MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Others First
I remember my college days, a loooooong time ago, and I am grateful for some people that invested in my life. They pointed me in the right direction with God’s Truth and what He has to say about living a life that follows Jesus. One of those thoughts had to do with Servant Leadership. I have to admit, I seem to find myself failing at this attitude that is so greatly displayed in Christ. I must remind myself, as Paul does here in Philippians Chapter 2, that the commandment to LOVE my NEIGHBOR requires me to individually and personally to LOOK UP.
OTHERS FIRST is an easy way to explain this posture. We must move from a ME centered spectrum, that revolves around all MY INTERESTS and move toward an OTHERS mentality that LOOKS UP and realizes that there is a whole world out there that needs attention. I think that if we take this simple concept and decide to put OTHERS FIRST, we realize that we are making an impact by following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ Himself.
REBEL SERIES WRAP UP
This month, we have been going through the Rebel lesson series for our MSM Sunday Morning Bible Study, and your student is learning about the importance of obedience and what not to do when God calls you through studying the story of Jonah.
We realize that you, as parents, are the primary faith influencers in your child’s life. The best disciple making takes place when students’ parents take the lead. Here are some conversation starters to help you talk with your child about what they’re learning:
- What’s something that stood out to you or surprised you from this lesson series on Jonah?
- What’s an application you’ve made and how is it going?
- In what areas of your life is it hardest to be obedient to God? How can you grow in that?
- How can I be praying for you?
THE FOUR
WHAT DO THESE SYMBOLS MEAN?
FIND OUT TONIGHT FOR WEEK 2 OF OUR RESCUE SERIES.
OKAY… IF YOU WANT TO KNOW NOW, CHECK OUT THIS LINK
Step 3 – SHOW
When we find the goodness and the sweetness of Shipley Do-Nuts, we have a choice to make. We can keep the goodness to ourselves, or, perhaps, we might love those tasty treats so much, that we want to share the goodness with others.
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE THINK THE OPPOSITE WAY ABOUT THE SWEETNESS OF LIVING FOR JESUS?
The truth of the matter is that living the life for JESUS is GOOD NEWS. This is something that we don’t want to keep for ourselves. We’ve got to give it away.
HOW, DO YOU ASK?
WE SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS
The essence of who God is… IS LOVE! Read what 1 John has to say about it:
1 John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
The ultimate reality is that GOD IS LOVE. The self-sacrificing love that is displayed in Jesus Christ is something that no human being can offer without the influence of a personal relationship with Him.
In fact, this LOVE can be the single most important evidence of GOD.
1 John 4:9-10
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:11-13
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
The sweetness of following JESUS is that HE LOVED US first, and we get to take part in showing that LOVE to others. The beauty of God’s amazing plan is that when we do SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS, we put GOD on display. That love can even be “perfected in us.”
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are you SHOWING THE LOVE OF JESUS?
Psalms For You – Middle School Devo
HERE is a FREE DEVOTIONAL for you and your MIDDLE SCHOOLER to jump start the school year.
Second Step – GROW
As we work to connect the amazing SHIPLEY DO-NUT to Spiritual steps in the MSM, we take the second step to think through and realize that this one is a process.
Think about all the brain changes, hormone changes, brace-face changes, school/educational changes, on top of all the cultural and world-wide changes that hover over us on a daily basis. Just the body alone is a growth process and seems to have intentionality within it.
Much like a GOURMET RECIPE for a SHIPLEY DO-NUT, God has a certain WAY of moving in our lives and a PATH for GROWTH spiritually.
1 John Chapter 2 speaks to those who keep HIS WORD as those who find the perfection of GOD’S LOVE. If we live in HIM and walk as JESUS walked, we begin the process of growth.
THIS RECIPE comes with GOD’S WORD or HIS TRUTH. WE GROW WHEN WE KNOW GOD’S TRUTH. In fact, John goes on to say that the “anointing” as reference to the Holy Spirit is what teaches us THE TRUTH.
ARE YOU GROWING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS?
First Step – KNOW
Step 1 – KNOW
We started off this Promotion Sunday in the Middle School Ministry (MSM) casting vision in a creative way for our three main steps we take in Middle School.
Here you go – KNOW, GROW, SHOW.
Yea, it’s simple, but I believe these are thoughts we need to have as we walk toward making Jesus #1 in our lives.
1 John 5:11-13 Speaks to one aspect of the KNOW step…
“And this is the testimony, that
that God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever has the Son has life;
whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.”
Just like the void of a Do-Nut, we have a GOD-Sized Hole in our hearts that can only be filled with Eternal Life. According to 1 John, it is super simple. JESUS fills that HOLE with ETERNAL LIFE!!!! What I enjoy about John is that he decided to write 1John so that everyone can truly KNOW how to have ETERNAL LIFE.
Do YOU KNOW that you have ETERNAL LIFE?
Great, that is the first step to KNOW, GROW, SHOW.
By the way, we have to give a shout out to Theresa at the Shipley Do-Nut shop on Loop 337. She totally gave us the run of the place and allowed us to take clips to show on Sunday Mornings for this series. I even found myself taking an “impromptu” order for two Kolaches at the window!!!
Need Wisdom… JUST ASK
As we hit the MID-SUMMER mark, we stand with one foot in the laid back, vacation mode, and another foot leaning toward the start-up mode for the new school year. School practices of various kinds begin, sales for school supplies remind us that new times are coming (even if we try REALLY HARD to put that thought off). As I look forward to meeting new faces that enter into the Oakwood Student Ministry for the first time as well as seeing everyone back home after trips and adventures of the Summer, I come back to something that is BASIC, yet easy to look over.
WISDOM IS FROM GOD.
We seem to run to Google or ask Siri what time the game is, how the weather might be, or how to spell that SAT word that we keep forgetting. We tune into the 24 hour news and gain insight on world happenings and wonder how we can live our lives in reaction to the circumstances around us. We choose to find what works best for our kids and ourselves when it comes to education. That might be working on study habits, worrying over getting a certain teacher that seems to be a great match for our kid, or choosing to take a whole new adventure of learning (didn’t we do that during the shut down?). The point I am all too easily revealing is that we have so much information at our disposal, that we may forget the need for the most simple ASK.
ASK GOD FOR WISDOM.
With all the information at our fingertips, we still find ourselves stepping in holes, repeating mistakes or even offenses, and wonder how such an educated mind of a human being that we are can slip down the slippery slope of life as fast as we can. Again, WISDOM is from GOD and the key is, that we must take time in our daily comings and goings to ASK FOR IT. Maybe it takes some time for you and me to realize that WE LACK WISDOM. Quite possibly, those repeated circles you are running in remind you of something. ALL OF US LACK WISDOM. WHY? WISDOM IS FROM GOD.
GOD GIVES WISDOM GENEROUSLY.
God is no device that we must subscribe to. He is not a podcast to listen to. He is not a news anchor on location somewhere, waiting for the next chaotic storm. He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and He contains this stuff called WISDOM. Wait a minute? He holds it, but does not desire to keep it! He GENEROUSLY GIVES without the added disapproval for asking. He is ready and willing to pour out WISDOM on YOU if you just ASK.
Of all the things this world has to offer, and you have sought after, HAVE YOU ASKED FOR WISDOM?
No matter how much society changes, the container of WISDOM is still GOD. He helps us know what to do with the overload of information and chaos we consume on a daily basis. The simple fact is IF YOU NEED WISDOM, JUST ASK.
Middle School Inside Out Sunday AM Series
Our Middle School Inside Out Sunday AM series will focus on what Christlike character is, why it’s needed, and how to have it. Each lesson gives your student the opportunity to study Scripture and apply it to their own life. Below are the passages we are studying and the main takeaway from each lesson. We also have a key verse for each week.
Week 1 – July 11 – Good Fruit
Galatians 5:22–26
THE TAKEAWAY When the Holy Spirit takes root, Christlike character grows in our lives.
Week 2 – July 18 – Be Wise
James 1:2–8
THE TAKEAWAY To be truly wise, you need to be on board with what God wants to do with your life.
Week 3 – July 25 – Thankful
Psalm 107:1–9
THE TAKEAWAY Christ-followers are thankful for the way God satisfies our needs.
Week 4 – Aug 1 – New Clothes, New Me
Colossians 3:1–17
THE TAKEAWAY God’s work on our insides should show change on our outsides.
Parent Resources 