Archive for the ‘Devotionals’ Category
Last night in IGNITE JV (Middle School) focused on how faith involves loving others and how faith without works is dead and useless as it says in James 2:14-20; but as we help/love others we can’t do it with selfish or prideful attitudes like the guy in the video. Instead God wants us to have humble attitudes as we care for others.
Below is the list of ideas for students to practice their faith in real life by just showing others they care. Students are challenged to do some or all of the things below and leave a message in the comment section as to which one they did. Remember, the church is not a cruise ship, but a battle ship! God doesn’t want us to have an “on the bench” faith, but one that is “out on the field” showing others that we love them and we love Him.
Loving Others List:
1. Open doors for others, don’t just open the door for your self and let it go in the little old ladies face at the mall or your school.
2. Carry someone else’s tray this week at school when lunch is over.
3. Invite people from your school to come to OSU Day this Sunday or youth group next Wednesday (we want them to feel like they belong).
4. Maybe you have power/electricity but somebody you know doesn’t have power yet, invite them over to your house with your parents permission, give them a meal.
5. If you see someone on the street that could use some food, go to McDonalds, buy them a double cheeseburger (only $1) and take it to them.
6. Go through your closet this week and get some of the clothes you don’t really wear anymore and give it away to a goodwill or salvation army…please no “holy underwear!”
7. Help your teachers this week, setting up, carrying stuff, etc.
8. Rake your neighbors yard.
9. Wash your neighbors car.
10. Walk your neighbors dog.
It’s a bubble gum wall. Not sure where it is but, but I came across this picture of a wall that is completely plastered with old, chewed up bubble gum. Old chewed up gum just gets stuck somewhere and forgotten about; the flavor is gone and it’s pretty much good for nothing. Sometimes I wish it could last just a bit longer.
Camp experiences can be like that as well. We get all excited for God and what He wants to do or did in our lives at camp, but slowly, sometimes even quickly, the “flavor” starts to fade and we stick it on the wall with our other camp experiences and it doesn’t really amount to much. So here are some ways to make the flavor last taken from 1 John 1:
1. Rememember – (1John 1:1-2) Remember what God did in your life at Camp. Write it down or save it some place you can go back and look at it again.
2. Testify – (1 John 1:3-5) Tell somebody! Don’t keep this a secret. Let friends, family, boyfriends, or girlfriends, even strangers know what God did in your life at camp. Telling people will help make it more real to you, help you remember, and help others to keep you accountable.
3. Know the Truth – (1 John 1:5-7) Know what the truth is; despite how you feel. Feelings/experiences fade, but the truth does not! Knowing who God is and that all truth comes from him will help you live this life to the full. Even if you don’t feel like being a Christian or sticking to your committment, know that the truth is that God DOES want you to still follow Him and He does still love you no matter what!
4. Renew – (1 John 1:8-10) You may be have just gotten saved at camp or been saved for a LONG time, but we all still sin. God wants us to know that He still loves us. He always wants us to come to Him or come back to Him. You can ALWAYS renew your relationship with God (check out what it says in 1 John 1:9).
Make it last…
IGNITE Student Ministry 