Schooled: Covenant

Last week we discussed sin and the impact it has on every person who has ever lived. We must understand sin if we are going to grasp just how loved by God we truly are. We are evil, but we are loved.

How would you respond if you were constantly sinned against? How would you respond to a friend who repeatedly told you lies, threatened you, stole from you, beat you, neglected you, abused you, and abandoned you? How would you respond to that person? God chose to send His son in response to our sin and neglect. He responds with covenant. He offers a promise.

A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties. God offered a covenant in Genesis 3 when He preached the first gospel message and promised Jesus would come to defeat Satan and redeem the world. This is amazing! This is how God responds to people who have abandoned and neglected Him! God owed Adam and Eve nothing. He could have killed them and sent them to hell, like they deserved, and been done with them. God owes us nothing.

Read Genesis 12:1-3

God makes a promise to Abram. He enters into a covenant. He promises Abram he would found a great nation and through that nation the messiah would come. There were a few problems. Abram was a pagan, he was in his seventies, and his wife was unable to conceive. He does not seem like a candidate to be founding nations.

Read Genesis 21:1-5

God makes good on His promises. God always makes good on His promises. Abraham was 99 years old when his wife became pregnant. He waited years for the promise. Can you imagine the questions that went through his mind over the course of all those years? Be patient and know that God has perfect timing and He will not forget the promises He has made to us.

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34

This is how God responds to our sin. He pursues and forgives through the blood of His son Jesus.

Questions for Reflection

0. Will you believe God's promises?

1. Will you be obedient to God's commands?

2. Are you running from God?

Schooled: The Fall

When you turn on the news tonight, you will find that something has gone terribly wrong with the world. You'll see war, violence, natural disaster, poverty, injustice, evil, loss, pain, suffering, starvation, neglect, tragedy, and more. After examining the situation, you are letting wondering one thing, "Why?" We have all asked, "Why is there so much suffering and pain?" We find our answer in God's Word. The find the account of something the Bible calls "The Fall." This is far worse than falling off your bike as your child and scraping your knee. This fall has an impact on all of creation.

Proverbs 20:9 says, "Who can say, 'I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?"

The answer is no one but Jesus.

Read Genesis 3. Don't just read the words. Meditate on what you read. The story should not simply be for your reading pleasure. The impact of the Fall should devastate you emotionally.

What is sin? The Bible describes it as missing the mark, straying from the path, and walking our own way. Furthermore, sin is treason, madness, self abuse, and spiritual suicide.

In Genesis 3, we read of Satan's deception of Adam and Eve. Satan does what he does best, he twists God's Word. He tells Eve that eating of the tree really wasn't a big deal and it wouldn't really lead to her death. The lie is very similar today. Satan tells you, "You're not really going to die because of sin. Did God really say sin was such a big deal? You don't really need to repent of your sin. You don't really need God." Satan is a liar. You have a choice. Will you believe the truth of God's Word or will you choose to believe the lie?

Men typically want to blame Eve for the Fall. Where was Adam when the whole thing went down? He was there. What was Adam doing while Satan was lying and deceiving his wife? Nothing. Adam's sin was one of omission. He didn't do what he was supposed to do. What are you doing to end Satan's lies and deception? Is it nothing? Doing nothing is sin.

Sin has impacted all of us. It has impacted all of who we are as people. Our will, emotion, and thoughts are all corrupted by sin. Sin destroys our relationships, especially with God. Sin is rebellion against God's covenant and promise. And sin results in guilt, shame, and punishment. Before the fall, Adam and Eve walked the garden naked and felt no shame. This sin led to the feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness we sometimes feel. It is sin that has corrupted us.

You must understand the depths of your sin if you are going to understand the goodness of God. God has warned us about sin. We chose to rebel against Him. God is holy and must deal with sin. God is loving and chose to forgive and restore through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus. We can have a new relationship with God through repentance. We don't need a lifestyle change, we need a to be born again (John 3). We don't need to try harder, we need a new heart (Eze 36).

Questions for Reflection

• Are you a sinner?

• How have you sinned against God?

• Have you asked God for forgiveness?

• Have you repented?

Schooled: God Makes

The Bible doesn't say a lot about creation. It devotes the opening two chapters of Genesis and a few other passages to the subject. Why is that? It is because the Bible is not a science textbook. The Bible is a theological textbook. The Bible is far more concerned with the God who creates, rather than the method of creation. Does the Bible say anything about creation? Yes. The Bible tells us all we need to know about creation. It tells us what every natural scientist has been forced to admit, that the universe has a beginning. Everything finds its beginning in God.

Read Genesis 1& 2

Ex Nihilo- meaning "out of nothing"

Theologians use this Latin phrase to describe the beginning of our universe. In Genesis 1, we read that God creates out of nothing. He didn't have to go to Hobby Lobby and purchase a starter kit. He just creates. He then take His creation and molds it into something beautiful. God takes dirt and makes people. Did you hear that? God makes people out of dirt. According to God's Word, man did not evolve out of lessor animals. We're not just here by random chance. God made you.

God is creative. Look around and you will quickly see that God is creative. He could have used black and white instead of color. He could have made air filtration machines instead of trees. God is the most creative being in existence. This explains why humans are creative. We are all created in God's image and despite our sinful natures, we retain some of the characteristics of God. Many of you paint, draw, create music, sing, dance, write, blog, and more. These creative expressions are simply reflections of a good God.

I understand that not everyone holds to the creation story as found in God's Word. I have included the next section just for you.

The Problems with Evolution- Despite over 100 years of trying to replicate macro-evolution, it is all in vain. Scientists cannot, and will not, replicate macro-evolution.

+Evolution states that "Nothing made Everything."

That statement is just plain silly. Logically, this cannot happen. If you follow the theory of evolution to its natural conclusion, you will be left wanting. It simply cannot explain the creation and beginning of our universe. It takes a lot of faith to believe in evolution.

+Chaos does not create order.

Evolutionist and Atheist often fall back on the "Big Bang" theory. There are many holes in this theory. We know that chaos, such as a big bang, does not create order. The world in which we live is extremely ordered. There seems to be a natural design in which the creative order follows. We must also as the question, "What happened before the Big Bang? Where did the components necessary for the Big Bang come from?" Evolution and atheism simply cannot explain the beginning of creation.

Fred Hoyle, the great astronomer and mathematician, said the likelihood of the creation of order out of chaos, that evolution was the answer to the question of origins, was the mathematical equivalent to a hurricane passing through a junk yard and after the storm dissipates you find a Boeing 747 flightworthy and ready for take off after being assembled by the storm. You know that's crazy.

+Fine-Tuning Argument

There are certain constants in our universe that are simply too complex to have happened by chance. Such as; the gravitational pull, the rate of universe expansion, the average distance between stars, the nature of gravity, earth's distance from the sun, earth's rotation period, and the levels of carbon dioxide. If any of these constants were to change by one in a million parts, it would result in the end of human life and the inability to have ever been created.

If you do not hold to the doctrine of creation, you will most likely believe the following:

• You came from no one

• You are living for nothing

• When you die, you'll go nowhere

God is......

What we learn from Genesis 1 & 2

• God is the only God

• God is eternally uncaused. He eternally existed before creation or time.

• God is living. Life doesn't spring forth from unliving matter.

• God is independent.

• God is immanent. He is actively at work in His creation.

• God is personal.

• God is beautiful. Just look at creation.

Schooled: Revelation

Who is God? This is the most important question we could ever ask. How do we learn stuff about God? Is it passed down through oral tradition? Do we have to go to a Holy man or a spiritual guru for answers? Is God interested in us? Does He even care? Since God is a person and has personal attributes, He must personally reveal himself. God has a mind, will, emotions, and relational abilities. Therefore, He can be known personally. If we want to answer the personal questions about God, we need him to answer the questions himself.

The opening book of the Bible comes out swinging, "In the beginning GOD!" There is no pause for apologetics or a debate concerning the existence of a higher being, just God.

People often ask how they should convey truth to a group of postmodern students. Easy. People need revelation, not speculation. Let's break that down.

Speculation- Man looking up at the sky and guessing about God and His character. Out of this we create false religions, philosophies, and spirituality (which is actually demonology). We find people who seek to discover and claim to know who God is apart form God's own self-revelation.

Revelation- God speaks.

There are two types of revelation worth noting:

General Revelation- God has revealed himself as an artistic, good, and holy Creator through what has been made and what has been experienced and through the conscience.

General Revelation reveals the following about God: existence, power, creativity, and wisdom. The fact that we have and inward sense of right and wrong speaks to our being made in God's image. Psalm 19:1 tells us that everything about creation declares the glory of God. General Revelation is enough to reveal God's existence, but it is not enough to save. Every person on the planet is impacted by general revelation.

Specific Revelation- God has shown the way of salvation through sending Jesus and inspiring the Bible which explains Him.

The Bible is God's written revelation of who He is and what He has done.

Bible- More copies in print than any other book. It is also the most stolen book of all time (I personally don't mind if a sinner steals my bible). The Bible contains 66 books. It is a library of God's inspired word. It was written in 3 original languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The opening verse of the Bible reveals its hero: God! The last book of the Bible, Revelations, reveals its hero: Jesus! The entire Bible is the redemptive narrative of God radiating His glory through the death, burial, and resurrection of His son, Jesus. Every verse in the Bible is about Jesus.

The Old Testament offers many prophetic promises of Jesus' coming. No other religion can match this claim. No other religion can produce specific prophecies of their messiah. Old Testament prophecies of Jesus' coming predate His birth by hundreds, even thousands of years. This includes the prediction of Jesus' death by crucifixion, before crucifixion had been invented.

The characters of the Old Testament foreshadow the coming of a greater messiah. For example:

Adam- Adam failed his garden test, thus causing the fall of all humanity. Jesus passed His garden test, thus redeeming humanity.

Moses- Moses served as the mediator between Israel and God. Jesus is our great mediator. Jesus is the better Moses.

Job- Job suffered and was tormented even though he was innocent. Jesus suffered and was tormented even though he was the only sinless man who ever lived. Jesus is the better Jonah.

David- David was the shepherd boy who could slay giants. He reigned as the king. Jesus still slays giants today. Jesus took on the greatest giants we could ever imagine. Jesus still reigns as King today. The eternal King, Jesus, never steps off his thrown.

Jonah- Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the fish. Jesus spent 3 days in the tomb only rise.

Jesus is in every verse of your Bible.

What do we believe about the Bible?

Verbal Plenary Inerrancy- this simply means that one believes every word of scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit. Essentially, God's Word is truth. It contains no errors. John 17:17 simply states, "Your word is truth."

Let's be honest, some parts of the Bible may be hard to understand. If a passage seems hard to understand, it isn't because the Bible isn't true. It's because sin has corrupted our ability to think logically and reason according to truth.

Is the Bible necessary?

General revelation is enough to reveal the existence of God and our need for God, but it is not enough to redeem us from sin. General revelation is enough to condemn but not enough to save. We need more than general to set us free. In Hebrews 10:13-17 we find the answer we're looking for. We need a specific revelation of the person and work of Jesus Christ in order to come to a saving faith. We find this in God's word. Let me remind you of Jesus and his recorded forty day fast. While in the desert kicking it old school with the Father, Jesus is approached by none other than Satan (Not the guy from Looney Toons with the horn, tail, or pitch fork; nor am I referring to the Mormon Satan, who they claim to be the biological brother of Jesus. I'm actually referring to the Satan mentioned in the Bible.) Satan knows Jesus has been fasting for forty days. So, he offers Jesus some food. (note-Satan will offer you whatever it is that you want if it will distract you from worshipping God.) Jesus then rocks Satan's face and we find His response in Matthew 4:4, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." The Bible is absolutely necessary if we hope to have a deep relationship with God.

Are you reading the Bible?

The point of reading the Bible is not to know all the rules or to become a better person. The purpose of reading the Bible is to know Jesus. There is something seriously wrong when you have a greater desire to read the Twilight saga or play XBOX or _______________ (insert favorite hobby) more than you desire to read God's Word. A Christian has a real desire to know God on a much deeper level. If you don't have a desire to know God or read the Bible, you may not be a Christian. Examine your heart. What is your true desire?

Psalm 119:11-16

"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word."

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

-Daniel

DanceParty2011

DanceParty2011 is just around the corner! DP20ELEVEN is our summer retreat for students. This includes students exiting 6th grade and entering 7th grade. It also includes all graduating seniors. The camp will be held at Poplar Point Camp and Conference Center in Rockford, AL. We will depart on Monday, August 1st, and return on Friday, August 5th. This week long camp experience will include small groups, nightly worship rallies, morning bible studies, recreation, team building activities, and the chance to build relationships. The total cost for the camp will be $170. This cost will include lodging fees for the week, food for the week, small group materials, a t-shirt, and challenge course costs. Scholarships will be available. If you need help paying for this event, please let me know.

Serve Saturday

We will be hosting another service day on April 9, 2011. We will have teams doing projects at the church (cleaning, cutting grass, etc.) and teams sweeping the community raise awareness of our church in the community. We are hoping to gain some support and boost attendance during the weeks leading up to Easter. I hope everyone can make time to come be a part of this event as we seek to serve our church and community!

Remember, even Jesus came to serve, not be served, and give his life as a ransom for many! [Mark 10:45]

Monster Part 6: Doubt

In Matthew 14:31 we find the story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter's poor attempt to follow in his steps. We typically remember the part of the story when Peter begins to sink. Jesus simply responds, "Why do you doubt?" This remark is packed with meaning. Jesus is saying, "After all that you have witnessed, after spending so much time with me, after all that I have taught you, after all that you have experienced, Why do you doubt?"

In Matthew Chapter 28, we find Jesus as he is about to ascend into heaven. This is the resurrected, got-up-from-the-grave, the I-cheated-death Jesus. This should be a pretty good indicator that He is indeed God. But in Matthew 28:17 we find that a multitude is gathered around the resurrected Jesus and yet some doubt. These same people have heard of Jesus, they knew about His death, they knew about His burial, and now the scandal of His resurrection had rocked the region. They knew this Jesus and yet some doubted. This shows us that some people can see the truth, experience the truth, feel/touch the truth, and yet doubt.

The Story of Doubting Thomas

John 20:24-25- Please read

+Thomas has a reaction that would be similar to ours. If you tell me that a dead man has been raised to life, I'm going to ask for evidence.

The Confession of Thomas the Believer

John 20:26-28- Please read

+ Jesus offers a gentle command, "Stop doubting and believe."

+ Thomas offers the only confession worthy of this finding, "My Lord and My God."

+ "My" makes this an extremely personal confession. Thomas takes this to heart.

+ My Lord and My God- Have you made this confession? If you cannot make this confession with integrity, you have no part of Jesus of salvation.

It is ok to have questions. It's not ok to have questions and never seek the answers. Thomas shows us that we can ask questions. He shows us that we can be forgiven of doubt. And he shows us that when we find the truth, we should abandon our doubt and cling to the truth.

Can you make that confession with integrity? Is Jesus your Lord and your God? Do you have faith in Jesus? Faith is more than believing the truth. Faith is not blindly believing a myth or fairytale. Faith is placing your trust in something you have good reason to place your trust in. We have good reason to place our trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Doubt - Monster Series from UGBC Media on Vimeo.

-Daniel

Monster Part 5: Self Esteem

1 Peter 5:5b, "...clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

The Sin that got Satan kicked out of Heaven was pride. Pride has been referred to as, "The Mother of All Sins!" Pride often leads us to make arrogant statements and decisions such as:

+ You don't need God, you can be like God.

+ You don't to follow God, you've got your own ideas.

+ You don't need to live for His glory, it's all about you.

Most of us don't even realize we have a problem with pride because Satan is crafty and went into the marketing business. He repackaged pride as self-esteem.

In a global study of teenagers, we find that American teens rack among the lowest in reading, geography, and math. We also find that American teens rack among the highest in self-esteem. We can't read or write, but we're better than you. We don't know where your county is located, but we're better than you. Is this the attitude we desire our children to have?

James 4:6- God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

God can't give grace to the proud because their hands are closed as if to say, "I don't need anything from you. I am completely self-sufficient."

Low Self-Esteem stems from a few general areas:

+ Unstable home situation

+ Verbal and emotional abuse

+ Being bullied and picked on

+ Trying to earn the approval of parents

+ Abandonment

Whatever the cause, low self-esteem is also a sinful point of view. How so?

You're sense of being a good person should not depend on what you have done, how you dress, your body type, what others think or say about you, but rather only on who you are in Jesus. See yourself as Jesus sees you. Psalm 16:2 says, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." You don't need high self-esteem or low self-esteem. You need to find your identity in Christ. Both high and low self-esteem are forms of pride because they seek to find identity in ourselves. We know we are valuable because God tells us so.

Jesus has asked you to always remember to see yourself as He does, not in light of what you have done or what has been done to you, but solely on what He has done for you as your King.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "for our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

What does Jesus say about us?

You are fully known

+ John 1:12- But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.

+Galatians 4:4;5- But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

You are fully loved

+ John 3:16- God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son

+ 1 John 4:16- God is love

You are finally safe

+ Proverbs 29:25- Whoever trust in the Lord is safe

+ 2 Samuel 22:33- This God is my strong refuge

You are finally free

+Psalm 103:12- As far as eat is form the west, so far does He remove our sin from us.

+Romans 8:1- There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

God's Everlasting Love

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:31-39 ESV

Doubt - Monster Series from UGBC Media on Vimeo.

-Daniel

Monster Part 4: Break-Ups

The month of February is supposedly the month of love. The 14th can often be a day of stress for many across our great nation. The aisles of Wal-Mart are packed as men rush to purchase items for their loved ones. But if we were honest, love doesn't always work out so well. The thrill of Valentine's Day is often diminished the next day. Love does not always work out like Hollywood portrays it.

Love can be hard. Relationships can be really hard. At some point, we have all experienced the negative side of relationships: fighting, arguing, disagreements, having to spend money on someone else, and break ups.

We can never truly love others until we experience divine love from the Father. You will never be able to love until God shows you love. We hope you enjoy this week's video!

The Daniel Springer Show from UGBC Media on Vimeo.

-Daniel

Stats on Spirituality

We recently took a brief survey during our Cultivate service on Wednesday night. Here is the information we gathered.

1. How often do you read the bible?

44% claim to have read the bible a few times in the previous week.

28% did not read the bible at all.

The remaining percentage, 28 percent, claimed to have read the bible daily.

2. How often do you pray? This question was broken into two categories: those who prayed basically everyday & those who basically never pray. Length of prayer was not noted.

30% basically never pray

70% basically prays everyday

3. Did you invite a friend to church this week?

40% did not invite a friend

60% invited at least one friend.

4. Did you share your faith this week?

44% did not share their faith

56% claimed to have shared with at least one person.

-Daniel

Monster: Part 3 Addictions

We've all been touched by addictions. Whether we struggle or a friend or family member. Addiction has a way of touching every person. I have compiled a simple list of some of the most recognized addictions: alcohol, tobacco, drugs, prescription drugs, food, crime, sex, porn, video games, even texting and facebook. When you think of someone who is addicted, you usually think of a drug addict. We rarely recognize powerful addictions like playing video games for 5 hours a day or texting non-stop. We must all come to realize that addiction is a daily struggle in our lives. Sin itself could almost be described as an addiction. It is something that we cannot stop doing. For the sake of this blog, let's describe an addiction as something/someone we can't do without for 30 days.

Signs of an Addiction

1. Tolerance- You know it's wrong, but you learn to accept it. You know it's wrong, but you try to justify it.

2. Withdrawal- You can't stop thinking about the object with which you are obsessed. You may even have a physical need. This leads to depression and frustration.

3. Engaging in more problematic behavior- You only meant to purchase one item, but you ended up spending $1,000. You start out drinking and it leads into more hardcore addictions and drugs.

4. Routine unsuccessful attempts to quit the behavior- "I tried to quit smoking three times this month, but I only made it a day each time."

5. Problems in daily functioning at work, home, or social settings

6. Inability to stop despite awareness of negative consequences

Read 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 4:22-23; James 5:16

What is your desire to change?

1. Precontemplation- You are unaware of the problem and resistant to change

2. Contemplation- You recognize the presence of a problem, but you are probably more interested in learning about it than actually doing anything to change it.

3. Preparation- At this stage, a person will express, for the first time, a determination to change.

Read John 5:1-8 and learn about healing.

Do you believe, by faith, that God can heal you?

Steps to Recovery

+Make a Relapse-prevention plan-If you have an addiction to porn, move the computer into a high traffic area of your house.

+Surround yourself with Support- You were not meant to do life alone.

+Pray, Pray, Pray

+Welcome them back-A friend or family member who is struggling needs your support.

When do you ask for help?

+The addiction has become physically dangerous

+Significantly impairs relationships

+You observe withdrawal symptoms

+You experience depression or anxiety due to withdrawals

If you or a friend are experiencing this, please contact someone and request help. We would love to help you in anyway possible. Contact me by email....daniel@ugbcopelika.com

-Daniel

Monster: Part 2 Stockholm Syndrome

We returned this week to discuss Satan and demons once again. This topic was brought back by popular demand. Hope you enjoy!

Read Ephesians 6:12-13

1. Are demons active in the world today?

-Some do not believe that demons as active today. They believe the concept of demons is pure myth and a primitive idea. This mode of thinking is influenced by a naturalistic worldview that only admits the reality of what can be seen or touched or heard and deny that demons exist today. C.S. Lewis would call this "Chronological Snobbery."

-The Bible is clear that Satan and demons are active in the world in which we live. You must ask yourself, "Do I believe the Bible to be true?"

2. Can I blame all evil and sin on Satan and demons?

-No. That's what Eve tried to do in the garden following her deception.

-Galatians 5:16-26 & Ephesians 4:1

-We have a tendency to blame shift. We refuse to take responsibility for our own actions. This is a sinful response to our own faults. We can make an absolute wreck of our life and then have the audacity to blame God or ask why He allowed this to happen. This only goes to show our arrogance.

3. Can a Christian be demon possessed?

-Possession implies ownership. As a Christian, I only belong to Jesus.

-Romans 6:14

-According to Romans 6:14, sin cannot have reign over me.

4. Can a demon control a Christian to the point that they cannot choose to do right or wrong, to obey or not obey God?

-Refer to Romans 6:14.

5. Can a Christian come under demonic attack or influence?

-Yes.

-You don't need an exorcism or try to repeat a scene from Rosemary's Baby. You need Jesus. You need to repent of your sins, place faith in Christ. Christ needs to have ownership of you. He must have complete control. Give your life to Jesus. You have the power and authority to denounce Satan and demons in the strong name of Jesus. You do not have the power in and of yourself to win this battle, but Jesus does.

Stockholm Syndrome from UGBC Media on Vimeo.

Here is a link to a pdf copy of our new Parenting Material.

-Daniel

Parenting Workshop

Union Grove will be holding a Parenting Workshop on February 6th at 6pm during the regularly scheduled evening worship service. We will be presenting the new parenting material and resources. The resources, Legacy Milestones, will be the primary training tool for families within our church. It is our hope that you can set aside time to join us for this important event. This information is crucial for everyone, not just parents. This material has value for all. Grandparents have the ability to train their grandchildren. Young adults and young couples will one day go on to have children. The staff honestly believe God is calling us to make an impact in our homes and the homes of our church families. We will be giving the new resource away for.......FREE! Every family will receive a copy of our new UGBC Parenting Material as they enter. We will also set up a booth that will have other highly recommended resources for your purchasing pleasure. All proceeds will go to benefit our Student Ministry. I can't wait to begin this adventure with you!

Parenting Workshop

February 6, 2011

6PM

Union Grove Baptist Church

-Daniel

Monster: Satan & Demons

We kicked off our new series, Monster, last night. This series will cover topics that relate to those little monsters we encounter on a day-to-day basis and those that seem to control many people's lives. I felt it was appropriate to start the series with a discussion of the original monsters.

70% of Americans believe Satan is real. C.S. Lewis, the great author of The Screwtape Letters, rightly reasons that there are two great errors we commit when it comes to our understanding of demonic forces. The first is that we would refuse to believe that they actually exist. The second is that we hold an unhealthy obsession with demons. Of that 70%, I belief many have a skewed view of Satan and demons. This is largely the cause of biblical illiteracy and our love of cartoons.

The name Satan is the Hebrew form of the word "adversary." Satan is our literal enemy. He is often called such names as: the devil, the serpent, Beelzelbul, prince of the power of the air and simply "the evil one."

We will define demons as: spiritual beings with moral judgements and high intelligence but without physical bodies.

Where did Satan and demons come from?
In Genesis 1:31, God creates everything and declares it to be good. All the angels at this point are obedient to God. Satan was an angel who rebelled against God due to his own choice and free will. Some of the angels also rebelled against God and became hostile to the Word. Their sin was the sin of pride. They refused to accept their proper and assigned place and set out to become their own god. This sin lead to their removal from God's presence and dismissal as angels. Satan is the cause of all moral failures and sin due to his rebellion.
[Genesis 1:31; John 1; John 17:17; Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18; Jude 6]

The Activity of Satan and Demons
1. Satan was the originator of sin

• "murderer from the beginning" & "father of all lies" [John 8:44]


• "the devil has sinned since the beggining" [1 John 3:8]


• The devil originates sin and tempts others

When John 8:44 and 1 John 3:8 reference Satan sinning, "since the beginning," it is not referring to his created state, rather, it is referring to the state that we find Satan in once we enter the redemptive narrrative after the his creation.

2. Satan and Demons oppose and try to destroy every work of God

• Satan tempted Eve [Gen. 3:1-6]


• Tried to get Jesus to sin and thus fail his mission as Messiah [Matt 4:1-11]


• Satan and Demons try to blind people from seeing the gospel [2 Cor. 4:4]

3. Yet Satan and Demons are limited by Gods control and have limited power

• God and Satan are not equals. Satan was created by God, therefore, is not equal to God.


• Job 1:12-26


• Satan and Demons don't know the future and they cannot read your thoughts


• You cannot blame Satan when you commit a sin. Have you ever heard people say, "The devil made me do it." That's just dumb. Satan can only tempt you. You have the choice to act on that temptation.

Common Questions and Misconceptions- I'll try to correct false views by answering these questiosn I find many struggle with. I'll post the question, then offer my response.

1. "If God is a loving God, why would He create Satan?"

• God did not create evil, sin, oppression, injustice, or tyranny


• Satan was an angel who rebelled. This is because Satan was created with free will. He had a choice of who he was going to be. You and I are in the same position. We have the capacity to determine if we will or will not follow God's decrees and commands. If you logically follow this questions through, you must ask yourself, "Why would a loving God create me?"


• The common question that accompanies this is, "How can a loving God allow so much injustice to go on across the world." We have a tendency to blame God for the mess that we've created. If you remember Genesis 1:31, we see that God created everything GOOD. You and I are the reason why there is so much oppression in the world. You and I are the reason why there are starving children. We refuse to act and in our arrogance we dare to ask, "How can a loving God.....?"

2. "How can a loving God allow some great evil, like Satan, to run free."

• He doesn't. Satan does not run free. Satan is limited in power and influence.


• God is merciful. Follow this logic through; You want God to destroy Satan. Why? Because Satan is evil. So, you want God to destroy Satan because he is evil. You basically want God to destroy evil. If God were to destroy everything that were evil, He would destroy you and I. You really don't want that.


• Jesus cannceled the hold Satan had over us on the cross [Col. 2]

3. "Is Satan all-powerful and all-knowing? Can he be multiple places at once? Can he read my mind?"

• No

4. "Are ghost real?"

• No


• Satan and demons are real and they can manifest themselves as other characters, such as dead people.


• Demons are actually the cause of other religions and false gods. [Deaut 32 & Ps 106]

How do I deal with demons?

I'm not really trying to host a workshop on exorcisms, so I'll make this part quick.

Read Matthew 12:22-32

How does Jesus defeat demons? He doesn't need an exorcism or Rosemary's baby. Nobody's head spun around or puked peas all over a priest. Jesus uses the Holy Spirit to defeat Satan and the demons. It takes a Christian who is spirit filled, through the power of the Holy Spirit, commanding in Jesus name. We rely on Jesus' power, Jesus' authority, and the strong name of Jesus. You are not stronger than a demon. You are not smarter than a demon. You will not defeat demonic forces through morality or religious acts. You need to rely on someone who is stronger than all the demonic forces. You need to rely on Jesus. Jesus completes this victory through his death and resurrection and his open, public defeat of Satan, sin, and death. You need Jesus. Satan does not have a claim or ownership of us because Jesus canceled the debt we owed on the cross, thus purchasing many sons and daughters.

Questions

1. Am I a Christian?


2. Am I spirit-filled?


3. Am I repenting of sin and excersizing Jesus authority over Satan and demons?


4. Are there areas of my life that I have opened to dark or demonic spiritual forces?

Hope this post does not scare anyone. I hope it does exactly the opposite. Faith in the finished work of Christ should give us hope and courage. If you have more questions, feel free to contact me.

-Daniel

Rehab: Post-Camp High

We have all experienced the mountain top experience. You return from camp on fire. You can't wait to tell everybody about Jesus. And it always happens. You begin to come off your high. Is you mountain top experience meant to last? Why do we experience this feeling? For the entire duration of the camp, you have experienced Christ from sun up to sun down. Your day is filled with worship services, powerful speakers, prayer, scripture reading, encouraging friends, and love. It's like eating huge meals all day long. After the camp is over, you're full. You have feasted on God for a weekend or week! And when you come home, you begin to eat junk food instead of feasting on God.

How do we retain this close relationship with God?

Read Philippians 2:6-11

1. Keep your eyes on God's interest

2. Commit to being involved in the lives of others in a redemptive way

3. Be filled with big dreams for the Kingdom

Read Luke 6:46-49

Truth + Obedience= Rock Solid Foundation

As a student, you have to take responsibility for who you are. You have to take responsibility for your own spiritual life. At the end of the day, you either are who you say you are, or you aren't.

-Do you believe the words in the Bible to be true?

-Are you really who you say you are?

-Daniel

Rehab: Routines & Habits

Are habits good or bad? That depends......

A few bad habits are: smoking, picking your nose, biting your nails, biting your nails after you pick your nose, and procrastination, just to name a few. But, wouldn't you say that reading your bible, prayer and church attendance are good habits? Habits and routines can be life-savers or they can become evil. Let's take a look at a good habit that turned into meaningless ritual.

Read Malachi 1 & 2

These people weren't sacrificing animals to other gods, they weren't worshiping foreign gods, and they weren't involved in blatant idolatry. They became slaves to their own rituals and routines. The sacrifices became meaningless. Even something that seems good can be corrupted. Is dating evil? No. But it can be corrupted. Is money evil? No. But it can be corrupted. Going to church is a wonderful thing, but we can become apathetic and complacent.

-Are you the person who doesn't take any of this serious?

-Is church just a game for you?

-Are you the person this passage describes?

Positive Habits to Rekindle your passion for Jesus

1. Community- Church attendance and biblical community, accountability partners, etc...

2. Scripture- God speaks through His Word.

3. Prayer- Are you communicating with God?

4. Worship- As a way of life [Romans 12:1-2]

5. Giving- money

6. Serving- helping people, loving people.

7. Obedience- Doing what God said even when you don't feel like it.

8. Evangelism- Sharing Jesus with your friends and inviting them to church.

-Daniel

What You Need To Know About The Winter Retreat

The Winter Retreat is finally upon us! I would like to convey some information that will primarily benefit the parents. Please review the following list:

leave it behind:

1. Gaming systems

2. Any cigarettes, tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs

3. Fireworks

4. Any paraphernalia for pranks

5. Weapons of any kind (including knives)

6. No food is allowed in the conference room

7. Non-Christian behavior (cursing, violence, etc.)

bring it:

1. A Bible

2. Notebook & pen for notes

3. Enough modest clothing for the entire conference (three days & two nights)

4. Money for meals (the student group will not be providing meals)

5. Spending money for soft drinks, candy, or souvenirs. Conference personalities will also have articles for sale (shirts, books, etc.)

6. Permission slip signed by the parents/guardians

We will be leaving for Pigeon Forge on Saturday, January 15. Please be at the church and loaded by 8a.m. Students that do not have their permission slip, signed by parents, will not be allowed to attend the conference. Yes, I will literally not allow a student to attend if they do not have their permission slip.

Food Money: We will be eating fast food for the entire trip. This translates into cheap food. A lot of parents have been asking me how much money their child needs. I don't know. We will leave Saturday at 8a.m. You should feed them before they get to the church since we will not be stopping until lunch. Free continental breakfast will be provided at the hotel every morning, so we will not be going to get food. That means you will only have to pay for lunch and dinner for 3 days. You do the math according to how much your kid eats. Please do not put your kid on the bus without any money for food. It has happened.

In case you need to reach me:

Daniel- 334.759.0320 cell

Church office- 334.749.0461

The students will be allowed to carry cell phones, but we will ask them to turn the phones OFF during the conferences. I will release the conference schedule in the coming days, please try to call during our breaks.

We will return from the Retreat Monday night around 7-8p.m. Please make arrangements to pick your child up around this time.

-Daniel

Cultivate 1/5/2011

Crucial Truth: Jesus did not die so that you could go to church. He died so that you could be the church.

Do you own clothing that you would never wear to church?

Are there things you would never say in church, but you would say in another setting?

Which of the following locations would you describe as holy?

1. Burger King

2. Your Church

3. Your House

Nothing concerning these locations make them more or less holy than the other. You might ask, "How can you say Burger King is more holy than our church?"

Read Exodus 3:1-5

What makes this particular location holy? What makes this particular bush holy?

Read Hebrews 9:1-7

What makes the Holy of Holies holier than any other particular location? (trying saying holy of holies holier 5x fast)

The presence of God makes these locations holy. Anywhere God is becomes holy. Anything God declares to be holy is holy.

Read John 4:1-26

This is the story of a lady who thought one particular location was more holy than another. Jesus looks at this woman and tells her that a building isn't going to be the holy place anymore. A building will no longer contain the presence of God, but the body of believers by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will contain it.

Anything that God declares to be holy is holy.

Read 1 Cor. 6:19-20

When we reach this crucial understanding, church becomes more than a worship service we attend. Church is who we are. Jesus did not die so that we could go to church. Jesus died so that we could be the church. Our behavior should not be modified just because we walk through the doors and into the Student Worship Center or into the Sanctuary. Our behavior, our dress, and our morals should be the same every moment of every day.

Response:

Should I go to church? Yes.

Why? Because God said so [Hebrews 20:25] and because Jesus went to church and if it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.

Perhaps you know people who say the following:

1. I don't have to go to church to experience God.

-True. I can experience God in my home, as I listen to worship music, as I pray, as I read my Bible, etc.

-But God still commands that you go to church [Hebrews 10:25]

-Where do people sing songs about Jesus? Where do you hear the proclamation of the Word (preaching)? Where do other believers gather to celebrate Jesus? Oh yeah....Church.

-You can't say you love God but not love His people.

2. I can't find a decent church.

-This is nothing more than a poor excuse.

-This response reveals your selfish nature. You need to grow up and come back to the real world. Life is not all about you.

3. The church is full of hypocrites.

- I agree. The church is full of people just like you.

- Is it not amazing that despite our faults and failures, God can still love people like us? We should gather to celebrate something this amazing. Where can we do that? Church.

I challenge you to invite your friends, family, and enemies to come experience the abundant life found in Jesus. Where can they hear about this good news? You guessed it......Church.

-Daniel

Cultivate 12/29/2010

What is your greatest need?

Absolute Surrender

In a time of war, the white flag symbolizes one thing: Surrender.

In a time of war, to raise your empty hands in the air and to fall on one's knees symbolizes one thing: Surrender.

This is the greatest need of every person in all of humanity. We need to surrender our lives, our wills, our everything to a holy God.

Have you ever prayed an empty prayer? Have you ever tried to do better? Have you ever tried to be a better person? Have you ever tried to stop sinning? How did it go? Did you find yourself doing better for a day, a week, maybe even a month? Only then to find yourself returning to the same sin, the same problems, the same heartache? What went wrong? You relied on yourself and your own abilities. Your efforts were nothing more than morality. You need one thing: Surrender. To surrender one's life and will to Christ is the key to everlasting change. By faith, you must trust that God is capable of doing far more than you have ever imagined in your life.

Read Romans 12:1-2

Questions:

Have I surrendered my life to Christ?

What areas do I need help with? What areas do I need to surrender?

Pray and trust that God alone can change our hearts.

-Daniel

Parent eNewsletter for January

This content is intended for all parents, grandparents, legal guardians, foster parents, volunteers, or anyone involved or interested in the student group [yes, I have to specify or some people will think they can't read it or that I'm not being fair :)]

The eNewsletter includes a message from me, the youth pastor, as well as music reviews, book reviews for parents and students, and a schedule of events for the coming month and big events in the future. [Click here to go to the Parent eNewsletter]

-Daniel

Year End Update

2010 is coming to a close and we have so much on the horizon as we face the new year. We have had an amazing year filled with many exciting moments. I would like to thank all our volunteers for making everything possible. None of our services would be possible without you! I would like to thank parents, volunteers, and all church members who have an active hand in mentoring and building relationships with our students. I have officially been the youth pastor for one year! I must thank Union Grove for giving me the opportunity to serve. Thank you all!

We will be beginning a new series, Rehab, to compliment the new series being preached on Sunday mornings by our pastor. "Rehab" will be a 4-week series starting December 29. Content can be found here on the blog and our YouTube page. We at the church would like 2011 to be a year focused on the family and bringing church to the home. I hope to serve you as parents and equip you to lead your children to become spiritual champions. We will include content from Cultivate each week on the student blog and on the student calendar. We will also be releasing resources for parenting at the beginning of the year.

Resources being released in 2011:

• Sermon content from each Cultivate service
• Scripture and sermon content on the Student Calendar
• A monthly printed calendar with all major events and info
• A monthly Parent eNewsletter
• Music, Movie, and Book reviews from ME!
• Resources for parents in our church library
• Faith Talk material
• Parenting Training
• and much more!

Major Event: Winter Retreat- Jan. 15-17

We will depart Saturday morning and return Monday afternoon. Please pay the remainder of your balance if you have not done so. Students will need to bring money for food and entertainment.

-Daniel

Fear

Proverbs 1:7- "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of all wisdom..."

What are you afraid of? A quick Google search revealed some of the top fears in the United States. The list included: flying, public speaking, heights, the dark, intimacy, death, failure, rejection, spiders, commitment, snakes, drowning, and clowns. If you were honest, we all have fears. In the passage that we cover this week, Jesus commands his followers to have no fear of other men.

In Matthew 10, Jesus instructs his disciples to go out on the road and help the hurting and lost people of the world. He tells them to heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse lepers, and even raise the dead. This sounds like good news, right? It sounds like the 12 disciples are about to become celebrities. If you went to a developing nation that was deprived of clean drinking water and built wells that could supply every citizen with clean drinking water for their entire life, how would you expect to be treated? Life a champ? Like a saint? I would expect those people to thank me. I would expect them to love me and even cherish my efforts. Jesus goes on to tell his men that they would be hated because of their service. He goes on to tell them that people will mock them, spit on them, imprison them, and even murder them. Why? People will dislike them only because they love Jesus.

Questions

Are you living in such a way that the world knows you love Jesus?

Would you be willing to embark on the journey after knowing people would hate you?

Matthew 10:26-33

²⁶ “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. ²⁸ 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. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Can you imagine Jesus telling you not to be afraid while standing before an angry mob who is ready to kill you? Up until this point, Jesus and his crew had been keeping a fairly low profile. Jesus tells his men to take the good news they had discussed and worked through and to shout it out for all the world to see. How does this translate for us today? The things you hear on Wednesday nights, during Sunday School, during small groups, during sermons, during devotionals, the things you read in the Scriptures; proclaim these things at school, at the lunch table, and while you're hanging out with your friends. The things you post on Facebook and the things you text can be a light in a dark world.

Why would Jesus tell them not to be afraid? He uses the example of sparrows. Nobody thinks much about sparrows. Sparrows don't cost a lot of money. Yet, God watches over them. Jesus is telling us that we are far more valuable than any bird. Can you fathom knowing how many hairs are on your head? God knows. He cares about the small details of our life. He knows everything there is to know about us and He loves us. The disciples can rest in the fact that they are loved.

Verses 32 & 33 are the key verses in this passage. Simply imagine yourself at the end of your life standing before God. What will He say to you? Will God allow you in? Will He deny you from entering into heaven?

Questions

Do you confess Jesus?

-Daniel

The Harvest

Mat 9:37-38 "Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Questions

Who is the Harvest?

Who is supposed to gather this Harvest?

How do I go about gathering this Harvest?

I believe these questions can be answered in a previous passage of Scripture. In Matthew 9:9-13 it says, "As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

We have a sin-meter in our culture. We measure the actions of others by our sin-meter. We like to think there are small, small-medium, medium, medium-large, large, super size, & "Oh-My-Gosh-I-Can't-Believe-They-Would-Do-That" sins. We like to believe that certain sins are worse that others. Have you ever met anyone who seemed to be really good at sinning? And they seemed to be really good at committing all those nasty big sins? Have you ever heard anyone say, "If God can save so-and-so, He can save anybody." Matthew, the tax collector, was one of those guys. He was a thief and a liar.

Question

Do you tend to think you're better than others because you don't commit the big sins?

Like Matthew, are you guilty of being a thief or a liar? Are you guilty of any sin?

This story is unique. Matthew was hated by the Jews because he worked for the Roman government as a tax collector. He would have certainly been guilty of robbing his fellow Jews. He was hated. This lowly sinner didn't go out in search of a Savior. Jesus went out in search of Matthew. This brings us to a foundational truth of the Bible...Jesus is the friend of sinners.

Can you imagine yourself in Matthew's shoes? Imagine yourself sitting at your place of work during a normal business day. You are approached by what appears to be a lower class citizen whom you barely know. This man then commands you to follow him. What would your response be? Would you say, "NO!!" or would you yell, "Stranger Danger!!!" Not many of us would jump to our feet to follow this man.

Question

What made Matthew want to follow Jesus?

What do you think it would take to make you follow Jesus?

Later in the story, we find Jesus reclined at the table of Matthew's house. At the table, Jesus is mingling with the filth of society. It would be the equivalent to eating dinner with the local crackheads, whores, pimps, murders, and abusers. Do you know any people like this? Could you imagine eating a meal with people like this? I couldn't either and I think that is a problem.

Questions

Whose house was Jesus staying at? (Matthew's)

Who invited the guest to meet Jesus? (Matthew)

Jesus is the friend of sinners. He is close to the people who are willing to admit they have problems and that they need help. In Matthew we find a man who has truly realized Jesus has the power to change lives. Why would he have invited his friends to meet Jesus is he wasn't able to change them?

Question

Are you bringing your friends to meet Jesus?

Jesus is reclined at the table enjoying a meal with the people who are the filth of society. The local religious sect, the Pharisees, walk by and spot Jesus chilling with these hoodrats. It would be the equivalent of spotting your youth pastor hanging out with the drug dealers downtown. They begin to question Jesus. "What are you doing with these people?" or "They're going to make you dirty!" or "We don't associate with people like that." or "If God can save them, He can save anyone, but I just don't think it's going to happen." Jesus is the friend of people who are willing to admit they have problems. The religious heart just cannot understand how Jesus could recline at the table with such people. The religious heart just cannot understand grace. Jesus is like a doctor. He only sees two categories of people: sick & well. The Pharisees thought they're efforts to remain pure and clean made them well. They didn't think they needed a doctor. The men and women reclined at the table with Jesus understood they needed help. Jesus is close to those who can admit they're sick and need a doctor.

Questions

Are you sick or are you well?

Are you willing to allow Jesus to heal you?

If you would like to watch the sermon from Wednesday night, please visit our YouTube page. Click HERE!

Parent Newsletter December 2010

We will be printing a Parent Newsletter every month. You can get this month's newsletter online.........................HERE.

-Daniel