.

The Lovely Bones is a great story about working through grief and moving on past tragedy and death, but don’t let the afterlife stuff fool you. If you haven’t asked Jesus Christ to forgive you and told Him that you are trusting in Him alone for salvation, please do so this very day.
If you know people who are counting on a second chance or a “waiting period” to figure out their afterlife plans, tell them about what the Bible promises and Dr. Rawlings discovered.

Remember, if you’ve trusted Christ for salvation, you have nothing to worry about! Check out what the Apostle Paul wrote when he looked forward to his last day on earth:

Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Again, Paul is pointing out that Christians who die go immediately to be at “home with the Lord.”
In other words, believers in Jesus Christ leave their not-so-lovely bones to move into their incredible homes for eternity!

Flash Point Ignite into Action
Bring up the subject of the afterlife with your friends this week by asking them if they have thought about what will happen when they die. Pray for an opportunity to bring up the study done by Dr. Rawlings and to share the hope that you have in Christ.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son (John 3:18).

But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:23-24).

www.dare2share.org/

My brother's keeper

2010-03-06T20:05:00.004-05:00

This is my new favorite song of the moment, Hold Us Together by Matt Maher. What really stands out to me in the lyrics is the part about being my brother's keeper so that the whole world will know that we're not alone.

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" ~Genesis 4:9

An attitude such as Cain's isn't all that uncommon. How often do we think, "Well, I don't care what that person does. They aren't my problem." or "It's their life. They can do what they want with it."

How about, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!" or in Ralphie's case, "You'll shoot your eye out!"

If you were to see someone who was about to walk in front of a moving train, would you say something? You'd probably yell or honk if you were driving, right?

What about a baby crawling towards the top of the stairs? Would you do something to keep them from falling? More than likely, you'd run to them and grab them before they went tumbling down.

But what about your buddy who invited you over to his house to show you a really great porn site he found?

And then there's your best friend who has confided in you that she is finally going to give in to her boyfriend this weekend and have sex with him.

What are you going to do, if anything, about these situations?

Are you going to just let them happen? Participate or encourage them? Maybe say nothing at all, for fear that they may judge you or think you're a loser, not cool, or even worse...a religious nut.

What about stepping in and taking the role of "brother's keeper"?

What would it take for you to let your buddy know that pornography is dangerous and demeaning to women and girls? Are you willing to tell him that you're not interested and hope that he would reconsider?

And your best friend. Do you have the courage to step in and let her know that she doesn't need to have sex with her boyfriend to show him she loves him, but if he tells her otherwise, he doesn't truly love her?

Are you willing to perform risky behavior to protect others from their own risky behavior?

Are you willing to be your brother's keeper?

Playing Hide and Seek with God

2010-03-04T09:36:00.002-05:00

Have you ever felt like you were playing Hide and Seek with God?

Have you ever tried to search for Him, only to find yourself feeling alone?

The Bible tells us that God welcomes us to seek Him and if we do so, God has promised us that He will be found.

Jeremiah 29:13~ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Psalm 9:10~ Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

2 Samuel 22:31~ God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.

The next time you feel alone, take the time to seek God and you will most definitely find Him.

Home again, home again. Jiggity jig.

2010-03-02T09:23:00.002-05:00

We are back home and I must say, it's a very good place to be.

Justin and I had an awesome time in Chicago attending the Simply Youth Ministry Conference and we are feeling so refreshed and refueled for the ministry.

One thing that has occurred to me this morning while I am unpacking and sorting through all of the resources we brought back, is the theme of this year's conference.

Surprising Legacy.

We were challenged this past weekend to think of those who have made a legacy for us in our walk with Christ. We also were reminded that we, as youth workers, were making a legacy for our kids as we walk with them and teach them about the Kingdom of God.

What occurred to me was that those who have been a part of my own legacy were not only in my past, but also in my present and future. Those who I teach are becoming a part of my own legacy because as they learn more about Christ and discover the beauty of His immeasurable love, I, too, am learning from them and they are making a significant mark on my life.

I have come to realize that those who leave a legacy for us don't necessarily have to be older than us or have more knowledge, experience or wisdom. Sometimes those who we teach and guide end up teaching and guiding us, becoming a part of our own legacy.

Popeye's confuses bobble head Moses

2010-03-01T01:34:00.002-05:00

It all started with this bizarre utensil, referred to as a "spork". It was like nothing bobble head Moses had ever seen before.

Bobble head Moses' bewilderment continued in the restroom, where he thought the hand dryer...

...was actually a bacon dispensing machine.

Sorry, bobble head Moses.

Chicago deep dish pizza...

2010-03-01T01:29:00.002-05:00

...oh, how we love thee!

Giordano's Pizza.

Best. Pizza. Evah.

Dare 2 get your picture taken with bobble head Moses?

2010-03-01T01:21:00.002-05:00

Our youth group has been a long time fan of Greg Stier and Dare 2 Share Ministries.

Not getting a photo of bobble head Moses and Greg at the conference would have been tragic.

Thanks be to God, not only for the photo opportunity, but also for the messages and awesome evangelism teaching that D2S equips us with.

Toby Mac and bobble head Moses...kinda sorta

2010-03-01T01:11:00.002-05:00

Fantabulous concert tonight with Toby Mac! To make it even cooler, he finished off the set with Jesus Freak. *love*

We were really excited to be a part of the meet and greet after the show and we were really hoping for an autograph, but especially we were looking to get a photo of Toby with bobble head Moses.

Unfortunately, it was getting really late and the band had to head back, so we were unable to get any autographs, but...

...bobble head Moses still managed to get into a photograph with him!

CREEPER!!!

Bobble head Moses & day 2 at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference

2010-02-28T00:20:00.007-05:00

Bobble head Moses' first encounter this morning was with Eric Timm. Eric is an amazing and very unique Christian artist. Justin and I have purchased a collection of 13 prints of Eric's to put in the youth room.

WHOO-HOO!!! It's The Skit Guys, Eddie and Tommy! This was the most exciting photo for bobble head Moses so far.

We learned 2 very interesting tidbits of trivia this evening.

Here is the first one:

And the second:

These are the finished paintings that Eric Timm created tonight. I have a video of him working on the actual paintings that I will share with the youth group when we get back home.

Nicole C. Mullen. She is amazing and the work she does with youth, especially girls, is truly a blessing. Love her.

Although we thought it was strange that the driver dropped us off at the back of the hotel, we didn't realize that we got on the wrong shuttle and were dropped off at the wrong hotel until after we attempted to go to our room and realized that it wasn't in the same place that it was this morning before we left.

Soooooo.....

...this is bobble head Moses sitting on the couch in the lobby at Holiday Inn O'Hare (Rosemont).

He was waiting for the shuttle to return to pick us up and take us to the right Holiday Inn O'Hare (North Cumberland).

Get to know Jesus

2010-02-28T00:14:00.002-05:00

The more you get to know Him, the more you will fall in love with Him.

The more you fall in love with Him, the more you will follow Him.

The more you follow Him, the more you will become like Him.

The more you become like Him, the more you will become yourself.

~Ned Erickson

Pray for Haiti... Talk to Your Friends

2010-02-27T10:47:00.000-05:00

Calamity…

Do you know this word? The dictionary defines it as:

“An event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe affliction; a disaster” (http://www.dictionary.com/)

As you know, the earthquake in Haiti was a calamity. An evil catastrophe of nature that is responsible for death toll numbers that are beyond shocking and impossible to get our minds and hearts around. The images coming from the already impoverished nation crush our spirits and even disorient the foundations of our worldviews.

But…having our worldviews disoriented is not always a bad thing. Calamities change our perspective and drop us to our knees. Disasters refocus our priorities and more clearly define our vision for life. The earthquake and subsequent loss of life, disease and homelessness should at the front of our prayer line, and most of all, we beg God to empower the gospel to go forth and bring millions into His Kingdom.

I would encourage one more thing…

Remember that calamity is always a possibility coming our way. It’s easy to feel safe when you don’t live near a fault line or along the hurricane belt, but trust me…that feeling is a false sense of security. Disaster can strike anytime, anywhere, and as someone once said, “Nobody gets out of life alive.” That should cause us to think about issues more important than physical disasters.
That is why the Bible is abounding in warnings about a spiritual calamity, including a very clear admonition from Jesus Christ:

“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him” (John 3:35-36).

Another version of the Bible phrases that last sentence this way:

“All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”

Jesus is crystal clear in His warning of imminent calamity for those who haven’t trusted in Him as Savior. The original word for “judgment” actually means “punishment,” which is why life without Jesus Christ really is a repeated cycle of “angry darkness” from the God of the universe.
Am I trying to scare you? Yes! God’s wrath is something we all should be afraid of, but there is great news for those who have trusted Christ for forgiveness:

“Because God’s children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:14-15, NLT).

The Bible makes it clear that God loves us, but because He is holy, His righteous anger against sin rests on those who refuse to accept the free gift of salvation that cost Jesus His life. But what amazing news that believers are “set free” from the “fear of dying”!

In reality, you can divide the entire human race into two parties and two destinies. There are those who have humbled themselves before God and realized they can’t be good enough to please God and enter heaven. They have kneeled at the foot of the Cross of Jesus and trusted Him alone for salvation.

Their destiny is forgiveness, restoration, and paradise.

Then there are those who run from God, even though His presence is seen and felt as clearly as a hot sun in mid-July. They refuse to let go of their pride, because they have placed themselves on the throne of their lives.

Their destiny is calamity, despair, and punishment.

Ironic, isn’t it, that it takes a heart-wrenching catastrophe to wake us up to the real nature of life on this fallen planet? Even more ironic is the fact that many Christians are more willing to jump on a plane and fly to Haiti than they are to bring up the gospel and the question of eternal destinations with their friends.

Pray for Haiti and give till it hurts, but let this horrible tragedy remind you that there are spiritual earthquakes happening everyday in the lives of your friends who don’t know Jesus. You are the relief worker called by God to share the gospel and rescue them from God’s wrath.

Are you ready for the rescue mission?

Flash Point Ignite Into Action
Next time you’re in a conversation with your friends about Haiti, bring up the idea of calamity and how the Bible warns about the spiritual kind. Ask your friends if they’d like to know how to avoid a spiritual calamity. Continue to pray for opportunities to share the gospel especially in the wake of the earthquake, because this event causes many to think about the big issues in life.

Accelerant Feed the Fire
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:42-44).

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare (2 Peter 3:10).

http://www.dare2share.org/

Bobble head Moses and some "famous" faces

2010-02-26T23:47:00.003-05:00

It seems only right that bobble head Moses ran into Doug Fields shortly after arriving at the conference.

For those of you not familiar with Doug, he was, up until his recent resignation, the Youth Pastor at Saddleback Church in California. Currently, Doug is focusing on writing & teaching, and since he is the host of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, bobble head Moses was thrilled to actually meet him.

Josh Griffin is the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. He's quite entertaining and a huge Star Wars fan.

We were so surprised when bobble head Moses spotted Travis Whittaker, lead singer of S T A T I O N 2! As many of our youth kids know, the band is AMAZING! Check out their website at http://www.station2music.com/music/ .

Finally tonight, bobble head Moses spotted Jake Rutenbar. Jake makes us laugh with the videos he makes, especially Overnighter, which you can watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x21qytxKsoo .

We had a long day today and tomorrow is going to be even longer, but we are having a great time. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and stay tuned for more bobble head Moses photos.

Our passion

2010-02-26T23:24:00.003-05:00

Attending this conference is so much more than a chance to get away for the weekend, stay in a cool hotel, eat ridiculously cheesy deep dish pizza and take funny pictures.

Attending this conference reminds us why we do what we do.

Attending this conference reminds us that our youth are not the future of the church, but rather they are the church of today.

Attending this conference reminds us of the importance of our ministry, regardless of the struggles.

Attending this conference reminds us that even though our group may be small, we are MIGHTY and the work that we can do together for the Kingdom of God is even mightier.

Attending this conference reminds us how much we adore each and every one of our kids, how much we love their own unique personalities and how important it is to share God's love with them in the way that Jesus intended it to be shared.

Attending this conference reminds us about our passion.

"Working in youth ministry is not rational, it's passional" ~ Duffy Robbins

We have arrived...with bobble head Moses in tow!

2010-02-25T18:58:00.012-05:00

"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared." Exodus 23:20

Our goal was to leave the house by 8AM, so when bobble head Moses had the last suitcase packed in the trunk by 7:52, we were happy to be ahead of schedule.

First things first, we had to set the GPS. Bobble head Moses was insisting we set it before we even left the driveway and was grumbling something under his breath about not wanting to wander around for 40 years looking for where we were going.

Next thing we had to do was fill up the tank. Bobble head Moses started to pump the gas while Justin ran in to pay.

Time for breakfast! We stopped at Waffle House where bobble head Moses insisted we sit at the counter. He had his tea with 2 creamers and a blop of honey, hold the locust. (He never could understand how John the Baptist could stomach those little critters.)

Wanting to be the center of attention, bobble head Moses climbed up the condiments and pretended to be on a mountain top. He asked me if I had any stone tablets and a chisel, but I didn't. I'm not sure what he was up to, but he settled for a piece of notebook paper and stubby little pencil that I got when we played miniature golf over the summer.

The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction."
Exodus 24:11-13

Finally, breakfast was served! Man cannot live on bread alone. That is why God created waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " Matthew 4:4

At the rest stop, bobble head Moses reminded us the importance of good hygiene and proper hand washing techniques.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

Coffee break!!!

At lunch time, we took a random exit in Indiana and ended up at Country Table Family Restaurant in Michigan. Yes, Michigan. Bobble head Moses got a little crazy since the GPS was going wonky and insisting that we make a U-Turn as soon as possible.

We stopped for gas at a gas station that didn't have coffee, so we opted for other sources of caffeine. They brought a smile to bobble head Moses' face.

Ummmm, bobble head Moses, don't look now, but there is some kind of cloud creature forming in the sky behind you!

Finally, a sign indicating we were getting close to Chicago. (Disregard the bug splatter on the windshield, please.)

Grrrr!!! The Chicago rush hour traffic that we're about to embark on makes bobble head Moses angry!

Sweet! We have arrived at our hotel about 9 hours after we left this morning. What a drive. Bobble head Moses was tired, but had to check out the amenities before taking a nap.

Ooohhh. A microwave!!!

And a mini-fridge!

Finally...the fluffy pillows!

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25

The New Adventures of Bobble Head Moses

2010-02-24T18:36:00.009-05:00

If you want to read about Moses, the book of Exodus is a good place to start, but if you're looking more for a photographic journal of his adventures in 2010, then this is the place you want to be.

Bobble head Moses was given to us as a promotional item last year in Cincinnati at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference, so it only seemed right to bring him along with us this year and allow you to get a feel of the conference and Chicago (location of this year's event) through the eyes of bobble head Moses.

One important note to pass on: Bobble head Moses does NOT like to be compared to the Travelocity gnome. They are different in many ways and similar in few. Most importantly, bobble head Moses likes to share the Word of God with those he meets, which can result in great long term (A.K.A. eternal) rewards, whereas the Travelocity gnome...well, not so much.

We hope you check back with us frequently during our trip. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning and will be back sometime Monday evening. One goal that I have for the trip is to see how many people I can get to pose for pics with bobble head Moses and with this group of people who will be attending the event, it shouldn't be hard to do.

Thanks for reading and please keep us in your prayers for safe travels, wisdom and great teachings to enhance our ministry and long camera battery life.

How to Share Your Faith Using Valentine's Day

2010-02-11T13:47:00.003-05:00

Ahhh, Love is in the air…

Or is that a fat, curly-haired angel with heart shaped arrows?

Either way, there’s no denying that today, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. It’s the day where everyone’s thoughts turn to love and hearts and candy and cards. Just look around!

You’ll see girls with hearts floating around their heads, dreaming of the perfect Valentine’s Day that their Prince Charming is planning for them.

You’ll also see guys running here and there on Saturday afternoon, freaking out because they totally forgot about Valentine’s Day and they’re trying to figure out what last minute gift to get for their special lady.

There will be more candy, cards, and flowers bought on this day than any day of the year!

So, how can you use all this mushiness as a witnessing tool? I’m glad you asked.

As mentioned above, and as you already know, Valentine’s Day focuses on love, love, love. There will be people who are overjoyed with what they got for Valentine’s Day, and there will be people disappointed in what they got. There will be some people who don’t get anything – some may not care, while others may be crushed. All of these situations can be used to talk about the LOVE of Jesus Christ!!

Jesus gave us a gift of love as well. He was (and still is) in love with a very special person…EVERYONE! His gift had a very special name on it…EVERYONE!

Jesus came to earth and gave the greatest gift of love possible…his own life! Just check out John 15:12-13.

So today and this week you’re going to have tons of different opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus by using Valentine’s Day to get your foot in the door. How? Let’s take a look.

First of all, you can always open up the conversation by asking what the person got for Valentine’s Day. It will always lead to one of the situations above. From there you can go into it depending on his or her response (we’ll assume it’s a girl for the examples).

If she LIKED what she got you can mention that Jesus gave us a gift that we’re sure to like as well. In fact, it’s even better than the one that she got from her boyfriend! That gift is eternal life with Christ, which saves you from an eternity in Hell. He offers that gift to her freely and all she has to do is believe it and accept it.

If she DID NOT LIKE what she got you can mention that Jesus gave us a gift that she WILL like. It’s the greatest gift ever and is the greatest example of love ever! That gift is eternal life with Christ. He offers that gift to her freely and all she has to do is believe it and accept it.

If she didn’t get anything and is HAPPY about it, you can tell her, “I know someone who loves you more than anything, more than his very own life, and he wants to give you something. Would you want that?” You can then tell her about how Jesus came to earth and died for her so that she could have eternal life with him forever! He offers that gift to her freely and all she has to do is believe it and accept it.

If she didn’t get anything and IS NOT HAPPY about it, you can tell her, “I know someone who loves you more than anything, more than his very own life, and he wants to give you something. He’s wanted to give it to you your whole life because he loves you so much. Do you want me to tell you about him and the gift?” From there you can tell her about how Jesus came to earth and died for her so that she could have eternal life with him forever! He offers that gift to her freely and all she has to do is believe it and accept it.

And now, I challenge you as Jesus’ army of Christian Cupids…get out there and share the love!

http://www.dare2share.org/

Do You Know How to Save a Life?

2010-01-18T21:05:00.002-05:00

A note from Kelly: Hey, guys and chickies! Justin and I are very excited to share the movie "How to Save a Life" with you all, but unfortunately, it is not coming to a theater anywhere near us. When it comes out on video, we will be having a movie night, so stay tuned for more details.

http://www.dare2share.org/

Have you ever been so close to death that someone literally saved your life? I have.

I was a highly skilled and highly prideful skier. At 15, most guys think they can do anything, especially when you are bombing through the trees in unmarked and sometimes restricted areas of the Rocky Mountains.

I remember shooting out onto a trail at warp speed, when suddenly I felt an impact from behind, then a loss of control as I was headed in a direct path towards a tree.

But instead of hitting the tree, I was yanked out of the way, hit the ground, and everything went black.

When I awoke, there was a professional slalom competitor asking me if I was OK. Then it came to me… I had accidently shot out onto a closed course and was hit by the skier - who then wrecked us both on purpose to save me from hitting a tree and having a terrible, or more likely, fatal accident.

He saved my life, and I’ve never been the same.

Have you ever wanted to save a life? I think all of us deep down would love to know that we played a life-saving role in someone’s existence - it’s just the way we’re wired.

I have great news for you! You have the opportunity to do that! In theaters* this coming weekend is a movie called To Save a Life. It chronicles the journey of a super-popular-talented-have-it-all teenager named Jake, whose life is changed when he realizes what Jesus meant when He said:

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? (Luke 9:24-25).

This film is engaging and powerful, but more than that, it creates an opportunity for you to bring up the good news of the gospel with your friends. I was incredibly moved and impacted by To Save a Life. While the movie itself doesn’t give the gospel, it shows the impact of the gospel on the life of one teenager in a powerful way. I can honestly tell you that it made me want to share the message of eternal life through Jesus Christ with anyone and everyone.

I won’t spoil the plot, but the way God gets deep into Jake’s heart is through tragedy and heartbreak - which I’m pretty sure describes you, me and everyone else who lives in this world. God seems to use the pain of this life like a megaphone to break through our petty distractions and shallow perspectives and speak the Truth of salvation into our souls.

To Save a Life does that as well. There is hardly a difficult teenage issue left untouched, which is why you should take your unsaved friends to see it. They will most likely relate it to their lives, and those reopened wounds give God a chance to reveal His amazing offer of healing and restoration through your conversations after the movie. This movie gives you a wide open door to share Jesus with your friends in a way that is natural.

In many ways, your unsaved friends are like an out-of-control skier headed for a major crash. Will you be bold and reach out to them? It may cost you… but what is any cost compared to saving a life?

As you pray about and think through this incredible opportunity, meditate on these passages from the Bible:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust (1 Corinthians 9:16-17).

Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment (Jude 1:23).

Friends, life is fragile and time is short. Don’t waste this chance to play a role in impacting someone’s eternal destiny! God has purposely placed unsaved people in your life and truly given you a “sacred trust”…

To save a life.

*Find To Save a Life at the theater nearest you by visiting
http://www.tosavealifemovie.com/tickets/

Flash Point Ignite into Action

Call/Text/Facebook your friends right after you read this and invite them to see To Save a Life with you. Make sure you have time after the movie to go to coffee and have a conversation about the gospel. Ask your friends “What do you think was the message that transformed the main character’s life so dramatically?” Then follow up with “I think what changed his life was a relationship with God and not a religion” and segue into the gospel.

Accelerant Feed the Fire

“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:24).

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).

The FarmVille of Your Soul

2010-01-18T21:01:00.000-05:00

http://www.dare2share.org/

It started as just plain and simple “Farm Town”…and you already know what I’m talking about, right? Its popularity skyrocketed and now there are over 73 MILLION people *digging* this game, happily clicking their mouses (mice?) on:

FarmVille!

If you don’t own a farm yet, you probably know at least a few folks who are completely addicted to the latest Facebook crack and trying to persuade you to be their “neighbor” so they don’t feel like a loser.

Of course the million dollar question in my mind is…

Did Old MacDonald have a FarmVille? Ee - i - ee - i - NO!

I guess I get the attraction: anxiously awaiting your prized pumpkins to sprout in real time and passionately seeking out the golden chicken so you can shame your friends…but seriously, if you really want to work on a farm and make real money, maybe try a trip to Kansas or Iowa?

Perhaps there is something else fascinating about planting a seed and seeing what happens - especially knowing that growth will equate with profit.

Did you know that Jesus was a “farmer” too? Facebook wasn’t around in His day, but He still planted seeds:

He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great size that he had to get into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water's edge. He taught by using stories, many stories.

“Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up, it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.

"Are you listening to this? Really listening?"

When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. He told them,

"The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them.

"And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

"The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.

"But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams" (Mark 4:1-12; 14-20).

Interestingly enough, Jesus uses a FarmVille illustration for what impact the words of the Bible have on people. What He is saying is that everyone’s soul is just like a plot of soil, and when the good news about Jesus and His death on the cross enters their ears, that message is planted - and the result of the news on that person becomes evident in real time.

Result One: The amazing idea that this person can be freed of guilt and sin and find eternal salvation by trusting Christ doesn’t even make it past the first day, because Satan uses doubt, fear, and lies to steal away the message.

Result Two: This person trusts Christ and gets excited about serving Him, but the first time they are ridiculed or come to the realization that being a Christian is costly, the seed of the gospel withers away.

Result Three: Being a Christian sounds like a great idea to this person, but soon the message that they can be free of their shallow, materialistic culture is choked out by the attractive weeds of media, music, and friends.

Result Four: This person allows the message of Jesus to grow from the core of their soul. The rocky soil is broken up, the weeds are pulled, and life is never the same in their spiritual FarmVille.

I bet if I asked you about your plot on FarmVille, you’d have an immediate answer. But let me ask you a more important question…how is your spiritual soil? Are you rife with plant life or dry as the Saharan desert? And imagine this - what if everyone was as excited and motivated to tell others about the gospel as they are about FarmVille? Ironic, isn’t it, that we want neighbors in a game, but we sometimes don’t care about the people who may or may not be our neighbors in heaven.

So the next time you’re plantin’ and harvestin’ your crops, remember that there is a much more important activity going on. This one doesn’t get you coins, but it does “produce a harvest beyond wildest dreams."

Get involved in the spreading the seed of the gospel in the lives of the teens you know. You will reap amazing rewards from the growth of those seeds!

Flash Point Ignite into Action

This week try to figure out what kind of spiritual “soil” your friends have, and be bold in spreading the seed of the gospel. You’ll soon know who Jesus is working on, so be sure to make sure your soil is rich as well so that you can answer any questions.

Accelerant Feed the Fire

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2).

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace (Acts 20:24).

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile (Romans 1:16).

The Gospel is Afoot!

2010-01-18T20:57:00.001-05:00

http://www.dare2share.org/

It’s official… Robert Downey Jr. is more than Iron Man. He’s actor man and mega kudos to him for bringing back one of the coolest characters in all of literary history: Sherlock Holmes.

If you didn’t know, the tales of this incredible detective’s adventures have been around for over 120 years. Way, waaaay before your grandparents were born, super sleuth Sherlock Holmes was on the case, mystifying folks with his incredible intellectual prowess and bringing the bad guys down to Chinatown.

Now in 2009, he hits the big screen with not only brains, but also mad, Chuck-Norris skills that he uses to bring an extra slice of beat-down on his adversaries.

Isn’t there a bit of Sherlock Holmes in all of us? Think about it - shows like CSI, House, heck even Blue’s Clues (we just figured out Blue’s clues!) captivate us by getting our brains humming to see if we can solve the mystery before the characters.

(Well, maybe not Blue’s Clues… Not that I *cough cough* watch it or anything… But you get my point, right?)

So in the grand tradition of Sherlock Holmes and the satisfaction of solving mysteries that feel like a splinter in your mind, I present to you the grandest mystery of all… one that involves tragedy and triumph, action and adventure, and most importantly, life and death.

The game is afoot!

We find our first clue in a conversation that took place thousands of years ago, when the first man and woman on earth made the biggest mistake in the universe. They disobeyed God’s one and only rule, and brought physical and spiritual death to all humanity. But look closely at what God tells Satan in the midst of this:

Then the Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this, you are cursed
more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
groveling in the dust as long as you live.
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel” (Gen 3:14-15).

At first glance, it looks like snakes and people just won’t get along to well – Duh! But notice God refers to “her offspring.” This is the only time God refers to Eve’s descendant, not Adam’s. Why? And what does He mean with the whole “strike your head” and “strike his heel” thing?

The next two clues come from songs written by one of the greatest Kings of Israel, David:

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice for my clothing (Psalm 22:16-18).

(This sounds like a death scene, but how could David write this if he were dead?)

For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave (Psalm 16:10).

(Wait a second…does David really think he’ll live forever?)

The final clue comes from a great prophet of God named Isaiah:

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14).

OK, now the mystery has gone to a whole new level… A virgin has a child? Also, “Immanuel” literally means “God with us” – as in, God in the flesh. What does that mean?

Confused as to how all those fit together? Perhaps not, because for many, the case has been solved. But think about the people who lived before Jesus came. They had no idea that Jesus was a descendant of Eve, not Adam, through the Holy Spirit and borne of a virgin. They didn’t know that he hadn’t inherited the sinful nature that the rest of the human race inherited from Adam, their representative. They also didn’t know that death on the cross is the only form of execution that bruises your heel. And yes, Jesus crushed the power of Satan when He defeated death.

And David’s songs? He was prophesying that Jesus’ hands and feet would be “pierced,” that soldiers would gamble for His clothes, and that Jesus wouldn’t stay in the grave…

All of which took place exactly as predicted.

What about Isaiah’s prophecy? It had been revealed to him that Jesus would be both God and human. Jesus was God in the flesh, God walking around on earth, eating, drinking, sleeping. And because he was fully human, he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, because he was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Aren’t you glad the gospel isn’t a mystery anymore? The case has been solved and your greatest enemies - death and Satan - have been totally defeated. This is elementary, my dear reader. If you have trusted Christ as your only hope of salvation, you have hope for this life and paradise in the life to come.

But there are many who have yet to solve the mystery of their depression, guilt, loneliness, and despair. They are held captive by the enemy. So now it’s your turn to join the adventure and help them find the solution every soul longs to discover.

The gospel is afoot!

Flash Point Ignite into Action

Ask your friends if they know about all the clues God gave us in the Bible about Jesus. There are over 300 of them - so you have plenty of material for conversations about the incredible mystery that was solved on the Cross!

Accelerant Feed the Fire

Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him… (Romans 16:24-26).

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10).

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Lessons From Tiger: A God-Shaped Hole in One

2010-01-18T20:26:00.001-05:00

http://www.dare2share.org/

If you google “Tiger Woods” right now, you will get around 40 million returns and over 7,000 news articles.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t the kind of popularity he desires right now. The mainstream media is (as expected) executing the typical “pile on” maneuver and reporting on anything they can get their hands on, and if you’re like me, you’re ready for this story to run its course.

Of course, it won’t anytime soon. We’ll be treated to headliner stories and sordid details that the generally morbid population feeds on like sharks in frenzy. We’ll get theories, speculations, and allegations that may go on for weeks - even months.

Until, that is, somebody else in the limelight pulls a different bigger-than-life train wreck that turns into the next menu item for TMZ and all manner of gossip-loving folks who love to read about failures so they can feel better about themselves.

But it should be different for Christians. While it may be virtually impossible for us to escape the story, rather than judging or condemning, as Christians, we should focus on what God can teach us through Tiger’s transgressions.

So…what can we take from the saddening saga of the Woods family?

First, look up. Our personal failures and spiritual breakdowns so often happen as a result of not keeping our focus on Jesus Christ. Here’s the way the writer of Hebrews puts it:

Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete (Hebrews 12:1-2).

I have no clue as to Tiger’s spiritual condition, nor is it my place to evaluate or judge since I don’t know him - I haven’t even met him. But this story reminded me that if I take my eyes off of Jesus, I’m headed for a crash that involves a lot more than a fire hydrant and a tree.

Second, look around. There are people everywhere who carry a load of loneliness, emptiness, and even depression because their deceptive worldview tells them that contentment and happiness can be found through something material. Do we really need another story like this to be reminded that all the money, fame, success, and possessions in the universe still do not come close to providing a real and satisfying life? God created life, so doesn’t it follow that life without a relationship with Him is pretty, well, lifeless?

There was a king named Solomon who lived thousands of years ago who had more bank and bling than anyone has or probably ever will. He went on a party journey for quite some time to see if he could find contentment and happiness with things here on earth. In fact, this is what he wrote:

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:10).

In the end, he found himself in a darker place than he ever imagined and he came to the conclusion that without God everything is “meaningless.” Why? Here was his reasoning:

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

What Solomon is saying is that there is a “God-shaped hole” in each and every one of us and trying to fill a spiritual void with a thing or an experience is an absolute waste of time.

But what isn’t a waste of time is the pursuit of God. Here’s the promise from Jesus Christ:

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (Revelation 3:20).

This “meal” He is referring to is a spiritual feast that no earthly possession or experience can rival. If you’ve trusted Christ, you already know this, but again, please look around at all the people that are desperately looking to fill the eternity-sized empty space in their hearts. What they want is what Tiger Woods wants and it is what you have found: Jesus.

Don’t keep this great discovery to yourself - knock it off the tee like you were playing for your life and the lives of your friends…because you are!

Flash Point Ignite into Action

This story is obviously not going away for a while, so be sure to use this juggernaut story to tie deeper discussions of happiness, fulfillment, and how you have found the answer to these deep human desires into your everyday conversations with your friends who don’t know Christ.

Accelerate Feed the Fire

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24).

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).