Christ the Only Way By R.C. Sproul

Using the Twilight Series to Share Your Faith

I have to admit that I am completely out of the loop on this whole Twilight deal, but it seems to be everywhere right now (including interest among students in my church), so I looked into the gist of it and came across this article from Dare2Share Ministries about how to use this book series (and movies) to share your faith with your friends (or with the young people in your church).

From what I have read about the book series, I do not think this is appropriate for the teenage audience that it appears to be targeted toward. Many teens, if not most, are not spiritually mature enough to read this type of material without being both emotionally and morally impacted by the story. However, if they have already read it, then youth pastors and parents should definitely use it as a teaching tool and as a way to point them toward Biblical truth about God’s plan for our lives … the same goes for everything else in our culture (i.e., movies, music, art, etc.) that glamorizes sex.

Here’s a blurb from the article:

This unusual romance saga is pumped full of the push and pull of a desire for true love and … sexual tension. … there are some striking similarities to the real world teens find themselves confronted with every day, surrounded by a culture that is saturated with sexual connotations, innuendos, and a warped view of human sexuality, yet longing for true love and respect.

So as Christians, how do we handle the push and pull of sex that permeates our own lives, and our social networks? Well, God ’s … blueprint for sexuality (calls for us to):

God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity. Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God. Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful–as beautiful on the inside as the outside. (1 Thess. 4:2-7).

Every human, Christians and non-Christians alike, have struggled with lust in one form or another. But as God’s Word says, sexual lust destroys both our relationships and our self-esteem. Lust only devalues the person and objectifies them. Each of us has been created in His image and deserves to be treated in a respectful and honoring way. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to come along side us and be our strength in time of our weakness. We need His help in fleeing lustful temptations (2 Timothy 2:2).

Use the popular Twilight series as a springboard in conversation with your friends to talk about God’s plan for our lives! Here are some questions to help you get started:

• If your friends (or students) have read Twilight, ask them who in the books they think show true love. How? Why?
• Ask your friends how they would define lust. Listen, and then share what God’s perspective of lust is.
• If it seems appropriate, consider asking your friends how they deal with sexual temptation (lust, pornography, premarital sex, masturbation).
• Explain how our Heavenly Father wants to protect us from later harm by giving us His blue print for sexuality.

Share how Jesus came to this earth and died and then rose again so we can have His strength and power here on earth to overcome the struggles of this world.

Real and lasting self-control can only come from the Holy Spirit’s divine guidance. So, step out with His power and share with your friends how they too can step into God’s loving direction for dealing with the challenges of this dimension of life.

HT: Dare2Share

Advent Conspiracy

The story of Christ’s birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it’s all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Check out the Advent Conspiracy … pastors, this website is full of helpful resources.

What Robs You of Your Affection for Christ?

Matt Chandler wrote something that was really convicting for me, listing what inspires him toward, and what robs of, his affection for Christ. I can relate with every single item that Matt mentioned as a robber of his affection for our Savior. Most of us spend the majority of time completing meaningless tasks and pursuing activities that add very little, if any, value to our lives or to the lives of those God has placed around us. Matt’s list looked something like this:

1. Watching too much TV and spending too much time online
2. Staying up late for no reason
3. Following sports too closely
4. Being physically lazy
5. Empty conversations (talking for hours about nothing)
6. Idleness

What robs you of your affection for Christ?

HT: Matt Chandler

Burn Your Plastic Jesus

Mark Driscoll’s recent message, “Burn Your Plastic Jesus,” is available to download (not for free) at the KCC Shop (Australia).

Jesus is My Homeboy

Jesus is my homeboy is a new art exhibit from David LaChapelle. The art places Jesus in a modern setting, with a very urban feel. How do you see this? Does it offend you, and if so why? Do you see this as mocking Christ, or showing Him in a modern light? Any way around it though, this art will make you think.

HT: The Plow

Trade Your Trouble for a Bubble

Every once in awhile I see something that reminds me of some disturbing trends of Christianity. This is one of them. Is this where we are heading, living in a bubble that looks like the rest of the world? I love the headline, “Trade in your trouble for a bubble”. How true is that?

What do you think? Is this what Christianity has become?

HT: FFFFOUND!

The Room By Joshua Harris

May the beauty of salvation embrace you, may your need for Christ capture you, and may the power of the Cross overwhelm you. For information on the authorship of “The Room” please click here. To download PDF, click here.

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the mysterious array of black filing cabinets. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read “Girls I Have Liked.” I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named “Friends” was next to one marked “Friends I Have Betrayed.”

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. “Books I Have Read,” “Lies I Have Told,” “Comfort I Have Given,” “Jokes I Have Laughed At.” Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: “Things I’ve Yelled at My Brothers.” Others I couldn’t laugh at: “Things I Have Done in My Anger,” “Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked “Songs I Have Listened To,” I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked “Lust,” I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: “No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore “People I Have Shared the Gospel With.” The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.

I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

“No!” I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, no,” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

By Joshua Harris. Orginally published in New Attitude Magazine © Copyright New Attitude 1995. You have permission to reprint this in any form. We only ask that you include the appropriate copyright byline. To download PDF version, click here.

Shadow of the Resurrection

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17 (ESV)

Christ is sufficient. It’s not Christ plus our obedience to any sort of law or regulation. “Christ and his new order are the perfect reality to which these earlier commandments looked. The reality has already come and the things of the shadow have no binding force; they are no longer a norm for judgment” (New Bible Commentary). Those who teach Christ plus anything are distorting the gospel, falsely leading others back into the slavery from which Christ came to free us. By faith alone, through Christ alone, that is how we have been saved, are saved, and are being saved.

Stop Trying to Earn Your Salvation

DOWNLOAD FREE POSTER HERE.

This poster is a reminder that we need to stop trying to earn salvation, stop trying to earn love. We were dead in our sins, but God still gave us grace. We were a slave to sin, but in God’s love we have freedom. We did not earn this, nor can we try and earn it now. Stop trying to earn God’s love and just accept it. Ephesians 2:1-10

HT: The Plow