Youthful Impact by Sara Miller

Many youth buy into the lie that they cannot make an impact for God in the lives of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers and any other adults in their life.  They think that because they are young their voice won’t be heard and that they have no influence.  I want to lay it out straight right now…this is simply not true.  Nowhere in the Bible will you find a Scripture that says you have to be a certain age before God will use you to be His light to others.  In fact, you will find the exact opposite.  Check out 2 Kings 22 where it talks about King Josiah who took the throne at only eight years old.  God used him to set the example for his people to turn back to God.  Look at this verse:

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.  -Jeremiah 1:7

God wants to use you, and if you are striving to live for God, you can make a powerful impact in the lives of all the adults in your life.  I have heard of many instances where youth began coming to Movement, developed a relationship with God, shined that light to their parents and now their parents go to church and have a relationship with God too.  God used those youth to be an example for their parents and to pull them back to Him.  You always have something to offer and you can make a difference.  Go out and be bold in your faith today!!!

 

Speak Through Your Gifts by Leah Custer

“But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another that.”  – 1 Corinthians 7:7

You may read this verse and think, “What in the world does this have to do with evangelism?” Well, I believe the gifts God gives us play a huge role in spreading the Word of God. God gives us special gifts and talents so that through them we can bring glory to Him.

I have attended a Christian school my whole life and all my friends and family, with a couple exceptions, are Christians. Because of this, it has always been a struggle for me to “evangelize” to people when all the people I hang out with already know Christ. Throughout my life though, God has revealed to me that evangelizing does not always mean directly talking to people about Christ.  Although that is a very big part of it, it can also mean using your gifts and talents God has given you to glorify him.

I apply this principle in my life through the sport of basketball. God has blessed me with the ability to play basketball and to be pretty good at it. I use basketball as a way to witness to people through my actions; using the gift of athleticism God has blessed me with. I can honestly say that I have never back-talked to the referees, never talked trash to other team, and never yelled at or disrespected my coach. Why? Because I want people to know that when they see Fairfield Christian on my jersey that I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk. I want them to see Jesus through me, without having to publicly proclaim that I am a Christian.

Throughout the rest of the day and even during the rest of the week, think about the gifts God has blessed you with, whether it is sports, band, debate team etc., and how you can use them to evangelize to others.

Vitals of Prayer by Chris Reed

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. -Matthew 6:7-8

What’s the most important aspects about prayer?  Is it the poeticism of it (being worded really well)?  Is it the length of it?  Is it how hard you shut your eyes and scrunch your face up so it looks like you’re in pain because you are praying so hard?  Is it how many times you say, “Father God” and “Lord”?  Are those the important aspects of prayer?  Is it the combination of all of them?

I don’t think so.  I think there are two vital aspects to prayer:

1. You do it as much as you need:  Prayer only works if you actually do it and you will only do it when you need it.  But the more you pray the more you realize you don’t just need prayer time in the morning, but you need it ALL the time, all day long, every day, until it’s the very breath you breath (a fancy way of saying, until you realize that every single second of your life you will want to connect with God).   I think about it this way: in my relationship with my wife, communication (prayer) is vital to our relationship.  Sometimes I need one on one time with her, but then throughout the day I connect with her through short texts and quick conversations, knowing that the health of my relationship depends on both types of communication.
2. God:  God is the most important component of prayer.  He is the one who knows everything you need.  He is the one who has the power to give it or withhold it depending on what’s best for you.  He is the one who loves you perfectly and holds your days in His hands.

I used to worry (and by “used to” I mean last weekend) that I didn’t pray enough, I didn’t pray hard enough and I wasn’t emotionally moved enough for my prayers to work.  I started to worry that maybe I didn’t believe in the power of prayer.  But then like a light bulb, I remembered, it’s not the length of my prayer or the eloquence (fancy words), or even how hard I squint and look like I am in pain, but it’s Who I am talking to (Jesus) that changes me through prayer and moves in the circumstances of my life because of prayer.

Jesus wants you to bring your broken words, your not put together thoughts, and your lifeless prayers to Him and see that He doesn’t blow them off, instead, He will do amazing things.

Time With God by Natalie Krouse

I’ve always known that spending time with God is important.  I grew up in a Christian home and my parents always stressed the importance of having a personal quiet time with God every day.  When I was little I remember my parents reading the Bible to me and praying with me every night at bedtime.  But as I got a little older they encouraged me to have daily devotions on my own.

I went through phases where I was really faithful in spending time with God every day, and then I would go through phases of spending very little time with Him.  I didn’t really do it on purpose, but it just wasn’t that important to me at the time.  Sitting down and reading my Bible felt like school or a chore to me.  There were other things that I preferred to spend my time on.

When I chose to not spend regular time with God, not only was it hurting me, it was hurting those around me.  When I wasn’t spending time in God’s Word and in prayer, my attitude was really crummy.  I was in a bad mood a lot, I was disrespectful to my parents and I argued with my siblings more.  But the times that I made the effort to spend time with God on a daily basis, I was a much more pleasant person.  I felt more calm and happy and I had better relationships with everyone around me.  And not only that, I felt so much closer to God.  And you know what?  Even as an adult, that hasn’t changed.  I can tell a huge difference in myself and the way I react and respond to things when I am regularly spending time with God and when I am not.  Not only do I need to spend time with God, I WANT to spend time with Him, just as He wants to spend time with me.

God wants to spend time with you, too.  Every day.  Just you and Him.  If you are not spending time praying and reading God’s Word every day, I would encourage you to start doing it now – even if it’s only for 10 minutes a day.  I understand that life is busy.  I understand that you have school, sports, friends and family that take up a lot of your time and it’s hard to squeeze in one more thing every day.  But think about how much time you spend on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or playing video games.  Don’t you think you could cut out ten minutes of those things and spend it with God instead?  I promise it won’t kill you.  And I also promise that it will make all the difference in your life.

What God Would Say by Katie Barber

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  -Hebrews 4:12

If you are anything like me, you wish you knew what God would say to you if you could audibly hear Him.  At times, I wish I could hear His words of encouragement because I’m down.  Sometimes, I want to know how to make decisions.  And other times, I just want to know that I am loved.

Here’s the amazing thing – we can know what God would say to us because it is recorded in the Bible!  None of the situations we face are new.  God’s people have experienced every emotion – every high and every low – just like we do for thousands of years.  God used them to pen the scripture we rely on as Christians.  So when you want to hear from God, maybe to be encouraged or for guidance, all you need to do is search the Bible.

I like to use the concordance in the back of my Bible to help me find scriptures that match what I’m going through.  If I need to know that I am loved, I’ll look up the word love in the concordance and read all the scriptures I find listed.  If I need wisdom, I’ll look up the word wisdom.  If I need hope, I’ll look up hope.  I’m sure you get the picture.  Sometimes I have to think of synonyms for the word that first comes to my mind, but I have always found something to match what I need.  I challenge you to try it!  I hope you are as encouraged by God’s Word as I am.

 Lord, thank you for the Bible.  I love that we can find exactly what we need to match any circumstance we face.  Thank you for loving me enough to provide your written word so I can know your heart toward me.  I pray that I will run to your Word when I need encouragement because I know that you are faithful.  Amen.

Firm Foundation by Brandon Leitnaker

Sand to me can be so deceptive. “Brandon,” you ask, “How can an inanimate thing like sand ever be deceptive?” Well let me take a moment and explain. I have been fortunate enough to travel to many beaches in my life. I love the beach and in fact it is one of my favorite places to travel. However, I have learned a one major thing through all my experiences at the beach. Sand shifts. It gets stuck in everything from your shoes, to your swimsuit, to your beach chair, to your towel. Sand travels. More than that, sand is so unstable. Have you ever tried to run in sand or stand in the sand when it is blitzed by a wave? It is nearly impossible to remain sure-footed. This is what I mean when I say that sand is deceptive. Upon first glance sand promises to be a stable foundation, and yet when an outside force such as your foot, or wind or rain hit it, it fails to deliver in its stability.

On the other hand I have also been fortunate enough to travel to many mountains. Although sand has proven repeatedly to be an unstable foundation, a mountain or rock yields a very different experience. I am not talking about a fragment of rock that has fallen off a cliff but the very mountain or cliff itself. Unlike the sand, the rock remains firm. When I stand upon the rock or when wind or rain comes, the rock remains. The rock has never once failed to support me and provide a sure foundation to stand upon.

I am sure that many of you have experienced this very same result and with that frame of mind let’s now transition into a very similar illustration that Jesus uses in Matthew 7:24-27. In this story, Jesus provides us with two scenarios. The first is of a wise man who builds his house on a rock. The second is a foolish man who builds his house on the sand. Looking back to our earlier discussion on the sand and the rock, we can begin to fully understand why building a house on the rock would be wise and why building a house on the sand would be foolish. So in the physical alone this makes sense in our minds. But let’s dive a little deeper and look at it from a spiritual perspective.

The “rock” that Jesus is referring to in these passages is Himself and His Word. Whereas the sand that Jesus is referring to is anything else outside of Him and His Word. Notice that I said ANYTHING? Yes, anything! This is such an important truth to constantly bring to the forefront of our minds because it is one that will save us from experiencing these great “falls” that Jesus references. Jesus is beautifully painting a picture in our minds and hearts that a life (house) built on and founded on anything else other than Him and His Word will fall, especially in the event of a storm of life. If our foundation and hope for security is in the sands of this life, like our monies, our popularity, our possessions, our relationships, anything apart from Jesus and His Word, it will end in a great fall which is an eternity spent separated from the very Giver of Life. This is what Jesus means when He says He is the rock. His plea to build your life on the rock is not written in condemnation but in His love and passion to save you. Jesus and His Word give us new life, full life and eternal life. The sands of life are deceptive because they give the false promise of a true and stable life but ultimately fail to deliver. Jesus the rock remains firm and never fails. Stand and build upon the rock.

Fortress by Luke Kumler

When I think of a fortress, I think of a huge medieval castle. I think of a castle with huge stone walls, a solid wood drawbridge, and a moat. A castle like this would provide great protection because it is solid and sturdy. It would be nearly impossible to break down its unmoving walls.

In the same way, we want to find a fortress in our lives that is as sturdy as a castle. We want something that can protect us through the raging storms that occur in our life. We want something that won’t fall and break under pressure. Based on this criteria, the best fortress for us to choose would be God.

God is all-powerful and all-knowing. He is sturdy and unchanging. He doesn’t bend under pressure, and He never fails. Because of this, God makes the perfect “fortress” for us. When things get tough, and the storms of life come, let’s put our hope and trust in the one thing that won’t ever fail us or let us down. Let’s put our hope in God.

“In you o Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness, turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.”  -Psalm 71:1-3

Hiding Place by Lisa Brancato

I love to play hide & seek with small children! They always seem to hide in the same places- under a blanket, in the bath tub or behind a curtain. They also get so excited playing a simple game and will call out to you if you don’t find them fast enough.

Perhaps when you were a child, you had a few favorite places to hide. As you’ve  gotten older, you may not even fit in some of those spots! But as a child of God, there is one place you can always hide, no matter how much you grow up!  

“…in the shadow of Your (God’s) wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal engines who surround me.” Psalm 17:8-9

God’s Word, the Bible, is a place God provides for us to ‘hide in’ when trouble (fear, doubt, panic attacks, depression) comes against you. The book of Psalms is a great place to ‘hide in’ and gain protective coverage for your heart and mind as you face each day!

Read it. Think about it. Hide in it.

Light Through the Stress by Kristy Keirns

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” – John 12:46

Do you ever feel overwhelmed and then start to pull back from the good things in your life? Have you ever been in kind of a funk–a place where your mood and general feeling is kind of dark and dreary? I have been there…many times. For instance, right now I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed. I have a lot of things on my plate. I feel like I’m getting lost in them and drowning in a sea of to-do’s. When I start to feel like this, I tend to let my stress get a hold on me, I get snippy and I retreat. I can get so consumed with all that I have to do, I don’t ask my children how their day at school went or see what I can do to help my husband. I ramble off all that I feel needs to be done when someone asks me how I’m doing and I forget to listen to what they need. I am so stuck in my own, self-made darkness, I miss what God puts in my day to show me His light and brighten mine. I miss a teachable moment with my daughter or making a memory with my son. I miss helping the stranger at the grocery store or encouraging a friend who is having a tough day too.

I believe satan likes this. He likes the stress and the drama and loves it when we’re grumpy, maxed out and distant from God. Let’s not give him that victory. Jesus came into this dark, messed up, stress-filled world to show us that there is another way to handle our days. We don’t have to be defeated with dreariness. John 8:12 says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He fills us with His light and we become a light for Him. He, who is the Ultimate Light, shines through us. In Matthew 5:14-16 we are reminded of this, “¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

God is and wants to be a part of our daily lives. He wants to help us with the little things, the mundane things and the stressful things. He loves us. When we give our days to Him and ask for His help, we will not be boggled down by our long to-do list. We can have peace in the midst of the somewhat chaotic day-to-day and be the light He has called us to be. When we are a light to those around us, especially during a stressful time, they will know something is different about us. When they notice and ask, we can give all the glory to God and share His love with them. That is what being a light is all about. I don’t want to miss the Light. He already knows what we’re going through, why don’t we lay everything at His feet, accept His help and be the light He expects us to be. He’s ready and willing. Are you?

“⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:4-5

Light Vs. Darkness by Travis Keirns

Hate is a “bad” word in our house. It’s clearly in the non-four letter division, but my wife and I are purposed to not allow our kids (4- and 6-years old) to talk about hating things. Having said that, I hate scary movies! They’re just terrible. I know what’s coming and, still, I jump like a little girl and instinctively start to raise my hands in defense as if the characters are going to jump out of the screen at me. Really, Travis, you’re a grown man with two college degrees and you essentially end up in the fetal position during a scary movie? Yep, I’m that guy…

Why are scary movies scary, though? Grossly mutilated or deformed figures chasing people with chainsaws or knives is a good place to start, but the setting of the movie makes an impact, too. Has there ever been a scary movie filmed solely in the light of day? Somehow I find Freddy Krueger chasing people at noon on a sunny day at the beach far less stressful than him chasing people in a dark alley at midnight in the middle of a thunderstorm. We are all a little scared, or at least intimidated, by the darkness. I’m not saying you have Nyctophobia (fear of the dark), but chances are a “bump in the night” raises your pulse more than a “bump” in broad daylight.

By now I assume you know where I’m going with this. The idea of light and darkness representing good and evil is nothing new, especially if you’ve ever read the Bible. John 8:12 says, ¹² Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The idea is, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we can step out of the darkness (evil, fear, grief, etc) of this world and rest assured that we will one day meet face-to-face with the Creator of the Universe in Heaven where, according to Revelation 22:5, “…night will be no more. They (those in Heaven) will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Once we make that commitment, regardless of our past choices, God’s Grace means the darkness of this world cannot hold us back from knowing our eternal finish line.

The above is a fairly easy concept to understand so I want to challenge you in a slightly different direction. While the above is true, it does not change the fact that the world is a dark, sometimes scary place full of sin, corruption, grief and fear for those who do not know Jesus. Whose job is it to bring those people into the light? Ever heard of a little passage called the Great Commission? At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples the following:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So the answer to the question is, YOU!

As believers, we are not supposed to play defense with the light Jesus gives us, but, instead, in the words of author Mark Batterson, we should use it to “storm the gates of hell!” We cannot be afraid to share our testimony with others, tell the story of Jesus or act in the Biblical ways that may seem odd to the world. We are called to be the light and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the way this concept is stated in a Rend Collective song that says to God, “Build your Kingdom here, let the darkness fear.” We, as believers, should not fear the darkness (evil, satan). We should live a life that brings others into God’s light and erases the darkness. So what are you waiting for? Storm the gates!

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.  –1 Peter 2:9-10 (The Message)