Good Day Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Monday May 23. My name is Grant and this is Start Up, helping you start your day with an upward focus.

Today’s scripture is 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 (HCSB)

14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols? For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 17 Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. 1 Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.

Our train of thought here should begin with the idea that Christians are the sanctuary of the living God. If you think about the Jewish Temple in the Old Testament, and the holiest of holy places in that temple, you will be thinking about a place that should have absolutely no impurity enter it. 

Christians, you are the sanctuary of God. No impure thing should be in your life, or in your heart. This is a big challenge for us, as it was for the Church in Corinth. Our culture is very sinful. The standard for what is right and what is wrong is barely visible. We are continually being marketed ideas, products and behaviours that do not line up with God’s holiness.

How do we avoid the impurities of our culture. How do we keep ourselves pure? Continue reading your Bible, go to God in prayer, confessing sin and asking for forgiveness. Stay part of a close group of Christian friends from your church that can hold you to a standard of righteousness and challenge you to live for God in every area of your life.

The challenge for this week is to join a Mentoring Group. Our youth group has made mentoring groups available for all students in Grades 7-12. This is a long term commitment to meet regularly, and to live your life for God’s glory. Each meeting involves Bible Study, Christian Thinking on Current Headlines and exploring and implementing your own strengths. I challenge you to contact me this week with the goal of joining a mentoring group.

This Friday is our Grand Finale youth event, for all students in Grades 6-12. If the weather is nice, then we will be having an instragram photo scavenger hunt, barbecue and outdoor movie. If its cold and raining, we will be doing some of our favourite games inside, and then barbecue and movie. The night will run from 7-10 at Hawkwood Baptist Church.

If you want to find out more about our youth group, you can find us online at hbcyouth.ca. We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, just search for Hawkwood Youth.

https://www.facebook.com/HawkwoodYouthPYRO/

https://twitter.com/HawkwoodYouth

https://www.instagram.com/hawkwoodyouth/