The Graduate  

This week I would like to offer a BIG WHOO HOOO to all our Graduating Seniors. To successfully complete High School is a great accomplishment and you should be proud and take this moment to celebrate your commitment and dedication to your education!

No matter where God might take you from this point in life it is important to remember that He is always with you. I always give caution to my Sr.’s that this is the year to become grounded in God like no other year.  While many twist and turns are ahead of you if you know who you are in Christ He will not fail you.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

You will receive many new freedoms in the coming months, freedom from your parents, freedom from your High School, and maybe the freedom to drive for the first time. With new freedom comes new responsibility, registering for college, living on your own for the first time, getting a new job, managing your own finances.

While many teenagers dream of this day it can be overwhelming and many can become lost. Lost in partying, lost in work, lost in college, lost in life. Do not forget your roots. Do not forget about the ones who love you the most, who are your ride or die, who you can turn to in times of need. You are not alone in this new found adulthood.

I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future. ~Jeremiah 29:11

I can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Pastor B

O is for Obedience

YIKES..that’s a word we don’t like to hear often! The O in our P.R.O.M. series represents Obedience. For the past month we have been talking about getting ready for the PROM of life and for the Graduation that normally comes after PROM. P was for Patience and R was for Respect, both are things we are going to need to make it to and past Graduation.

The word Obedience comes from the Greek word hupakou which means to listen carefully often to a command or someone in authority. The thing that we don’t like about obedience is that there is no choice in the matter, we have to do what they say whether we like it or not.  But why, why do we have to go along with something we don’t agree with? Aren’t we free to make our own decisions?

The word of God puts is so great in Galatians 5:13-14 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

It challenges us when it comes time to obey our Parents, Teachers, Coaches or even Friends that we don’t look at it as an opportunity to lash out at them and refuse to do what they ask but to show how much we love them by doing what they ask.

So next time your mom or dad is scolding you because you haven’t done your chores or your grades are bad instead of getting in your flesh and fighting back remember that God commands us to use our love! After all one day we will need someone to obey us!

See you soon!

Pastor Brittany

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

There are many verses in the Bible about respect. We all know that we should respect our Mother and Father, Teachers, Elders and everyone else but what it does it look like to actually follow through with RESPECT. Can RESPECT mean more than just a repetitive thing your parents say to you?  I can hear your mom now “You need to show some respect” and you reply “yeah, yeah, yeah…mom” It might seem funny but RESPECT is a HUGE topic with teenagers. 

In Proverbs 13:13 it says “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.” Isn’t that the truth if you don’t listen to your mom when she says “Clean your room” you pay for it when she won’t let you go out on a Friday night or when a teacher says “you better study tonight” you pay for it when you fail that pop quiz the next day.

So why should we show RESPECT? What is in it for us? RESPECT is the first commandment in the Bible with a promise. God promises us that if we are RESPECTFUL he will give us a long life. I don’t know about you but I would like to live a long, full, fun and exciting life and God never goes back on His promises.

So next time before you decide to curse out your mom or give those girls a dirty stare down think about God’s first commandment with a promise.

See you soon!

Pastor Brittany