Now that we have spent 3 weeks learning how to hear and obey God’s voice we move to applying those principles to a community (church) setting.  This episode is largely discussion based with some great input from Neil, Alex, Noah & Caleb.

You can get the lesson at hbcyouth.ca,

 

We talk about some practical steps for what to do when we aren’t hearing God.

But first, we review what a life of guidance looks like.

Lots of help on this episode, (ideas, thoughts, practical steps, etc) from “Hearing God” by Dallas Willard, especially chapter 9.

Lesson notes are available at hbcyouth.ca

Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Thursday, August 18, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. Christians are the objects of mercy who get to know God’s glory!

Romans 9:22–24 (HCSB)

22 And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction? 23 And what if He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory — 24 on us, the ones He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

All glory belongs to God.  God has ownership of glory, it is His alone, and I suppose that He can choose what he wants to do with his glory.  It is quite amazing to me, that when I read Romans 9 I understand that God would be willing for me to know and experience the riches of His glory.

That’s what this passage is teaching us, and it might take me my entire life and into eternity to really live out, understand and experience what it is to share in the riches of God’s glory.

This is what salvation is, it is being saved by the mercy of God who wants to share who He is and what He has with us.  It is being adopted by God, loved by God and set free by God to be and do everything that he created us for.

Youth, don’t settle for a life that is content with a mediocre love of God.  Don’t settle for things that will not satisfy your souls.  Put your whole strength and your whole energy into loving and being with God, reading his word, being with His people and enjoying the presence of God the Holy Spirit.  Because God in His extravagant love has chosen to show mercy on us and to let us experience the riches of His glory.

In fact, I believe that by living this way, our lives will bring even more glory to God, the one to whom all glory belongs and is due.

Challenge

I need some feedback from you all on the challenges.  I want to hear your stories.  My challenge for you this week is to find a practical way to show God’s love to somebody.  It might be helping out a neighbour with a task, writing an encouraging note or whatever else you could think of.  Just reach out to someone with the love of God.

Invitation

The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

StartUp is going to be taking a break from now to the beginning of September.  If you’ve got a craving for more Startup, visit the archives on hbcyouth.ca and go over some of the past episodes.  God Bless You.

Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Wednesday, August 17, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. Today we continue to look at the difficult subject of God choosing some and not others.

Romans 9:19–21 (HCSB)

19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20 But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

Paul asks a question here that some of his readers would probably have also been asking.  “Why should God find fault with people? No human can resist God’s sovereign will, so why should He be upset at those who continue to sin against him

It’s the sort of question that shifts the blame from us to God.  Its the sort of question that might make you sound smart, but won’t do anything to deal with the problem of sin.

To explain God’s sovereign rule, Paul uses the example from the book of Isaiah with the potter and the clay.  It is the potter’s job to from the clay into useful objects.  Some objects are much more valuable than others.  None of the objects has any right to say to their creator, “It’s not fair that I am created this way.”  It’s the same with us and the decisions that our Creator God makes.  We have no right to say to God, “How dare you do that?  How could you ever make that decision?”  It’s one thing to have a holy curiosity, where you want to understand God’s heart in a decision, it’s another to have a wrong sense of anger and defiance in asking God those questions.

God is our sovereign creator, he has full authority over everything that he has made.  We are in no position to try and force God to do anything for us.  Instead, the correct posture that we take is one of worshiping our Creator, and trusting his truth and saving power in our lives.

Challenge

I need some feedback from you all on the challenges.  I want to hear your stories.  My challenge for you this week is to find a practical way to show God’s love to somebody.  It might be helping out a neighbour with a task, writing an encouraging note or whatever else you could think of.  Just reach out to someone with the love of God.

Invitation

The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Tuesday, August 16, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. Today we see how Paul builds a case for God choosing to show mercy to whoever he wants to.

Romans 9:14–18 (HCSB)

14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason so that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 18 So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden.

You might think that it is unfair that God chooses to show his mercy to one person, and not to another.  What Paul is showing us in Romans is that God is God, and we are his creation.  God has absolute freedom in this area to show his love, mercy and compassion wherever he wants to.  We are simply God’s creation and He is not bound in the slightest by human will or effort, we cannot manipulate God.

Does it make it fair to us that God has absolute freedom to show mercy to whomever he wants to show mercy to?  Of course it is fair, everything that God does is good and right, for he is Holy.  Our problem is that we don’t have God’s omniscience.  We can’t know everything about every situation, and so we are left to come to our own conclusions.

As you come to your conclusions, keep all of these dynamics in mind.  God is holy and righteous, he has to account for sin.  God is all knowing, He understands the inner workings of each persons heart.  God is working for the good of those who love him. Its an opportunity to trust God in every situation, and to continue to pray for the people that we love.  Tomorrow, Paul will give us some more insight to this topic.

Challenge

My challenge for you this week is to find a practical way to show God’s love to somebody.  It might be helping out a neighbour with a task, writing an encouraging note or whatever else you could think of.  Just reach out to someone with the love of God.

Invitation

The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Monday, August 15, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. On Friday, we saw Paul grieving over Israel.  Today we see him begin to explain this predicament.

Romans 9:6–13 (HCSB)

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only that, but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant by one man, our ancestor Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand— 12 not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger. 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.

Israelites considered themselves to be the ones who had the promises of God.  Paul is showing that being born an Israelite does not make you automatically a child of God.  That’s why Paul says that “not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.”

Paul is making an important distinction between a national identity and a spiritual identity. In our context, we might say that just because you are born a Canadian it doesn’t make you a Christian.  Or just because you go to church it doesn’t make you Christian.

Paul then uses Jewish history to show that being born to a certain family doesn’t make you atomically a Child of God.  In the case of Abraham’s children, Isaac was the one chosen by God.  In the case of Isaac’s children, Jacob was the one chosen.

You might think it unfair that God chooses one and not another.  Tomorrow we are going to see what Paul has to say on that topic.  For now, be glad that God still his choosing people to become his Holy Children through faith in Jesus Christ.  And if you are a Christian, then thank God for your salvation.

Challenge

My challenge for you this week is to find a practical way to show God’s love to somebody.  It might be helping out a neighbour with a task, writing an encouraging note or whatever else you could think of.  Just reach out to someone with the love of God.

Invitation

The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Friday, August 12,This is Jonas & Caleb and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. At the beginning of Romans 9, we find Paul grieving over Israel’s unbelief.

Romans 9:1–5 (HCSB)

1 I speak the truth in Christ —I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit — 2 that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. 3 For I could almost wish to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. 5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Messiah, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.

Paul is grieving about his own nation Israel’s lack of unbelief.  But the original audience for Paul’s grief is the church in Rome, a predominantly non-Israelite crew.  Paul points out to them that his heart has continual anguish, he is always thinking about his friends back home.  his fellow country men seem to have every advantage available to them, but still they don’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the one who can save them from their sins.

Paul goes so far as to say that he wishes that he could take on their curse in order that they might be saved.  This isn’t possible, but we don’t have any reason to doubt the sincerity of Paul’s heart.

We all know people who don’t recognize Jesus as the Saviour of the World.  My fear is that we have become numb to their situation.  If we are truly aware of the peril of their spiritual condition, we will have a heart like Pauls here, wanting to do anything that we can for the sake of their salvation.

Challenge

My Challenge for you this week is to make a list of the forces that you are aware of that are coming against you in life.  Because we know that God is stronger and greater than these forces, go to God in prayer, believing that his power is more than enough to bring about his victory in your life.  Then trust it all to him, and whatever the outcome may be, know that God will use it for your good.

Invitation

Thanks to everyone who came to our youth Barbecue last night.  The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi, Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Thursday, August 11, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus.

Romans 8:38–39 (HCSB)

38 For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, 39 height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

God’s love is far more powerful than you are I am able to comprehend.  God’s love is absolutely faithful and sure, it is powerful and unstoppable.

Maybe that is why Paul can say with so much conviction that he is 100% sure that nothing in all of creation can ever separate us from the love of God.   Paul lists all sorts of things in the world that are very powerful, but in every case, Paul’s point is that God’s love is still more powerful.

God’s love is more powerful than life or death.  For many people, the threat of death or the gift of life is extremely motivating. We understand almost immediately the gravity of a situation when it is described as being, “Life or death”.  God’s love is more powerful than both.

God’s love is more powerful than the forces of time.  Whether it is things in the past or things that are still to come, time cannot separate God’s children from his love.  Remember, God is the one who created time.

God’s love is more powerful than hostile powers, supernatural forces that are at work in the world.  These don’t intimidate God, no threat or attack of the devil can ever stop God from loving you.

God’s love is more powerful than the highest height and the deepest deep.  It is a love more powerful than anything, and it with that love that our eternal salvation is secured.  If God has saved you, his love will be with you now and forever.  That is an amazing truth.

Challenge

My Challenge for you this week is to make a list of the forces that you are aware of that are coming against you in life.  Because we know that God is stronger and greater than these forces, go to God in prayer, believing that his power is more than enough to bring about his victory in your life.  Then trust it all to him, and whatever the outcome may be, know that God will use it for your good.

Invitation

Our next youth event is tonight, Thursday, August 11 from 6-9 o’clock.  We are having a Barbecue, Instagram Scavenger Hunt, and a Water Fight.  The cost is $3.  Plan to come and invite a friend.  You should bring a towel, you might want to even bring a change of clothes.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi, Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Wednesday, August 10, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. Today’s passage reminds us that in every situation and season of life, the Christian remains connected to God’s love.

Romans 8:35–37 (HCSB)

35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.

In all these things we are more than victorious, what are these things?  Paul’s list includes affliction, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword.  These are all strategies used against us by the devil, and none of them will prove successful against God’s children.  I don’t know what sort of a situation that you find yourself in today?  Maybe it feels incredibly difficult and hard, but inside of that situation, you will find God’s love.  Because nothing in this entire world can separate us from the love of Christ.

What does it mean for the Christian that nothing can separate us from God’s love?  Here are few quick truths that flow from this thought.

* We are never alone.  God is love and God is with us, and so God’s love is with us all the time and everywhere.

* We are never without help.  God is all powerful, and if nothing can separate us from Him, then we are always connected to God and his power, God’s help is always available to us.

* We are able to endure through any situation.  Hard times come, but Jesus has already been through the hardest time on our behalf.  His sacrificial death is the climax of human pain and suffering, but his glorious resurrection is the hope of everyone who has ever called on the name of the Lord.

Challenge

My Challenge for you this week is to make a list of the forces that you are aware of that are coming against you in life.  Because we know that God is stronger and greater than these forces, go to God in prayer, believing that his power is more than enough to bring about his victory in your life.  Then trust it all to him, and whatever the outcome may be, know that God will use it for your good.

Invitation

Our next youth event is this Thursday, August 11 from 6-9 o’clock.  We are having a Barbecue, Instagram Scavenger Hunt, and a Water Fight.  The cost is $3.  Plan to come and invite a friend.  You should bring a towel, you might want to even bring a change of clothes.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .

Hi, Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Tuesday, August 9, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. In today’s passage, we see Paul offering up another persuading argument to help Christians to be assured of their salvation.

Romans 8:33–34 (HCSB)

33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

Paul wants for the Christians to understand that their salvation through faith in Jesus is secure, and protected by God.  He asks the question, “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?”  When Paul uses the word elect, he talking about the people that are chosen by God.  We might say in answer to that question, who would even have the courage and boldness to accuse anyone who is chosen by God.  We might want to think twice about making accusations against our Christian brothers and sisters.

But there is an accuser who throughout history has had no problem bringing complaints against God’s people. This accuser is the devil, and his accusations against us are valid because they are based on our sinfulness.  But his accusations against us are thrown out of the courts of heaven.  They are thrown out because the judge has declared us to be vindicated of our sins because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.  He suffered God’s wrath against sin so that we could be saved from that wrath.  He suffered in our place.  Now when the devil accuses us before God, God simply says that the punishment has been paid, that we are his children, and that nothing can separate us from his love.

The next question Paul asks is “Who is the one who condemns?”  Paul is using a future tense for the verb condemns, which means he is talking about a condemnation that is yet to come.  When we stand before God, and the story of our life is reviewed, will God condemn us?  Paul answers the question by saying that it would be up to Jesus to condemn since he is the ruler of this world.  And if Jesus died for us so that we could be made clean, why Jesus go against his own work and then condemn us?  Of course, he won’t do that, which is exactly the point that Paul is getting at.

If God has saved you from your sins, your are his now and forever.  Satan’s accusations will be thrown out.  Jesus our ruler and judge will declare us righteous based on his work, and we will have an eternity with God.

Challenge

My Challenge for you this week is to make a list of the forces that you are aware of that are coming against you in life.  Because we know that God is stronger and greater than these forces, go to God in prayer, believing that his power is more than enough to bring about his victory in your life.  Then trust it all to him, and whatever the outcome may be, know that God will use it for your good.

Invitation

Our next youth event is this Thursday, August 11 from 6-9 o’clock.  We are having a Barbecue, Instagram Scavenger Hunt, and a Water Fight.  The cost is $3.  Plan to come and invite a friend.  You should bring a towel, you might want to even bring a change of clothes.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .