Ewell Youth Ministry

How do you stay connected?  Through phones calls?  Through the internet?  Or texting?  Everybody stays connected to family and friends in some way, but do you stay connected to the One who matters most?  Do you pray to God as consistently as you text your friends?  Prayer is God’s “instant message” system for you to stay in touch with Him.  The Word tells you that “by prayer” you can go “to God” (Philippians 4:6).  Even though God “knows…before you ask” (Matthew 6:8) He still wants to hear from you.  Take time today to pray to God just to stay connected.

No matter what we are doing in our lives, we should always do it wholeheartedly, and do it for God.  Whether we have jobs or just chores around the house; whether we are helping someone out or just doing something we want to do, the Bible tells us to “be steadfast…abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).  And we are reminded by Paul that no matter what we are doing, “do all to the glory of God‘ (1 Corinthians 10:31).  God gave His all for us (John 3:16), we should be willing to do no less for Him.  Take time today to pray to God for the strength to give your all.

As you go about your daily activities do you ever find yourself wondering about the future?  Do you worry or fret over what’s going to happen tomorrow?  Or wonder about how you might handle a certain situation if it were to happen to you?  As a Christian one should never worry over the future.  God will be there with you every day to lead, guide and protect you.  The Bible promises that in troubled times you are “not forsaken” (2 Corinthians 4:9), and that god is your “peace” (Ephesians2:14).  The one thing to remember is that you do not need to fear the future because God is already there waiting for you!  Take time today to pray to God and thank Him for being there for you.

Are there moments in your life when you don’t want to trust anyone but yourself to see your way through a hard time?  Maybe you feel that only you can work it out and no one else is able to help.  Maybe you think no one else would even understand what you are going through.  Or you don’t want anyone else to to help because you don’t want them to know your problems.  It is precisely at these times that you need the most help.  Don’t be afraid to ask God for help.  He can fix it Himself or send someone to do it for Him.  The Bible tells us to “trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon…God” (Isaiah 50:10).  We are also instructed to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10).  God is the God of power and of might.  He’s a problem solver.  Nothing is too big or too small for Him to handle.  He’s there for you at all times (Hebrews 13:5).  He created you, why wouldn’t He want to help you!  Take time today to pray to God and ask Him for his help.

Do you ask God why trials come into your life?  Do you struggle to understand why you have to go through hard times, but your friends seem to cruise through life with ease?  Hard times will come into your life, whether through testing, temptations, or trials.  When they do come, God tells us that His “grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9); which means that you don’t need to know the “how” or “why” of the situation, just know that your Creator is with you all the way.  And remember, how you react to a situation could influence someone for Jesus.  If you react in the wrong way you could turn them away from Jesus, but reacting positively could lead them to salvation.  As you’ve heard before: God’s Grace is personal, plenteous, powerful, and punctual.  Rely on God’s Grace to see you through the hard times and the good.  Take time today to pray to God and thank Him for His Grace.

Do you find yourself burdened by the cares of the world?  Are you worn out from worry and feel like you can’t go on?  Don’t be.  Jesus is here for you and can restore all that you feel you have lost.  It is through the Savior that rest and peace can be restored.  Jesus tells us to “come unto Me….and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Jesus also tells us to not let “your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27) and that “in Me you may have peace” (John 16:33).  So when you find yourself feeling burdened, give it all to Jesus and find rest.  Take time today to pray to God and ask Him for the peace and rest you need.

More thought-provoking toons at www.joyfultoons.com

Tags: joyful toons, sin

Do you have the kind of faith that it takes to wait on God, or is yours the here and now kind of faith?  Can you sit quietly and wait for God to work in your life, or do you run out and try to do it your way, right away?  If you have trouble waiting, you are not alone.  The Bible is full of examples of people not waiting on God (read Genesis 16).  But a patient faith is what is needed when you are waiting on God to work in your life.  We are told by the psalmist to “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) because God is “good to those who wait for Him” (Lamentations 3:25).  Have patience, wait on God.  You’ll be glad you did.  Take time today to pray to God and ask Him to help you wait for Him.

What a great night at The Refuge!  Fun and games, and a great message.  This is always a hard time of the year, saying goodbye to the Senior Class.  You guys are an awesome bunch of leaders.  You probably will never know the impact that you have made in the lives of those around you, but I can tell you that you are leaving a void that will be hard to fill.  Words can’t begin to describe what you guys have meant to those you leave behind.  This isn’t the end, but a the beginning.  The next chapter in your lives.  As you step out into the world remember to take the most important thing with you, your faith.  Nothing will help you navigate the murky waters of humanity better than the guidance of Jesus Christ.  In a world full of darkness He is a “light” and a “lamp” (Psalm 119:105) to guide you.  If you follow Him, you can’t go wrong.  Thank you for your friendship and your leadership.  Take time today to pray to God and ask Him for guidance and wisdom and for those behind you to come forward to lead in your stead.  One more thought: Who wants an ice cream cone!

Are you good at hiding or blending in to your surroundings?  Or do you stand out in a crowd?  As Christians it is our duty to stand out, to be different from non-believers.  To be a living, visible example to others by exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus.  There’s a song by Casting Crowns that says that the world needs us to stop ‘blending in so well that people can’t see the difference’.  If the lost people of the world don’t see a difference in how we live our lives and how they live their lives, why would they want what we claim to have?  Why would they need Jesus?  God tells us through His Word that we are”created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10).  It’s hard to blend in while you are doing God’s work.  It’s hard to live like Jesus and not be seen as different.  Take time today to pray to God and ask Him to help you stand out.