The Conversation...Good Morning God. Thank you for another day. As we go to work and school, give us the strength and confidence to move through this day with boldness and complete faith in You. We believe that all of our needs will be met and supplied on today. And we pray that even during the toughest part of the day, our trust in You will not fail, faint, or waiver. In Jesus Name, Amen. The Affirmation...Today, I will have no fear !! When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalms 56:3)  The Resource...The WordPutting Your Life in His Hands Bible Reading: Mark 4:35-41 Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me? Mark 4:40 The afternoon sun dipped behind the rolling hills as a small boat carrying Jesus and his disciples set out across the Sea of Galilee. After a day of teaching, the Master was dog-tired. So he found a quiet spot in the boat and was soon asleep. The gentle breeze that had launched their boat quickly grew to a stiff wind that filled the sails and rippled the surface of the water with whitecaps. Within minutes fierce downdrafts howled and huge waves crashed against the side of the boat. The disciples frantically tied down the sail while the boat tipped and rolled over the waves. Water sloshed in by the gallons. But Jesus slept on undisturbed. The disciples shook Jesus awake and screamed over the roaring wind and crashing waves, “We’re going under! Don’t you care?” The Master rose and shouted back at the wind, “Be quiet,” and to the sea, “Be still.” Almost immediately the gale dwindled to a whisper and the vicious waves subsided to a great calm. “What were you so worried about?” Jesus asked as the trembling disciples stared out over the suddenly tranquil lake. “Haven’t you learned to trust your lives to God in such a simple thing as a storm?” The disciples hadn’t trusted God. They were too worried about dying. Take a vote. Do you enjoy any of these activities? • Slamming your fingers in a car door • Falling over the lip of a cliff • Licking a frozen metal light post • Stumbling to the pavement and scraping off a layer of skin Chances are you don’t do any of them for fun. In case you hadn’t noticed, you possess a drive to avoid pain and to stay well. And—like the disciples—you try to avoid flipping out of a boat in the middle of a stormy lake. Your desire to survive tells you to wear a life jacket, put on a bike helmet, and steer clear of expired milk. You can do all sorts of wise things to keep from getting hurt. But sooner or later in life you will face a situation where all you can do is trust God. But there’s good news. Nothing can ever happen to you that will surprise God. He knows the good and bad things that will happen to you and even how long your life will last (see Psalm 139:16). And as you learn to trust Jesus, you can ride out even the most terrifying storms. He holds you in his hands! TALK: How does it comfort you to know that you are in God’s hands? PRAY: Father, we trust you to take care of us. ACT: Remind a friend or family member today that God watches over us. © 2016 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of these Materials may be changed in any way or reproduced in any form without written permission from Josh McDowell Ministry, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2400, Plano, TX 75075. www.Josh.org.+1 972 907 1000. Used by Permission The Sound...
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The Conversation...God, we praise and honor you for this day. You are amazing, righteous, and the best guide for our lives. We thank you for showing us how to live and be an example of the ultimate standard in our lives. God, help us to be more like you and be a standard for others to follow. God, We love and thank you for show us how to treat others and use your Word as a measurement to what is right and wrong. In Jesus Name, I pray Amen. The Affirmation...I will use God's Word to determine what's right or wrong. 'I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ' John 13:15 https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.13.15  The Resource...The Word!Good Measure Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. . . . Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Deuteronomy 30:16, 20 A THERMOMETER A tape measure A yardstick A speedometer A pressure gauge God What do the above have in common? They’re all standards of measurement. “Wait a minute,” you may respond. “What’s God doing on the list?” Well, like a thermometer or a yardstick or a pressure gauge, God himself is a standard of measurement. If you want to measure distance, you might use a yardstick. If you want to measure the speed your car is going, you might use a speedometer. And if you want to measure the lightness or wrongness of an attitude or action, you measure it against God’s values. Is something wrong or right? Compare it to God. Is it OK to lie as long as you’re not hurting anybody? Compare it to God. He says, “Do not lie” (Leviticus 19:11) because he values truth. He values truth because he is truth itself (John 14:6). Is it right to hate somebody who has hurt you? Compare it to God. He says, “Love each other” (John 13:34) because he values love. He values love because he is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Is it right to hold grudges? Is it right to keep something that doesn’t belong to you? Is it right to give in to your passion or temper? Is it right to make fun of other people? Is it right to treat someone unfairly? Compare it to God. He is the standard for measuring right and wrong. REFLECT: Unfortunately, many people try to measure right and wrong according to their feelings, their desires, what their friends say, what their parents say, or what their communities or cultures tolerate. What standard have you been using to figure out what’s right or wrong? Your feelings? Your desires? What your friends say? Something else? ACT: Place a tape measure, thermometer, or some other instrument of measurement in your pocket or on your desk or dresser today to remind you to measure your actions against God, the only true standard for measuring right and wrong. PRAY: “God, I really appreciate having your Word to help me know what you value. You’re the best standard of measurement there is.” © 2016 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of these Materials may be changed in any way or reproduced in any form without written permission from Josh McDowell Ministry, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2400, Plano, TX 75075. www.Josh.org.+1 972 907 1000. Used by Permission The Sound...The Conversation...Good morning God, I thank you for this day. For the air we breathe and for being able to experience your world and life. God, we thank you that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in your image and you likeness and even they we all are in your image we are different. We have different taste and different likes, but you love us all just the same. God, we praise you for our uniqueness and the ability to not have to conform to others standard, but to have your standards as ours. God, we thank you for protecting us and loving us. In Jesus name, Amen. The Affirmation...Today, I will love people for who they are and not what they look like. Everyone, doesn’t have to look or act like me to be my friend. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT http://bible.com/116/1sa.16.7.nlt  The Resource... The Word!A People-Centered Focus Bible Reading: Mark 2:13-17 I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough. Mark 2:17 One Sunday morning a guy and girl in their midteens wander into a church and sit down. They’re not exactly wearing what most church folk would call their Sunday best. From the top of their spiked hair to the bottom of their clunky army boots they’re dressed in chains and black leather. After the service the pastor greets the couple. Despite their scary dress, their faces glow. The pastor finds out they are new Christians, fresh out of harsh lives of drug abuse. He welcomes them to the congregation and fills them in on places they can plug in to nurture their new life in Christ. He grabs them by the hand and introduces them to the youth director, who heads out to the parking lot to drool over the guy’s motorcycle. The next day the pastor gets several loud phone calls. “Who were those people?” “I sure hope you didn’t tell them about youth group.” “I don’t want them hanging around our church.” Huh? Who would have thought you’d get into trouble if you trusted Christ, quit doing drugs, but forgot to buy a new wardrobe before you went to church? Those church folk missed the opportunity of the moment—to give a loving welcome to two young friends desperately needing a home in the body of Christ. They made appearances more important than people. To be a Christian always means to put people first. No one has ever been more people-centered than Jesus. He taught, healed, blessed, lived, bled, and died for people. He pointed out how religious people had turned the Old Testament into cold, impersonal rules instead of directions for loving God and loving people. Slamming the church doors on strangers isn’t the only way Christians forget to put people first. If we have only Christian friends, attend only Christian events, and buy only from Christian-owned stores, we’re totally missing the chance to be people-centered like Jesus. “We don’t party with sinful scum,” the critics of Jesus seemed to say, “because we don’t want their sin rubbing off on us.” But look again at your Lord. He saw things from a people-centered perspective. Why did he spend time with sinners? So his love could rub off on them. TALK: Are you ever afraid to hang out with non-Christians? Why or why not? PRAY: God, remake our attitude. Help us love the people you died for—whatever they look like. ACT: What do you want to do today to love the way Jesus did? © 2016 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of these Materials may be changed in any way or reproduced in any form without written permission from Josh McDowell Ministry, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2400, Plano, TX 75075. www.Josh.org.+1 972 907 1000. Used by Permission The Sound...The Conversation...Lord your are righteous and our redeemer. We are amazed by your love and understanding of us. We thank you God for your protection, your grace, and your mercy. Thank you for surrounding us with you angels, that protect, fight on our behalf, and minister to us. God we love you and acknowledge you as King over our lives. In Jesus name, Amen, The Affirmation...Through my obedience to God I have protection. I will continue to listen to him “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”” Psalm 91:1-2 NIV http://bible.com/111/psa.91.1-2.niv  The Resource... The Word!The Umbrella of God’s Protection Bible Reading: Psalm 119:1-6 Happy are those who obey [God’s] decrees. Psalm 119:2 TRY THIS EXPERIMENT the next time it’s raining really hard outside: 1. Select two friends to help with the experiment; it helps if one of your friends is not too bright (the reason for that will become clear in a moment). 2. Send both friends out into the rainstorm. Equip one friend with a large umbrella, and send the other (the not-so-bright one) out into the rain without an umbrella or raincoat. 3. Tell your friends to walk around in the pouring rain; call them back inside after two minutes have elapsed. 4. See who gets wettest! Now, this may not sound like much of an experiment. You can probably figure out how the experiment will turn out all by yourself, right? You don’t have to be “Bill Nye the Science Guy” to figure out that the friend with the umbrella will stay pretty dry, while your other friend will get soaked, right? That experiment, however simple (or stupid) it may seem, illustrates the value of umbrellas. When you put up an umbrella, it shields you from the rain. But if you choose to move out from under that umbrella during a storm, you’re sure to get wet. God’s commandments are like an umbrella. As long as you stay under the umbrella of God’s commands, you’ll be shielded from many consequences. If you step out from under that protective cover, however, you should not be surprised if you suffer the consequences. For example, if you obey God’s commands to not steal, not cheat one another, and not lie (Leviticus 19:11), you’ll be under the protective umbrella of his commands. But if you ignore those commands, you expose yourself to all sorts of unpleasant consequences. If you disobey his command not to steal, you might get caught stealing and end up in a chain gang. If you defy his command not to cheat, you might get kicked out of school, ending your hopes of a career in nuclear physics. If you ignore his command not to lie, you might lose the trust of your friends and family. Seriously, disobeying God’s commands can result in all sorts of bad things even when you don’t get caught (things like guilt, shame, mistrust, broken relationships, unhealthy behaviors, and so on). That’s why God gave you those commands in the first place-for your protection. So next time you go out in the rain, don’t forget your umbrella. REFLECT: Think of a time when you were protected by obeying God’s commands. Name specific ways you can stay under the umbrella of his protection today. PRAY: “God, thank you for your commandments. Help me to understand how they protect me. Show me how to obey you today, especially when_______________________.” © 2016 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of these Materials may be changed in any way or reproduced in any form without written permission from Josh McDowell Ministry, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2400, Plano, TX 75075. www.Josh.org.+1 972 907 1000. Used by Permission The Sound...The Conversation...God, we thank you! We thank you for providing us with strength for each days journey. God, even when we are at our weakest you are there to provide us with strength, guidance, and support. God, we thank you for giving us Holy Spirit to guide is during our troubles, but also to strengthen us. God, we love you and we praise you for this and so much more. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. The Affirmation...Today, I sanctify my temple Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)  The Resource...The WordComing on Strong Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 WHAT WOULD you guess is the number one pressure on a girl to become sexually active? If you guessed guys, you’re wrong. The greatest pressure on a girl often comes from her own girlfriends. If you find yourself in a situation like that, remember there are some things you can give away only once. Your virginity is one of them. Don’t sacrifice the things that are eternal on the altar of the immediate. Translation: Don’t give away something you can never give away again to some guy-who buys you a lousy hamburger-just because your girlfriends are pressuring you. The next time they hassle you, shoot back at them what one young woman said to her friends: “In five minutes, I can become like you. But try as hard as you can, you can never again become like me.” And guys, you might feel pressured to get sexually involved with your girlfriend by friends who say things like, “It’s natural when you’re in love.” It’s also natural to burp in public. But do you do that? No. Not everything natural is proper in every setting. Some things offend others. And to get sexually involved with your girlfriend, even if she wants to, offends other people and breaks God’s laws. Think about how your actions would affect her parents if they ever found out. Or her future husband. Or what about her future children? Your actions would hurt them deeply. What are you going to tell her dad when he comes banging on your front door? “But, sir, it was the natural thing to do”? When the Bible talks about love, the first characteristic it mentions is patience. First Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is patient.” Real love can always wait to give. Lust, however, is different-it can never wait to get. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is pressuring you to have sex, he or she might have confused lust for love. You don’t have to put up with the pressure. Your boyfriend or girlfriend may insist that love is his or her motivation. Tell your boyfriend or girlfriend that true love waits. That puts the pressure back on him or her, where it belongs. You may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable sharing with God your thoughts and feelings about sex. But if you recall, he invented it. Nothing you can think, feel, or do about sex will embarrass him, and he stands ready to help you deal with the pressure you feel in this area. REFLECT: How would you answer someone who said that sex before marriage is the “natural” thing to do? PRAY: Tell God your concerns about sex. © 2016 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of these Materials may be changed in any way or reproduced in any form without written permission from Josh McDowell Ministry, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2400, Plano, TX 75075. www.Josh.org.+1 972 907 1000. Used by Permission The Sound... |