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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

In the Midst of Tragedy, where do you turn?

When you first heard about the tragedy at VA Tech, where were you and what did you think of?


Because of this tragedy, did it lead you to question God in some way?



Read John 14:6; Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:9-14

What do these verses say about who Christ is?




How do these verses encourage you about who Christ is and what he can do?




Application:

Because these statements are just part of who Christ is, we should be encouraged go before Christ in the midst of any situation, especially in situations like last Monday. He IS the Good Shepherd who wants to take care of his sheep. He IS the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. Truth life and freedom comes from resting in Him and allowing Him to guide you down the path of life.

Read 1 Peter 5:7. Take a moment and cast all your anxieties and stresses to Christ and know that He hears your prayers and desires to help you no matter what your situation or concern is.

Pray

Friday, April 13, 2007

Are you a flip flopper?

Would you say you are view favorably by others around you? I'm not talking about just your friends, but the people who know very little about you. How are you viewed by them?

Read Daniel 6

Why did the satraps and administrators try to find charges against Daniel? What did they find?



Base on these findings, what did they do?



How did Daniel respond to the new law? What happened as a result?



What happened to Daniel in the lion's den?



Why did the lions not lay a paw on him? What did the King do the next morning?



How was God glorified because of Daniel's actions?




Application:

Politicians are known to switch positions on a subject or policy based on how the public views the situation. They often flip flop on their position. Even in the midst of potential death, Daniel never flip flopped. For many, many years, Daniel was involved in the political system in Babylon. He never flip flopped on his position on God. No matter what the rules were, he always spoke God's word (see, previous posts about the dreams) and always stood firm in his faith (see Daniel 1).

Are your actions similar to Daniel or do you flip flop in your relationship with God based on how your friends view a certain event or deed? You may not even flip flop, but you might just fail to speak up and proclaim what is right in God's eyes about an event or deed. Whatever it may be, when we fail to speak up, God is not proclaimed, therefore many people are missing the opportunity to hear about the truth of God.

My challenge for all of us is to live out your faith, speak up when needed and never flip flop based on what the public says. Stay firm in your faith and you will be blessed because of it.

Pray for boldness so that you will be able to stand firm or speak up the next time you are questioned about your faith.