Wednesday March 2

I would like to invite all parents to be a part of First Wednesday...The 1st Wednesday of every month we would love for parents to come and worship alongside their student(s). This Wednesday we will be finishing up our series META: God's Story. We've been discussing how God's Story (aka - The Bible) is Christo-centric...that just means it's all about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation there are a bunch of stories that are leading up to ONE story...the story of the Christ! That's where we find ourselves this Wednesday!

Let me be the first to warn you (I've already warned the students), this will be a challenging message. I'm going to challenge doubleU students on the reliability of the resurrection of Christ. Why do we believe it, because it's way more than just something we learned in VBS when we were little. More more than just something we were simply instructed to believe.

This week we will examine the "what" we believe & the "why" we believe it. So come and worship with us this Wednesday at we finish META: God's Story!

JM

"sexting" and your teens

Be proactive with your teenager about "sexting"...

Scary stat...1 in 5 teens have sent a nude image of themselves via text message or internet!

Here's a link to a useful web article on the subject.

JM

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/talking-about-sexting?utm_source=newsletter02.17.11&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feature1-title

META: Abraham

Last week we started a look at the METAnarrative. A group of small stories that make up one big story with a common theme...I'm pretty sure the Bible fits into that category! The Bible goes a little further in that it is Christocentric having Christ as the central character throughout it's books and chapters. From Genesis to Malachi the people are looking/waiting for the coming Savior to fix the mess we are in. From Matthew to the beginning of Acts we learn about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Acts to Jude we learn how Jesus changed the world, and Revelation focuses on the promise of His return.

Last night we talked about Abraham and his obedience at a time when we would be found lacking.

Genesis 22 - Abraham and Isaac

• Spend some time reading through the story of Abraham and Isaac together
• What difficulties do you have with what God asked Abraham to do (be real)?
• Talk about Abraham's obedience even though it was a difficult task. Verse 3 says a lot about the obedience of Abraham.
• Now talk about the faith of Abraham.
• Search through verse 5 for his faith...what does it say? What does it reveal about the faith of Abraham?
• Remember the promise that God gave Abram (before he was known as Abraham)...Isaac was the was that God was going to make Abraham's name famous in all the earth...it was through Isaac that Abraham would have many sons...and many sons had Father Abraham...I am one of them and so are you...so let's just praise the Lord...Right arm!
• Abraham said we will "come again to you." A strong statement of faith from a man being asked to do the unthinkable!
• But we also see God's provision as a response to Abraham's faith and his reverent fear.
• God provided a ram in the thicket/thorns...oh the parallel is almost too clear! God provided a sacrifice in the thorns as a substitute for Isaac! Oh please tell me you see this!
• Talk with your student(s) about the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
• Now you see how the story of Abraham points to Jesus...be open to seeing more ways the OT points to the coming work of the Messiah.
• Pray as a family that more people would know His sacrifice and trust in its salvation...pray for you student this week...pray for this ministry this week...pray that you would make much of Jesus!

liveUnhindered/loveUnashamed

JM

sexualization of young girls...

Here's a link to an article that is clearly close to my heart...read and maybe make changes...I know I will...

liveUnhindered/loveUnashamed

JM

http://www.redbookmag.com/kids-family/advice/sexualization-of-young-girls

MTV and its new controversy...

It's always been my opinion to look before jumping. It is simply easier you point out the dangers, as well as decide whether to jump at all. MTV clearly has jumped into a pool without looking as to where they my land.

SKINS is a new show on MTV that is targeting your children...all in the name of reality, because they believe this is the reality for your children. Sadly this may be closer to reality then what we would like to admit. This show is explicit in nature and is adding to what is already a decaying morality in our society. I'm not exactly sure how they are able to get away with what they are putting on air (simply because a basic cable package with have it as one of their channels), due to the graphic nature of the images they will be putting one the small screen.

Beyond that plethora of information is the fact the actors are on this show are 15 year old and up. Uh-oh...that means MTV is now in what could end up being a legal mess. Child Pornography. You see...that's why you must look before you jump. How could they not see this coming? Have their eyes been so blinded to the point they are no longer able to see the edge of the envelope they have been pushing for 30 years? WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE OK?

Madonna, The Real World, Road Rules, Made, True Life, 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom 1&2, Jersey Shore; and now to top it all off, a show based on children curious about sex and their sexuality. Parents beware! Students beware!

Here's a link to Dr. Alber Mohler's article on this topic.

By the Skins of Their Teeth

liveUnhindered/loveUnashamed

JM

teenage girls...

I don't have one yet, but minister to them on a daily basis...here's a good article for parents of teenage girls to read.

JM

LifeWay Girls Ministry

Toy Box Christianity (All Show No Go)...

...The Rocking Horse is pretty much a universal toy. It is not limited to any particular country and is the toy with the longest history in our look at Toy Box Christianity. Because it's the most "mature" toy, we can assume it comes with a lot of wisdom.

Think about it for a second...the rocking horse is a lot of work with no production, except maybe a little friction. You can summarize this toy with one simple phrase..."All Show and No Go." This isn't much different than the life of a believer. What about your life? What about your student's life? How are you helping your student's life with Christ be all GO and less SHOW? Tonight we took a hard look at how we can live a life of going.

Read Matthew 25:14-30

• This history of the Rocking Horse goes a little something like this...It all started with the Hobby Horse which is nothing more than a horse head (fake) on the end of a broomstick. You can still find this predecessor of the rocking horse all Wal Mart. This led to the Barrel Horse. Not to be a downer, but this doesn't seem as fun...it's simply a log with wooden legs...no motion at all...what you see is what you get. Now we have the Rocking Horse...some were super elaborate and some were simple, but they all have the same function...rock, rock, rock...
• It moves but it doesn't go anywhere. Discuss what this would look like in the life of a believer...(go to church, go to church, go to church, but no desire to grow with Christ)
• Jesus is looking for practical obedience, but what was it that led the one servant to hide the talent? (Fear)
• The question might arise..."Why did he give more to some and just one to the last one...did he love the last servant the least?" That's not the case at all...the King entrusted the servant with what he believed the servant could handle. You don't give a 1st grader algebra homework...it's the same with this parable.
• Discuss the understanding of entrusting someone with something (it is the handing over to)
• What did Jesus entrust to us? (The Gospel, Love, The Spirit)
• EVERY believer is entrusted with some responsibility...what do we do with it?
• Why is investing a "risky" thing to do? How risky is it when we're investing what Jesus has given to us? It's not that risky when you live by faith.
• Look at the response of the disobedient servant (v24)...it was a 43 word response...but those who obey really required no explanation.
• That's the life of the No Go...so what does the life of a person On The Go look like W/O HESITATION (V16)...GOOD & FAITHFUL (v21)...RECEIVES THE GREATEST REWARD "WELL DONE" (v21)...SHARE IN THE JOY OF CHRIST (v21)
• The life of an obedient servant stands in dramatic contrast to that of one who lives in disobedience.

Spend some time praying as a family...ask God to help you be a family on the go and for the Holy Spirit to reveal the aspects of your family life that may not live up to what God has called you and your family to.

JM