John 10:10
I have come that you might have life and that you might have it abundantly.
Paraphrase – Jesus came so that I could have a good life.
What is a good life?
A life that fulfills it’s reason for being. Anything short of that, falls short of having a good life. True fulfillment in life comes when we become what we were created to become.
You and I were created in God’s image. That’s exciting. That means that you and I are on a spiritual journey. That’s something that can’t be said about anything else that has ever been created.
We were created to worship God. Worshipping God is a privilege that has been reserved for you and me, people.
When you worship something or someone, you are saying, “You are worthy of my time” “You are worthy of my resources” “You are worth it”
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity show yourself an example of those who believe.
How many of you would agree that adults sometimes have a tendency to look down at young people. ____________________ That’s typically because recklessness, disrespect, apathy, selfishness, and foolishness are usually associated with young people’s behavior.
One of the ways that we show God that He’s worth it, is by listening to what He has to say and doing it.
What are some examples of Speech ____________ Conduct _____________ etc…?
That’s nice that we have an idea of what God wants us to do, but the big question is HOW???????
1) Be with the right people…
Proverbs 13:20 – He who walks with the wise will become wise, but he is the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Does anyone remember the difference between someone who is wise and someone who is a fool?
A wise friend is a good friend – Good friends know the difference between right and wrong. Good friends make good decisions. IT IS ALWAYS EASIER TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN YOU ARE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
A foolish friend is not a good friend – A foolish person also know the difference between right and wrong, and chooses to do the wrong. They aren’t ignorant. They just aren’t interested in doing right regardless of the consequences, and they will drag you down with them.
That brings me to another reason we were created.
We were created to have deep and meaningful relationships with each other.
2) Be accountable
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another
It’s called accountability.
If I am smart, then I’m going to surround myself with wise friends who will let me know when I am not being wise. They will let me know when I am making bad decisions in my speech, my conduct, my love, my faith, and my purity.
They will hold me to a standard.
-------------------------------------
Breakout Session Guide -
Give each person in the group a blank piece of paper and a pen.
Read 1 Timothy 4:12
Now Read it again and each time you come to a description (Speech, Conduct, Love, etc…) have a person write down that word.
If you run out of words, then just do it all again. If you run out of people, then just have some people do two.
Now hand out deflated balloons (one per person)
Have each person roll up their piece of paper and stick it inside the balloon.
Blow up the balloons and tie them off.
Put all the balloons in the middle of the group.
Each person, when it is there turn will take a balloon, pop it, read the paper, and give 2 examples (1 good and 1 bad)
Speech – Good – Thank you, mom….
Bad – You’re a moron….
BSL – Be sure to participate in this exercise with your group.
Showing posts with label Teen Talks - 7 Checkpoints: Healthy Friendships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teen Talks - 7 Checkpoints: Healthy Friendships. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2007
7 Checkpoints: Healthy Friendships - The Real Deal
What type of friend are you?
If you were a company, what would your name be, and what would you do?
Example 1: Mary’s nickel and dime store. I only give people the minimum.
Example 2: Susie’s Sunshine Palace. I try to make everybody happy.
Can you tell the difference between a REAL friend and a FAKE one?
Have them expand on their answers. Compare their answers to what a counterfeit
friend really looks like. 1) The direction of the relationship 2) Self-destructive
behavior. 3) A lack of solid convictions.
What does it mean to love someone?
What does a loving friendship look like?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a good passage to look through. The point is that a true
friend is more interested in you as a person, than they are in your friendship. They
will do what they have to do to help you make wise choices, even if it means
sacrificing your friendship.
If you were a company, what would your name be, and what would you do?
Example 1: Mary’s nickel and dime store. I only give people the minimum.
Example 2: Susie’s Sunshine Palace. I try to make everybody happy.
Can you tell the difference between a REAL friend and a FAKE one?
Have them expand on their answers. Compare their answers to what a counterfeit
friend really looks like. 1) The direction of the relationship 2) Self-destructive
behavior. 3) A lack of solid convictions.
What does it mean to love someone?
What does a loving friendship look like?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a good passage to look through. The point is that a true
friend is more interested in you as a person, than they are in your friendship. They
will do what they have to do to help you make wise choices, even if it means
sacrificing your friendship.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
7 Checkpoints: Healthy Friendships - Blue Skies
Three friends were lying in the grass underneath the stars one night, when they began to wonder out loud what they were. The first one said that they were fireflies that were stuck. The second one said that they were dead people looking down on us. The third one said that they were balls of gas burning millions of miles away.
Two boys and a girl were walking to school one day. They were talking to eachother about why the sky was blue.
The first boy said that the sky was blue because the earth is 75% water, water is reflective, and the sunlight bounces off of the water and back to the sky causing it to look blue.
The second boy said that the sky was blue because it was supposed to be.
The girl said that the sky is blue because it isn’t gray. If it were filled with rain and storms, then it wouldn’t be blue.
Who’s right?
How many of you like to watch storms at night. They are pretty awesome right. What happens when it storms? Damage. Things get damaged or destroyed. Lightning is powerful. My friend was in Vegas once where it rains about 2% of the year. He was there during a storm. He could see the desert from his room, and he watched the lightning hit the ground. ‘BAM’ and then sand would fly up from the force of the lightning.
The sky is something beautiful when it’s clear and blue. It’s safe. It’s fun. It has a real positive effect on our attitudes. When the sky is gray, we call it gloomy and depressing. The sky would always be blue if it weren’t for the rain and bad weather.
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Let me tell you what this is not saying: There are youth ministries in our community who would have you believe that if a person is not a Christian, then you should not hang out with them. The Bible doesn’t teach that. Jesus built relationships with everyone. He did not shun someone because of his or her lifestyle.
This verse raises a few questions:
1) What is a fool?
a. A fool is someone who knows right from wrong and chooses to do the wrong. They simply don’t care about doing right. They aren’t ignorant. They are just uninterested.
2) Are you a fool?
3) Do you hang with fools?
4) Who do I know that’s wise?
Just because you hang around fools, doesn’t mean that you will become a fool. It means that sooner or later something bad will happen to you.
You were created by God to have a great life. Jesus said, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it abundantly. Most people go through life and never really experience it the way that God intended them to. We make bad decisions. We hang with people who make bad decisions.
You might find this interesting:
When I was growing up, surveys said that the top 3 greatest influences in my life were:
1) Spiritual leaders
2) Teachers
3) Parents
That list has changed. Guess whom the top three influences are in your life:
1) Parents
2) Media
3) Friends are the number one influence
Your friends are the most powerful influence in your life. Your friends have more influence over you than anybody, including yourself and even including God.
Do you know why? Because we all have 3 basic HUGE needs –
I want to be loved.
I want to be people to look at me and know that I can do whatever it is.
I want to belong (I want to be accepted)
On the questions that we asked last week, most of you said that acceptance isn’t important to you. Apparently, it is important. It is actually one of the most important things in your life. Just chew on that for a little bit.
Everyone has some goals for what they want their lives to look like. Girls have been planning their marriages since they were 10 and 12 years old. Your future isn’t just about a job. It’s about who will you be. What kind of man will you be? What kind of woman will you be?
Your friendships determine the direction and the quality of your life. Choose your friends wisely.
Two boys and a girl were walking to school one day. They were talking to eachother about why the sky was blue.
The first boy said that the sky was blue because the earth is 75% water, water is reflective, and the sunlight bounces off of the water and back to the sky causing it to look blue.
The second boy said that the sky was blue because it was supposed to be.
The girl said that the sky is blue because it isn’t gray. If it were filled with rain and storms, then it wouldn’t be blue.
Who’s right?
How many of you like to watch storms at night. They are pretty awesome right. What happens when it storms? Damage. Things get damaged or destroyed. Lightning is powerful. My friend was in Vegas once where it rains about 2% of the year. He was there during a storm. He could see the desert from his room, and he watched the lightning hit the ground. ‘BAM’ and then sand would fly up from the force of the lightning.
The sky is something beautiful when it’s clear and blue. It’s safe. It’s fun. It has a real positive effect on our attitudes. When the sky is gray, we call it gloomy and depressing. The sky would always be blue if it weren’t for the rain and bad weather.
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Let me tell you what this is not saying: There are youth ministries in our community who would have you believe that if a person is not a Christian, then you should not hang out with them. The Bible doesn’t teach that. Jesus built relationships with everyone. He did not shun someone because of his or her lifestyle.
This verse raises a few questions:
1) What is a fool?
a. A fool is someone who knows right from wrong and chooses to do the wrong. They simply don’t care about doing right. They aren’t ignorant. They are just uninterested.
2) Are you a fool?
3) Do you hang with fools?
4) Who do I know that’s wise?
Just because you hang around fools, doesn’t mean that you will become a fool. It means that sooner or later something bad will happen to you.
You were created by God to have a great life. Jesus said, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it abundantly. Most people go through life and never really experience it the way that God intended them to. We make bad decisions. We hang with people who make bad decisions.
You might find this interesting:
When I was growing up, surveys said that the top 3 greatest influences in my life were:
1) Spiritual leaders
2) Teachers
3) Parents
That list has changed. Guess whom the top three influences are in your life:
1) Parents
2) Media
3) Friends are the number one influence
Your friends are the most powerful influence in your life. Your friends have more influence over you than anybody, including yourself and even including God.
Do you know why? Because we all have 3 basic HUGE needs –
I want to be loved.
I want to be people to look at me and know that I can do whatever it is.
I want to belong (I want to be accepted)
On the questions that we asked last week, most of you said that acceptance isn’t important to you. Apparently, it is important. It is actually one of the most important things in your life. Just chew on that for a little bit.
Everyone has some goals for what they want their lives to look like. Girls have been planning their marriages since they were 10 and 12 years old. Your future isn’t just about a job. It’s about who will you be. What kind of man will you be? What kind of woman will you be?
Your friendships determine the direction and the quality of your life. Choose your friends wisely.
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