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

Two Trees

We had an awesome service last night at Cultivate. We played Fishing for Worms & Word Up!

This week has been an amazingly fruitful time. We have had several students make first time decisions for Christ and we look forward to plugging them in!

Sermon Notes: Two Trees-Matt 7:15-20

Have you ever heard of a Lukewarm Christian? In Revelation 3, God calls out a church. He says they're lukewarm. They aren't hot; they aren't cold. Have you ever tried to drink lukewarm water? Doesn't it taste nasty? Hot water has a purpose. It's good for something. Cold water has a purpose. It's good for something. But lukewarm water is a waste. God goes on to say that he will spit out the lukewarm water. This carries the idea of gagging or vomiting. Imagine God saying, "You make me want to throw up!" Jesus doesn't want your idle religion. He wants your all or nothing.

In James Chapter 2, we read...

"Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" The Message

Have you ever met someone who claims to know Jesus, but they don't act like it? You can't say you met Jesus but nothing change about your life. When you meet Jesus, everything changes. You won't be perfect. You will still make mistakes. But if you meet Jesus, you will slowly become more like Him. Ask yourself the following questions:

1.) Have I met Jesus?

2.) Has anything about my life changed?

3.) Are there areas that need improvement?

Matthew 7:15-20

"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned." The Message

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." English Standard Version

We will encounter people who try to give your shortcuts to God. "Call now and donate $29.99 and you'll receive God's blessings!" Or people will tell you there are many different ways to get to heaven when Jesus said there was only one way. God says watch out for those people. Those people are easy to spot sometimes. How do you recognize a poser? Ask them questions and observe their reactions. Jesus tells us that our actions will match our beliefs. He then goes on to describe a healthy tree and an unhealthy tree. A good tree produces a good fruit and a bad tree produces a bad fruit. Ask yourself the following questions:

1.)What kind of tree am I?

2.)What kind of fruit am I producing?

3.)Do my actions match my beliefs?

We now have video of sermon content. Please check out Part 1 & Part 2 of Wednesday night's lesson.

-Daniel your friendly neighborhood youth pastor

The Narrow Road

We had an excellent service at Cultivate. Thanks to all the students who came out! We played the Oreo Challenge. You can check out some live footage on the our YouTube page. Greg Sumner shaved his head in honor of our high attendance and students made a few prank calls to friends!

Sermon Notes

Series: Red Letters

Passage: Matt 7:12-14

Title: The Narrow Road

There are very few times that you can separate the bulk of humanity into two categories. In this passage, Jesus offers the world two options. Two paths. You can only choose one. We see that which road we choose places us in one of two categories. There are no other options. Jesus did not give us the option of straddling the fence or playing in the median. We must choose one or the other.

In verse 12, Jesus reminds us of the Golden Rule. In Matt 22:34-40, a man ask Jesus what the greatest command was. Jesus gave two great points. 1) Love God with all you've got 2) Love people with all you've got. The second point flows out of the first. You will not love people if you do not love God. God is love and is therefore decides how that love will be practically displayed.

Jesus also reminds us that we should treat people the way we would like to be treated. We tend to want to dismiss this command because it sounds like something our mothers would say. We can't ignore this truth. Do you enjoy being made fun of? Do you enjoy feeling like the outcast? If we are honest, we have all felt like the outcast at some point. Jesus makes this statement because he wants to correct this great problem that we all face. The student sitting alone at lunch needs love. The student who walks into the youth room for the first time needs love.

In verses 13-14, Jesus tells us of two paths. The broad path that leads to destruction and the narrow path that leads to life. Is it not strange that people don't choose to get off the path that leads to destruction? Here are some questions that we asked about each path....

The Broad Path That Leads to Destruction

Why do people choose the broad path?

1.) They don't see the coming destruction

People are blind to the fact that they is an eternal judgement. Some are blind to the fact that they need God. Some are blind to the fact that they are sinners who cannot save themselves. How can we help? We can humbly and lovingly share the truth of God's word with them. We can invite them to a church service to hear about God's love. We can invite them to experience Christian community.

2.)It's easy.

It's easy to do what everyone else is doing. If most of your friends are on the broad path, which path are you most likely to choose? It's easy to get drunk, have premarital sex, and do what the world is doing. A real challenge is going against the flow.

The Narrow Path Leads to Life

1.) Why is the gate narrow?

Not many will walk this path. It's not because the path is hidden or because the path is limited to only a few. Anyone can choose to walk this path. There is a teaching known as Universalism that teaches that everyone will go to heaven. You have celebrities like Oprah telling the world that everyone is on an individual path that leads to God. She will tell you that all religions are the same. I agree. All religions are the same. All religions require you to work your way to God by deed and morality. The Gospel is nothing like religion. In religion, you have man trying to gain favor with God. It's as if God is on top of a mountain and you must create a path and climb up to the top in order to meet God. In Christianity, God comes down the mountain and gets us. There are not many paths that lead to God, only Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus makes it clear that he's the only path.

2.)Why is the path hard?

It calls you to step out from among the masses. The call to salvation is literally a call to die to self. You have to repent and place your faith in someone other than yourself. You have to place your faith in someone you can't see. It is a call to come and die. But it is a better path.

3.)Why will few find it?

They are blind to their need of a savior because they bought into a lie and because living as the world is easy. Few will find it because they reject it.

4.)How do I know if I've found it?

Go back to the Great Commandment. Do you love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul? Have you repented and placed your faith in Jesus. He is the only path that leads to life.

It is a narrow road, but it's wide enough for all.

-Daniel the friendly neighborhood youth pastor

watching- Alice Cooper's testimony

Room at the Table

Last Wednesday we had our costume party and started the evening off by celebrating Martin Luther and the Reformation. Martin Luther is one of my favorite heroes of the faith. His boldness and dedication to God's word changed the world forever. He also set a great example for believers. Martin Luther did not have sex until he got married. Martin Luther didn't get married until he was over 40. Teenagers find that strange.

When had many students test their creativity with costumes. We had characters ranging from the Geico Caveman to Jack Sparrow. I tried my hand at dressing up like Sheriff Woody.

We were caught off guard. There are days that feel like few students will show up. It felt like one of those days. And then they started coming and coming. A quick count of the room revealed a new attendance record.......101. Congratulations to all the students who worked to hit their goal of 100. I commend those who made the commitment to invite their friends week after week. I'm encouraged by your actions.

Love Our World- Light During a Time of Darkness (Halloween)

In 1 Thes 5:5, we're told that we are the children of the light and not of the darkness. That tells us that we don't have to be afraid of the darkness anymore. We are given the commission to shine our light into the darkest regions of the our home, schools, world, and even our churches. We have many visitors who attend our services on a weekly basis. Many of these students don't look like your typical church kid. Our youth groups draws a large variety of students: the jocks, the preps, the goths, emo kids, geeks, nerds, band kids, the country bumpkins. We have a little of everything. It would be very easy for these groups to ignore one another. That would not be a good example of light. By God's grace, we can love the things that are different form us. We are given this huge task of loving others. Why? Because God loves. God, in his mercy and kindness, can even love us. The creatures who are broken, messed up, depraved, and even enemies with him. What if Jesus would have said, "Clean yourself up, stop all sin, live the perfect life, and then try to find a way to me." The beauty of the gospel is that Jesus meets us right where we are. We are told to come as we are. You don't get cleaned up to take a bathe. God loves you right where you are, but he loves you far too much to leave you there. If meet Jesus, we will be changed. We must create an atmosphere that allows people to meet Jesus, just as they are. We must give them the opportunity be changed, not change them in hopes to creating an opportunity. We accomplish this by shining our light into the darkness. We accomplish this through love. Real love that loves the things that it hurts to love.

I love the Great Commission. I love as the risen Jesus fires up his rocket pack and starts to ride into the atmosphere (maybe he didn't have a jet pack :)) that he reminds his followers of their task. Remember, this comes after Jesus had performed miracles, healed the sick, gave life to the dead, rubbed mud and spit in a dudes eyes and magically he regained his vision (gross!), went to a cruel cross, was placed in a borrowed tomb, and then got up 3 days later. If you hadn't made up your mind before this point as to whether or not Jesus was God, I think it might sway your decision. If I see a guy raise from the dead, I want to be on his team. Even after all this, we see in Matthew 28:17 that as all the people gathered around the triumphant Jesus, some still doubted. There is room at the table even for those who doubt. Our church must be an open table. Before you label me a Universalist, I believe that only those who trust in Jesus have eternal rescue. I'm not saying everyone gets to spend eternity with Jesus. While that sounds cute, we see in Matthew 7 that the road is narrow that leads to life and few find it. But even this narrow road is paved with love. We will never win anyone to Christ by treating them as if they are worthless, as if we were somehow better than them. It is easy to hate and fear the things that are different than you. Try love instead.

Current Listening- Hillsong United- Tear Down The Walls

Current Reading- 11 Innovations in the Local Church by Stetzer, Towns, Bird

- Daniel the friendly, neighborhood youth pastor

YouTube Page

Thanks to one of our handy youth staff, the student ministry now has a YouTube page. We will be placing content online in the coming months for your viewing pleasure. Content will include but not be limited to: games, gross games, sermon clips, testimonies, and carnage! I will also be posting announcements and news (fair and balanced) concerning the student ministry online. Head on over to our page for some great content!

Currently Listening- Dave Barnes

Currently Reading- The Supremacy of Christ in the Postmodern World (the title alone makes me sound intelligent)

-Daniel

Saturday Night Live

November 20th will be our first of many worship nights. The event will kick off at 7p.m and run until around 9p.m. This event is not just for youth. We hope to have all ages gather together for a night of worship. I believe it is crucial for our youth to see their parents and other spiritual leaders worship and learn from their example. With that said, I hope you will make plans to join us and perhaps bring the entire family! My good friend Paul Eason will be leading worship for us. I'll be leading the discussion as we begin our look into spiritual disciplines. Tonight we begin with the foundation. Love. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to gather with you tonight and I'm pumped for our time of worship. Bring some friends who need to hear about Jesus.

Winter Retreat

We will be attending a Strength to Stand conference this winter. The event will be held in Pigeon Forge, TN on Jan 15-17. This falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and the students will be out of school and available to attend. The conference theme is TUG. You can find a link to speakers and bands here. The cost is $120 with a $50 deposit due on Wednesday, November 3rd. Signup for the event is now closed. Please remember to pay the deposit by the deadline or your name will be removed from the even registration. If you would like to be placed on a waiting list, please contact Daniel Beckworth.