Thursday, March 10, 2011

Last night for youth group I had the students create masks because masks are what we use to hide our true selves.  We hide our sin.  We hide our shortcoming.  Basically, we hide anything that we do not want others to see.  That takes care of the inside, but what about the outside?  That is where our masks really come in handy.  With our masks on, we can pick and choose exactly what we want others to see.  This led to the following instructions for the students; on the outside they put words representing how others see them.  On the inside they put their fears, doubts and shortcomings.  When they finished, they put their masks aside and we discussed Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness using a video from your tube based on “40” by Si Smith with the song “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan.

Today’s New Testament prayer mentions how we are still “sometimes paralyzed in fear.”  That is when we put the masks on.  We want to hide our pain from everyone, even God, but God does not want that for us.  He wants us to be honest with ourselves and with Him.  God wants us to share those fears, shortcomings and doubts.

God know we struggle and face temptations.  Jesus struggled and faced temptations in the desert when the devil tempted Him.  Jesus showed us that we can get past those struggles and temptations by relying on God.  We ended youth group by turning off the lights, the room lit by a single candle.  In silent prayer each student came forward and placed their masks with all the fears, doubts and shortcomings at the foot of the Cross.  They placed it in God’s hands.  Won’t you?

Father, I pray that we can truly “rise up” and “follow You fearlessly.”  Go not let us fall prey to ways of the world, but instead help us to get up and not be afraid.

Amen.

Terry Van Wyk

Saturday, February 27 – Day 11

Seeking His Life to Revive the Church
Seek God....for Christ's resurrection power

The living water, as it flows crimson red from the Lamb at the cross, the living water flows to save and heal the world. Are we taking it to the world?

I pray that we are coming to the Father humbly bowed down as a living sacrifice. Are we willing to drink the living water fresh from the Lamb, water full of life, full of saving grace, plenty for all that all could have some.

Are we earnestly seeking him; are we thirsting for this living water enough?

He offers the drink that if we will drink we will never thirst again. It says so in Revelation 21:6b, “To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the living water of life."

May all take this free drink and live I pray

GJM

Wednesday, February 24 – Day 8

Seeking His Life to Revive the Church
Seek God....to purify His people

When George Washington was about 20 years old, he filled a little book he titled Daily Sacrifice with prayers written in his own hand. An entry for Sunday Evening reads like this:

“O most glorious God… I acknowledge and confess my faults; in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon. I have heard thy holy word, but with such deadness of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and forgetful hearer… But, O God, who art rich in mercy and plenteous in redemption, mark not, I beseech Thee, what I have done amiss; remember that I am but dust, and remit my transgressions, negligences and ignorances, and cover them all with the absolute obedience of Thy dear Son, that those sacrifices (of sin, praise and thanksgiving) which I have offered may be accepted by Thee, in and for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered upon the Cross for me.” *

When we, like this great President, are honest enough to tell ourselves and God that our “prayers have become our sin”, we will know that the Spirit of Truth has been doing some real “surgery” in our lives. May we live in such sensitivity to the Spirit that we can experience His refining and purifying power at all times.

*Excerpted from the Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel

Bernie Hayes
Noelridge Park Church