All Boys Laser Tag Event from Christopher Orr on Vimeo.
Tuesday, October 22
All Boys Laser Tag Event
On Saturday, October 19th, 15 young men headed out to Marionville, Missouri to see who would be victorious in laser tag. We went to Bill's Extreme Paintball and Laser Tag and had a blast. This week we start our series on prayer, titled "Can You Hear Me Now?" I believe that God is going to do amazing things through this series. Get your kids to Wednesday night service.
Friday, October 4
You Pagan, Bro?
As Jesus sits with his disciples and teaches them how to live as God intended, we come across a challenging and resisting statement. A statement that goes against our very nature and our world. A statement that sets apart Christians from Pagans. Disciples from tax collectors. Good from evil.
"Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you"
Several people throughout the old testament call upon God to bless them and destroy their enemies. I found an instance of this during my devotions today in the Psalms.
Psalm 3:7 "Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked."
Loving our enemies instead of praying for their destruction was a radical statement by Jesus. I'm sure it was especially difficult for the disciples and people of Israel as they live under Roman rule. America went through a similar situation several hundred years ago when they were under the rule of England. How radical would it be if Thomas Jefferson said, "Let's pause a minute, and pray for King George and England. Though they unfairly tax us and treat us like second rate citizens, it is still our job to love them." George Washington would personally slap him and tell him to get that weak sauce out of here. And since Tommy was super into living like Jesus, he would offer George the other cheek to slap as well. (Get it? Turn the other cheek?) Ba dum tsshhh. The point is, loving our enemies is hard and against our very nature. But that act of loving our enemies is what sets us apart from the rest of the world.
Matthew 5: 46
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"
If you stay in your own clique of friends and never reach out to others, what makes you any different than the non-Christian? If you hate the one who bullies you, how are you set apart from the bully? If you don't pray for the partier, what makes you better than them? Love when it is easy, but also love when it is difficult. Undeserving, unconditional love is what we should be displaying because that is the very love we receive from God. As Jesus was tortured and died on a cross, he loved us when we didn't deserve it. When we sin, God gives grace even though sin is against His very nature. How will you turn the other cheek? Go the extra mile? Give your shirt AND your coat? And how will you love your enemies? God doesn't give us suggestions, he gives us commands. What are you going to do about it?
"Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you"
Several people throughout the old testament call upon God to bless them and destroy their enemies. I found an instance of this during my devotions today in the Psalms.
Psalm 3:7 "Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked."
Loving our enemies instead of praying for their destruction was a radical statement by Jesus. I'm sure it was especially difficult for the disciples and people of Israel as they live under Roman rule. America went through a similar situation several hundred years ago when they were under the rule of England. How radical would it be if Thomas Jefferson said, "Let's pause a minute, and pray for King George and England. Though they unfairly tax us and treat us like second rate citizens, it is still our job to love them." George Washington would personally slap him and tell him to get that weak sauce out of here. And since Tommy was super into living like Jesus, he would offer George the other cheek to slap as well. (Get it? Turn the other cheek?) Ba dum tsshhh. The point is, loving our enemies is hard and against our very nature. But that act of loving our enemies is what sets us apart from the rest of the world.
Matthew 5: 46
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"
If you stay in your own clique of friends and never reach out to others, what makes you any different than the non-Christian? If you hate the one who bullies you, how are you set apart from the bully? If you don't pray for the partier, what makes you better than them? Love when it is easy, but also love when it is difficult. Undeserving, unconditional love is what we should be displaying because that is the very love we receive from God. As Jesus was tortured and died on a cross, he loved us when we didn't deserve it. When we sin, God gives grace even though sin is against His very nature. How will you turn the other cheek? Go the extra mile? Give your shirt AND your coat? And how will you love your enemies? God doesn't give us suggestions, he gives us commands. What are you going to do about it?
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