It's not about me

One of the things we must come to grips with is that this life is not all about me (or you). It is so easy to become self-focused. Self-help books are some of the best-selling books. Music and art is all about being you not matter what others think. Self-gratification (I only do what makes me happy) and self-promotion (I only do what propels me forward) are things that we rarely even think about as issues.

But this should be different for followers of Jesus. We have Jesus' example. He never acted out of self-gratification or self-promotion. In John 5:19, Jesus says, "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." See what he says? Jesus, God-in-the-flesh looks only to the Father and does what he sees the Father doing. That's the opposite of self-promotion.

We're going to deal with self-gratification in the next blog post. But I want to focus on self-promotion today. Merriam-Webster defines self promotion as, "the act of furthering one's own growth, advancement, or prosperity." We instinctively act out of self-promotion all the time.

We are born in the world seeking self-promotion. But it's a good thing then. Babies can't say, "Hey mom, I'm hungry. Give me a bottle." They cry. And they learn that when they cry, they get what they want.

The problem is that sometimes we continue that mindset into adulthood. We learn that we need to be in it for ourselves, that we are the only ones worried about our own well-being.

Take a few moments to read John 14:1-4, then answer these questions.

1. According to Jesus, what should we do instead of letting our "hearts be troubled?
2. How does Jesus' promises (verse 2-4) help you in your journey to trust God instead of being worried?

I think that we often resort to self-promotion because we are worried that if we don't take care of ourselves, no one will. Or if we don't seek to be noticed or admired, no one will. But Jesus promises his presence just a bit later - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you." He promises to notice you, to take care of your deepest needs.

3. If we trusted God to take care of our deepest needs, how would that help us not seek self-promotion as much?

Take a moment to pray that God would help you to feel satisfied, noticed, and taken care of in his presence. Confess areas in your life where you have been self-obsessed and ask him to give his Holy Spirit to help you in those areas.

Faith Expressing Itself Through Love

Last Sunday Pastor Brian was preaching from Galatians 5, and he read the verse on the picture. This is actually a verse that struck me a couple years ago (I even wrote it on my Facebook, which is somewhat rare). I was contemplating what it meant for me, for my faith, for how I practice my faith.

I mean, what if I believed that? I mean really believed it? What if I let those words change my actions inside and out? What would look different about how I structure my day and my free time?

Let me give you some context around this verse. Paul was a missionary to Galatia. He taught the Galatians that faith comes through Jesus Christ alone, that there is nothing more that we can do to ensure salvation. The some Galatia accepted his words and believed in Jesus.

But after Paul left, some other Jewish-Christians came around and started teaching that followers of Christ must obey the Old Testament Law, which started with male circumcision (if you don't know what that is, ask your mother). Jews were instructed by God to circumcise all who were in His family and nation, so these Christians thought that law should be practiced by Jesus followers, which, by the way, Jesus happened to be Jewish.

So the Galatians started to buy into this and circumcised their men and started following the Old Testament Law, which went against what Paul was preaching. They believed that the only way to please God was to follow the Law. But Paul said that Jesus has already paid the price, that God's wrath against sin was already pleased through Jesus' sacrifice, and that there was no more work that needed to be done.

So Paul Got mad. Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Galatians 5. Don't worry, I'll wait.

Still waiting...

Seriously, go do it now!!!

So Paul affirms that nothing else really counts except "faith expressing itself through love." But then he turns gears a bit. He tells them not to use their "freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

I think to fully understand this, we have to understand that there are two entities we are called to love:

1. Love God. When we have a love for God it changes our priorities. It changes how we behave. It changes what we think is good and pleasing. It causes us to act differently than we otherwise would because we want to please Him.
2. Love others. This was a huge one for Jesus. Your love for others will show your love for God. In other words, how you love others is how you love God (check out 1 John if you don't believe me). 

So we are called to have faith which will be expressed through love. And that love is a love that serves. It's not a freedom that indulges self.

Here are two questions to answer on the blog.

1. How does your love for God inform how you act? In other words, what changes in you or your behavior because of your love for God?
2. What are some specific ways you can love those in your family more? What kinds of behavior and actions would show the love of Christ to them?
3. What are some specific ways you can love others around you (school, sports, band, drama, work, etc...)? How can you show them the love of Christ?

Your Dream

We're taking the week off of a traditional devotional for Spring Break. For this week, simply comment below answer this question: What do you hope God does during this mission trip? It could be something that He does in you, in our group, through you or our group for someone else. What is your dream? If you could pray for just one thing for this mission trip, what would it be? I look forward to seeing your responses.

FYI, there are four other blog devos, and some of you haven't completed all of them (some haven't completed one). Get these done soon, or the hammer of justice may do something. Thanks!

Where Are You Going?

Watch this clip from Alice in Wonderland (warning: poor quality ahead):

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

That seems fairly obvious doesn't it? But so often this is how we live our lives. We live as if the outcome isn't important, and we wonder why it always seems like we're on the wrong road.

But what if we lived as if the destination was important? How would that change which "road" we take, the choices we make, the way we use our time, talents, and treasure? What if we knew our lives had a purpose, and we filtered everything through that purpose?

Jesus gave His disciples a purpose. He gave them instructions on which road to take.

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

There was an instruction: Go! But then there was a promise. The promise is alluded to at the beginning of the command, then given again at the end of the command. At the beginning He says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go..."

Jesus wasn't sending His disciples with nothing to take. He was giving them His authority. They wouldn't have to go on the road to their given destination alone. His authority would go with them.

Then He says, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Again, Jesus promises His presence with His authority. We aren't travelling down just any road. We are travelling down a road that leads to the destination Jesus has given us, and it is with His authority and presence that we travel the road.

No matter how dark, how narrow, how scary the road is, Jesus promises to accompany His disciples when He sends them. Write your response to these questions below:

1. How would knowing our destination change the "road" we take (the choices we make)? How would keeping in mind what Jesus has for us change how we make decisions?
2. What does it mean that Jesus gives His authority and presence to His disciples? How does that help or affect us?

The Mop Flops

We have a saying in ministry (specifically regarding our mission trips) that we flop with the mop. It's another way of saying that we go with the flow.

There are lots of reasons why we should be flexible, and lots of circumstances that could cause change in a mission trip.

Read Acts 16:6-10 (side note, I hope that you are really taking the time to read these passages and not just trying to get clues from the questions and blog about what it's about).

Paul was the original missionary. He was dedicated to take the Gospel to far away lands, to spread the news of Jesus Christ. I can only imagine how he felt when doors were closing left and right. All he wanted to do was spread the Gospel. Why would God allow doors to close that would allow him to do that?

This sort of thing still happens. Our local mission experience that we host every three years at KLMC (The Jerusalem Project) was actually born out of a closed door. We were suppose to go to New York city. But it was obvious that trip was not for our group. God closed the door...hard! And we were left with no mission trip.

Then, through prayer and frustration, God showed us The Jerusalem Project. He directed our way and lead us to a truly unique and memorable mission experience, one that has had a ton of impact in our community, including at least one man who began to turn his life around and started coming to our church before he died.

By the way, only five people signed up for that mission trip because it wasn't as "cool" as New York and it wasn't the original plan. But it has turned into one of my favorite things we do as a youth group.

You see, God closes doors to open new ones. It's frustrating, because we have our ideas and mind set on one thing, but then something else happens that seems like it wasn't what we planned. But when God opens another door like He did with Paul going to Macedonia, it's always a better thing (at least, better from God's vantage point, which is above ours).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Another way to say that last part (He will make your paths straight) is that He will direct your paths. To flop with the mop means that, while we plan and hope and anticipate the future, God has ultimate control of this trip and everything leading up to it. So, will we trust in our own understanding of what is good and right and logical, or will we trust that God has it taken care of?

To respond, answer these questions:

1.  How would you feel if you were Paul in Acts 16? He was just trying to bring the Gospel of Jesus to a new place (remember, we don't know how long he lingered in Troas before they left for Macedonia).
2. What are some ways or signs that would be an indicator of whether or not you are trusting in God? In other words, what kinds of attitudes and actions would be present of someone who trusts in God? What about the person who is only trusting in themselves? What kind of attitude and actions would they display when plans change?
3. Write out a short prayer based on this devotional. 

Hope

What is faith? What is hope?

Take a minute to listen to this song in order to prepare for your devotional:

Now take some time to read through Hebrews 11. It's a longer chapter, so I'll give you a few minutes. Seriously, read it and then come back to this.

I love the first verse of this chapter, the verse describing what faith is. Faith is have confidence, being sure of the hope that we have.

Hope is being able to see a better future. We see what our lives and world are like now, and it's messy. But hope says, "This can be better." And we can be encouraged by those who have gone before us, keeping the faith even when hope seems lost. They keep their hope because they know that God is making something even better.

Take a moment to respond to these questions here on the blog (seriously, write your answers out here):

1. Who is someone in your life that has always had faith? What gave them their hope?
2. On this mission trip you can be that person for someone, either another team member or someone that we will meet on the mission field. You can be the inspiration for someone else to have faith, to see that there is hope in all situations, a better future. What are some ways that you can show the hope that you have to other people on the mission trip?

Anticipation

Hey guys. Welcome to the first devotional for the 2017 mission trip. We will be putting two devotionals online every week (ideally Monday and Thursday). Occasionally these devotionals will be written by a "guest." This week we are starting with a thought from Russ Taylor. Don't forget to read all the way to the bottom and respond to the devotionals accordingly. Not responding to the devos could cost you a chance to go on the mission trip.

From Russ:

Anticipation: the feeling of looking forward, usually excitedly or eagerly, to something that is going to happen. I would assume that all of us are doing this in regard to the upcoming mission trip to Birmingham.

I was fourteen when my dad purchased our first television and visual images came into our home. I was an avid reader through my childhood. As I read those books, I formed my own "images" in my mind in regard to those stories. I could picture exactly what each character looked like and all the settings the story was taking place in. I remember often being somewhat disappointed when on of those books was made into a movie. The just hadn't gotten it "right." The people who were cast to play the parts just didn't look like they were suppose to look.

We all fantasize at times, picturing in our minds the outcome of a sporting event or some type of competition. We fantasize a first date, playing it all out in our mind. We imagine what we will say and how they will respond in turn. Often, the fantasy is much more enjoyable and to our liking than the actual event turns out to be.

As we prepare to go on this mission trip, I am trying very hard not to fantasize very much. I want to be a "blank canvas" that the Lord can use. I am praying, "Lord, show me what you want me to see, teach me what you want me to learn, guide me to experience what you want me to experience!" As we anticipate this trip, let us keep our "fantasies" to a minimum and our availability and openness to a maximum. In this way, we will be able to be used to be a blessing to others in return, be blessed ourselves more than we could have imagined!

-Russ Taylor

Take a second to reflect on what Russ said. Then reply to this blog with answers to these questions:

1. What does it mean to be a "blank slate" in regards to the mission trip?
2. How can you have a teachable attitude towards this mission trip? In other words, how will you keep your anticipation about the mission trip from limiting what God wants to do in and through you?

Side Note: Students and parents, we would love to have more guest devotionals throughout the spring. If you would like to submit a devotional, you can email it to me at norm@klmc.us or type up a physical copy.