Roots Student Ministry Podcast

Technology can be really difficult to manage. We have probably all gone down an online rabbit hole that we are not proud of. Whether it's pornography, stalking an ex, or even sending or receiving nudes. Things online aren't always what they seem and technology can become a poor substitute for real sexual connection the way that God intended. We'll take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:18 and talk about the importance of fleeing from sexual immorality.

It's not always fun having the sex talk. But we do believe it's important. And when it comes to sex, we know that everyone has an opinion. But what does the Bible say about it? Well, when we look at the very beginning of the Bible, we see that God created sex and He created it to be good. But it's also important to know that sex was also created to be very powerful. So how we treat sex and how we treat other people matters. So the best way to treat sex is with sexual integrity with appropriate boundaries and mutual respect.

Anxiety has been more prevalent over the last decade. Most, if not all of you have have struggled with anxiety. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. There is helpful anxiety, unhelpful anxiety, and consistent anxiety. But how do we deal with this anxiety that we feel? This message will bring up ideas on how to can get through your anxiety with God on your side. There is a way that you know you'll be ok.

Our words matter. Have you ever had someone say something to you that you have remembered for years, but they probably forgot they said it just a couple seconds after they say it? That's because we remember the words that are spoken to us. So no matter the type of conflict we are in, our words play a key roll in how the conflict resolves. That's why it's important to use gentle words.

Your integrity matters. Integrity is being the same person with your friends than you are with adults. Integrity is being the same person when you're alone and when you're with people. Integrity is choosing to make the right decisions even when no one else is choosing to make the right decisions. The decisions that you make that no one sees builds a good reputation that everyone remembers.

There are a lot of gray areas with decisions that we have to make. Sometimes decisions we make are not technically bad, but they may be categorized as unwise. Learning how to discern wisdom helps us avoid foolish decisions. We can discern wisdom by spending time with God by reading scripture and learning from older God-fearing adults who can speak into our lives.

How can you be one of the smartest people in the world yet still make dumb decisions? You may know people who have a really high IQ but they seem to throw their life away. It's because IQ doesn't really matter in the long run. But your wisdom does. Your knowledge may be nice in school, but your wisdom helps you succeed in life. Wisdom is gained through evaluated experiences.

Christmas can bring a lot of messes to the surface. And most of the time we try to manage the mess on our own. We manage our image, expectations, relationships and even our behavior. We try to manage the mess and when things get out of control, we don't like it. When we realize that Jesus came so that we could finally have real joy, peace, hope, and love, everything changes. He came so that we don't have to be the one to keep everything together. We can trust Him in the midst of the messy circumstances.

When your Christmas is starting to feel messy and complicated, it's important for us to remember that the circumstances when Jesus came into this world were messy and complicated. We can learn from the Christmas story that Jesus shows up in the middle of the mess.

The Christmas season is all about joy and peace and hope, but sometimes the Christmas season just doesn't feel that way. Sure, everything around you can be decorated beautifully, but when it comes to your home life, what's happening at school, or even what you feel inside of you, this Christmas season doesn't feel all that joy filled. So when it seems like this Christmas season is getting a little messy, then remember that you are not alone because God is always with you. Jesus came down to this earth as a child to prove that God is with us.