Let Them Know!

So I just got back from Liquid Summer Camp and I heard a really cool story from Jeremy Kingsley, the camp speaker.  He went back and traced his salvation (this guy told this guy, who told this guy, who told this guy, who spoke when his dad got saved, who then shared the Gospel with him) and said how excited he is to one day run in to that first guy in Heaven and to thank him for sharing Christ's love.

This got me thinking about all the people who have had an impact on my walk with the Lord and the people who had an impact on them.  I have a lot of people that I really need to thank, because I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for their boldness, or kindness, or love that they showed me. I personally was challenged to share this with those who have had that impact, and hopefully I will actually talk to most of them and let them know.

So I'd like to throw that same challenge out to you.  Who is it that has had an impact on your walk with Jesus?  Have you ever thanked them?  If not, why?  Let them know!  It's such a small thing, but it is great knowing that God used you to impact someone, and I'm sure it would encourage those who have encouraged you.

- Sean Fryer

What Are You Living For?

Ok, I have an important question for you; does your life reflect what's important to you?  Before you answer this question, think about these things:  What's on your Facebook page, your Instagram, Vine, or any other form of social media?  What conclusions would people draw about you if this is all they could see.  How do you act in public?  Mainly, away from the Church?  I heard the question asked before, "if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?".   Think about this.

Our lives should reflect what's important to us, especially as Christians.  In Romans 8:29 we are told that we are supposed to be "conformed to the image of His Son".  If we are becoming like Christ, people should see it.  A perfect example of this can be seen in the early church where people "saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled.  And they realized that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13).  As I look on at my life, I wonder if people realize that I have been with Jesus.  In order for people to see this in my, I think there are a few things that I need to do:

1. Study The Word- This is one way we can know and become like Jesus.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God" (John 1:1).  He IS the Word.  This is reading about who exactly Jesus was and is.  When you have been with Him, you will study His Word.
2. Pray- How do you get to know people?  By talking to them!  This is how you can communicate with God.  Even Jesus prayed while He was here on Earth.
3. Serve- You want to do stuff for people you love.  If you truly love Jesus, you will want to serve Him.  Too many Christians spend their whole life being poured in to, and never once pour out the love of Christ.  Don't make that mistake.  Just as Jesus came "not to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28), we should do the same.
4. Don't Make Excuses- God uses ordinary and flawed people.  None of the people He used were perfect.  That's why we need Jesus.  But He will do extraordinary things through ordinary people.  Peter denied Christ and then preached a sermon that brought 3,000 people to Jesus.  Paul killed Christians, and then wrote most of the New Testament.  God can and will use you if you don't make excuses.  Just do it!

Lets get to that point and place where we can say as Paul said "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).  He is who we should truly live for!

-Sean Fryer

I Am A Christian

I was just thinking of the simple statement, "I am a Christian".  This is such an incredible truth and a profound thing to say if you think of what it means, BUT I feel so many "Christians" end this statement differently.  What do I mean by this?  Well there are three different ways I think we can say this:

1. I am a Christian. - This statement ends simply with a period.  It's just that, a statement.  This is a person who maybe grew up in a Christian home and calls their self this, or maybe hasn't truly grasped what being a Christian is all about.  It's a simple sentence for them and doesn't really have much meaning.
2. I am a Christian? - This is more of a question (obviously, it ends with a question mark).  This is a person who claims to be a follower of Christ, yet people will look on at their life and see no real fruit, no change, no transformation.  The old has not passed away and there is nothing new.  This is the type of person that others would question if they truly gave their life to Jesus and that may question their own faith.
3. I am a Christian! - This is an emphatic exclamation.  It's something you want to shout out.  You wanna go on the rooftops and yell to everyone that you are sold out for Jesus, He radically changed you, you're not ashamed of the Gospel!  This is how everyone who has given their life to Christ should say this.  Think about this.  Romans 6:23 says "The wages of sin is death...", but it doesn't end there.  It'd be a really sad thing if it did.  It goes on to say "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Because of Jesus' death on the cross, we are no longer going to Hell and facing the punishment we deserve.  We get to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  We should be so fired up about this, that no matter what we're going through, the fact that we are a Christian and are saved should bring about excitement to us.

So think about how your sentence ends.  Is it a period, question mark, or exclamation point?  This makes all the difference in the world to how you view your faith and how others see you.

-Sean Fryer

Running from God?

Ever feel like you've been running from God?

You feel distant from God & far-away. You haven’t prayed in days. You’ve been walking in sin. God’s still & quiet voice seems muted. And you feel like your at the point of no-return.

But grace reaches far beyond our obedience. Here’s what I love about Jesus: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Tim 2:13). He is full of mercy & compassion. Like the father of the prodigal son, he sees you from far away. And when you return, he embraces you with open arms & showers you with goodness.

So have you been running? Your Father loves you. It’s time to come home.

-Dennis

When Following God Makes No Sense

Ever feel like following God only makes life harder ?

In Mark 4:35, Jesus ask his disciples to take a ride with him on the Sea of Galilee. However, this boat ride with Jesus is anything but  smooth sailing. Mark records that “a great windstorm arose” on the sea. Matthew calls this storm a “great tempest”, or “seismos” in the original Greek- the same root word for the English “seismology”, the study of earthquakes. This storm was not just an ordinary rain shower. Instead, it was such a fierce and powerful storm that the disciples, many of whom were experienced fisherman, started to fear for their lives and begged the sleeping Savior to save them from the storm.  

Sometime we think that reading the Bible more or serving at church guarantee’s that God is going to bless everything we do. We say to ourselves, “surely God see’s how much I’m trying to following him, so I know everything will be great.” While the Lord does ultimately bless our obedience, there may be occasional storms along the way- storms that are so fierce that make us wonder if God is even paying attention.

If you're in a storm right now, know this - Jesus is right alongside you, in the boat, and will make sure you get to the other side. There’s no need to be fearful or doubt whether the Lord knows what is going on - the same Savior who paid your debt on the cross will also prepare a way thru the storm. 

-Dennis J. 

Pray!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“… pray without ceasing… for this is the will of God”

          I wrote this devotion three years ago before going on my first missions trip ever.  It was included in the journals for all the CCA 8th grade students who went on the Bahamas missions trip.  I was just looking back at it and thinking that it was a great reminder (not too well written, but a good reminder) to pray.  I can get so caught up in the busyness of doing ministry and life that I just forget to pray, or convince myself that I don't have time.  So I hope this speaks to you as well and you enjoy it! 

            "Whenever there is someone that I want to talk to, all I do is pick up my phone and call them.  Maybe I had a bad day and just want to talk to my Dad and vent about it; I pick up my phone and call him.  Maybe I’m on a vacation and I miss my Mom and just want to hear her voice.  All I have to do is pick up my phone and call her and I get to talk to her.  But what if I want to speak to God?  I can’t really pick up my phone and call Him; my phone doesn’t have long distance coverage to Heaven.  There is something even easier than using a phone to call Him and that is prayer.  Prayer is one of the most important, essential things we do as Christians.  It’s as important as breathing is to living.  We are told in the Bible to pray without ceasing because this is God’s will for our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). 

            
             Prayer is the communication we use to hear from and speak to the Almighty God.  In Ephesians 6:18, the Apostle Paul is teaching us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”  Paul is telling us that we need to pray at all times, on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests for the saints.  This is very similar to when Jesus “spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,” (Luke 18:1).  Prayer is not an option in the Christian life.  It’s a privilege, it’s an adventure and most importantly, it’s a commandment.  So instead of spending all that time on the phone talking and texting, why not just call God and have an amazing conversation?"

-Sean Fryer

Stay Close

Lately something that has really been on my mind and heart is the transition the 8th graders in Six78 will be making to high school ministry (Liquid).  I started working in Six78 three years ago, when these same students were making the transition from 5th to 6th grade, and in that time I have developed a love for these students like I never thought I would.  In this time I have been able to see God move in these young men and women's lives in such an incredible way; They've been built up, broken down, challenged and changed.  I've been able to share thousands of laughs, seen many tears, and have witnessed such an amazing transformation from little boys and girls to young men and women.

I say all this because I am excited to see how God will use them while they're in high school and even after in college and post-college.  The Lord has been putting it on my heart to share a few things with them though before they leave.  This is something God has shown me recently, but I think it's something we can apply to our lives at any point; when we're young, old, happy, sad, angry, joyful, etc.  It's not even something profound, but because of it's simplicity, it is profound (I hope that makes sense, haha).  So here it is:

1. Worship and Praise God (even when you don't feel like it)
2. Pray (even when you don't feel like it)
3. Read your Bible (even when you don't feel like it)

  I know, incredibly profound!  Something I've found though is it is so easy to worship and praise when I'm in a good place.  I just got a lot of money!  Praise the Lord!  I just got a girlfriend (one day!!!), Praise God!  It's more difficult though to praise Him when you don't feel His presence, when things are going bad, when you're not in a good place.  This is where He will truly reveal Himself to you.  This is when you need Him most.  In Luke 19:40, Jesus tells us that if we keep quiet "the stones will cry out."  He doesn't need us to cry out His praise, but we need Him so that is why we praise.

Same for prayer and reading the Bible.  It's easy to do when we're on fire for Him, but what about when we're not?  This is when He really wants to talk to you.  It's in the difficult times that He is growing, shaping and perfecting us.  1 Peter 5:10 says God has called us to eternal glory AFTER we have suffered for a while, but He will "perfect, establish, strengthen and settle" us.  He can only do this if we seek Him through these times though.

Not the most amazing message, but I think it's such an important reminder.  I have to remember that no matter what is happening, Jesus died on the cross for me.  And because of that, I will live for Him when I feel like it and when I don't.

- Sean Fryer