Giving

^{Matthew 6: 1-4 1}"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.²"When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure--"playactors’ I call them--treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. ³When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. ⁴Just do it--quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

This verse talks about giving. Giving some of your time to the people who would need help this week .Don’t do it to earn something or draw attention to yourself but do it for God. He will reward you for it because He see’s that you actually care about the people around you and not just yourself and He sees you want to help them out in some way. He will reward you it may not be the next day or the next week but you will see what He will give to you for giving to thoes people.

Here are some ideas you could do this week....

1.Sit with someone at lunch who eats by themself and make friends with them. You can make a huge impact on their life!

2.Invite your friends to your youth group

3.Take out the trash this week for your parents

4.Vounteer to do something for your youth group

5.Vounteer to fold bulletins for your church.

6.Help your friend(s) with their homework. But don’t do it for them.

7.Pick up trash around your neighborhood or school.

8.Make a dinner for your family. Give your mom or dad a break.

9.Wash the dishes after dinner.

10.Do some laundry for your mom.

11.Give your dog(s) a bath.

12.Help your brother or sister clean their room.

Remember don’t do something to be reconized but do it to show God that you want to help others in need.

Plugging your image into God

Genesis 1:27- So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Do you try to keep up with the latest fashion or style?

Do you want to have the same outfit everyone else has?

Does your personality reflect off of your peers?

Do you try to be like everyone else?

Do you go out of your way to try and be like everyone else so you can "fit in"or try and catch the attention of others?

The world has set a very bad example for girls our age, we see celebrates that wear less clothes then they would wear to bed. They make it seem like the only way these days to get guys attention is to revel everything that God has blessed them with.

That isn't true. God has a plan for each and everyone of our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

There are girls everywhere that struggle with trying to be into the latest style but really God did not intend for us to be like everyone else. He designed us to be unique in our style and with our personality.

Don't get me wrong our looks are important. We don't need to go out dressing like a grandma or anything. Just have your own style. Be unique with the things you do. It can really effect people around you. They see you and they may think "Hey I don't have to dress like everyone else is or have that same personality that everyone else has to noticed" Because that they see you are happy with who you are, not what the world tries to get you to be like. My friend Helena wrote this in one of her blogs. "God created you, not the world" I really like this saying because it is true. The world didn't create you, it didn't form you in your mother womb, give you that special unique look, God did. He is the only one who can do that and that has the power to do that!

I really like what my bible says about self-control

"Self-control doesn't mean you are in charge of your own destiny...It's about submitting yourself to the Holy Spirit's control and letting Him live through you. When God saves you, you are not a slave to sinful desires anymore - you actually have the ability to do what is right! You can say no to sin and yes to good things that God wants us to do."

Let me ask you another question...

Do you gave self-control or do you give into the temptations or the world?

Does your image reflect the world or does it reflect God?

Don't let the wrong image take you hostage. Let the real image God created reflect off you and onto others.

Imagine this: You just bought the coolest computer ever. Well you set it up and you are ready to use it and try it out for the first time. You push the power button and nothing happens. You start to panic and you are like "What?!? Why?!?! I just bought this million dollar computer and it doesn't work!!!" Well then you think "Maybe I forgot to plug something in" You look around and notice you forgot that plug. the one that goes from the computer to the electrical outlet. You go in search of it, worried that you can not find it, but after looking for a while you decide to look in the box the computer came in. BINGO there it is! You are so excited that nothing is wrong with your computer and that you found that plug, that makes the magic happen. You plug it in and you have Success!! It works!

The same is with us today. If we care more about our looks and personality that the world displays for us we will not work correctly. We need to go and find that plug, the plug that makes everything happen correctly. The only one who can help us function the way we are suppose to is God. He created us to function many ways, but there is only one right way. The way that we were originally made to do. Seek more of Him and less of us.

Matthew 5:14-16 says 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

I really like this verse because if we take off the mask of the world and plug our image into God's image then people can see God's light through us and we will stand out. We will be different then others because if we are willing to follow God. Then we can be able to minister to people and show them the light that will lead us through our hard times.

I challenge you today. Take off that mask of the world, and go find the real you. The person God intended for you to be. Be the light to the people around you! Help them see the goodness of God, and all the awesome things He will do in your life and in theirs.

If you are reading this today and have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and you Savior, I challenge you to make that strong commitment. It can and will change your life! Plug your life into God, he will do amazing things in your life and He loves you very much. He sent His own son Jesus to die on the cross for You and I so that when we sin we will be forgiven. Just remember that God loves you very much and He cares for you and He will always be there for you if no one else is. And if you accept Jesus into your life, and do the things He wants us to do. when you die you will live in eternity with Him.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Dear Lord,

I am here today because I know I am a sinner. I have been following the wrong image that the world reflects on everyone. Lord, I am ready to take the fake mask off and plug my life and my image into You Lord. Please forgive me of my sins, I know I have done wrong and Lord I am sorry for that. Please lead me more towards you Lord and let me shine your light to others around me.

Thank you for your goodness and mercy Lord.

Amen

Doubt

Doubting faith can be a frightening circumstance; you never know what will happen when you chose to follow a path of doubt. However, it seems that at some point in their lives most everyone, in every place succumbs to this type of doubt.Illustration: Close your eyes and imagine you are alone, walking around of a cliff. Surrounded by the tall snow topped mountains. You hear the birds chirping and see them flying above you. You get distracted by wishing you were one of those birds so you could see the amazing view they have. You forget that you are on a huge cliff and you step off the edge and start rolling down the steep rocky edge. You grab on to a small sturdy limb. And cry out "God save me!" God speaks to you telling you to let go and trust Him. Instead of having faith in Him, you cry out to someone else this time "Is anyone up there? Help me Please!"I know God can do anything…but when I need him the most, that’s when I doubt; I’m not sure He will do it for me. In Matthew 8:23-27 after boarding a small boat with Jesus, the disciples became fearful of the strong winds and furious waves destroying their boat. They did not trust Jesus to keep them safe from drowning. Instead they woke Him, saying "Lord save us! We’re going to drown" Verse 26 states, "He replied, you of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." After witnessing Jesus’ calming of the storm, amazement overcame the disciples and the realization that all things in all places will obey Jesus.We are not so very different ourselves; problems surround us around almost every corner. You do not have faith that Jesus will protect you and keep you safe. You finally realized that when you ask Him to do something and He does you have doubted your Faith in Him. In Matthew chapter 14, Jesus instructed the disciples to go ahead of him, but because of their fear of the storm they began to experience doubt. However, they put their faith in Jesus and did as he instructed. After dismissing the crowd and praying, Jesus caught up with the disciples on the boat. When the disciples saw Him walking on the water they exchanged the image of Jesus with a Ghost because local ledges said that if you see a ghost walking on water their ship would sink. But again Jesus confronted them. In Matthew 14:27 it says "27: But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." Yet the disciples did not believe Him. They wanted proof it was Jesus so Peter said in verse 28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." So Jesus said if you really do not believe it’s me then I’ll call Peter to walk towards me on water. So that is what he did in verse 29. Peter had very little Faith when seeing the winds. He took his eye off Jesus and began to sink. He cried out for Jesus to save him and in verse 31 it says "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" I really like the part where it says Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Because he didn’t waste anytime he did it right then and there.Matthew 14:25-3: Says "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." 28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"There are people everywhere that are holding onto that one problem. It does not matter what it is or how bad it is. It only matters because they have not let God help them through it. Just like when you imagined that limb you were holding onto for your "Safety". The people relying on that limb for their safety need to let Go and trust God. He will save you. Just like He did with the disciples and Peter when He immediately reached out his hand to catch them. The same applies with you! He is just waiting for us to cry out to Him. He is the only one who can save us. We cannot save ourselves. When we cry out to Him he will provide people and opportunities for us to show His love seek more of Him and show us His goodness, and HIS understanding.The verse I want to leave you with today comes from Psalm 34:17 "Is anyone crying for help? GOD is listening, ready to rescue you."

Lord,
I pray today that whoever read this message was able to get something out of it Lord. God I lift up those people who do doubt you and their faith Lord. Lord just please help these people be able to come closer to you and I pray for healing in their lives.
Amen