Middle School Sunday Series

How Not To Be a Loser

This Sunday morning you will learn how to identify your prejudices and how to alleviate them. To put off prejudices is an on-going battle. In our ever growing multicultural world, you will need this skill for the rest of your life. I read on the news ticker this morning that the minority population in the US surpassed the 100 million mark. I wonder what will happen when the minority population outnumbers the majority. Well, you will be ahead of the game. You have prejudices that are not identified as prejudice. You will learn what prejudice is, how to put it out of your life, and then reflect on what God would have you target as action steps for your spiritual journey. I trust you can join us by looking at the life of one bible character named Hamaan, who is someone that you don't want to be like. See ya' Sunday!

Pastor D

High School Sunday Series

How to Develop Healthy Relationships

This week you will focus on compatibility questions in relationships. This can be a point of confusion. So come and discover how to use the compatibility appraisal to improve your relationships. Mrs. Feusse will return to teach. I trust you can make it and learn how to build quality relationships with friends.

Wisdom from Proverbs

This morning I reflect on what I read yesterday. Proverbs 16:1-3 says,

"To human beings belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. People may think all their ways are pure, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."

I can think that I control my life, but God has a say in what I think and do. He can guide me. If only I would recognize how he can help me, then I can receive his guidance.

When ministering with people or to people, you can get discouraged. You can try to clarify what their motive was by asking questions rather than accusing. But you must rely and trust on God. He weighs people's motives. You can only accept what someone says, then measure what they say by what they do. When integrity is breached, then you can note the pattern and re-clarify a person's motives. So don't get discouraged in ministry. Take courage and clarify motives.

God will help you. He will guide you. He outlines how to make your plans succeed. Commit it to the Lord because you've come to know him, trust him, and rely on Him in situation where you have discovered that He is trustworthy and full of integrity. God provides help and guidance. Watch him prove to you that he can help. Put your confidence in Him today. It's what I'm learning to do more and more. Join me.

Pastor D

High School Sunday Morning Series

How to Develop Healthy Relationships
You were challenged to consider how to assess where you may be in relationships with someone of the opposite sex. Relationships can be complicated. But with God's truth as your guide you can alleviate some of the pain and the strain. But you both have to commit to God's way. So capture the levels of building a relationship with someone. You can build great relationships. You can.

The tool we offer is one where you consider five key concepts: know, trust, rely, commit, and touch. Ideally, each builds on one another. You can only progress as you get to know someone. With each situation you observe actions, attitudes, and clarify thoughts. You use discernment, you assess where this person is. You must know them well before testing how much you can trust and rely on them. Again, this is only a tool. Process it yourself. You have some options: discard it, implement it, integrate part of it into your life, modify it, or just think more about it. It's up to you to decide how you build relationships. This tool could help.

You need more ways to make this tool your own. So I suggest you evaluate relationships you see on TV, at the movies, or on DVD. Much like you did today. Evlautate what you watch. Use your brain. Think. Think about where you are at and consider where the other person is at. Engage life with some tool for relationship building. Use or lose this tool. It's one way to build godly relationships. It's up to you.

One student outlines "10 reasons why you really do have a choice about your life." God challenges you, "

If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship GOD, then choose a god you'd rather serve--and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you're now living. As for me and my family, we'll worship GOD." (Joshua 24:15 The Message)

You can choose God's way. So live it!

Pastor D

Middle School Sunday Morning Series

Mother's Day 2007

You got the chance to honor your mom by creating a mother's day card. You also heard how I called my mom a terrible name in anger. I learned from my mistake by taking the punishment and by adjusting my life to stop displacing my anger in harmful word(s). The Bible says to honor your parents (Ephesians 6:2.). You can develop a better relationship with your mom by honoring her.

You can honor your mom by sharing love in a real way. Using the Five Love Languages from Gary Chapman and made popular by Gary Smalley, you can enjoy a better relationship through Chapeman's five love languages: #1 Physical Touch, #2 Words of Affirmation, #3 Quality Time, #4 Gifts, & #5 Acts of Service. One of these langauges is your mom's primary love language. Discover it and act upon it to honor her. You can share real love to her in a new way.

For example, if your mom likes hugs, cuddling, or pecks on the cheek, then you give mom a hug "just because." If your mom uses words of affirmation, then affirm her with kind words of gratitude--say thank you more. If your mom needs to spend time with you, then make time for her--set a starting time limit of five minutes a day (yes, use the timer, but tell her why you're using it so that you can learn to increase time with her not as a device to tell you when it's over). Your mom may need time with you. Designate it as a date and keep it. If your mom likes gifts, then give something up to sell and buy her something or make something by hand and give it to her. If your mom likes doing things for people, then do things for her. Target doing one thing for her. Start with just one thing! Then add two. And so forth.

You can show appreciation to your mom in these various ways and more. Stop and think how you can show love to your mom and to develop a better relationship with her today. Make it more than just one day a year. Strive to work on your relationship with your mom an everyday occurence. You will get better at it as you work on it with God's help. Here's to mom! I love you mom!

Pastor D