Where all things concerning the youth at JCM are posted. Expect the summaries for this week's lesson as well any other interesting stuff.
Power - Infinite Devos 3
God is infinite in his POWER
To be powerful means to be able to overcome all resistance.
As you read, reflect on these three questions:
What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people of the world, especially non-Christians?
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Aaron’s Reflections
1. What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
This passage brings to light a problem that I struggle with: endurance. I quickly learned that the endurance of our faith is something that our own will cannot sustain. That realization led me to allow God to work in my life during the weary and weak times. Those times are often the hardest to relinquish control but God meets and exceeds your expectations.
2. What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
This message gives testament to the importance of community. God often works through the people in our lives, especially those who share our faith. The Lord’s strength can be found in the people of our church.
3. What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people or the world, especially non-Christians?
The world often gives you its own solutions to weaknesses (i.e. substance abuse, tearing others down, self-indulgence). Our relationship with non-Christians can test us in this respect. It’s much easier to go with the status quo.
But while the world sees weakness as a detriment to one’s self, we as Christians know that our weakness is an opportunity for God’s will to make a difference in our lives and those around us. We know that God’s strength is highlighted in our weakness.
Righteousness - Infinite Devos 2
God is infinite in his RIGHTEOUSNESS
To be righteous means to love what is good and hate what is evil.
As you read, reflect on these three questions:
What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people of the world, especially non-Christians?
Isaiah 6:1-5
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LordAlmighty.”
Cat’s Reflections
1. What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
There’s a need for major reflection of my own life and relationship with God. Isaiah himself was a prophet on top of being a righteous and godly man yet he was hit by his state of sin and flaws in the presence of the angels and of God. This is a realization that we must come to as we seek to encounter Him.
Before He can work in us, our image must be undone as Isaiah’s was. Not to belittle ourselves, call ourselves the scum of the Earth, and hate ourselves, but to realize that in comparison to God’s goodness and righteousness, we come so short and that’s the reason we need Him so much more.
This also means that we have an even greater reason to be bold in our personal praise to God. If the angels are without sin and praise God with enough power and conviction to shake the walls of the temple, shouldn’t I, who have sinned and have been saved by God, praise God with that same power and conviction?
2. What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
As a church we need to work together to uplift and be accountable to one another. As a body with the goal of serving God, it’s easy to become blind to our limitations and pride because we can sometimes confuse our desire to serve and fulfill the mission of God with serving our own egos. Like the prophet Isaiah came to realize his limits and humanity when he saw God and the angels, we as a church need to remember our humanity and the power of who we serve. We should do what we can to encourage ourselves, those who we’re close with in church, and all church members to come into the presence of God often.
We are partners in this journey and are responsible for one another. It’s not easy to continually seek what is good. If we cannot rely on one another to help us remember and correct us, who can we rely on? If we don’t keep each other accountable, outside voices giving advice can easily sway us if we don’t have each other to ground us.
3. What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people or the world, especially non-Christians?
As someone who is saved and has a relationship with God, I have knowledge that others who aren’t don’t. Isaiah and other prophets who have come into the presence of God in the Bible each have the revelation of their unclean nature in comparison to God. But people who have not turned to God are unaware and may refuse Him because of lies and illusions put forth by people who claim to be serving God. The people of the world are tired of false promises and are susceptible to anything that appears blunt, “real”, and has results.
We need to become the opposite of the false promises and elitist reputation that the Christian community has built. It’s hard, but as we continue to seek what is good, the way we present ourselves to nonbelievers matters. We must be to nonbelievers what the world is not: honest, reliable, steadfast, committed. This is what the world is seeking and this is how we can help them.
Sovereignty - Infinite Devos 1
God is infinite in his SOVEREIGNTY
To be sovereign means to be in control of everything.
As you read, reflect on these three questions:
What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people of the world, especially non-Christians?
Isaiah 46:8-11
Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago.
I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.
Levi’s Reflections
1. What does this mean for my life and my relationship with God?
My life has a beginning and an end that God knows too well. God has a plan that holds a promise in my life that he wants to come to pass. Nothing will stand against His purpose in my life because of who he is.
God is all powerful with all authority in the palm of His hands; whatever he plans he will fulfill. Therefore, I must stand true to this truth and the promise it brings. My only job in this equation is to believe and act by faith, knowing the end will be good.
If I recall His goodness, the mountains He has moved, the grace He has given me, where I was, and where I use to be, I am reminded that He is truly with me wherever I go and whatever I do.
2. What does this mean for my church and my relationship with the people at my church?
God has a purpose in my church and my role in it. God calls us to be witnesses to a lost generation and a light to where darkness is. Only God knows completely what exactly He wants the church to be and to do. However that may look like, I am encouraged to know that He will accomplish everything He plans.
God will continue to build the church and elevate those who remain faithful to His ministry. If we are His body, I should know that I must actively work together with people in my church to do what God has called us to do. I should see every believer as a partner, not a rival.
There are no limits to a church that is bonded together that knows God is control.
3. What does this mean for the world, and my relationship with the people or the world, especially non-Christians?
This means that even those who are outside the salvation of Christ have purpose waiting to be fulfilled. God in His sovereignty already knows their journey, the start and end, and yet desires to have a relationship with them. After all, we are His creation and no one else knows what’s best than Him.
However, we must first come to know Him and accept Him in our hearts in order to discover everything he has for us. From that perspective, I know that part of my purpose is to share the good news and be an open vessel for God to work through me.
There are still many lives to be touched, many relationships to be restored, and many people to be reached. If I rely on His Spirit working within me, I am able to be obedient to the work he has for me.
