Avoiding The "Summer Slump"- How To Have A Spiritual Summer

John 17:12
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name:....

Every year as the school year draws to a close, I am reminded of this passage. Students leave the safety and security of a daily routine, a Christian environment and Godly influences only to be bombarded with a barrage from the world and the Devil. From being helped and encouraged to read the Bible and pray, walk with God and obey His Word, to a freedom that the majority cannot withstand.

Statistics among Youth Departments show that 60-70 % of the young people in churches backslide, make bad decisions, and banish their Bible during the summer. This is an alarming stat. It is usually not until Camp or Youth Conference (most of which are toward the end of the summer) that teenagers make things right with God and allow him to work in their lives.

Is this how things have to be? Jesus didn't think so. He taught the Disciples how to live while He was away. He showed through His prayer in John 17:12-26, how to have a Spiritual Summer. Over the next few weeks, I am going to show you from Jesus' prayer, how you can avoid that summer slump. You can have a spiritual summer....
....a summer where you grow closer to Christ instead of colder on Christ
....a summer where you go to Camp fired up and not to get fired up and God can really work on you
....a summer where afterward, you start school and you bring Revival to your school!

That is a Spiritual Summer... Here is how Jesus said we could do it...

1.    Summer Fun    

John 17:13b    .... that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I know, I know... not what you were expecting right? Jesus tells the Disciples that He wants them to have joy.

If you want to have a Spiritual Summer have some fun. Sleep in, go camping, go fishing, play outside, kill some Xbox, hang out with friends, attend all of the Teen Activities, help someone, get a summer job, and BY ALL MEANS... go to Teen Camp  (www.circlecbaptist.org).

Enjoy your summer. If you find yourself saying those dreaded words.... I'm Bored...  WATCH OUT! The Devil is on your trail. Do some fun things this summer. Don't get bored. Stay connected with your Youth Pastor and Church, stay busy, stay active and enjoy the Summer. Having fun is not a sin. This is the last summer you will ever have this year!  LOL... Enjoy your Summer!

#Fuel

Finish

2 Tim 4:7

It is graduation season again. Tonight we graduate 31 servants from Commonwealth Baptist College. Next week will have our Christian Academy graduation. These young men and ladies have finished.

Just like Paul, they have made it through ups and downs and all arounds. But no matter what life threw at them one thing was sure... They were not going to quit.

1. To Finish, You Must Start.

Do something for God. Start again anew and afresh. Start for the first time. If you want to Finish, you have to start. (Phil 1:6)

2. To Finish, You Must Focus

Keep God's will in your sights and push toward it with everything in you. (Phil 3:13)

3. To Finish, You Must Not Quit

In a world full of quitters, complainers, and compromisers; I believe God is looking for some young men and women who will not just start for God but will finish.

Jesus was a finisher. Paul was a finisher. We are admonished to be finishers.

Decide to Finish.

#fuel

Keeping It Real

Romans 7:14-25

Why is it that when we talk about "being real" we often are talking about doing wrong. Why does real have to be wrong? I understand, as did Paul that we are sinners, and to be REAL, we have some wrong. But I believe Paul was keeping it real here in Romans 7.

What is Keeping It Real?

1. Keeping it Real is Admitting You're Not Perfect

Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There are a lot of Pharisee and stuck up teens, who need to realize and remember that they are sinners too!

It doesn't matter if you were born in a Christian home, raised in Church, or saved from a life of sin; you are STILL a sinner. You STILL deserve Hell.

Even though I am a Preacher, I deserve Hell. I am a sinner. My works are not worthy. I am wicked and sinful. The only good in me, is the Holy Spirit God placed inside me.

Keeping it Real is Admitting that we are not perfect. This just exalts the fact that we need and must have Jesus Christ.

2. Keeping it Real is Aiming High

Phil 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There are many teenagers who need to decide to live their lives for Christ and not for self.

In Romans 7 Paul was saying I am not perfect, but I am trying do right! Paul was pressing toward being like Christ.

Keeping it real is admitting we are not perfect, but trying to live Christ.

Failing at our walk with God may occur, but striving for a walk with God is Real.

Failing to be a witness may happen, but working to be a witness is Real.

Keeping it Real is Aiming High and pressing toward being like Jesus Christ.

3. Keeping it Real is A Decision to Never Quit

Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Paul wanted to do right, but he messed up. 
Paul didn't want to mess up,but he did.

He lived in a constant spiritual battle, just like we do.

We do right one day.... mess up one day... do right one day... mess up one day...

How does a person keep from feeling like a fake when one day they are trying to be spiritual and the next day the Devil has overtaken them with sin...

Keeping it Real is not Quitting.

Keeping it Real is not being perfect, its not being sinful, its not having everything together, or letting everything fall apart...

Keeping it Real is just not quitting!

Do Right and strive to Do Right, when you mess up, fess up, and make a decision that you are never going to quit on God!

KEEP IT REAL!

#FUEL

Fumes Worth Running On

Ephesians 5:18
"be filled with the Spirit;"

Ever been driving in a car and almost run out of gas? Ever hear the expression "running on fumes"? When a car is low on fuel, often times someone will say it is only operating on fumes of what is really needed.

This week I read about a man who has invented an Air Vapor Flow System. He gets 400 miles per gallon on the vapor of the fumes of only 4 ounces of fuel. Now that is what you call "Running On Fumes"!

There is going to be times in all of our lives when we feel like we are empty, finished, can't continue and are close to throwing in the towel....

It is in these times that we must keep on going. We may feel like we are merely running on the fumes, but what we don't realize is that the Holy Spirit is a fume that doesn't fade!

Life will bring times of trials, tears, and torrential battles....

But if I will keep "Running on the Fumes"! I can live a victorious Christian life!

Depend on the Holy Spirit! Even if you are running on fumes, He is a fume worth running on!

#fuel

Fuel Your Faith: Arise!

Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen:

This weekend we celebrate Easter and the glorious fact that we as Christians serve a risen Saviour. Holy week was a roller coaster of emotion for our Lord.

• He shares a meal with the Disciples, his prized friends and followers. He loves them and gives them encouragement for the battle ahead.

• He announces and acknowledges  one of his dear friends will soon betray his trust and deliver him to his death.

• Jesus pulls the "inner circle" and his closest Disciples apart and asks them to help Him pray for God's Will and strength.

• He returns to find the Disciples asleep and apathetic toward the great day that was ahead.

• Jesus looks to see Judas, a friend, leading the enemy to take Him. Jesus offers His hand of friendship once more, yet Judas refuses.

• Jesus is taken. Arrested. Falsely Accused. Beaten. Stripped. Punched. Mocked. Spit Upon. Crowned with Thorns.

• The Disciples flee...

• He is placed upon a Cross. Nails are put in His hands and feet. The Cross is lifted up and the Son of God hangs crucified between God and man.

• God the Father turns his back... Jesus is all alone. He dies and is placed in the tomb.

Yet, three days later, something happens... He is Risen!

I'm not sure where you are in your life today. I don't know what is going right and what seems to be going wrong.

• Maybe your family or friends have let you down...

• You may have fallen asleep on spritual things in your life...

• Are there some missed opportunities?

• Does it seem like you are all alone?

Arise!

As a Christian, you possess the same resurrection power.... The Holy Spirit!


Arise!

Bushes Are Still Burning

Exodus 3:2
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Here God calls Moses from a dark, dreary desert to proudly proclaim to Pharoah to let God's people go.
This sheepish shepherd goes from caring for the flock to commanding a fleeing nation.
Yet, God himself does not meet Moses on the sandy shore of the sheep trail. Rather, God speaks to Moses from a bush, a flowering tree. A flowering, flaming tree. Seeing brush burned was not out of the ordinary for Moses. However, to see a bush burn and to keep burning without being consumed was something that caught his attention.
God was calling Moses from this burning bush, and God used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt.

That bush that once burned to display God's desire to use Moses, still burns today!

Read the Bible.... The Bush is Still Burning!

Listen to the Holy Spirit..... The Bush is Still Burning!

Pay attention to Preaching... The Bush is Still Burning!

No matter who you are, where you have been, what you have seen, done or been a part of....

There is a bush burning in your life... turn around and realize that God wants to do something special in your life!

The Bushes Are Still Burning


WD


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The First Fill Up

Blogging has begun for the KYF and YP Bro. Davis. In the coming weeks you can read and follow this blog designed to encourage the new generation on the on paths. We must stay filled up.   #FuelYourFaith