John 14:6
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through Me."
So this week I led Bible Study in Seekers and it was such a blessing but also God willing. It was supposed to be about Christianity vs Catholicism but I thought there were more important things to talk about. Instead of trying to get them to realize the difference between these two, I decided to question them about their own faith. I was really shocked by the answers my group members gave me... I was disappointed greatly... They really did not know what Christianity was all about.
I thought to myself, "How can I try telling the differences between Christianity and Catholicism if they don't even know the foundation of their own faith?" I asked them, "What is the most important thing to know as a Christian? How do we know we are saved?" None of them knew the answer... Some of them said, "Because we believe in God." I told them that it was the very Gospel! The sad truth is, none of them even knew what the Gospel was... So I had to explain what the Gospel was and why we believe in it.
Doesn't this tell us anything about our own Seekers guys? I am not trying to criticize them in any way and I am not trying to be mean but WE HAVE TO WAKE UP! If our own Seekers does not know our own faith, what does that tell us about their own walk with Christ? It shows a lack of reading the Word and praying to God. It tells me a lot of them are coming to Seekers to socialize and that is a dangerous thing!
I want us all to make sure that our own Seekers members know what the Gospel is because if we don't, there is no way for our school to be changed. We have to know and let others know that we are sinners headed to hell because God hates sin but God in His great love and mercy, sent His one and only Son to die on the Cross for our sins and resurrected on the third day! HE SAVED US. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GRACE IS! WHAT LOVE IS! Without the Cross of Jesus Christ, we would all be heading to hell right now, there would be no Seekers, there would be no Christianity, there would be no hope!
We have to thank God for opening our eyes to the truth of the Cross of Christ. Guys, let's wake up and make sure our own Seekers knows what the Gospel is, know what Christianity is all about because if we don't, our school will not be changed.
Goal: Make sure all your Seekers members know what Christianity is all about - the Gospel, and motivate them to read the word, pray, and evangelize through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
No More Troubles
1 John Chapter 3 vv. 2, 9.
If you can search these verses up, do so because I believe these verses have so much meaning in them.
Many of us have trouble finding out what to do with our lives and wonder what the future holds for us. Verse 2 shows us that we do not have to worry about our own futures. Many of us are waiting for an answer and longing for direction in our lives and this verse ensures us that God will reveal the future to us. We also wonder about our decisions in life and wonder if it is God's decision for us. This verse also tells us that if God is revealed to us, then we will be like Him! We have to realize that if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, our decisions in life will be according to His will because we are like Him! We have nothing to worry about if our lives are lead by Christ.
Verse 9 gives us comfort. It says, since we are of God we do not sin! There is no way for us to sin and why? Because of the great price Jesus Christ has paid on the Cross for us. Although we were sinners, Christ died for us and resurrected on the third day! He gave us salvation! Unlike the world, we have the ability of not sinning through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have true freedom! On our day of judgement, God will judge the sin of all but since we accepted Jesus Christ, God will see past our sin and see the blood of Christ!
How blessed are we?
Question: Do you have any praise reports or prayer requests?
If you can search these verses up, do so because I believe these verses have so much meaning in them.
Many of us have trouble finding out what to do with our lives and wonder what the future holds for us. Verse 2 shows us that we do not have to worry about our own futures. Many of us are waiting for an answer and longing for direction in our lives and this verse ensures us that God will reveal the future to us. We also wonder about our decisions in life and wonder if it is God's decision for us. This verse also tells us that if God is revealed to us, then we will be like Him! We have to realize that if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, our decisions in life will be according to His will because we are like Him! We have nothing to worry about if our lives are lead by Christ.
Verse 9 gives us comfort. It says, since we are of God we do not sin! There is no way for us to sin and why? Because of the great price Jesus Christ has paid on the Cross for us. Although we were sinners, Christ died for us and resurrected on the third day! He gave us salvation! Unlike the world, we have the ability of not sinning through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have true freedom! On our day of judgement, God will judge the sin of all but since we accepted Jesus Christ, God will see past our sin and see the blood of Christ!
How blessed are we?
Question: Do you have any praise reports or prayer requests?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Great Race
Sorry guys for not updating. I totally blanked out on it... -.-;; Well, I think there is a purpose for it in a way? Because today I went to MTS (Monthly Training Seminar) and now I can tell you what I learned at the meeting. It's a monthly meeting for all of Christian Seekers in NYC and we basically get discipled.
Today we went to the book of Hebrews:
"Therefore we also, since we are rounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2
Verse 1 talks about a race that we are striving to finish but it also says that we can easily lose track while we're running this race. Sin is what prevents us from finishing this race. But what can we do to make sure that we do not lose trach and finish the race?
It's through clarity and passion. Verse 2 talks about how Jesus died on the cross for our sin and He was endured the cross because we were His motivation. He though about us on that cross and His very love for us kept Him up there. He thought about each of us by name and died for our very sins - for the very joy of our salvation which brings joy to Christ.
How does this relate to the race we are striving to finish? We have to know why we are running this race and have great passion for it. But we have to realize that we have to renew our vision and if we fail to do so, we will lose our joy and our passion.
How do we renew our joy and passion? We celerate through praise and worship. Celebration renews our joy and passion in Christ. We have to renew and refresh the fact that we were sinners in God's eyes and were headed to hell, but God in His great love and mercy, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our very sins and resurrected on the third day. We hear this a lot from Pastor Stephen. renewing and refreshing our thoughts of Christ will allow us to finish the race that is ahead of us.
Stay strong brothers and sisters!
Today we went to the book of Hebrews:
"Therefore we also, since we are rounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2
Verse 1 talks about a race that we are striving to finish but it also says that we can easily lose track while we're running this race. Sin is what prevents us from finishing this race. But what can we do to make sure that we do not lose trach and finish the race?
It's through clarity and passion. Verse 2 talks about how Jesus died on the cross for our sin and He was endured the cross because we were His motivation. He though about us on that cross and His very love for us kept Him up there. He thought about each of us by name and died for our very sins - for the very joy of our salvation which brings joy to Christ.
How does this relate to the race we are striving to finish? We have to know why we are running this race and have great passion for it. But we have to realize that we have to renew our vision and if we fail to do so, we will lose our joy and our passion.
How do we renew our joy and passion? We celerate through praise and worship. Celebration renews our joy and passion in Christ. We have to renew and refresh the fact that we were sinners in God's eyes and were headed to hell, but God in His great love and mercy, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our very sins and resurrected on the third day. We hear this a lot from Pastor Stephen. renewing and refreshing our thoughts of Christ will allow us to finish the race that is ahead of us.
Stay strong brothers and sisters!
Friday, October 3, 2008
WAKE UP!
"See You At the Pole"
Today was the first time I went to the pole at my school. There was only a couple of us, around six to seven students. As students passed by us, I felt that maybe some saw the light of Christ - people actually gathering up and praying. But I felt as if God's presence was not present. I felt as if no one was prepared. We went on and prayed for each other but everyone's prayer request was about the SAT's which really disappointed me in a way. We didn't pray for the school who really needs the Gospel more than anything else.
After around fifteen minutes of praying for each other's "SAT", it ended. I felt as if it was pointless... We gather around the "school" flag pole praying for SAT's yet the prayer for the school is left out. I wondered to myself, "What really is in the core of their heart?" I mean, SAT's go by and that's that but what about the school? Most of us only have around two years left in high school and some of us don't realize that our school is full of sin and is headed straight to hell.
WAKE UP EVERYBODY!
If you aren't sharing the Gospel message with anyone in your school, you should look over your faith. God has blessed us tremendously and has shown us the message that we were sinners who were headed straight to hell but God in His love and mercy sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins and resurrected on the third day! But what are we doing with the Gospel God has given to us? Are we ashamed of the Gospel or are we afraid that we might lose friends or get made fun of? Are we living according to what we believe in? Let's not only do it in word but also in action. Action speaks louder than word.
I think this is a great verse that will encourage us all.
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
How powerful! Do we believe in this or are we going to continue the rest of our lives wasted...
Brothers and sisters we have a lot of work to do and let us leave our high schools knowing that God has used us in our schools.
Today was the first time I went to the pole at my school. There was only a couple of us, around six to seven students. As students passed by us, I felt that maybe some saw the light of Christ - people actually gathering up and praying. But I felt as if God's presence was not present. I felt as if no one was prepared. We went on and prayed for each other but everyone's prayer request was about the SAT's which really disappointed me in a way. We didn't pray for the school who really needs the Gospel more than anything else.
After around fifteen minutes of praying for each other's "SAT", it ended. I felt as if it was pointless... We gather around the "school" flag pole praying for SAT's yet the prayer for the school is left out. I wondered to myself, "What really is in the core of their heart?" I mean, SAT's go by and that's that but what about the school? Most of us only have around two years left in high school and some of us don't realize that our school is full of sin and is headed straight to hell.
WAKE UP EVERYBODY!
If you aren't sharing the Gospel message with anyone in your school, you should look over your faith. God has blessed us tremendously and has shown us the message that we were sinners who were headed straight to hell but God in His love and mercy sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins and resurrected on the third day! But what are we doing with the Gospel God has given to us? Are we ashamed of the Gospel or are we afraid that we might lose friends or get made fun of? Are we living according to what we believe in? Let's not only do it in word but also in action. Action speaks louder than word.
I think this is a great verse that will encourage us all.
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
How powerful! Do we believe in this or are we going to continue the rest of our lives wasted...
Brothers and sisters we have a lot of work to do and let us leave our high schools knowing that God has used us in our schools.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Nothing to Fear, Christ is Here
Jude 14:24,25
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen."
In our daily lives, we feel like we are going through so much - school, studying, homework, etc. - but when we look at these verses, we feel a sense of comfort. These verses tell us that Christ will keep us strong and will always be there for us in our trouble times. It also shows us the price that He paid on the cross - "And to present you faultless". Because Christ loved us so much, He died on the cross for our sins and resurrected on the third day, and if we believe in this message, God will not see the sins we committed and will see the blood of Christ - "faultless".
This should also bring out joy within us, joy that would motivate us to share this Gospel message with others. "Exceeding joy" - we obtain this joy because we realize that we passed from death over to life. The fact that God has all dominion and power shows us that we have nothing to worry about and it also shows us that Christ is in control. Therefore there is nothing to fear!
Stay strong brothers and sisters!
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen."
In our daily lives, we feel like we are going through so much - school, studying, homework, etc. - but when we look at these verses, we feel a sense of comfort. These verses tell us that Christ will keep us strong and will always be there for us in our trouble times. It also shows us the price that He paid on the cross - "And to present you faultless". Because Christ loved us so much, He died on the cross for our sins and resurrected on the third day, and if we believe in this message, God will not see the sins we committed and will see the blood of Christ - "faultless".
This should also bring out joy within us, joy that would motivate us to share this Gospel message with others. "Exceeding joy" - we obtain this joy because we realize that we passed from death over to life. The fact that God has all dominion and power shows us that we have nothing to worry about and it also shows us that Christ is in control. Therefore there is nothing to fear!
Stay strong brothers and sisters!
Friday, September 19, 2008
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 (NKJV)
This is a verse that us Christians hear often but why, and what does it mean? There are many topics that are talked about in this verse and to understand the full meaning we must look at the verses that follow it.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:17-18 (NKJK)
These verses talk about the conversion all Christian go through when they accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour. "From death to life!" Few of us lack the understanding that our salvation is not by works. Our salvation is a gift from God and He gave this gift to us because He loved us, a fallen humanity. In John 3:16 it says that "For God so loved the world..." He loved us even though we were enemies of Christ and were sinners who deserve eternity in hell. And we should do the same to others.
When we go through this conversion from death to life, it changes us more than we can even imagine. Conversion changes our personality and our character - we bear fruit (peace, love, and joy). We now have a purpose in life in Christ and God is in control.
This should also motivate us to go out and preach the Word that we are all sinners - Christ died for our sins - and Christ has ressurrected. All we have to do is believe in this Gospel message and we will see gradual changes in our lives.
Question: What does it mean to "believe"?
John 3:16 (NKJV)
This is a verse that us Christians hear often but why, and what does it mean? There are many topics that are talked about in this verse and to understand the full meaning we must look at the verses that follow it.
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:17-18 (NKJK)
These verses talk about the conversion all Christian go through when they accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour. "From death to life!" Few of us lack the understanding that our salvation is not by works. Our salvation is a gift from God and He gave this gift to us because He loved us, a fallen humanity. In John 3:16 it says that "For God so loved the world..." He loved us even though we were enemies of Christ and were sinners who deserve eternity in hell. And we should do the same to others.
When we go through this conversion from death to life, it changes us more than we can even imagine. Conversion changes our personality and our character - we bear fruit (peace, love, and joy). We now have a purpose in life in Christ and God is in control.
This should also motivate us to go out and preach the Word that we are all sinners - Christ died for our sins - and Christ has ressurrected. All we have to do is believe in this Gospel message and we will see gradual changes in our lives.
Question: What does it mean to "believe"?
Friday, September 12, 2008
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