Good Reminder!!!

School is back in session!  This presents various challenges in the lives of many, but from the get-go it is extremely important to re-affirm what you already cling to.  The Gospel transcends every area of our lives and we must be reminded why we exist.  We exist for his glory and for the good of the Church.  Check out this short article as you re-engage your mind for a new year of school!

Back to School: 3 Crucial Reminders for Christian Teens

http://www.christianpost.com/news/back-to-school-3-crucial-reminders-for-christian-teens-80396/

Just some thoughts

The gospel is why we live; it's why we can live, and its what we strive to live for. Scripture tells us to minister to the poor, so I find myself there. I interacted with quite a few people who are homeless and I heard alot of their stories. Real life is so different for everyone, but nonetheless, it is real. When James tells us to consider it all joy when we suffer, we must take him seriously. I can't look at a homeless man and tell him that he will have a house next week, a job tomorrow, or food after I leave, but I can tell him that in a relationship with Christ...amongst all of his earthy sufferings, he can have hope! His hope must lay its rest in something that never changes or passes away. Not a job, or a woman, or a home, or mere religion, but in Christ. A personal relationship with Christ and nothing else can give him this hope. This is how I can bridge that gap. Christ and him crucified comes to life in a wonderfully practical way, and I can boldly proclaim this with love and gentlenss.

What is man...that He(The Almighty Lord) would show gracious favor. Yet we continue in the societal normality of the fear of Man. We should fear God...beginning with a terrifying fear, for we are an unclean people with a floating, ever-present anxiety. This initial fear shifts after faith in Christ to a terrifying"reverent submission that leads to obedience"(Ed Welch). Our heart, the world, and the devil are tools to lead us further from the proper fear of God, and closer to the improper fear of man. More specifically, the root is found in our own hearts, but is influenced by the latter. SO...the continual striving for a fear of the Lord is a path of intentional warfare. Praise God that we have been equipped with the necessary tools...the Word, the Spirit, and the Body. For the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour, but resist him, firm in your faith...He Himself (Jesus Christ) will return and will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Press on with sober minds and humble hearts and be encouraged. What is man, nothing without Christ!