Can you hear me now?

This past weekend, twenty-three students and a handful of adults went up to Michigan Christian Youth Camp for a retreat. Our theme was “Can You Hear Me Now?” and we focused on hearing God’s voice. Adam Hill presented our lessons and challenged us through his words and a few activities. Chris Lindsey led us in worship. I also want to thank Deanna Butka, Katie Dear, Keith Huey, and Michelle Steckel for spending the weekend with us. I will let some of the students tell you more about the retreat…

When I came to this retreat, I knew that I already believed in Jesus and made the commitment to follow him. But I realized that the way I was living for Him wasn’t exactly the way He wanted me to. I learned that I’d been believing in Him, but not acting on that. I’m going to try to act like I should and follow Jesus instead of just believing in Him.

God has spoken to me in ways I couldn’t even imagine before this weekend. I was lost and now I am found. Before now I never heard His call. I never heard His voice and now I do…I’ve learned no matter how many mistakes I have made I will always be surrounded by His joy, His mercy, grace, and love.

This weekend has changed my whole perspective of God. He’s not just a figure to worship. He’s now…something more tangible and real. This weekend, He showed Himself, a light, a small candle flame in the darkness that grew brighter and brighter…I feel like I can actually hear Him now. Before, He was just a murmur, a small dim light in the darkness. Now…it’s completely opposite. His quiet whisper is now as loud as the booming thunder.

This weekend, I became more spiritually aware. I feel more in tune with God, and more ready to hear His voice and do what He wants me to do.

God has shown me that prayer is not just thinking about stuff, it’s connecting with God. God has taught me that silence is very important.

This weekend the main thing I learned is how many distractions are in my life, and most importantly, how to deal with those distractions, get rid of them, and enter a new stage of my relationship with God.

God showed me that even though it is dark sometimes, there is always hope and light.

This weekend showed me that to follow God’s will you have to hear Him, but to hear Him, you have to listen first.

This was the first time I shared my addictions with a large group and I feel renewed after, because I knew people would be praying for me.

Even though silence is scary, it is needed. I need to stop and listen to what God is telling me instead of going with what I think it best.

This weekend has helped me in sooo many ways. I am so busy and just have a lot going on in my life right now, and a lot of stress. It gave me the break I needed and really helped me. I felt like Adam was talking right to me; it was amazing. I love Chris and his worship; it uplifted me a lot. This weekend was absolutely perfect for me; it touched me in so many ways.

Ironically, it is in the absence of noise that God’ voice is clearest, and it is not meant to be merely an occasional luxury, but an every day practice.

It was a much needed weekend for me to refocus, and more importantly, realize how much God loves me, and knowing that He wants us, and can use us, wherever we are on our journey.

It was a great weekend. I was so impressed by our students and how seriously they answered every challenge placed before them. Thank you to everyone who was a part of the retreat!

shine!
Jason

Don't miss the call

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said the following: “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
We have been created in the image of God to reflect the glory and character of God into a world covered by darkness. Christianity is not a private thing to only be practiced at church. This is a lifestyle. It is a way of living. That is why the church was called “The Way” in the first century. It was not something people did. It was who they are.
Consider what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth as well as his “sons in the faith,” Timothy and Titus:
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1)
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
Encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8)
We are not Christians solely and primarily for our own benefit. We are called to be a part of a larger community where we seek to live as Christ-followers in every aspect of our lives.
One of the most troubling trends I have seen in my decade or so of youth ministry is the way that older Christian teens seem to neglect their call to mature in their faith at a time when they are positioned to have significant impact.
Whether it’s the example they set for their peers or the way that younger teens and children look up to them, older teenagers have power and influence that they often fail to realize. This is a great opportunity not only to grow as individuals; it is a great time to contribute to the larger Christian community.
My prayer is that instead of buying into the lie where culture teaches older teens to become more self-absorbed, Christian teenagers would hear the call and live a life where they are the light that shines in the midst of a dark world.

shine!
Jason

A great diet

I read about this great new diet plan the other day. For breakfast, you could have four pop tarts and a cereal breakfast bar. Chocolate milk is your drink. Lunch consisted of a can of ravioli, some Doritos or potato chips, and a candy bar, with pop for your drink. Dinner is the best. You eat all the pizza you want along with ice cream. The best part is that this diet requires no exercise. You can sit on the couch with a bag of chips all night long. You are guaranteed to lose 2-5 pounds a week.
How many of you really believe me?
If most of us actually ate this way expecting to lose weight, people would think we are crazy.
As crazy as that sounds, many Christians are doing this very thing spiritually and expecting to become a stronger, more dedicated follower of Jesus.
They might start their morning out listening to music that glorifies violence, the objectification of women, greed, or other ungodly desires or actions. Then they go to work or school and engage in conversations that are filled with gossip, hateful words, pride, and more. They jump on the Internet and look at images that make women sexual objects instead of daughters of God. Or they might go to social networking pages where they create profiles that are at best, flirty, often laced with sexual overtones or pictures that do the same.
The day is not done yet. Now it’s time to listen to some more music. This music might reinforce the fact that life is hopeless or that life is not complete without a boyfriend or girlfriend. Then it’s time to sit in front of the television and watch a few shows whose messages say that premarital sex seldom has consequences, treating your parents with disrespect is a funny thing, and morals and integrity are optional.
It’s almost bedtime now, so there is time to chat online or text message. (Which has probably been going on most of the day.) Again we find gossip and slander. But this time it’s even more dangerous because the friend might be texting the very person being gossiped about. There could be a dozen interrelated text conversations going on where no one knows the whole story.
Wait. Forgot about Bible reading. Well, it’s late and time for bed. That can wait for tomorrow. Plus, I’ll hear about God in church on Sunday. (If I’m not too busy talking and texting during worship and class.)
The apostle Paul wrote, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. (1 Timothy 4:8-10)
Unless we’re willing to train for godliness it will never happen. Maybe it’s time to take a long look at what kind of “training” you are doing now and see if it’s time for a new spiritual fitness plan.

shine!
Jason

A new birth

I love days like this one! One of our students was baptized by her dad. What a great moment!

Identity

This week in our small groups we talked about identity.
What defines us?
Who determines our worth?
Where do we find our value?
Identity is such a powerful thing, especially in the life of a teenager. After a dozen years of being defined primarily by their relationship with their family, teenagers begin to seek their own identity.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of voices out there trying to tell us what our identity should be. Listen to this music. Wear these clothes. Talk a certain way. Get drunk. Lie to your parents. Have sex. Be disrespectful. The list goes on and on.
But there is only one place to find our true identity. It’s the one the Creator intended for us. Jesus said the following:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:1-4)
So what kind of fruit is that? What kind of fruit is Jesus wanting us to bear? Maybe it’s the fruit that Paul wrote about in his letter to the Galatian church:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Our true identity is not determined by what we wear or drive. It can’t be measured by where we live or how popular we are.
Our true identity is determined by what kind of person we are. Notice that we are called human beings, not human doings. What are we today and what are we becoming? That is the question that counts.
In a world that so often measures us on the outside, we have a Creator God that uses a different method. When looking for a king to lead Israel, the Lord told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
When we can start worrying more about who we are on the inside instead of the outside, we will begin to make room for God to transform us. Then he can reveal to us our true identity and we can experience the peace that only comes from knowing Him.

shine!
Jason

Who gets the glory?

As I have been following the news over the last couple of weeks, I have been amazed at the way the new President and his administration have been downplaying expectations regarding some of their initiatives. Not that this is new. Every election cycle, politicians make promises that people want to hear. They boldly talk about their plans.
This year’s downshift seems more pronounced than any I remember in my lifetime by a President. Maybe it’s the way the media covered this election. Maybe it’s because of the intricate web of communication used during the campaign that utilized the best marketing plan I have ever witnessed by a Presidential campaign team. I am sure that the financial crisis we are in the midst of caused many to hope for a quick solution.
Regardless of the reasons, many people seemed to expect this President to step into office and almost immediately solve the crises at hand. In the midst of the campaign, the candidate seemed more than happy to use this expectation to bolster his campaign.
Today’s politicians are quite a contrast with our Savior. While politicians seek out attention and trumpet their bold dreams, Jesus was quite the opposite.
Never one to desire the spotlight, Jesus often seemed to go out of His way to avoid attention. Many times in His ministry, we see Jesus healing people and telling them not to tell anyone. He would try to sneak away from the crowds. And when He did get praise, He directed it to the Father. Consider a few of the things Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount:
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:2)
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:5)
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:16)
Whether we are running for President or an average citizen, we can learn from the example of Christ. If we want to bring forth the Kingdom of God in this world, it can’t be about us. It’s not about making big promises or taking advantage of people’s fear or anticipation. It’s about seeking what is in the best interest of God and others while sacrificing our own glory.

shine!
Jason