[reallifenewsletter] FCC - YS Student E-mail Newsletter #159

Wow! What a terriffic conference!
At this year's Acquire the Fire conference we were challenged, motivated,
inspired and spoken to!

The worship band was called Desperation and was quite good.
Running throughout the conference was a drama with 6 main characters.
It was done very well with a mix of video clips of the characters in
various situations, mixed with the live acting which was also displayed
on the three large screens. The two integrated very nicely together and
created a powerful impact. The main character was undergoing many crises
in his life even comptemplating suicide and then has a near-death experience
in a car crash in which he sees a glimpse of God in heaven and realizes
that God is indeed real.

I was personally struck by God's holiness as really producing an effect
of awe, similar but much more than what I've experienced when say up very
close to the bottom of Niagra Falls, or in an earthquake.

The second day Ron Luce, the guy who heads up the conference and Teen Mania
ministries, spoke from Psalm 1.1-2 expanding on the tree analogy. He had
seen the results of a big storm in Texas where he lived and noted that
some trees stood through the storm and others didn't. He looked at the
various types of trees: softwood, junk wood, thorny/resin trees, baby trees
and hardwood such as oaks. He drew the parallels to persons who are like
each of these types - similar to Jesus' sower and the seed parable.
While the hardwoods where the most enduring and most to be emulated, he
also noted that some oaks stood and others fell. The basic difference,
though they looked the same on the outside, was the health of the tree
inside. A tree that was not growing was dying. It could be dying from
root rot or infestation from bugs etc. That was a powerful statement.
If we weren't growing, we were susceptible to getting blown over in the
next storm. A powerful example of oak trees he gave was the Lost Boys
of the Sudan (www.lostboysfilm.com) who at age 5-7 lost their families
from Muslim governmental attacks, but refused to turn from Christ. They
walked for 7 years across the country, a group who grew to 20,000 facing
starvation, lions and attacks from persons. They finally made it to Kenya
and were put in a refuge camp. Ron brought out one of the boys and
interviewed him. Ron's basic message to us: We think it is bad at our
schools when we stand for Christ and people may make fun of us. That is
absolutely nothing compared to what some face such as these boys who are
true examples of growing oaks.

Then in the evening we were shown what things looked like spiritually.
The 6 characters were now in a war scene with bombs and grenades going
off all over. Only one of them even had a weapon - the steady Christian.
The main character and others found themselves in the middle of a war,
not knowing how they got there and not really wanting to be in it. It was
pointed out to them that this is reality. They have no choice. The
war has come to them. They can either be a casualty or someone who is
rescuing others. The main character was still uncertain, saying that
he was not ready, didn't want to fight etc. Finally as the others were
leaving, he realized that it was either fight or die so he decided to fight.

We were then challenged similarly. Ron then asked if when we decided to
follow Christ if we were signing up for a club or an army. He drew out
the descriptions of clubs: specific meeting time, people there by common
interest, join for entertainment or status, leaders need to beg people to
be involved. He then contrasted it to enlisting in the armed forces: 24 X 7
commitment, people there for common purpose, people join to make a
difference,
participation is mandatory otherwise you're outta there. It was clear that
most of what we have as the Christian experience in the US is more of a club
than an army. Ron said "Jesus did not die to form a club. He died to start
a revolution." We were then challenged to lay down our own ideas, excise th
e
rotton wood, die to ourselves (Matt 16) and enlist in God's army.

All of us responded to the call.
The next in Sunday School as a follow up beyond the heat of the moment and
the pressure of the crowd, I asked each one 1) if they understood the call
and
2) if they still wanted to enlist. Each one said "Yes" to both and in fact
Ryan Johnston and Ryan Althausen also responded to making covenant with
Jesus Christ.

I've left out much and perhaps some of the others who went will chime in
with comments that I'll post out to folks.

All in all it was very powerful. We are now an army with a goal of reaching
all the young people in our towns for Christ. We are keeping our eyes on
the
front lines, following the code and getting and living our assignments.

Wow!

-Nathanael

YS STUDENT E-MAIL NEWSLETTER #159
November 15, 2004

Contents
1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Parting Shot


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HAS SCIENCE DISCOVERED GOD?
In "The Case for a Creator," journalist Lee Strobel investigates the latest
scientific discoveries from physics to biology and discovers they point
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http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/linker/index.php?id=4684

Also available at your local Christian bookstore.

=================================


1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

In a recent scientific study, a number of volunteers were given tokens. They
were then allowed to trade their tokens for food. The first volunteers to
trade in their tokens received cucumber treats and seemed to be satisfied.
But when later volunteers started receiving delicious grapes instead of
cucumbers, the cucumber recipients began to get agitated. Some refused to
eat the cucumbers, some gave away the treats they now considered inferior
and some started throwing tokens around.

It just so happens that this study was conducted with brown capuchin
monkeys. But be honest. Do the results sound much different than the
behavior you've witnessed among yourself and your friends. Suppose you've
worked very hard to bring your average up from a C- to a B+. Wouldn't you
feel good about your accomplishment? But what if the teacher gave someone
who worked equally as hard an A- rather than a B+? Would you still be happy?
Or how do you respond when you come out of the boss's office, beaming after
receiving a four percent raise, only to discover that a coworker got a six
percent raise?

The scientific study came to the conclusion that monkeys (and people) might
actually inherit a genetic sense of fairness. The monkeys seem to measure
rewards in relative terms, comparing their own rewards with what others
receive.

Do you? Or do you choose to be happy with the good things you have? As we
approach the Thanksgiving season, let's make it a goal to focus on all that
God has given us and stop looking at what some other monkey has. If you
really want to follow an example from the lower primates, there are better
actions to imitate. For example, let your joy overflow and then have more
fun than a barrel of monkeys. Or take to heart the advice of the
three-monkey pose found in many novelty stores and souvenir shops: "See no
evil, hear no evil and speak no evil."

You will deal with unfairness for the rest of your life. Pitching fits and
holding grudges does little good. Those responses won't make you feel better
and they won't get you what you want. Instead, Jesus taught that when others
try to take advantage of you, it's better to choose to serve them. He
courageously modeled what it meant to turn the other cheek and go an extra
mile beyond what is considered "fair." As we take a closer look at his
teachings and his example, perhaps the best attitude we can have is, "Monkey
see, monkey do."

On your own ...

Read the parable of the vineyard workers in Matthew 20:1-16.
http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NLT&passage=M
atthew+20%3A1-16

What does this parable tell you about God's sense of what is fair and
unfair? What does it tell you about your own sense of fairness?

2. SURF REPORT

~ National Bible Week
Next week is National Bible Week. What are you going to do to celebrate?
Here are some ideas for you to consider.
http://www.nationalbible.org/nbw

~ Great American Smoke-Out
The third Thursday of November is the American Cancer Society's annual Great
American Smoke-Out. If you know someone who's trying to quit, give them your
encouragement and support.
http://www.notobacco.org

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

Experts say if you go without sleep for 10 days straight, you'll die.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

If you can't be satisfied with what you have received, be thankful for what
you have escaped.
- Unknown

Nine-tenths of our unhappiness is selfishness, and is an insult thrown in
the face of God
- G.H. Morrison

Groan and forget it.
- Jessamyn West

5. PARTING SHOT

How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

Copyright 2004 Youth Specialties







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