I am thrilled that you have decided to read this post! I want to share with you something that God has laid on my heart. The youth group that God has entrusted me with is called Example Student Ministries. We base that name off of 1 Timothy 4:12 where Paul tells Timothy, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (NIV)
Sometimes these example bearers need someone to set the example for them!
One way that I have decided to set the example is by our Speed The Light giving. If you are unfamiliar with Speed the Light, it is a missions giving program where the money from Assemblies of God students buys vehicles and communication equipment for missionaries. I know, cool right?!
What God has laid on my heart is the sacrifices that our missionaries go through to spread the Gospel. Some do not have cars or the equipment they need to effectively fulfill their calling. The Gospel is only "good news" if it gets there in time! That is where I come in...
Skinny for Speed The Light was developed as a way for me to raise money for Speed the Light. Starting this Sunday, February 20th, and ending the last day of November, I will be exercising and dieting. People will be pledging per pound that I lose. (Example: $5 per pound; 50 pounds lost = $250 for Speed the Light).
I need your help! If you would like to donate or pledge for the Skinny for Speed the Light project, that would be greatly appreciated! I am shooting for loosing 100 pounds!
Please spread the word about this project! I would greatly appreciate your prayers as well! You can contact me at ajohnson13174@hotmail.com if you would like to participate!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Listening To The Father
I know, I know. It has been a long time since I last blogged. I don't even know if anybody actually looks at this or not, but I will give it another shot. Last night, at Example Student Ministries, we discussed what it meant to listen to the Father. Listening to God's plan for our lives. Here's a few excerpts and the general idea...
Listening; it is very important. Many people think they are listening to someone speak, but many times they zone out, they get distracted by things around them, or sometimes they are just too lazy to focus on one thing. We are talking about listening to God speak to us in our everyday lives. We get so busy with the hurry-up lifestyle that we miss out on our one-on-one time with the One who created us. We miss out on the personal time with the One who loves us like no one else has loved us. Listening to God is very important because He has specific plans for you! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) We have to listen to God to learn and understand the palns He has for our lives. King David, in Psalm 40:5 tells us how great the plans of God are: "Many, O LORD, my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
A rather funny illustration on the importance of listening:
The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the While House. He compained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shood his hand, he murmured, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." The guests responded with phrases like, "Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!" It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, "I'm sure she had it coming."
If we don't listen to God, we cannot know what He is truly trying to tell us! He wants us to know His plans for our lives. God knows what is best for you in the situation you are in! Why don't we take time to listen to Him!
Another illustration. One of a Sunday School teacher who at the right time, listened to God and greatly affected many people:
In 1858, a Sunday school teacher, Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The clerk was Dwight L. Moody, who became one of the world's greatest evangelists.
In 1879 Dwight L. Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, a pastor of a small church in England. Sometimes later F.B. Meyer preached to students on an American college campus and led to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman.
Chapman later was involved in YMCA work, and he employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday became the most popular evangelist of the 20th century, preaching to more than 100 million people and making more than a million converts. After he held a revival meeting in one town, the local people decided to hold another evangelistic campaign, and they invited Mordecai Hamm to preach.
During Hamm's revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Only eternity will reveal the great numbers of people who have come to Christ all over the world through the ministry of Billy Graham.
Who could have imagined the ongoing impact of that one Sunday school teacher who helped a Boston shoe clerk accept Christ as his Lord and Savior!
Who knows what kind of impact you may have as you listen for God's plan on your life, and help people accept Christ!
Listening; it is very important. Many people think they are listening to someone speak, but many times they zone out, they get distracted by things around them, or sometimes they are just too lazy to focus on one thing. We are talking about listening to God speak to us in our everyday lives. We get so busy with the hurry-up lifestyle that we miss out on our one-on-one time with the One who created us. We miss out on the personal time with the One who loves us like no one else has loved us. Listening to God is very important because He has specific plans for you! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) We have to listen to God to learn and understand the palns He has for our lives. King David, in Psalm 40:5 tells us how great the plans of God are: "Many, O LORD, my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
A rather funny illustration on the importance of listening:
The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the While House. He compained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shood his hand, he murmured, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." The guests responded with phrases like, "Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!" It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, "I'm sure she had it coming."
If we don't listen to God, we cannot know what He is truly trying to tell us! He wants us to know His plans for our lives. God knows what is best for you in the situation you are in! Why don't we take time to listen to Him!
Another illustration. One of a Sunday School teacher who at the right time, listened to God and greatly affected many people:
In 1858, a Sunday school teacher, Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The clerk was Dwight L. Moody, who became one of the world's greatest evangelists.
In 1879 Dwight L. Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, a pastor of a small church in England. Sometimes later F.B. Meyer preached to students on an American college campus and led to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman.
Chapman later was involved in YMCA work, and he employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday became the most popular evangelist of the 20th century, preaching to more than 100 million people and making more than a million converts. After he held a revival meeting in one town, the local people decided to hold another evangelistic campaign, and they invited Mordecai Hamm to preach.
During Hamm's revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Only eternity will reveal the great numbers of people who have come to Christ all over the world through the ministry of Billy Graham.
Who could have imagined the ongoing impact of that one Sunday school teacher who helped a Boston shoe clerk accept Christ as his Lord and Savior!
Who knows what kind of impact you may have as you listen for God's plan on your life, and help people accept Christ!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Home-going or Hell-going
Wow!
What a title!
I can't believe you are reading this!
Well, here it goes.
Funerals make you think; especially funerals of family members. That is where I was the first day of this week. I was at a funeral of a family member. I was listening to the preacher talk about giving encouragement to the family because that family member who had died was saved and assuredly going to heaven. The family, like any family, was upset. The kicker was that the family could rest assured that their family member would be in heaven.
Here is the second, and more disturbing, part of my thinking. What happens when the family does not know whether or not their loved one is going to heaven? Another real tragedy was the thought of a family who knows "without a shadow of a doubt" that their family member did not make it. There is no hope anymore of seeing their loved one again. There is some assurance; the assurance of knowing their family member is in a real hell. How said this must be!
Let us take this to a more personal level. What about your family?! What about your brother, sister, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, cousin, nephew, niece, etc. What about them? Do you know "without a shadow of a doubt" where they will spend eternity? I ponder this question now because if you wait any longer, it may be too late! Luke 12:40 (NIV) says, "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and we are not guaranteed the rest of today.
One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, and says, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." Verse 18 reminds us that these words should be used to comfort each other, but these words can also make us tremble. What happens when your family member is not saved when the Lord comes for His people?
Today, take a moment and reach out to someone who you know is not saved.
It's a matter of eternal life or death!
What a title!
I can't believe you are reading this!
Well, here it goes.
Funerals make you think; especially funerals of family members. That is where I was the first day of this week. I was at a funeral of a family member. I was listening to the preacher talk about giving encouragement to the family because that family member who had died was saved and assuredly going to heaven. The family, like any family, was upset. The kicker was that the family could rest assured that their family member would be in heaven.
Here is the second, and more disturbing, part of my thinking. What happens when the family does not know whether or not their loved one is going to heaven? Another real tragedy was the thought of a family who knows "without a shadow of a doubt" that their family member did not make it. There is no hope anymore of seeing their loved one again. There is some assurance; the assurance of knowing their family member is in a real hell. How said this must be!
Let us take this to a more personal level. What about your family?! What about your brother, sister, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, cousin, nephew, niece, etc. What about them? Do you know "without a shadow of a doubt" where they will spend eternity? I ponder this question now because if you wait any longer, it may be too late! Luke 12:40 (NIV) says, "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and we are not guaranteed the rest of today.
One of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, and says, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." Verse 18 reminds us that these words should be used to comfort each other, but these words can also make us tremble. What happens when your family member is not saved when the Lord comes for His people?
Today, take a moment and reach out to someone who you know is not saved.
It's a matter of eternal life or death!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
What Exactly is Worship?
Last night, 12/1/10, we had our Example Student Ministries youth service. We started what looks to be a four-part series on Worship. The idea of nailing down and ingraining worship is so that we can worship God biblically. So, last nights message was titled "What Exactly is Worship?".
So, before we get started with this topic, why don't you (the reader), right now in your head, try to nail down a specific definition of what worship is...
No, really...
O.K. First we are going to look at the Hebrew word used throughout the Old Testament translated "worship". The Hebrew word is "Shachah" (pronounced shaw-khaw). This word means to depress, that is prostrate in homage to royalty or God: bow down, crouch, fall down flat, humbly beseech, make obeisance, do reverence, or make to stoop.
So, I basically had 3 points: Worship As A Lifestyle, You Were Created to Worship God, and Worship Is Not All About You.
So first, Worship As A Lifestyle. We pull this out of Romans 12:1(NIV) which states: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Worship is not about the songs we sing, the guitar or piano, whether or not we have a praise team or choir (or both); it is about living our lives as a living sacrifice to God. That is, sacrificing our desires and wants and saying "God, use me for your will". "This is your spiritual act of worship" (v. 1). But many times, we hop on and off the altar of God when we offer ourselves...
Next is You Were Created to Worship God. We pull this out of Colossians 1:16 (NIV) which states, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." I believe the most important part of this passage is found after the semi-colon. It says, "all things were created by him and for him". YOU were created for God! Your purpose for being created was to be a living sacrifice for God; to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, which is your spiritual act of worship. Ever wonder why you can't find purpose in your life? Why don't you try worshiping God by offering your body as a living sacrifice....
And lastly, Worship Is Not All About You! Whew! What a thing to say. You may say, "Duh, Pastor Andrew. I already knew that!" Really? Do you you really know that? I say this because many times, we go to God with this attitude: "What can I get from God today?" Really, we do... When was the last time we went to God to just tell Him how awesome He is! Many times, our prayers consist of me, me, me. We are to worship God just because He is God! That makes Him worthy of our praise!
On a side note, please continue to pray for the youth ministry at Enterprise First Assembly of God. Things are going pretty well. We are moving in the right direction. I am so thankful for your prayers and support. Please remember to pray for this generation that can change culture (if they would just put their minds to it)!
If, after reading this blog, would like to learn more about Jesus, please email me at ajohnson13174@hotmail.com.
So, before we get started with this topic, why don't you (the reader), right now in your head, try to nail down a specific definition of what worship is...
No, really...
O.K. First we are going to look at the Hebrew word used throughout the Old Testament translated "worship". The Hebrew word is "Shachah" (pronounced shaw-khaw). This word means to depress, that is prostrate in homage to royalty or God: bow down, crouch, fall down flat, humbly beseech, make obeisance, do reverence, or make to stoop.
So, I basically had 3 points: Worship As A Lifestyle, You Were Created to Worship God, and Worship Is Not All About You.
So first, Worship As A Lifestyle. We pull this out of Romans 12:1(NIV) which states: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Worship is not about the songs we sing, the guitar or piano, whether or not we have a praise team or choir (or both); it is about living our lives as a living sacrifice to God. That is, sacrificing our desires and wants and saying "God, use me for your will". "This is your spiritual act of worship" (v. 1). But many times, we hop on and off the altar of God when we offer ourselves...
Next is You Were Created to Worship God. We pull this out of Colossians 1:16 (NIV) which states, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." I believe the most important part of this passage is found after the semi-colon. It says, "all things were created by him and for him". YOU were created for God! Your purpose for being created was to be a living sacrifice for God; to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, which is your spiritual act of worship. Ever wonder why you can't find purpose in your life? Why don't you try worshiping God by offering your body as a living sacrifice....
And lastly, Worship Is Not All About You! Whew! What a thing to say. You may say, "Duh, Pastor Andrew. I already knew that!" Really? Do you you really know that? I say this because many times, we go to God with this attitude: "What can I get from God today?" Really, we do... When was the last time we went to God to just tell Him how awesome He is! Many times, our prayers consist of me, me, me. We are to worship God just because He is God! That makes Him worthy of our praise!
On a side note, please continue to pray for the youth ministry at Enterprise First Assembly of God. Things are going pretty well. We are moving in the right direction. I am so thankful for your prayers and support. Please remember to pray for this generation that can change culture (if they would just put their minds to it)!
If, after reading this blog, would like to learn more about Jesus, please email me at ajohnson13174@hotmail.com.
Monday, November 22, 2010
My Very First Post!
Well, as of yesterday, I now have a blog! This is kind of weird!
Meagan made the comment, while on my computer, that most of my youth pastor friends have a blog. Well, she then decided that I should have a blog as well, and made me one!
My blog is called "Coffee and Christ" because they are two things that I do while sitting in my office at the church, drinking coffee while studying and reading about Christ!
I also have the opportunity to share Christ with the youth of Enterprise, AL!
Well, today starts my path towards stereotypical youth pastor-ship blog-ness!
Meagan made the comment, while on my computer, that most of my youth pastor friends have a blog. Well, she then decided that I should have a blog as well, and made me one!
My blog is called "Coffee and Christ" because they are two things that I do while sitting in my office at the church, drinking coffee while studying and reading about Christ!
I also have the opportunity to share Christ with the youth of Enterprise, AL!
Well, today starts my path towards stereotypical youth pastor-ship blog-ness!
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