God Uses all of Us (12/27/2009)

The LORD God blesses everyone who trusts him and depends on him. (Psalm 146:5)

There was a man in the Bible who was just an ordinary, un-assuming, everyday Joe. But his name wasn’t Joe.

It was Moses.

It’s weird to me that many people I talk to today, including those that claim to be Followers of Christ, seem to equate Moses as being some ancient God from thousands of years ago.

But Moses was anything but that. Moses was just an ordinary Sheppard. Tending sheep in his pastures. Until one day a completely unexpected call came.

“Moses, this is God. Lead my people from bondage.”

“Uh, you mean me?” Moses responded. “You must mean one of the religious leaders.”

“No,” God said, “I mean you.”

The lesson so many thousands of years ago is the same and as important as it is right now as you read this.

God uses people to change the world.

People like you. Like your best friend. Like your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife or husband. People like your school bus driver, the cafeteria worker at school, or the person behind the counter at the convenience store or the cashier at the supermarket. The boss in the corner office or the dude that keeps the copy machine working.

God doesn’t save world-changing stuff just for the jocks, corporate vice presidents, politicians, school teachers, or religious figures.

God uses everyone. The good. The bad. The beautiful. The ugly. War-loving hawks and groovy peace doves. The worst of the worst in solitary confinement in a prison and the number one ranked student in his class at some prep school. The princes and the paupers. The rich and the poor.

Over the past couple of years I have seen first-hand how the ordinary have done the extraordinary.

The college student who leaves everything convenient behind to tell people in Africa about the love of God.

The Mother who remains strong in her faith despite the cries for her troubled child remaining unheard.

The musician that uses his obvious musical talents to bring enjoyment to his listeners, but uses the love of God to minister to an ailing friend.

The guy that stands up for a friend when people in authority falsely accuse.

The lady who rescues animals that the rest of society has given up on.

The teenager who can see the forest through the trees.

Ordinary people. Doing extraordinary things. Because they trust God and depend on Him.

And in return, God blesses them.

Do you trust God? Do you depend on God? If your answer is yes, then you will do things for God’s kingdom that make the world’s version of successful people pale in comparison to what you have done.

A Real Jesus (12/15/2009)

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)

I wonder how many of us today claim to have a “personal relationship” with Jesus, but still treat our over-all faith like some sort of ritual infested ceremony.

I was at a Roman Catholic funeral the other day, and what really caught my attention was not so much the sadness that someone had died, but the sheer amount of rituals and memorized prayers that everyone seemed to chant at once, with none of it having any apparent meaning to the chanters, if “chanters” is such a word. My point is not to poke fun at Roman Catholicism; rather, it’s to see how quickly we can reduce Jesus to a few simple rituals and prayers every now and then when someone passes away.

In the Bible, John says that “The Word became flesh.” What does that mean for us as followers of Jesus Christ?

It means more than just a bunch of words strung together to sound important.

It means that Jesus was real. It means that Jesus was completely accessible, just like your best friend. It means that Jesus was easily reached, just like your girl friend, or your boyfriend, or your wife or husband.

So what does that mean for us today? I mean, he is no longer “in the flesh,” but is seated at the right hand of the Father. But if Jesus were today, my guess is that he would still want to have that “personal relationship” with each of us.

Jesus would be the guy to give us a lift to the mall.

Jesus would be the guy who comes over on a Sunday afternoon to watch the Red Sox and maybe a barbeque.

Jesus would be the guy we call on the phone or text that we just missed the train and will be a little late to Dunkin’ Donuts to share our heartaches over coffee.

Jesus is the guy who would go walk your dog because you are stuck in traffic.

Jesus is the guy who helps you with your homework when you just don’t get it.

Jesus is the guy playing Farmville on Facebook.

And when you had something to say to Him, he would listen to you as if you were the only person on earth.

This is the kind of Jesus that is available to each us that call themselves “followers.”

I can’t honestly say if any of those people at the funeral had a relationship with Jesus, or a relationship with a ritual, a Priest, or a prayer. I have no idea of what was in each of their hearts. But if you are a follower of Jesus, today is a day to celebrate – to celebrate that you don’t follow a religion – you live a faith!

Sweet Temptation (12/8/2009)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. (Matthew 4:1-2)

Did it ever occur to you that so many of us who count ourselves as Christians or Followers of Jesus Christ go on with our daily living with the mistaken belief that because Jesus never sinned, he was never tempted? And every time we are tempted, we scold ourselves and beat ourselves up because we faced temptation.

If you’re like me, sometimes it’s easy to fall into that thinking trap. But there is good news in Matthew 4:1-11. These versus tell of how satan tempted Jesus, and how Jesus never fell for the devil’s bag of tricks. What makes this story even more incredible to us as fallen humans is that Jesus faced these temptations after he had not eaten for forty days. What? Most of cannot imagine not eating for four hours! Jesus had not eaten for forty days. He was tired. He was hungry. His blood sugar levels must have read zero. And, after forty days and nights in the wilderness without food and water, Jesus was at his most vulnerable. And the devil knew it. And used that opportunity to attack!

First temptation – c’mon Jesus, you must be hungry…turn this rocks into bread. Jesus says no way.

Second temptation – hey Jesus, if you are the son of God, just jump from the top of the temple and God will catch you. Jesus laughs him off and refuses to test God.

Third temptation – ok Jesus, just worship me and I will give you the power to rule over the entire world. Jesus, tired and hungry and beaten with temptation, clenches his fists, breathes deeply, and tells satan to take a hike as there is only one God to serve.

You may not be hungry or thirsty. You may not be tired. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, satan has you in his gun sights, right now, even as you read this. But he is waiting – waiting until you are the most vulnerable to strike. It may be when you are frustrated at school, have a bad day at work, or a fight with a boyfriend or girlfriend or wife or husband. And most of all satan will wait for tragedy or disaster to strike you or your family or your friends. And when any of these things happen in your life, Satan will be there, waiting patiently to offer you false hope and false promises.

There may not be any easy 3-step programs guaranteed to defeat satan. But there are ways we can do some preventive maintenance…try making it a habit of being in God’s word every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Keep your prayer life active and fresh by just talking with God throughout the day. And immerse and surround yourself with genuine followers of Jesus Christ who are certain to pick you up when you feel you are starting to fall down.

Temptation is part of everyone’s life everyday. The key is resisting the urge through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Because if you keep Him big in your life and yourself small, satan has no chance.

Your Name (11/29/2009)

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. (Isaiah 48:16)

Who went to the mall this weekend? Or even out for a simple trip to pick up some milk or just a couple of “quick items?” Sadly, despite telling myself repeatedly that I would not go out into the nonsense on “Black Friday,” there I was, on Friday at about 2:00 in the afternoon, mesmerized and drooling over the latest gadgets at Best Buy.

But what I really noticed on Friday was not the latest cell phones or laptops or digital cameras. What I noticed more than anything was what seemed to be an endless sea of humanity...hundreds and hundreds of nameless faces, marching in pre-determined lines throughout the store, and each nameless face stricken with obvious stress and panic.

When I see a sea of faces, whether it be at Best Buy on Black Friday, or a huge crowd like the one I saw at the Dunkin' Donuts Center on Saturday night when I went to see a college basketball game – that's all we see – a crowd of people. But how many times do we stop seeing a crowd, and instead see a person?

The mother obviously trying to start and finish her Christmas shopping while juggling two small children who are tired and cranky and crying.

The store clerk being yelled at by a customer because it's 2pm, and the item that was on sale during the “ 5am Door Buster” is out of stock.

The man sitting in section 203, row G, seat 21 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center who just put away his cell phone, his head now buried in his hands as he just got off the phone with his wife, she telling him that their marriage is over, and she won't be there when he gets home from the game.

There is someone who knows these faces – the woman and store clerk at Best Buy...the man sitting by himself at a basketball game...the wife who comforts her husband, helpless because she cannot stop the disease killing him...the student sitting in class, feeling alone and desperate from false gossiping...the person driving in the car in the next lane over who is chasing comfort in drugs or alcohol or prostitution. To us, all nameless faces that seem to come and go with the blink of any eye. But to God, all with a name. And that name is written on the palm of his hand, never to be forgotten.

My name written on God's hand? Maybe you have never had your name honored on a plaque, or certificate or award. Maybe you have never had your name honored verbally by a teacher or a coach or a boss or even a friend. And if that describes you even a little, it may be hard for you to believe that your name is written on God's hand.

But it is.

1 Corinthians says that “The person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.” This is a promise from God to you. And this promise has never been broken.

So, the next time you feel like a nameless face in a crowd that doesn't matter, remember that those who love God will have a face known by God, and that God will care for you in your most difficult moments.

A Personal Thanksgiving (11/26/2009)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:5-6)

In my opinion, this is one of the most powerful verses the Bible. It not only tries to keep us focused on what God says is important in life, but it reminds us that God IS the focus.

This is a special Thanksgiving for me and my family. For those of you that know me well, you are probably familiar of the kind of year we have been through. But this verse reminds me that my hardships pale in comparison to those suffered by others – we have not lost a family member from the effects of a war and we have not lost our home or jobs due to the economy. We have not been stricken with disease or any health-related issues.

But we did suffer, and when we did, God proved again and again that not only are his arms big enough for me, but he will keep people in my life and have me cross paths with new people who will help sustain me and my family’s faith.

We lost our wonderful companion Duke.

And God kept us encouraged knowing that we will be rescuing another helpless lab sometime in January 2010.

We almost lost our faith in February in a situation that ripped our hearts .

And God reminded us how big He was by having us cross paths with an awesome group of people, and by keeping people in our lives that loved us unconditionally. Nothing I could do in this lifetime can ever re-pay these people adequately.

So, this Thanksgiving, I give special thanks to all of you who kept me lifted, and those who came to lift: Margie H., Stephen H., Tim C., Sarah C., Dan C., Tracy C., Lynn S., Emily S., Mike S., Josh S., James S., Matt M., Jessica R., Amy K., Mario C., Alex C., Rachel M., All of the people at WestBridge Vet Hospital, Alicia L., Kayla F., Christie F., Patty M., Laura S., Ginny M., Jeremy M., Zach L., Jordan L., Kelly L., Mike L., Pete A., Peter F., Brian L., Tim P., Jason W., Jamie W., Billy R., Bill R., Jake Z., Ethan B., Kyle W., Brad S., Shari H., Mollie E., Adam K., Brad W., Brent W., Cam B., Carol F., Jack F., Cindy F., Cody B., Don M., Natalie M., Donald I., Donna S., Doug C., Ethan L., Glen P., Gretchen K., Jenna K., Jay M., John D., John K., John R., Joe F., Josh L., Kayla G., Kevin G., Kyle B., Lenny N., Mark G., Mike G., Nik E., Quincy S., Bob K., Sean D., Steve S., Susan E., James T., Christy T., Brad L. Karen L., Sarah L., Billy H., Chris A., Frank V., Alex R., Amanda R., Chris T., David O., Fran B., Meg J., Robin D., Mark L., Jeremy R., Abe S., Henry S., Franco, Josh T., Kris T., Rod T., Ethan T., Chris B., Bob H., and everyone at Meetinghouse.

Wow – when I look at this list, I see how much God has blessed me. No gadget, no clothing, no car, no home improvement can come close to matching what each of these people have done for me. God has proved again that He will not forsake me.
So, on this Thanksgiving, to all I listed (and those who I may have forgot)…

Thank you.

Road Rules for the Real World - Special Weekend Edition

Transcript of Bob's message to youth group on November 21, 2009
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Hey Guys…I know this may sound pretty old or pretty shallow, but all of us, Billy, Mark, Chris, myself – we are just thrilled that you decided to spend some time with us tonight, and maybe learn a little more about Jesus than you knew before you walked through those doors an hour or so ago.

We all come to youth group every week hoping to have some fun. Am I right on that? And you know, that’s true – that’s part of it. But our job – my job, Billy’s job, Chris’ job, Mark’s job – is to bring Christ alive in your lives – to teach what’s in this book, the Bible, to each one of you. We know that not everyone who comes to youth group is a Christian. Because of all the people that may come to youth group or church on Sunday, we know that many of them are what we would call seekers. And all that means is that they’re just here checking out this God-thing. They’re not Christians. They haven’t bought in. They respect a friend that invited them. If you’re here as a seeker, I respect you that you’d be smart enough and care enough about your life that maybe there is a creator, and there is a designer. That there is a God.

But we also know that there people that come to youth group or church on Sunday that are on the other end. They’re more sold out. They’ve made a strong commitment to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They are not perfect, but they are sold out to God! We can call them followers of Jesus Christ.

Then we have many people in the middle. They’re not seekers and they’re not followers. They’re what we call stumblers. They’re kind of struggling in their relationship with God. They’ve said yes to God and turned their back to the world’s way, but they’re having a hard time getting their arms around what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Christ.

So no matter where you are in your spiritual journey – whether you are a seeker, a stumbler, or a follower, we are glad you are here tonight.

There are two messages that bring tears to my eyes. Two messages that if I could have five or 10 minutes with you some day at Wendy’s or McDonald’s, I’d probably tear up. One would be a message telling you that God loves you and He forgives you and He wants a personal relationship with you, not a religion. Almost anytime I talk with somebody about that, especially students, I get so emotional because I think, “Your whole life could be different if you had a relationship with God.”

The second message is now that you believe in God, what do you do with that…what to do with your life? Here’s the answer – each one of you can make a difference on this incredible playground that we call earth – and you can start doing that tonight. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what grade you are in, or how well you do in school. Heck, to make a difference fro God in our world, you don’t even have to be a youth leader or a Pastor or a Priest. You matter. You are just not some excess baggage in life. And, anytime I talk to somebody who thinks they’re just excess baggage, I stop “Time out! You’re an original masterpiece created by God, not to be excess baggage but to make a difference in this world.” Those are my two favorite messages.

Tonight I want to take a few minutes to talk to you guys about something we have been talking about at Meetinghouse Church on Sunday mornings. And if you don’t come to Meetinghouse on Sundays, I hope you and your family will give it a try because it is awesome! But tonight I want to talk about how you can make a difference with your life. How to discover your shape. Now I know you must be saying, “Shape, what do you mean by shape?”

The world, the one right outside those glass doors wants to tell you a lie. Here’s the lie: you don't matter...you're just a kid...you can’t make a difference in this world until you’re an adult. When you’re an adult and you’ve got kids and you’ve got money and a house and a car and your checking account, then you can make a difference in the world. Please guys, listen to me – that’s the world telling you a lie!

Did you guys know that some of the most important people in the history of mankind have been students, teenagers? I want to tell you none of you here tonight, and none of your friends at school, are excess baggage. Don’t believe that lie. Because God has created you for an incredible reason and when you discover how He’s created you, your life will be radically changed. You won’t wake up in the morning going, “Dude, I don’t care.” You won’t live with this apathy, and go through life just shrugging your shoulders thinking there is nothing you can do.

In the Bible, it talks about one of the kings of Israel – a guy named David. And listen to what King David said about God:

“You have looked deep into my heart, LORD, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say, and with your powerful arms you protect me from every side. I can't understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me. Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then your powerful arms would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, "I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over." But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you. You are the one who put me together inside my mother's body, and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.”

In another part of the Bible, there is the story of a guy named Job who had a pretty tough life. And even in the middle of his worst suffering, he said God “Your hands formed me and shaped me.”

I realize that there are some of you in here think that God had absolutely nothing to do with you. That He didn’t form you and shape you. That He didn’t knit you together in your mother’s womb. I know that some of you or your friends or your family think that there was this huge explosion and that all of a sudden here you are. From a blob you are a complex human.

But, the reason we even have this youth group is to get across this message – that there is a designer. That you are not an accident. That you did not evolve from planets colliding. That our bodies, our world, our minds, are much too complex. It points to a designer. And God doesn’t design junk.

I hope he doesn’t get embarrassed when I tell this story, but I remember it like it was yesterday. It’s about when Stephen was in first grade. Now we all know that first grade is basically cutting, pasting, drawing – a lot of artwork. You know, a bunch of construction paper and a bunch of glue and sprinkles, and abra cadabra, art! But one week, Stephen’s class did some artwork about President’s Day – art about Abe Lincoln and George Washington. And this was just around when they have those parent-teacher conferences. So me and my wife are waiting to see Stephen’s teacher, and we are just wandering in the hallways, looking at all this art work plastered all over the bulletin boards. Some of the art work was good, but a lot of it I just could not understand what that kid who did it must have been thinking.

But you know what made some of that art an incredible work? The name. Stephen Hewitt. All of a sudden it has meaning. When I went to the school and went through the hallways and every kid’s work is up there you know what I do? Junk... Junk... Trash... Stephen Hewitt! This is it! I recognize the name. I know who he is and I have this special love for him. Guys, and that's exactly how God looks at each one of you...you are God's construction paper. You are God's glue. You are God's glitter. You are God's art project, and when He sees you, he says your name, and how much he loves you, just like how I felt when I saw Stephen's art project that day outside his first grade classroom.

You might look at your life and say “My life is worthless, my life is trash, my life is junk. My parents abuse me. Nobody likes me. People make fun of me. I’m not in the right crowd. My grades stink.” But God says, “Oh, I love you just like you are. I knit you and formed you and created you. I love you just the way you are.”

To make a difference in your life for God, God wants you to...

Discover your Spiritual gifts and then open them like presents on Christmas morning.

Here’s what the Bible says about spiritual gifts:

“There are different ways God works in our lives but it is the same God who does work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.”

The church does not just mean Meetinghouse Church, or this youth group. The church means the kingdom, the body of believers, the millions and millions of people on this planet that call themselves Christians – that’s the church. He gives you these gifts as a means of helping the entire church.

Some of you in here probably don’t know this because you haven’t discovered this about yourself yet, but you have spiritual gift – it may knowing right from wrong, maybe it is the gift of encouraging your friends or family, or maybe the gift of wisdom which is having an unusual insight about life that some people don’t have, maybe it’s the gift of service, or the gift of mercy, r the gift of hospitality where you love to make people feel welcome. You invite them into your home and you want to care for their needs.

We’re not all gifted the same. And there is no limit to the kinds of gifts you may have.

There is a catch to these spiritual gifts, as the Bible says. The catch is this: spiritual gifts are only available for Christians. That’s not a slam on those of you who are only checking out Christianity and you’re not Christians. It’s not a slam on you. But God said those who have decided to turn their back on the world to have a relationship with me; I’m going to give them special gifts. So if you’re sitting here tonight and you’re not a Christian, you may be saying to yourself, “Hey Bob, what do I need that special gift for to help the church? I don’t even care.”

Here’s why you should care, especially if you don’t have Jesus in your life. The Bible says this in 1 Corinthians 2:

“People who aren’t Christians can’t understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit understand what the Spirit means.”

If you have said yes to God at sometime in your life, you have a relationship with him, and here’s what the Bible says: You are gifted. Congratulations, you are gifted.

You may not know what your gifts are yet. I believe God gave me the spiritual gift of teaching. I believe that God gave me the spiritual gift of encouraging others. I believe that God gave me the spiritual gift of loving students. I believe God gave me the gift of writing. And the weird thing is that I didn’t even know I had any gifts until about three years ago! Somebody asked me to teach the high school youth group at another church. I did and they paid attention! Not only that, I liked it.

There’s a guy I know named Cam. I know what some of this guy’s spiritual gift are. One of his God-given gifts is the spiritual gift of encouragement. Ever since I have known him this guy is encouraging everybody. I get better emails from this student than anybody I’ve ever met in my life – encouraging! You know what happens when he types these emails? He feels like he’s being used by God. You know what the receiver of those email does? The receiver is blown away! I’m getting encouragement. Everybody needs to be encouraged. I’ve never met anybody who said, “Stop encouraging me. I’ve had enough encouragement. I can’t take it any more.” Others of you you’d rather take a punch in the stomach than meet a stranger. You say, “No, dude! Kick me in the head but I don’t want to go greet that person who is at youth group for their first time!” But some of you have the gift. You’re good at that. You’re gifted. You’ve got a spiritual gift. You’ve got to discover your gift, and then open it, like a present on Christmas morning.

The H in SHAPE stands for Heart.

What’s in your heart? What do you love? What are you passionate about? Have you ever thought, “What do I really, really love in life?” Some of you love doodling, or drawing. Some of you love to develop. Some of you love to perform. Some of you love to start things. Some of you love to finish things. Some of you love to improve things. Some of you love to be with people. God has given you some loves.

Listen to what Psalm 37 says

“Delight in the Lord and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

Some of your heart’s desires are so incredible, you have such great love but they’re kind of locked up because you haven’t taken delight in God. You’re not going to use those for the right reasons. But believe me when you do, your heart can be filled with selfish ambition – “Me, me, me. Look at me. I love me and I want to take care of me.” Or your heart can be filled with the desire to express love. That is God's will.

The A in SHAPE is Abilities.

You have to determine your abilities which will influence your impact. When you determine what you’re good at, it’ll influence your impact.

When I was in seventh grade I signed up for a speech and debate class. Science – C, English – C, Math – C- (that’s if I cheated just to get that!), Speech and debate – A+. I wasn’t even a Christian, but I loved to debate. I loved to use the logic. I loved to speak. God gave me that ability before I had a relationship with him. When I became a Christian, I had something to speak about; God's love letter, God's Word.

What are your abilities? Graphics? Teaching? Writing? Promoting? Researching? Drama? Cleaning? Some of you are incredible with talking on the phone! That’s okay. That may be one of your best abilities! Surfing. Some of you know Frank. Frank loves surfing. Can he use that for God? Why not? Why not start a surf ministry. You know, have a little Bible study on the beach then go out surfing. Same goes for skate boarding. If you love skate boarding, that may be your ministry.

Determine your abilities which will influence your impact.

2 Corinthians 12 says, “There are different abilities to perform service.” In the Old Testament, in Exodus 31, “The Lord said to Moses, look I have chosen Bezalel son of Uru, grandson of Hur from the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, given him wisdom, intelligence and skill in all kinds of crafts.” God has given you some incredible abilities. Some of you are unbelievably talented. But a talent without passion without a spiritual gift is just used for yourself which becomes empty.

The P in SHAPE is Personality

My challenge to each of you tonight is to delight in your personality. I am here to tell you tonight that each one of your personalities is unique and important. What your personality is will impact what you do in this world. Some of us in here are real outgoing. Some of you here would rather just mind your own business, and would be happy if no one bothered you. One is not better than the other.

God has given you a very unique personality. Some of you that aren’t Christians yet, you’re going to see how God's going to use your personality to make a difference in this world.

There was a guy in the Bible named Paul. He wrote over half the books in the New Testament. Before he was a Christian he was a murderer. He was going to stomp out Christianity. He was zealous. He was radical. He was driven. He was passionate. He was going to destroy Christianity - until he came into relationship with Jesus Christ. Then that personality was used, that same passion, that drive that was against Christ was now used for Christ.

I am here to tell you that each one of you in here tonight has a personality that is perfect for making a difference in this world. God's given you an incredible personality. Don’t try to be like somebody else. Don’t be copy when you are created as an original masterpiece.

The E in SHAPE is your experiences (both positive and negative).

A hurt will not be wasted. I know some of you in here you may only be 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 but you have some experiences both good and bad that make up your shape. Here’s what I’m saying. For those of you who are Christians, you’ve got the “S” part. For those of you who aren’t, you’ve got all the other ones. The Christian has the Spiritual gifts, the Heart, the Abilities, the Personality and Experiences and you look at those together and say, “God, all that I am and all that I’ve been through, what can I do to make a difference in this world?” Your experiences – God will use your good experiences and God will use your bad experiences.

Your good experiences…2 Corinthians 9 says, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospels.” Because of the service by which you have proved yourself, what happens? People will praise God.

Some of you here may have heard the word testimony. It’s a churchy word that basically boils down to what your personal story is – how you came to believe in God. Chris gave his testimony a few weeks ago. Each us has their own testimony – their own story – and no two are alike. Now, some of the testimonies that we hear are pretty radical. Some of you that don’t have a lot of negative experiences, sometimes you feel guilty. You say, “My life hasn’t been like that. I’ve had a pretty positive life. My parents aren’t divorced. I don’t do drugs. I haven’t had sex. I don’t kidnap animals. I don’t sacrifice the neighbor’s kitten. That’s not me. I’m not a chronic drug addict. I have no story.” Yes, you do! By you not having that type of story you’ve got a story. You’re actually more in the minority because most people mess up their lives. Depend on God to use your experiences.

What about the painful experiences? Some of you are going, “I was abused. How is God going to use that? I was sexually molested. How is God going to use that?” Maybe something bad has happened to you. But the cool thing about that is that you can use that horrible experience to build others up. Because once you talk about it openly, and how God has come into your life and healed your heart, one by one, people in and around your life, whether it be at school, or on the ball fields, or in your neighborhoods, or at home…one by one, people will come to you, and ask for your help. “Ethan, can I talk to you? Matt, you got a minute?” God takes your pain. God shares your pain with others. And now, those others are now on the road to recovery to get help. And in the end, God didn’t waste your hurt- he used your hurt.

Some of you are seekers, you know what you’re doing? You’re using that hurt to keep you from God. You think it’s God's fault that you are hurt. You say, “I don’t want to have a relationship with God. He’s the one who hurt me.” No. God doesn’t bring hurt. There may have been circumstances. God loved you so much He gave you free choice. And in a free-choice world, bad things sometimes happen to good people. You are a good person and there’s some pain. It’s not God's fault. But give it to God and let him heal you. And let him bring some positive out of that negative.

SHAPE – Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences. That’s a lot to think about, so let’s pray together.

God thank you that you created us and shaped us and you love us unconditionally not based on our abilities. You love us not based on our spiritual gifts. You love us not based on our personality, what we look like or how much money we have. You love us because you created us and you want us to have a relationship with you. God, I pray that the students in here tonight and the thousands of students who live in this area will discover their shape and they’ll understand that they’re not excess baggage; that they can make a difference. And God, I pray that you would show us what that difference is. Thank you for your love. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Never Forgotten

Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. (1 Corinthians 15:3)

Social Networking. Two words that were non-existent as little as three to four years ago. Today, social networking is as much part of our lives and our language as any other routine we go through. We bath and brush our teeth everyday, and then head straight to Facebook or MySpace to see what happened overnight. I know people that would skip brushing their teeth in the morning, but would never skip Facebook for breakfast.

Like many of you, I enjoy social networking. While I know that it also hurts our inter-personal skills, web sites like Facebook have enabled me to re-connect and stay connected with people from my past who I had lost contact with. And, like many of you, I have a profile on Facebook – mine reads “I don’t practice a religion. I live a faith.” And I will never change my profile in the eyes of God.

I have been overly blessed over the past eight years or so. I have been blessed that God has put me in the path of people that brought me to Christ, people that taught me about Christ, people who encouraged me to serve for Christ, and most of all, people who have sustained my faith in Christ. You know who you are.

That’s not to say that my walk or journey has been all lollipops and rainbows. I have seen peaks so high that I thought I would never land. And I have been in valleys so low I never thought I would be rescued. But by keeping God big in my life and myself small, God has always carried me in his mighty arms. And I’m no small package!

Maybe you have not been so fortunate. What I mean by that is maybe you find yourself “going through the motions” (thanks here to Matthew West) of religion, and find yourself stuck in neutral, or even in reverse.

Maybe you go to church every Sunday, and take communion once a month, and go through all the rituals we have filled our Sunday mornings with, and when you get home, you can barely remember what was said from the pulpit.

Maybe you pray as hard as you can, and your soul just continues to feel empty.

Maybe you think there just has to be more than this. You hear everyone talking about a “personal relationship with Jesus,” but all you see in and around your life, especially on Sundays, is people who look like they have this Jesus thing all figured out. They dress in their Sunday best, look like they painted on a permanent smile in the morning, carry around huge bibles, sing perfectly in church choirs or worship bands, and take scrupulous notes during the message or sermon.

And there you sit. Feeling inadequate. Feeling like you don’t measure up to the family sitting next to you. Feeling like God is keeping score, and you can’t even get close to the end zone.

If this comes even close to how you have felt at anytime in your walk, think about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:3 – ”Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.”

That’s it. Done. No more, no less. Simple? Yes, but that’s all we need to know – that Jesus was killed – for you and me. That Jesus was buried – for you and me. And that Jesus was resurrected – for you and for me.

It all comes back to the cross. So the next time that your walk feels more like a chore, or when you feel empty, or that you are going in reverse, or that God may not love you unconditionally, think simply of the cross. And how God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not be lost, but have eternal life.

God, Do You Hear Me?

And God, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is; because the Spirit pleads with God on behalf of his people and in accordance with his will. (Romans 8:27)

If there is nothing more frustrating, more aggravating, or more confusing for believers in today’s culture, it must be about something so simple.

Prayer.

Every day, many of us carry around this big bag of guilt on our shoulders that we don’t pray enough. That we don’t pray “right.” That we don’t pray for the right things. That we don’t pray under the right circumstances. Amazingly, some people I have met actually feel guilty because they feel that they pray too much. Huh?

The fact of the matter is that prayer is highly personal, and often we try to put “style” over substance. What I mean is that many of us feel that we have to “look the part” if we pray. But, when we do that, our prayer becomes shallow, irrelevant, and meaningless.

So what do we do?

Read today’s scripture reference one more time – does it not say, “And God, who sees into our hearts...”?

At the end of the day, God knows us far better than we will ever know ourselves. God knows what’s in your heart. God knows your troubles and your triumphs. God knows what you went through yesterday, what you are going through today, and, best of all, what you will go through tomorrow.

Does this mean we just forget about prayer? Absolutely not!

Like I said a minute or two ago, many of us think that we don’t pray enough. But in reality, that’s probably not the case at all. In fact, all of us pray more than we think.

Remember last week when you were driving home from work or school, and you were thinking about things that happened that day, and wondering where God was in your life? You were praying.

Remember earlier this week when you were playing your favorite sport, or your favorite music, or reading your favorite magazine, and were wondering about all the stuff you were experiencing and how it fit with your purpose on earth? You were praying.

Remember in September when you returned to school and you saw some of the people you don’t particularly care for, and were wondering how you, as a Christian, are you going to deal with them this year? You were praying.

Remember this morning or last night when you were showering or bathing and all you could think about was all “stuff” you are going to have to deal with today or in the coming days, and you were wondering, “Hey, where’s God in all of this?” You were praying.

How could all this be? Because the Holy Spirit turns your worries, your cries, and your heartbreak into appeals for His grace. And because God can see into your heart 24/7, you will always be heard.

This doesn’t mean that we just simply not set apart time for God on a regular basis. Not at all. As a Christian Brother, I encourage each of you to set apart time each day for some one-on-one time with God. But on those days where your world just seems to be overflowing past the “fill up to here” line, take comfort knowing that God sees into your heart, and that God hears your silent prayers.

God on Your Side

You've kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book. (Psalm 56:8)

Do you feel alone this morning?

You could be in a classroom full of students in high school or college, but never have felt more alone.

You could be sitting in your cubicle at work, surrounded by a sea of other cubicles that look exactly the same, all full of people. But you have never felt more alone.

Maybe your day requires a lot of driving – and there you are, driving in your car or truck, surrounded by literally thousands of other cars and trucks going in your direction and against your direction. And you have never felt more alone.

Maybe you don’t feel alone today. Maybe it was yesterday, or last week, or last month. Maybe it will be tomorrow, or next week, or next month. And it doesn’t matter how successful you are, what you look like, or what your position in life is. There have been, and will be days, when you feel that you live on a desolate island, where no one understands your needs, no one understands your concerns, nobody understands your worries, and nobody understands your troubles.

It happens to the parent AND the child. It happens to the boss AND the worker. It happens to the teacher AND the student. It happens to the Pastor AND the parishioner. It happens to the leader AND the follower.

On those days your island may seem isolated and bare and cold. But, there is great news for each of us that put our faith in God.

He is near you! The Bible talks about how close the shepherd (leader) is to his sheep (follower) (see John 10:14). The Bible talks about how close the branch is to the vine (see John 15:5)!

And that’s how close God is to you every day, including those days on that desolate island. Because God DOES keep track of my every toss and turn you have on a sleepless night. Because God DOES keep track of every tear you have shed, and every ache you have experienced.

One of the most encouraging passages of the bible is found in Psalm 56:9-
“My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!”

Friends and readers, if there were no other reason to put your trust in God today, all you have to do is read Psalm 56:9. It is true. It is real. And it is free.

I'm Sorry?

After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted. After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame. I was so ashamed and humiliated, because of all the stupid things I have done ever since I was young.
Jeremiah 31:19

Have any of you really disappointed someone? Have you ever done anything that made people change their opinion of you…for the worse? Maybe it involved getting caught going too far with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Maybe it had to do with embarrassing files in your computer’s hard drive. Maybe it happened when you came home wasted after a party. The list is pretty endless.

And you probably know that if you have had any of these experiences or experiences like them, you also probably know what regret feels like.

You know what it’s like to try and go back and erase what you did.

To want to stop people from being disappointed in you.

Personally, I have been there.

And will probably be there again.

We seek forgiveness.

But too often, repentance gets overlooked in our communication with God.

Here’s what I am getting at. When we feel guilty about something we’ve done, the usual pattern is to offer up a quick prayer of apology, as God for forgiveness, and then get on with our lives. Maybe sometimes we will remind ourselves of a verse like 1 John 1:9 (If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong), just as a little bit of extra assurance. And in the process, we skip over repentance.

You see, sometimes it’s not enough simply to say, “I’m sorry” after letting others down…especially when that someone is God. Sometimes we need to give ourselves time to experience regret over our actions in order to fully appreciate God’s forgiveness. Trust me on this…

One of the best ways to generate true feelings of repentance is to spend some time thinking about what Jesus did on the cross.

Thinking about his love for you.

Thinking about who he is.

And the more we understand who it is we have sinned against, the more we will experience genuine, heart-felt repentance for our sins.

Ask God to show you who he is.

Ask him to help you repent.

That’s a prayer he will never refuse.

Have a great today…and if you don’t feel like doing anything today, try to remember to do one important thing- that is, love those in and around your life as Jesus loves you. No matter how bad you think you have disappointed the people in your life, Jesus loves you.

Faith Rewarded (11/2/2009)

But those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

As far as I can remember from my childhood, I always thought I had a direct line to God. I always felt that He was talking to me, and that when I thought about Him, He was actually listening. He didn’t always do what I wanted. In fact, I had absolutely no idea why at times He didn’t do what I wanted, but at other times, He seemed to come out of left field and do something great for me that I really didn’t expect. You may have heard a lot about “seeds of faith.” Somehow, I believe that those seeds were being planted when I was growing up. Who planted those seeds, I have no idea. And it really doesn’t matter.

Why?

Because those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).

It’s all about faith.

You won’t be saved if you ace every test in school this semester. You won’t be saved if you get a promotion at work. You won’t be saved if you get a date with the captain of the football team or the Homecoming Queen. Jesus calls all that stuff, “stuff.”

What Jesus says has nothing to do with things we can touch, taste, or smell. All Jesus is saying is that if you stick with your faith in Him, if you hang in the game with Him until the final whistle blows, you will be rewarded.

You will be saved.

Now, that all sounds a lot easier said that done. Because there are dark forces of evil waiting to trip you up. Temptations. Sins. All the work of the devil as he tries to get you to walk to the edge of the cliff, and entice you to take that one more step where you end up falling to a dark and bottomless pit.

Jesus is your guide on that cliff…no matter how close you come to the edge, an everlasting and undying faith in Jesus, even when things don’t seem to go your way, provides you with all the assurance you need that you will never ever fall into that dark and bottomless pit.

So, climb that mountain of faith. Stare down the devil at the peak. And be happy as you look across the vastness of your life that Jesus has your back.

The Worry Snuggie (10/29/2009)

The Worry Snuggie (10/29/2009)

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27)

Worries. Nerves. Anxieties. Fears.

A thousand words.

One feeling.

That you are not in control.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, how young you are. It doesn’t matter if you are in school, or have a full time job, or even if you sit around the house all day eating bon-bons and watching brain-dead talk shows or the latest “Judge” show.

Worry impacts all of us. It infects us like a bad cold and slowly but surely, it completely takes over all of us. It’s like wrapping ourselves in a “Worry Snuggie.”

But there is a huge problem with the Worry Snuggie. That is, instead of making us feel all warm and toasty, the Worry Snuggie saps us of every ounce of energy we have. The Worry Snuggie plays havoc with our minds and emotions because as we wrap ourselves even tighter in the Worry Snuggie’s grip, we put our minds into overdrive by over-thinking with the thought of “if I can barely get by today, how on earth am I going to deal with tomorrow?” And it’s an endless cycle that keeps us from enjoying the life God intends for each of us to live everyday.

A few weeks ago in the small group I attend, we talked a lot about living happily in the “here and now,” and about how difficult it is to give God our problems in a culture where we are literally bombarded with thoughts, images, and false promises that we can do it all, and that we somehow have this magical power to flip a switch and make everything all better.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Because every time we try to go solo and tackle something in our life that looks and feels so overwhelming – whether it be a test or paper in school, a project at work, or dealing with difficult people, we are simply going to lose.

Why?

Because we tried to do it on our own, without God. And by going alone, we tried to become God.

Are you worried today? Over money, or flunking a test at school, or falling behind at work, or losing a relationship?

Then try something new today – try keeping God big in your life, and yourself small. God knows what you are going through, and absolutely wants to help you, right now. Just give it to him, and let God be God, and you be you.

What's Your Sacrifice?

The person who cheats will be cursed. He has a male animal in his flock and promises to offer it, but then he offers to the Lord an animal that has something wrong with it. I am a great king," says the Lord All-Powerful, "and I am feared by all the nations. (Malachi 1:14)

Before Jesus' once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross, God's people had to offer several different sacrifices every year in order to maintain their relationship with Him. There were sin offerings, thanksgiving offerings, freewill offerings, festival offerings, just to name a few. Most of these offerings involved killing animals.

But the one common thread of all of these Old testament offerings is that God expected the absolute best from His people. If the offering called for a young bull, God expected the person offering the sacrifice to use the best young bull in his herd. Not the young bull with a blemish, was crippled, or just simply was not the best of the flock.

The good thing for us is that God doesn't require us to give him animals or birds or used cell phones as an offering to Him. But that doesn't mean God still does not desire and reward sacrifice. It's a golden opportunity for all of us.

What kind of sacrifice does God want from you today?

It's very simple.

He wants us.

He wants us to give Him our heart.

He wants is to give Him our mind.

He wants us to give Him our will.

And we can do this by loving and worshipping Him.

By putting Him first in our lives.

Would you put Him first by using your money to sponsor a child in Africa instead of using what little money you have to stuff your face with pizza or a bacon-ator at Wendy's, or going to the movies every week?

Would you put Him first by serving a ministry of your church for two or three hours a week instead of wasting countless hours playing video games, getting brain-dead doing Myspace or Facebook or AIM for hours, or watching TV?

If you truly put God first in your life, give Him the best you have. God wants prime sacrifices, not your leftovers. God wants all of you, not just what you think you can spare.

Have a great and blessed day. And remember to love those in and around your life as Jesus loves you.

Seeing God through the Mud – Bob’s Message to the MHC Youth Group on Oct. 24, 2009

“Seeing God through the Mud”
October 24, 2009

First off, I want to repeat something that I mentioned the last time I had the honor to speak to you guys a few weeks ago – that is this – we, all of us, Billy, Chris and Frank – we all know that there are like a million things you could be doing on a Saturday night. You could be at the movies, or hanging out with friends at the mall, or at Friendly’s. But just think about how awesome it is, that each of you may have decided, yeah, I could do any one of those things tonight –the movies or the mall or bowling, or whatever your group of friends typically do on a Saturday night. But I decided that I am going to a church youth group meeting tonight. Sure, you may want to come here and play in the gym or hang out with your friends. But my guess is that for most of you, at least part of the reason you came tonight is that you want to get to know God and this guy Jesus just a little bit better than you knew him yesterday.

Why? Because even if you are an atheist and don’t believe in any God, people in general just seem to be interested in the life of Jesus. But here’s the reality. Jesus was either who He said He was, or He was a total liar. Really, it boils down to that. He either was who He said He was – Jesus said, “I am God, God in the flesh, and I came to pay for your sins,”- or He ran this great scam, and 2000 years later you guys are coming here, to youth group, to come worship a liar. Nobody denies that He existed. The problem seems to be that people tend to deny is that Jesus was who He said He was. Do people believe that He was who He said He was? That he was God, in human form, like you or me??

I’m going to talk a little tonight about a very important event that took place thousands of years ago during a time we call the Ministry of Jesus. This event is in found in the Bible in the Book of John, and it’s a story of Jesus healing a blind guy. What you’ll notice in this story is that Jesus didn’t just heal the blind guy. I mean, if I’m God walking around on earth and I’m going to heal somebody, I could just snap my fingers or say abra cadabra, “You’re healed” and I’m done. But Jesus doesn’t do this. There’s more that’s going on in this story. In fact, this story has three types of people that may remind you of somebody you know in your life today.

The first group of people we’ll call a person who is hurting from something that has gone wrong in their life. The second group of people is those that really don’t believe that Jesus is God. And the third group is what we call the followers of Jesus Christ. All I ask is that for the next few minutes, you follow along this story the best you can.

The Bible says in John 9 that Jesus was walking along the road, and He saw a man who had been blind since he was born. What you need to know about this guy who was blind from birth is that at this time in human history there was only one job for somebody who had been blind from birth. It was the job of a beggar. In this culture, at this time, if you were blind, that’s what you did. You were a beggar. So Jesus is walking along. He sees this guy who had been blind from birth. Then His followers, His disciples, said this: “’Teacher,’ the disciples asked Him, ‘Why was this man born blind? Was it punishment from his own sin or, or was it a sin his parents committed before he was born?’”

Picture this: Jesus is walking through town. The Bible says that everywhere Jesus went, there was a crowd. There are people lined up to see him. If you can’t picture this in your head, then picture a parade. How many people in here have been to a parade in person? Maybe a parade on the Fourth of July or maybe a parade on Thanksgiving Day or New Years’ Day, or maybe you saw the Red Sox parade when they won the World Series or the Patriots when they won the Super Bowl. Well, imagine this parade with no floats, no marching bands – just one man walking down the street. Jesus. And there are like hundreds of people on the sidewalk watching Jesus walk down the street. So imagine Jesus is walking down Main Street in Mansfield, and he sees this blind guy in the crowd, and he suddenly stops – and He stops the whole parade. Jesus looks at this blind guy. And as Jesus is looking at this blind dude, Jesus’ disciples – his followers, ask Jesus, “Hey Jesus, was this guy born blind because of some sin he committed or some sin his parents committed?”

And that’s a pretty normal question for people at this point in history because during this time, it was normal to think that if a person had any type of deformity – like a short arm or a limp in your walk or something about their body was messed up – like blindness, that it was a punishment for your sin or your parents’ sin.

So this is how Jesus answered the question:

Jesus tells his followers, you’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. Jesus says, “c’mon guys, there’s just no connection between this man’s blindness and his sin or his parent’s sin. He is blind so the deeds of God may be put on display.

When Jesus said this, his disciples must have looked at each and said, “say what?” This guy was born blind so that the power of God could be shown? Oh good grief, now I’ve heard everything! You see, what Jesus is doing when He answers their question is saying, “I’m not going to be caught in this dumb discussion of whether it’s his sin or his parent’s sin. It’s neither. This guy was born blind so the power of God could be shown.” Right there, He sets the stage for a great miracle that we’re about to see.

Now my guess is that nobody in here is blind, because if you are, you’re doing a pretty good job of pretending you can see. But try to imagine for a second what a blind guy must have been going through. He is blind – darkness is all this guy ever knew. Darkness and begging. He can’t even conceive of what blue looks like or red or orange or green. A million images that you and I take in every day of nature, he has no idea. This guy has never seen a sunset or a tree or a mountain or an ocean. He has no idea of that. Even as a little child, when his mom would hold him in her arms and he could maybe reach up and feel her face or even feel a warm tear that might have come out of her eye, he has no idea what his mom looks like. I mean, he doesn’t even know what a tear looks like. This guy was always dependent on a friendly arm or a walking cane take him places. But what is about to happen is so cool. Jesus is about to heal him.

The Bible says “Then Jesus spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smoothed the mud over the blind man’s eyes.” Wow – I mean, of all the ways that Jesus could heal this guy, this is how He chooses to do it. He’s talking to this guy, then He spits on the ground, and He takes the saliva and makes this mud pie and puts it on his eyes.

So he gets to the pool, and he begins to wash. Just imagine for a second that light now begins to pour into his eyes. Something he’d never experienced ever before – he could see light. Then, all of a sudden, as his eyes, as the crust comes off, all of a sudden, he begins to see a reflection of a person he had never seen in his entire life. He sees himself! He looks up and sees the sky. He’d heard people say the sky was blue. Now, all of a sudden, it registers that that’s blue. He sees a tree and goes, “Green tree!” And for the first time, he sees a mountain and an ocean.

I have to imagine that, at that moment, it had to have been awesome for the blind guy. I can’t imagine he was healed and then all of a sudden went, “Oh! Ok, now I can see. Well, time for me to get back to my begging post because I’ve got a great spot on the corner and that’s where good business is now – right on the corner.” No way! He saw clearly. The Bible said he started to move toward his family and friends. Probably picking up the pace and running a little bit – “I can see, I can see!” and the closer he got to his parents’ house… “Mom! No cane! Check this out!” No walking cane!

Then the Bible says, “When he went and washed, he came back seeing. His neighbors and others, who knew him as a blind beggar, asked each other, ‘Is this the same man? Is that the blind beggar?’ Some said he was, others said, ‘No it can’t be the same guy, but he sure looks like him.’ And the beggar kept saying, ‘It’s me! It’s me, the guy who used to be blind! I can see. I am that same man. “Then the people asked him, ‘Who healed you? What happened?’ And he told them, ‘The man they call Jesus made this mud pie and smoothed it over my eyes and told me, “Go to the pool of Siloam and wash off the mud.” I went and washed and now I can see.’ They said, ‘Where is this dude Jesus now?’ And the blind man said, ‘I don’t know.’”

This really frustrated the people who knew him. So they did the only thing they knew to do – they took the man to the Pharisees. Now, I realize some of you in here have grown up in church and you know what a Pharisee is. But many of you haven’t, so let me explain. A Pharisee, these are the people who doubt what’s going on here. “Pharisee” is a fancy word for “religious ruler.” A Pharisee is somebody who’s focused on a real small picture of God instead of the big picture of God. For example, if there were Pharisee leaders at youth group tonight, they wouldn’t let some of you in this room. A Pharisee leader would stand by the door and go, “Not you! Not the way you’re dressed. You can’t come in. No. I’ve seen you. You have a reputation at your school. There’s no way you can come into this church.” A Pharisee is someone who would like to keep human laws and not necessarily God’s laws. They knew God’s laws, but they were much more interested in keeping human laws. They were kind of like the religious cops of the day.

So the people took the guy who was blind to the Pharisees on the same day that Jesus had healed him, which just so happened to be a Sabbath day. Why weren’t the people just happy that this guy’s blindness had been cured? Because of one simple reason – Jesus had healed the man on a Sabbath. Now, a Sabbath doesn’t mean much to you today. But a Sabbath is a day that the law said you don’t work on. Some of you who may ask, “How did Jesus work on the Sabbath? All He did was heal a guy.” You know how He worked? He spat on the ground and He made mud. That was considered work. That’s how nutty the Pharisees were about man-made laws, that He worked on a Sabbath. The only time that you could actually work on a Sabbath was to save somebody’s life – not to heal someone. So now these religious leaders, they don’t even care that the blind guy’s been healed. They’re just really ticked off that Jesus worked on the Sabbath.

The Bible goes on to say that “The Pharisees asked the man how his blindness had been cured. So the man told them, ‘He smoothed some mud over my eyes, and when it washed away, I could see.’ And then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man Jesus is not from God because He’s working on the Sabbath.’ But on the other hand, some of the other Pharisees were saying, “Ok, if Jesus is not from God, then he is just an ordinary sinner – but how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?’

Now the Pharisees were just as confused as the people who lived in town! They didn’t know what to think. So they asked the man who used to be blind, “This man who opened your eyes. Who do you say He is?’ What do you make of him? And the man said, ‘I think He must be a prophet.’”

The Bible doesn’t even tell us that these Pharisees, these religious leaders, were actually excited that this guy was healed. All they’re after is trying to get at Jesus. The religious leaders didn’t like Jesus because He taught differently. He taught more about God’s love, than man-made rules. He taught more about a relationship with God than keeping the rules.

The story goes on – the Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe that he had been blind, so they called in his parents. So here’s this guy who’s been healed, telling his story, and they go, “No, we don’t believe you because that would mean that Jesus is something special, like he’s God or something, and we just won’t stand for that! So they call the parents in. They said, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he see?” The reason this is such a big deal is that no one in the history of the world has been born blind and healed. No one in the history of the world. Do all the research you want. But nobody in the history of the world has been born blind and healed. Until this moment.

“The parents replied, ‘We know this is our son and that he was born blind. But we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. He’s old enough to speak for himself. Ask him yourself.

So the Pharisees call this guy back in a second time. And this time they say to the man, “Give God the credit. He’s the one who healed you. All glory belongs to God by telling the truth because we know Jesus is a sinner.” You’ve probably figured out by now that these Pharisees are the skeptics, the doubters.

Here’s what the guy said, and this is a great response: “‘I don’t know whether He’s a sinner,’ the blind man replied. ‘But I know this. I was blind, and now I see.’” What did this guy say? He didn’t know the answers to their question. He didn’t know who Jesus was. All he said was this, “I was blind, but now I see.” This was his entire story of being healed…these seven words…”I was blind, but now I see.”

Still, despite all these questions to the man who was blind and to his parents, the Pharisees still are not satisfied! They keep going after this guy and ask ‘What did He do? How did He heal you?’ The guy says, ‘Look! I’ve already answered all these questions, and you don’t like my answers. Do you really want me to repeat myself over again? Are you guys thinking about joining up with Him and becoming his followers?

Then the Pharisees cursed him and said, ‘Get out! You don’t know anything.’ And as the former blind man is leaving, he stops on the way out the door, turns around, and really gives it to the Pharisees. The man who was blind tells them, “This is very strange. He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know anything about Him. You religious people are supposed to be so close to God. He healed me, and you don’t know anything about Him. God doesn’t listen to sinners, but He listens to those who are ready to worship Him and do His will. Ever since the world began, has anybody been able to open the eyes of someone born blind? If this man were not from God, He couldn’t do it.’ Wow. Can you imagine on his way out, that the man who used to be blind really gives it back to the Pharisees? These religious rulers in their robes and their fancy hats, whatever they were wearing, they went after him. They said, ‘You were born in sin. Are you trying to teach us?’ And they threw him out of the synagogue.”

As we finish up tonight, let me ask you a question. Would you identify with one of these three? Is there one of these three that you would say, “That describes me?” You don’t need to say it out loud. You don’t need to share with anybody. Just in your own heart. Are you the one hurting? Or are you a doubter of Jesus Christ? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ?

“Bob, you might be saying, I’m hurting. I may not be blind, but I’m hurting and need some healing.” Or you may say, “I’m a skeptic. I am a doubter. I came tonight with a friend and I’m interested in this Jesus. But I gotta tell ya Bob, I just don’t get it. I don’t get the God thing. I don’t get the Jesus thing. I don’t get the church thing. I’ve got questions.” Or third, maybe you’re here today and you’re a follower. You got out of bed today because you want to go to youth group. You like coming to church or youth group. This is the time you get your spiritual tanks recharged.

Who are you? You don’t have to answer that right now…just think about it…which one are you?

Are you a follower. If you’re a follower, just remember this tonight. You watch for changed lives. If you’re a follower of Jesus, if you’re a disciple of Jesus, watch for changed lives. Don’t be like the Pharisees who saw this blind guy healed and they didn’t care about him. It didn’t impact them. When you hear about a friend who has come to Christ, you ought to throw a little party. You hear of a friend who would just normally come to youth group on a Saturday, but then starts coming to church on a Sunday morning – when you hear that, you ought to go, “Wow! That’s great!” Because if you are not celebrating anybody’s spiritual growth, you have become hard to the ways of God. If you look around and say, I’ve got a friend who’s now reading the Bible and just go, “That’s cool,” but it doesn’t mean anything to you, here’s what’s happened to your heart. It’s shriveling up. So celebrate! Watch for changed lives. Why? Because it proves the power of God.

The second person is the skeptic, the doubter. Maybe this is you. You’re like, “This is my parent’s deal. I’m forced to come here. I come here to play this game with my folks that if I come to youth group, they will think I have it all together and I will behave at home and do my homework and take out the trash and walk the dog, and in return my parents will extend my curfew or they’ll get me a cell phone, or they will let me drive, or this whole youth group thing is just really a condition for me getting my driver’s license.” Whatever it is. But in your heart, you’re a skeptic. You’ve got questions. You don’t get it. There’s stuff that we talk about at youth group or read in the Bible that’s hard for you to buy. You wonder. You doubt.

If that kinda describes you, here’s what I want to say to you…I think being a skeptic is a fine place to be. If you’re a skeptic, let me challenge you. Go ahead and ask questions. There’s no question that you’re asking today that hasn’t been asked in over 2000 years of Christianity. If you have a question, just pull me or Billy or Chris or Frank aside and ask. There are no dumb questions. I should know. Sometimes I think all my questions are dumb!

Finally – are you hurting tonight? What does it mean to hurt? Some of you in here, I understand. You cover it well. You hide it well. You live in a decent house. But I know there’s some hurt in here, in this room, right now. It might be relational hurt. It might be from fighting with your parents or brothers or sisters every day, or watching your parents fight with each other all night. There are addictions in here that you can’t shake. There are people in here tonight who are hurting because they have made some bad decisions. Whatever it is. What I want you to hear tonight is this: just like Jesus stopped that parade that one day, just like He stopped the crowd and He looked at that blind guy, I want you to feel that, sense that you might be hiding your hurt from other people, but God sees it, just like he saw that blind guy that day thousands of years ago. God is looking at you right now, at this very moment and saying, “I don’t want you to live like that. I don’t want you to be hurting anymore. I’ve got a way that you can find some healing in your life.” God is just saying, “Follow me.”

Let’s pray:

God, we want to worship You. We want to worship You with our lives. I know there are some people here today who are just hurting so badly they don’t know how to worship You because all they’re thinking about is their pain. I pray that You would meet them like You met the blind beggar and heal them of their hurt. And, God, there are some people here who are skeptics, who’ve got so many questions. They’re just not sure what to do with those questions. I pray that You would, in the way that only You can, provide them answers through other people, through Your word, through their study and their sincere investigation. God, I know there are followers here today who know You and have relationship with You. God, I pray that You would help them to look at changed lives, to see Your power, for them not to focus on their problems but to see how You could take their problems and reveal Your power. God, that we might be different as we walk out of here today. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

To Tell the Truth (10/22/2009)

His wife Rebekah was very beautiful, and the men of that place asked Isaac about her. Isaac said, "She is my sister," because he was afraid to tell them she was his wife. He thought they might kill him so they could have her. (Genesis 26:7)

Unless you have been sleeping under a rock since the beginning of the year, you have no doubt heard all the political chatter going on in our nation’s capital. Now before you go ahead and delete this message because you think this is going to be some sort of political commentary in support of Democrats or Republicans or Libertarians, or whatever label you choose, this is not about politics or government or policies or legislation or elections or being on the right wing or the left wing.

It’s about telling the truth.

And, sadly, this daily struggle all of us have with “telling the truth” is not confined to our politicians. The struggle to be truthful is everywhere – at work, at school, in our neighborhoods, in our homes. And worst of all – in our churches. And that’s probably the hardest one to swallow.

In Genesis 26, Isaac was really up against the wall. If he told the truth and admitted that Rebekah was his wife, there was no doubt that the men of a town called Gerar would kill Isaac and take her. If he told a little “fib” or “white lie” that this beautiful woman was his sister, the men would probably just leave both Isaac and Rebekah alone, and move on to someone else. In the end, Isaac decided to lie.

Now none of us were there at the time and can tell what Isaac was thinking when he said that Rebekah was his sister. My guess is that Isaac figured, “hey, this is just a little white lie - no one will get hurt from this little fib.”

Wow…how wrong he was.

Let me ask you a question…

Right now, as you read this, are you in a situation where you are wondering if you should tell the truth, or a “little white lie”?

If you are, ask yourself this – if I lie, will God bless my deceit?

Think about it for a minute…the God who hates lies and loves the truth…will this one and only holy God bless my fibbing? Bless my cheating on an exam or project in school? Will He bless me surfing the web at work when I should be working? Will He bless me when I spread false rumors about others at school or work so I get more popular or look better in the eyes of my school or work-mates?

I sincerely doubt it.

If you are even considering a thought that is less than 100% truthful, maybe, just maybe, it’s time to examine your heart, look in the mirror, and start asking the tough questions you know need to be answered.

Am I being honest at school or work or with friends?

Are my relationships real, or based on flimsy lies?

Do you always tell the truth, or only when it is convenient for you? If you cannot honestly answer that question, let me suggest this…start by answering that question truthfully today. You may be young and think you have all the time in the world to “right your ship,” but you never know when something is going to happen and God’s plans just don’t mesh with yours. Think about the people that have been in and around your life that were taken suddenly and never had a chance to tell the truth and “right their ship.”

Don’t let that person be you. If you are a witness in a court case, you’ll be asked to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

You may not be a witness in court today.

But you are a witness for Jesus everyday. So, “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

Time to Clean Up

The priests and Levites had gone through a ceremony to make themselves acceptable to lead in worship. Then some of them killed Passover lambs for those who had returned, including the other priests and themselves. (Ezra 6:20)

Can you remember the last time you tried to get yourself cleaned up after getting dirty? I mean real dirty – like after painting part of the house, planting shrubs, cleaning out the attic or basement or garage?? Me? I hate cleaning the basement because it seems that all of the dirt seems to attach to me like a second skin. And what’s up with that smell down there? I mean, it smell’s like my Grandmother’s house!

But that second skin of dirt. Man, that is definitely what sin is like. It clings to us. It makes us stink. I can deal with being dirty and smelly. But one thing I can’t deal with is the dirt and smell of sin getting in the way of my relationship with God. Why? Because if God is holy and pure and completely removed from sin, than sin simply cannot exist in his presence. So, in order for me to have a growing and loving relationship with sinless and pure God, doesn’t it just make sense that we have to be pre and sinless?

But that’s where our problem lies – we, as humans, cannot come close to purifying ourselves. Oh, we could try every self-help book in the local bookstore, or try some mystical magical wand to clean ourselves like we discussed this week at the kick-off the Original Life series at Meetinghouse Church. But we know that none of that stuff will work in the end.

Simply put, each and every one of us need Christ to do this for us.

You have heard this simple truth before and you will no doubt hear it until the day you leave this earthly life – that is, Jesus’ death on the cross paid the eternal cost for our sins. It justified us. It made us holy and pure in God’s eyes. There is a “but” here – Jesus’ death did not eliminate the sinful urges each of us has every day. And the fact is that if we continue to give in to those urges, our sin creates a huge distance between us and God.

One of the constant and consistent themes of the Bible is the relationship between purity and obedience. Obedience is having a heart that’s right before God. Listen, it’s pretty easy to fool your friends, co-workers, school-mates, and even your parents with a fake purity act. But you can’t fool God. Simply out, if what you are doing on a daily basis in your life doesn’t match up with what’s in your heart, you know that you are putting on an act. And you mind as well drop the act ‘cause God knows you just ain’t being real.

If this sounds like you, don’t worry. God has great news for you, and all of us. God can and will change your heart. All you have to do is ask. It’s a gift to you, from God.

And it’s free.

Express Lane Repentance (10/15/2009)

LORD, after I wandered away from you, I changed my heart and life. After I understood, I beat my breast with sorrow. I was ashamed and disgraced, because I suffered for the foolish things I did when I was young. (Jeremiah 31:19)

This is probably a loaded question, but let me ask all of you this…

Have you ever really disappointed someone? I mean, have you ever done something or failed to do something, where after you did that thing (or failed to do that thing), it made other people change their opinion of you?

I think we all have…maybe you got caught going too far with your boyfriend or girlfriend…maybe it had to do with something embarrassing in your locker at school, or on your cell phone…maybe you came home wasted after a party.

If you’ve ever had an experience like that, you know how you feel afterwards. The guilt. The distress. You walk around and it feels like you’re wearing shoes made of cement. And all you want to do is go back in time for a “do-over.” All you want is people to stop being disappointed in you, and return to the way things used to be.

Easier said than done.

Or is it?

You see, there’s this “churchy” word that you may have heard called “repentance.” Unfortunately, the word has been used, and unfortunately abused, to mean something that it really isn’t. What I’m trying to say is this – genuine repentance, as illustrated so clearly in God’s word, is simply this – the desire to get rid of your sin and start over so God will look at you with joy once again.

So, what does the instruction manual say for how we should repent? Well, one problem I think we all face is that more often than not, we do something stupid or just plain mean, and we go through what I call “Express Lane Repentance.” Express Lane Repentance is:

1) Offer a quick prayer of apology to God
2) Ask God to forgive us
3) Get on with our lives

The problem with “Express Lane Repentance” is that it offers no real repentance at all. Express Lane Repentance is like what it sounds – like you are just driving through a toll booth of apologies.

But here’s the deal – when you sin against and disappoint someone in or around your life, there may be times when a simple “I’m sorry” may be good enough for your buddy or Mom or Dad. But for God, sometimes we actually need to give ourselves the time to experience the grief of regret so we can fully understand God’s forgiveness.

So here’s my suggestion for the next time you need to repent – instead of just doing the thoughtless Express Lane Repentance, try spending some time thinking about what Jesus went through and did for you on the cross. About how much he loved you that day, and loves you today. Think about who Jesus is, and understand that when we do those stupid or mean things in this life, we are sinning against Jesus. Because the more we understand this, the more we will experience real repentance.

Still stuck? Then just ask God to show himself to you, and help you repent. God will answer your prayer.

The Leader in You (10/12/2009)

Day after day, new men came to join David, and soon he had a large, powerful army. (1 Chronciles 12:22)

Do other people in or around your life often call you a leader, or consider you a leader because of something you may have done, the way you behave, or maybe the way to reacted to a certain situation.

Here’s a question for you – do YOU consider yourself a leader??

I was reading somewhere last week where most kids in high school would answer NO to that question. The article talked about how today’s teenagers would rather remain safe as part of the crowd and be followers rather than stick their neck out and draw attention to themselves by trying to take charge, or, try to be a leader. Now, a lot of people that get this devotional are teenagers that I know who are definitely not followers and rarely remain silent. You guys know who you are.

In 1 Chronicles 12:22, David finds out something pretty cool – that is, you can become a leader without even trying to take charge of a specific situation, or without trying to make stuff happen. What I am trying to say is this – if YOU commit yourself to following God, others will definitely notice and want to join you.

Maybe not right away.

Any maybe not in the way you expect.

You see, our culture tends to reach us that leadership somehow comes automatically with getting a position – like a supervisor at work, an elected politician, or even an “officer” or “leader” position in a club or group.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Because leadership has nothing to do with titles, or positions of authority.

Leadership is all about influence. And for those of us who are committed to following God, it’s all about getting people to do the right things in life.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “peer pressure” until you’re ready to scream! You know, how there’s no away to avoid it, how it ruins lives, that kind of thing. But, look at it this way – what if YOU were the person exerting the pressure, and NOT your peers. Can you imagine what would happen in people’s lives if YOU “pressured” people to not party or not pick on the weak or not blow off spiritual growth? Can you imagine how YOU could change people’s lives, starting TODAY, by encouraging them to help the weak, have fun in ways that honor God, or not feat to talk about what they believe?

Wow.

So, do you have what it takes to be a leader?

Guess what?

No matter what others or you think of you as a “leader,” you have what it takes. Because you have God’s Holy Spirit in you. And that’s all you need.

Now, are you ready to take advantage of the opportunities God gives you? You don’t have to be a jock, or the class President, or a leader in your youth group.

YOU can be a leader among your friends, or in your school, or a your job, or in your neighborhood, or even in your youth group, starting right now. All you have to do is have the desire to do what you know is right, do it what is right, and people will follow.

The Suitcase

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6)

Let’s imagine a situation you may have experienced. You have this elderly person in your neighborhood or on your street always, and everyone thinks that the guy is a little off. One day, you come home from school or work, and you find out that he died. As word of his death makes its rounds, you come to find out that before he died he had hid a suitcase full of money somewhere in the neighborhood. Rumors fly that there may be as much as a million dollars in the suitcase.

How would you react if you knew there was a bag of money in a nearby secret location, and there was nobody who could rightfully say it was theirs? If you what I would do, I have to be pretty honest – I would be one of the first people out there in the wee hours of the morning searching for any clues to lead me to the loot!

Now, let’s change the situation just a little bit. Let’s say that instead of a suitcase full of money, word gets around that something the elderly neighbor buried something more valuable than money – in fact, people find out that he buried a suitcase full of…wisdom. And, let’s say word gets around that he didn’t bury it in a secret location…in fact, he placed the suitcase full of wisdom in a known place, just waiting to be claimed by the first lucky person! The question today is – would you pursue the easily found suitcase full of wisdom as hard as you would pursue to secretly buried suitcase full of money?!

You have to admit; today’s culture teaches us that the search for the money is a lot more exciting than the easier search for wisdom. You and your family may think, “Wow, if I could only get my hands on that free money, how great life would be! No more bills! All the cool stuff we could ever want! A new car every year!”

But would all that money help you, or your family, or your friends, when you are struggling with doubts about your life? Doubts about how to live your life? Doubts about God? Could all that money give you direction in your life? Could a cool million bucks help you resist a temptation that could ruin your life?

The great thing about that suitcase of wisdom is that it can do all of those things! Wisdom can help you live your life better – today! Wisdom can bring you closer to God. And wisdom can change your role in the life of others looking for purpose and meaning.

You have a choice to make. If you choose the suitcase full of money, people will see you as shallow, as a gold-digger, as someone who values material things over everything else, including other people. But, if you choose the suitcase full of wisdom, people around you will start to notice immediately. People will see you as a mature believer, as someone to go to for advice and counsel, as someone who can even mentor others. Imagine being able to make a positive difference in someone’s life – today. Wow! And that’s what wisdom can do for you today.
Are you ready to start your search for wisdom? If you are, there is a great map where it shows clearly where that suitcase of wisdom is located.

It’s your bible.

And the starting point is the book of Proverbs.

The search will not always be easy, nor will it likely be a quick mission. In fact, it will probably take the rest of your life. But the reward will be great.

Have a great day today. And remember to love those in and around your life as Jesus loves you.

Your Payback (9/30/2009)

When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. (Luke 12:48)

Looking back over your life, do you think you have been given much? Think about that for just a second.

Now, you may be thinking of all the great stuff your parents, or grandparents, your girlfriend or boyfriend may have given you – cell phones, Xbox’s, iPods, the latest jeans, jewelry, flowers. Even those of us who think they are “just getting by” can usually point to a drawer or closet at home full of “stuff.”

But I am not talking about the stuff we get for each other.

My question is – do you think you have been given much…by God? I mean, how much has God blessed you?

When we think about how much we have been given, we usually think of our drawers and closets and garages and basements and attics filled to the brim with all the stuff “we just had to have.”

But when we think about how much God has blessed each one of us, how easy is it for you to move beyond the “stuff”, and realize all the other cool things God does for you everyday?

Do you think about the natural skills you have, maybe in a sport, or in a hobby like music? Chalk that one up to God.

Do you think about your physical health? Chalk that one up to God.

Do you think about your family, your friends? Chalk that one up to God.

So when you take everything that you have into account, just where do you stand? My bet is that compared to most of the world’s population, you’re probably looking pretty good today!

But (oh you just knew there was a “but” coming) here’s the point – ask yourself this – based on what you’ve been given by God, what does he expect of you?

It’s really important to start changing the way you think not only about your piles of stuff, but EVERYTHING that makes you who you are. God has made you and given you what you have for a reason. He has a plan for just for you, a plan that is like no other. And my bet is that this plan includes you making some kind of difference in the world. This is what God expects in return for what He has given you – for you to make a difference in the world FOR HIM.

So, how can you start re-paying God’s generosity today by making a difference in the world? Have some spending money? Try doing something with what little cash you think you have for someone who needs it. In pretty good health? How can you assist someone who needs help?

Folks, the world is full of complacent people who just go through the motions everyday and shrug through shoulders when faced with opportunities to serve the one who made us and gave us everything we have. Be different, today! Step out in faith, today!

Start giving back to God, today!

The Teacher

So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
Exodus 18:24



Everyone in your life is a teacher, not just those people in your school today standing in front of the room with the title of "teacher" and armed with chalk, eraser, and gradebook.



Everyone in your life is a teacher…



…if you're willing to learn.



Think about it.



Each person you know has a unique set of life experiences.



Each person in your neighborhood has a unique body of knowledge.



Each person you pass in the hallway at school or work or the mall or the grocery store or on the street has a distinctive perspective on the world.



Each person on the planet has a one-of-a-kind set of opinions and creative ideas.



Each person in this world brings something new and different to the table.



Think of it as God's gift to you. Wow! When you think of the billions of nameless faces in the world, that is a pretty awesome gift. But it is also overwhelming.



Think of it again this way – God has surrounded you with hundreds of potential teachers. Some younger than you. Some the same age as you. Some just a little bit older than you. God has given you the opportunity to pick their brains, to learn from their experiences and mistakes.


Think I am kidding?


Just ask any one who has attended a youth group, a "snow camp", or a mid-week small group. My bet is that each one learned something from maybe the staff at the camp, the speaker at their youth group, from a small group leader, and most importantly, from each other.



But, there is the famous "but."



But…in order to take advantage of God's gift of bringing teachers of all shapes and sizes into your life, you have got to swallow your pride and admit that you can learn things from even the most unlikely people. Like your elderly neighbor. Like your older sister or brother. Like the weird exchange student at school. Or your youth leaders. Or even, gulp, your parents.



Moses was the established leader of thousands of Israelites. People came to him for advice. Yet, when his father-in-law spoke, Moses listened. And because he listened, Moses was rewarded with some valuable advice – words of wisdom that ended up making him a better leader.



Learn from Moses' example. Treat every conversation, no matter how silly you might think it may be, as a learning opportunity. Make it your goal to come away with a little more knowledge and wisdom than you had before the conversation started. In my few years in youth ministry, I have never ever come away from any conversation with a student or fellow leader without gaining something useful, or some great insight.



Do yourself a favor – develop a curious spirit. Learn to ask the right question at the right time. Instead of always thinking about what you're going to say next, think of what you can learn by listening. Take advantage of the gift of teachers that God has given you.



Have a wonderful day today…and make it wonderful for someone else by loving others around you as Jesus loves you.

Going Your Own Way (9/14/2009)

Saul died because he was unfaithful and disobeyed the LORD. He even asked advice from a woman who talked to spirits of the dead, instead of asking the LORD. So the LORD had Saul killed and gave his kingdom to David, the son of Jesse. (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)

"Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord." As epitaphs go, that's about as sad as it gets. What a waste.

At one time, Saul seemed to have it all. Saul had the honor of having been handpicked by God himself. Saul had immense popularity and respect as Israel's very first human king. Saul had entire armies to help him carry out God's plan. He had servants to make his life easier.

Here comes the "but."

But, Saul had a fatal flaw.

He couldn't stay faithful to God. Saul was always looking for something else. Something more exciting. Something more comforting. Something more dangerous. When God's way didn't suit him, Saul went his own way. Sadly, I can identify with Saul on this.

And because of always looking for something else, Saul paid the price. Saul learned the hard way that God does not tolerate unfaithfulness. God expects friends to be faithful to each other and not gossip about each other. God especially expects his people to be faithful to him.

Where do you rate on the "faithfulness scale?"

If you heard people making fun of your best friend, would you stand up for him or her, or would you keep your mouth shut? If your friend did something that made him seriously unpopular at school, would you stick by him (or her), or would you try to separate yourself for him.

But the big question for all of us is this- how faithful are we to God? If you heard a science teacher claim that God doesn't exist, would you stand up for God in a loving (not combative) way, or would you keep your mouth shut? If identifying yourself as a Christian could make you seriously unpopular with your "school crowd" (as opposed to your safe and comfortable "Christian crowd"), would you stick with God or would you try to hide your relationship with him?

The decision is yours. Will you commit yourself to God's ways? Or will you go your own way?