Parent Question – Is it wrong to ask Jesus into your heart right before you die?

Parent Question

Tough Questions – Week 8

Is it wrong to ask Jesus into your heart right before you die?

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This question is a bit related to the tough question covered during the lesson time:  How can a person lose their salvation?  We will cover this topic, and share with youth that, while true followers of Christ cannot lose their salvation, some people are not true followers of Christ to begin with (though they may claim to be and even believe that they are).  The question they will ask you is this:  Is it wrong to ask Jesus into your heart right before you die?  Below are some notes on this question, first to answer it directly and second to take the question a step further.

Probably the best example in the Bible of someone coming to Christ is the thief that was crucified next to Jesus.  His story can be found in Luke 23:39-43.  When he put his trust in Christ, Jesus promised that the thief would be with Him in paradise.  He did not say, “You waited too long – you should have gotten saved ages ago!”  This illustrates the truth that we see in 2 Peter 3:9, where it says God does not want anyone to perish; He wants everyone to have eternal life.  A person at the end of his or her life is still someone that God wants to see saved.

A driving force that may have been behind this question is that of another question which asks, “Is it wrong for people to live their lives doing whatever they want and wait until they are near death to repent and be saved?”  Some people want to, in a sense, get the sin out of their systems so that they can “have their fun” before converting.  Here are some thoughts on this idea:

• It is possible – this can certainly happen.  A person can know the truth but fail to acknowledge it until life is almost over.
• It is dangerous – the idea that someone can wait to convert out of selfish, sinful ambitions has some serious complications.
  • People may die before they are ready to repent and be saved.
  • It reveals a flaw in thinking, because salvation seems to be reduced to a simple prayer rather than a lifestyle.
  • It implies that the Christian life is not fun, so a person might be better off living sinfully first.  This is extremely far from the truth – sin is the absence of God’s goodness, and it leaves people empty and unfulfilled.  Jesus offers true fulfillment!  See John 10:10.

Ultimately we want to see youth understand that the only way to live a life of meaning is by trusting in Jesus for salvation and living for Him.

Summer Letter

Here is a copy of the summer letter, making its way to you even now:

Dear Parents,

As you have already noticed, spring is in the air!  This letter, however, is going to skip right over spring and discuss summer.  Opportunities for growth abound for youth during the summer months.  I would like to remind you of what our summer plans are, including some preliminary details on our mission trip to Connecticut.

This summer promises to be full of activities and mission projects organized around one central theme:  SUBMERGE:  Go beneath the surface of your faith.  We will be challenging youth to dig deep and take ownership of their relationship with Christ.  Here are some of the ways we hope to achieve this goal:

• Weekly Fuel meetings – Fuel will continue throughout the summer, and we are challenging students to lead the lessons.  Each week a youth will lead a 10-15 minute devotional for the lesson.
• Weekly mission projects – Each week will include a different project geared toward helping youth see a different way to serve Christ.  I believe firmly that one of the best ways to go deeper in one’s faith is to serve.  This will help youth invest in and take ownership of their faith.
• Regular activities – Miniature golf, games in the park, paintball, water tubing trips, and more will pack a powerful punch for the youth.  It’s going to be an exciting summer of events!
• Guys and Girls Bible studies – This is not definite, but we are working to put together some separated guys/girls  Bible studies (preferably at a pool) to draw youth even deeper into the Word.
• Summer Trip to Connecticut – see the info below!

Our main summer trip this year is to Oakdale, Connecticut, teaming up with the church-wide trip there to help Pastor Brian Hart with his church plant there.  The trip will be July 24-31 and will cost $250 per person.  Parents are invited to be part of this trip, too!  The youth will serve alongside the rest of the team doing construction, painting, yard work, backyard Bible studies, and other tasks.  At the same time, there will be opportunities for the youth to separate and have some fun just by themselves as a group.  To secure you or your youth’s spot, please turn in a $100 deposit, due May 2.  More trip details will be available in May.

I hope you will plan now to be part of the summer opportunities.  A full, detailed schedule of every summer activity for youth will be available in early May.  Although school schedules tend to encroach into June and August, we will plan our events in the beginning of June through the end of August, working around school schedules.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Your partner in ministry,

Kevin Freeman

Fun with a ball

I don’t exactly have mad video recording skills, but we did have a lot of fun last night.  The main culprits with the ball were Nick, Chris, Bryan, Brandon, and Zack.

Cyberbullying

One of the alarming trends in our digital era is cyberbullying.  What is cyberbullying?  According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, it can be defined as “when someone repeatedly harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices.”[1] In their research, 20% of teens had experienced cyberbullying.  Interestingly enough, this trend is more common among adolescent girls.  The chart below shows some basic statistics on the issue.

What can you do?  It might be a good idea to talk with your youth about cyberbullying.  They may be victims of it.  They also may have perpetrated it in some way.  It is not too much of a stretch for youth to compartmentalize this type of behavior – since they aren’t doing the harassment to a person’s face, it can be easy to explain away their actions as harmless fun.  Most likely, they have at least seen this type of behavior, perhaps on comment boards online.

We are called to a standard of holiness in all of our behavior.1 Peter 1:15 states, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

What other verses mention the need for behavior that builds up rather than tears down others?

What can God do through a youth who not only refuses to cyberbully but also commits to act against it?  Youth could build others up online and even speak out against negative posts.  Encourage them to show the light of Christ in their actions always.

Parent Question – Will everyone enjoy heaven, or will some people prefer hell?

Tough Questions – Week 7

Will Everyone enjoy heaven, or will some people prefer hell?

The youth lesson will answer the question “What is heaven going to be like?”  Youth will be challenged to ask parents another question:  “Will everyone enjoy heaven, or will some people prefer hell?”  Plan to bring it up if your youth does not.  The question’s basis is that perhaps some people in heaven will wish they were in hell.  This, of course, could not be further from the truth.  Youth should come home with a pretty good understanding of what heaven will be like, and with that understanding they will realize that no one would want to leave heaven.  Even so, part of these notes will give some references to heaven.  The bigger source of confusion seems to be of hell.  The reality is that no one will enjoy hell, and those who think otherwise have no understanding of it.

Heaven

The following are some descriptions of heaven with supporting passages.  These are essentially a digest of the youth lesson on heaven.  If you are interested in learning more, it would be wise to pick up a copy of Touchpoints:  Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, a book that is packed with information arranged by questions.  It is a quick read and costs very little (as low as $5.00).

• The city of heaven (New Jerusalem) will be majestic.  Revelation 21:15-22:6
• God’s in His full glory will be there.  Revelation 21:22-25; 22:3-5
• We will not be bored.  Instead we will enjoy every moment.
  • Learning.  Ephesians 2:6-7; 2 Corinthians 3:18
  • Worshiping.  Revelation 5:13-14; 7:9-12
  • Ruling.  Matthew 25:23; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3
  • Our bodies will be physical, with enhanced senses and abilities.  2 Corinthians 5:3; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:53;
  • The earth will be renewed into a sinless state.  Acts 3:21; Romans 8:19-23
  • There will be rewards, fun, play, exploration, and dancing.  Matthew 6:19-20; Mark 10:14-15; Luke 6:21,23; 2 Peter 3:13

Hell

Heaven will clearly be enjoyable.  But what about hell?  Below are some of the truths the Bible teaches about hell.  For a good web article on hell, visit http://bible.org/article/what-bible-says-about-hell.

• Matthew 25:41,46.  This parable of the sheep and the goats reveals that hell is a place also prepared for the devil and his angels.  It is eternal, a place of never-ending punishment.
• Matthew 13:36-43, 47-50.  These 2 parables show that the righteous will be separated from the sinners, and the sinners will be sent to hell.  It is described as a place for those who do evil, full of fire, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.  
• Isaiah 33:14.  Hell is also mentioned in the Old Testament.  Other passages include Psalm 9:17; Proverbs 5:5; 9:18 and 15:24 (uses the Hebrew word ‘sheol’)
• Revelation 20:11-15.  The Great White Throne Judgment will take place at the end of time.  Anyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life will be judged and thrown into hell – the lake of fire.

Sometimes people talk about hell and think that they will be with their friends, which will make it bearable.  The Bible shows that there will be nothing bearable about hell.  All of us deserve it (Romans 3:10, 23).  The only people who will not go there are those whose names are written in the Book of Life.  Jesus is the only way to get one’s name written there (John 14:6).  A person must place his or her faith in Jesus as the One who paid the penalty that is deserved – hell.  Jesus is the only One who overcame sin and death and hell.  Trusting in Him allows a person to have eternal life instead of eternal torment (Romans 10:9-10).

It is important to help youth understand that hell is a real place of torment.  Everyone deserves it, and only those who trust in Christ will be freed from that sentence.  It is also a good opportunity to ask them who they know who has not trusted in Christ for salvation.  Pray together for those people and set a plan to tell them about God’s plan for salvation.

Parent Question – If God wants everyone in heaven, why doesn’t His plan involve everyone going there?

Tough Questions – Week 6

If God wants everyone in heaven, why doesn’t His plan involve everyone going there?

The parent question this week is, “If God wants everyone in heaven, why doesn’t His plan involve everyone going there?”  Before students ask you this question, they will have covered in their lesson the concept of God’s sovereignty compared to man’s free will.  They will understand that, in some inexplicable way, God remains completely in control of everything even though people make daily decisions for which they are responsible.  This certainly relates to the question they will be asking you.  Here are some notes on the subject.

God certainly does want everyone to be in heaven.  2 Peter 3:9b says God is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  John 3:16 also reveals the extent of God’s love for a condemned world – He sent His Son to die for sinners.  But not everyone will go to heaven.  The verse goes on to say that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” [emphasis added].  “Whoever” means that it is available to all.  2 Corinthians 5:15 says that Jesus “died for all that those who live…” [Emphasis added].  There is a distinction between “all” and “those”; not all will have eternal life.

Getting back to the question, why doesn’t God just give everyone eternal life?  If He truly loves the world and everyone in it, why couldn’t He just pardon everyone of their sin?  The reason why God does not do this is related to His justice and His holiness.

God is completely just.  We learn that we are sinners deserving death and separation from God by reading Romans 3:23 and 6:23.  God in His holiness cannot tolerate sin.  In Leviticus 19:2 we read God commanding the Israelite assembly to “Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”  Our sin is something that God in His holiness cannot tolerate.  Here is what Colossians 1:21-22 says:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

The question sent home with students is actually backward.  Knowing that God is holy and just, not able to tolerate sin, and knowing that those who have put their trust in Christ have been redeemed, the question should be rephrased.  It should be, “If all of us deserve judgment because of our sin, why did God allow some of us to go to heaven?”  Those who are sent to hell are only receiving what they deserve.  That does not mean we shouldn’t be filled with a passion to reach as many as we can with God’s love, but it does mean we should realize that none of us deserves heaven.  God is merciful.  God is loving.  He sent Jesus to take our place and pay for our sin so that some of us would spend eternity with Him in heaven.  Perhaps there is yet another question that we should ask:  “If we think God should allow more people into heaven, why don’t we care enough to share His message with others?”  We are God’s chosen instruments to spread His message.

Make these truths stick

Below are some optional things that you can do to really make some of the concepts in these notes come alive.  There is an illustration, an object lesson, and a family challenge.

Illustration

To illustrate why God won’t allow people into heaven who haven’t placed their trust in Him, here is an example you can use.  Let’s say you had a house that was nice and clean, with brand new, gleaming white, wall to wall carpet.  Youth and their friends are playing outside…in the mud.  You have just prepared a nice meal for them, and you want them to come inside.  The problem is that they are filthy.  You go outside on the doorstep and announce that they may come into the house for a meal, but they have to be clean.  Since they really don’t have any way to clean up, you stand out there to have them take off their shoes, and you hold towels for them to wipe the mud and grime away.  You cannot tolerate mud in your home.  It would not be a clean home if you did.  Suppose some of the friends refuse to clean off?  Will you allow them into your home?  No.  You have provided them with the opportunity, but they are the ones who refused.  God also has provided a way to heaven through Jesus.  Some have accepted, and others have refused; this is not God’s fault.  Heaven would not be heaven if sin were tolerated in it.

Object lesson

Experts say that bed sheets should be changed every two weeks.  When was the last time you changed yours?  Before the lesson, have your children wash their sheets (or you could change them yourself, but why rob them of the joy of housework?).  When they arrive home from the lesson, keep their bed stripped of fresh sheets.  As you talk about God’s holiness and the sin-free environment of heaven, relate this concept to fresh sheets.  There really is nothing quite like the feeling of climbing into a bed with fresh sheets.  Students who put fresh sheets on after this conversation (and perhaps shower as well) can climb into a clean bed with clean sheets to thank God for His holiness and the sin-free environment of heaven.

Family Challenge

The question was related to asking God why He wouldn’t have everyone to go to heaven.  The reality is that He asks us to share His message with others.  As a family, pick out people in your lives whom you will pray for and share the message of salvation with this week.  Pray daily for those people and encourage each other in telling them about Christ.

Parent Question – Why did God make Satan?

Tough Questions – Week 5

Why did God make Satan?

This parent question is what students will be ready to ask you on March 10.  The lesson topic for the night will answer the question, “Why is there evil in the world if God is supposed to be loving?”  Students will ask you this question:  “Why did God make Satan?”  The other, unspoken part of this question asks why God would create Satan if He knew all the evil Satan would do.  There is a very appropriate, Biblical, theological answer to this question.  That answer goes like this:  “I don’t know!”  There are several answers that we may speculate upon regarding this question, but ultimately we do not know exactly why God created Satan.  There is a benefit to the discussion that this question will bring up.  We are not always provided with all the answers to our questions, and that is okay.  Here are some passages on Satan:

Satan was certainly part of God’s original creation.  Colossians 1:16 says, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”  This would certainly include Satan as one of the original angels.  Nehemiah 9:6 also speaks to this.

Ezekiel 28:12-19 records what most believe is the account of Satan’s original status and fall from grace.  This was a judgment spoken against the King of Tyre at the time, but the language suggests that it is also speaking of Lucifer.  Another passage on Lucifer’s fall is Isaiah 14:12-15:

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, ”I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

We do not know why God chose to create Satan, even knowing what evil he would cause.  The Bible does, however, help us understand that our thinking is limited.  God’s thoughts are much greater than our own.  Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.”

We might not have all the answers, but we can trust God based on His Word and His ultimate plan.  Revelation 20:2 & 10 record the ultimate defeat of Satan.  God has a plan and deserves our trust.

Parent Question – Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?

Tough Questions – Week 4

Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?

The students will cover a question during their lesson time, “What is the point of Christianity?”  While the focus of that lesson covers what Christianity is, the parent question is designed to answer part of what Christianity is not.  The question that students will come home to ask parents is this:  “Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?” Below are some notes on this subject.

First, there is an issue of semantics.  Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines paranormal as “not scientifically explainable”[1].  Christianity, then, technically falls under this paranormal category as something that is not well beyond the realms of the abilities of science to explain it.  It may be worth you asking the question, “How would you define paranormal?”  It is good to simply help students understand the meaning of the word for future reference.  The question, however, is assumed to really be geared toward what most people think of when they hear the word paranormal:  ghosts, psychics, and witchcraft.

Fortunately, while this question covers a very broad subject range, the Bible is very clear on the proper stance on all of it.  The Israelites were commanded not to have anything to do with the occult, witchcraft, omens, or any type of divination or spell-casting (Deuteronomy 8:11-13).  2 Corinthians 11:14-15 reminds us that Satan and demons disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.  This makes sense, when other demonic belief systems attempt to portray themselves as peace-loving and beneficial.  Whether people engaged in those practices are aware of it or not, there are demonic forces behind those systems; these could include psychics, palm readers, mediums, or other religions such as Wicca.  The New Testament records an account of a fortune teller having an evil spirit cast out of her in Acts 16:16-18.  Just because something works (i.e. fortune telling or a pagan spell) does make it right.  There are demonic forces at work to deceive people and lead them astray.

Ghosts are worth separating in the discussion.  Many people swear to have seen ghosts or their evidence – often referred to simply as paranormal activity.  Some point to a story found in 1 Samuel 28, where King Saul urges a medium to communicate with the deceased prophet Samuel.  Looking at this story they try to say that there are ghosts and that the dead can be consulted through divination.  There are a couple of principles to realize about this.  The first is that the story is very obscure and does not provide a completely clear picture of what is occurring.  It is clear, though, that the medium is indeed consulting with the spirit of Samuel, perhaps even allowing Samuel to speak through her own body.  The second point to note is that this is clearly referred to as wrong in this passage.   While we may not be able to understand everything in the story, and while we may realize that the story mentions something that is possible to do, we must grasp the fact that this was against God’s law.  Aside from Matthew 14:26 and Mark 6:49, when the disciples thought Jesus was a ghost as He walked on the water, the concept of ghosts is fairly absent in Scripture.

Areas associated with ghosts or haunting are also typically tied to a grisly story where something very evil happened.  It is safe to understand that demonic spirits will associate themselves with areas where evil acts happened.  The Israelites were deported under God’s judgment partly to give the land rest from the evil that happened there.  See Leviticus 26:32-35 and 2 Chronicles 33:21 to learn more about this.  The point is that specific portions of land are personified to a level beyond what most consider.  It is possible that there is a similar association with demonic activity in ghostly form.

What is the final explanation on the subject of ghosts, then?  Just as we are to avoid anything related to demons or witches or mediums, we are to avoid ghosts as well.  As mentioned, some might have an experience that they hold strongly to, associating it with the ghost of a loved one or something they saw with their own eyes.  The only good explanation is that demonic forces are behind ghosts, and they would have the ability to be very convincing.  Hebrews 9:27 declares that after death comes judgment, and Paul states that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  So the answer to the question, or at least the intent of the question, is “yes”.  It is wrong to believe in any paranormal activity beyond the realms of Scripture and what it commands.  It is right to recognize the existence of evil, supernatural forces, and these should draw us all the more closer to God’s Word.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 states:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We have everything we need in God’s Word!

Parent Question – What is Good? How do you know it is good?

Tough Questions – Week 3

What is Good?  How do you know it is good?

This parent question will be sent home with students on February 24 to ask you as parents.  This is part of our theme called Tough Questions, where we will answer actual questions from students.  The lesson time will cover the question, “How do I know if it’s okay to get a tattoo…or do other things?”  During the lesson time we will discuss not only the topic of tattoo but also a decision-making guide for any difficult decision (or ones where Christians are divided).  We will send students home to ask you this question:  What is good?  How do you know it is good? Keep in mind that this is an actual question asked by one of our students.   Below are some notes on the subject to help better prepare you for the discussion.

The world has different standards for determining what is good in life.  People tend to have an in-built sense of wanting that which is good; it’s just that their opinions vary widely.  For example, there is the “If it feels good, do it” mentality.  People who have this mentality move from one thing to the next, doing whatever feels right to them.  It is a moment-by-moment way of life, and ultimately it leaves a sense of emptiness.  Why is that?  Because in between the moments of feeling “good” – whether it’s partying, an immoral lifestyle, or general selfishness – are those normal moments to which that the person has become desensitized.  In other words, the “highs” make the normals seem really low.

Another philosophy of the world applies a general set of principles to live by in order to be a “good person”.  These principles include accepted societal rules, such as do not steal or kill, love your family, get a good education and then career, and have a happy, healthy life.  These are not bad principles, and they are generally taught in the world around us, especially the public school system.  There are virtues attached to them; virtues like perseverance, dedication, respect, tolerance, vision, etc.  There is nothing wrong with these principles or virtues.  The truth is that they are mostly found in the Bible.  The only shortcoming is that the world does not tie these good things to the Word of God.  This can leave room for doubt as to their importance, or it can even cause students to question why the Bible is necessary if the world is teaching some of the same things anyway.  Looking around in a pluralistic society reveals several religions (or non-religions) that have a set of morals.  The reality is that without the proper grounding to the principles, people stray from them.  This fact is prevalent in our world, as people violate the morals for their own selfish ambition or greed.  The harder society tries to push the morals and virtues, the more they are violated for lack of a true grounding to their roots.

So where does the Bible fit in to the picture?  It reveals the Source and Standard for what is good and why it is good.  Here are some of the truths we learn from Scripture:

• God alone is good.  He is the Source of all that is good (1 Samuel 2:2 ; Psalm 34:8)
• People are not good. (Psalm 14:1-3)
• God’s Word gives us the true standard for what is good. (Exodus 201-17; 1 Timothy 1:8)

In looking at what is good, it is easy to get caught up simply in a right vs. wrong situation.  God wants us to consider good something more.  He wants goodness (in general and His own goodness) to be a core focus of our lives.  Here is what Philippians 4:8 says:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Good, positive things are what we should focus on in our lives.  The Mayo Clinic released a report on positive thinking and its link to our health.  Here is an excerpt:

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It’s unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.[1]

The world recognizes the benefits of positive thinking, but the Inventor of the concept placed these truths in His Word and wired us to live this way.  We should use the Bible as our standard for what is good, and we should focus our attention on good, noble, praiseworthy things…ultimately these will draw our attention to Jesus Himself!

Barn Night Canceled

Tomorrow’s Barn Night (Feb. 19) is canceled. Unfortunately, the weather prevented us from getting the word out as much as we would have liked, so we have decided to cancel.

Don’t worry though, because we have another Barn Night coming up soon: Friday, March 19 from 7-9:30pm.