Briarwood Baptist Church | Student Ministry
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIBLE?
I recall one Contemporary Christian song of the 90's singing a song called Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth or B.I.B.L.E. While it is certainly true that the Bible is an instruction manual that explains how God wants us to live our lives, it is much more than that.
The Bible is God's way of revealing to us who He is, how He works, and of His great love for us. It explains how we can know and understand the creator of the Universe through a right relationship with Jesus Christ. In fact, without a relationship with Jesus the Bible loses much, if not all of its significance and the Bible says that those who don't know Christ can't understand the truths that are contained in it, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)
Our study of the Scriptures should bring us to a deeper understanding of who God is and how we can serve Him with our lives. Some people approach the Scriptures with the attitude of how can it make my life better, but we should rather look at it from the perspective, what does God have to teach me, that He can change me through His Word and join Him in what He wants to do in my life. God has created every person for a reason, and if He has called you into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, you can be certain that He has big plans for you in serving Him.
Try this week as you read through some of the Scriptures to answer these questions:
What is God trying to teach me through these verses?
What is God revealing about Himself?
How does God want me to change based on what He's taught me?
Remember that God is working in you to conform you into Christ's image, how does your treatment of the Bible reflect your understanding of that truth? Be ready, waiting, and willing for God to reveal Himself in new and exciting ways in your life every day, through the Scriptures.
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Briarwood Baptist Church | Student Ministry
THE MAGICAL MISTAKE OF DISNEY
Recently my family and I spent a week in Orlando Florida, including three days at Disney World, thanks to the wonderful people at the Make-A-Wish foundation and the students and faculty of Bailey Station Elementary School. It was truly and enjoyable experience, and no doubt my three kids absolutely loved it. Everything seemed absolutely perfect; parades, fireworks, food, family, shows, rides, and let’s just say it well exceeded my expectations, but I did notice something missing. Something that most people probably don’t think twice about, but as Christians should stand out among the glitter and glamour.
For all the hope it claims to offer, the reality is, it’s all only temporary.
For however magical it may seem, it was all made with human hands, and will all one day perish and pass away. The fireworks display in the evening was the best fireworks show I have ever seen, by far, yet in all its glory, only lasted a few minutes and in my opinion pales in comparison to the great creation that God has laid before us to enjoy. The majesty of a mountain top, the serenity of flowing streams and rivers, the enormity of the ocean and all its power; all will far outlast and have outlasted the creations of men. Yet even these, God has only given for a time and will also one day be destroyed.
We need to look at our lives, and the wonders that God has done around us and know that the accomplishments of our lives can mean so much more if our heart are focused on him and his purposes.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
- Matthew 6:19-21
The message I heard repeated over and over at Disney was that “Dreams come true” all we have to do is “believe in ourselves”. As Christians we must recognize the implications of accepting such a statement. The bible says we are not to trust ourselves,
“The heart is deceitful above all things” - Jer. 17:9.
"That there is no good apart from God," - Ps. 16:2.
My point is this, the only “Good” is through our heavenly Father; Jesus said “there is none good, but one, that is God.” (Mark 10:18), and the only way to access that good is through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” - John 14:6.
Dreams do come true, and we should recognize as Christians our greatest dreams are fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ and his purposes.
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"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
- Psalm 37:4
Briarwood Baptist Church | Student Ministry
DRAWING LINES IN THE SAND
As upset as it is to hear people attacking Christianity who have no basis for truth, for their eyes have been blinded by the god of this age, it is even more upsetting to hear professing, well meaning, Christians distort the nature of genuine saving faith.
I recently received and article from a Christian company desiring to encourage young people to share their faith with others. (definitely a great need in our day and age) But at the core of the article was this idea that people are perverting the gospel by teaching repentance. This has been an issue of great debate over the last several years, unfortunately with no end in sight, with the very truth of the gospel at stake.
Not to teach repentance is not to teach the gospel as Jesus taught it. He began his ministry proclaiming "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" Matthew 4:17. He spoke during his ministry "but unless you repent you shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:3 After he was raised from the dead he told his disciples, "that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations" Luke 24:47. To leave repentance out of the gospel is to disobey our Lord as he commanded the gospel be preached.
It must be understood that repentance is not something we can do on our own, but true repentance is an act of God, and always accompanies salvation. "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
The logic Dr. Zane Hodges proposes, that repentance is not part of the gospel, because it is not found in the gospel of John is understood, but flawed. The reality of repentance may not be stated explicitly in John but is implied in many areas, on the basis that we interpret Scripture with Scripture. All Scripture need be consulted on matters of salvation, not one verse, or one book only. The Holy Scriptures are uniform and so should our study and application of them be. Here is the issue that I see, though Hodges says repentance may occur at salvation he says it is not necessary and distinctly disassociates repentance from salvation, claiming that only belief is necessary for salvation while repentance is necessary for a right relationship with God!! .
Like somehow the two could ever be separated. The point of salvation is to bring us into a right relationship with God, it is an illogical and dangerous argument. I agree with Hodges statement that repentance is a continual part of the Christian life, but I am wholly convinced it begins with salvation. Hodges argument that you can simply believe and not repent is ludicrous. Repentance is synonymous with a changed heart, a changed life; and considering salvation is the equivalent to the new birth, if you have not changed, you are not reborn, you are not a new creation, and you are not saved. .
I understand the dangers of teaching that we have to do something to earn salvation, but if we understand that true repentance, a godly sorrow leading to repentance is an act of the sovereign grace of God, not something we can do on our own, then we may be able to find common ground, otherwise, we have knowledge without a change of heart. The change of heart is where salvation takes place. “For with the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:10 .
“The time of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” Acts 17:30.
“Let God be true and every man a liar” Romans 3:4
It is better to trust the Word of God over the logic of men.
Briarwood Baptist Church | Student Ministry
RESPONDING TO CRITICISM
Over the past few days, I have heard many disturbing statements, on the internet, radio, etc., concerning people’s attitudes towards Christianity; people attempting to use man’s logic to explain away the existence of God. Some people are asking questions to try and minimize the faith of Christianity. I must admit that my initial reaction to some of these statements was less than Christ-like, in fact that made me down right mad. I have up to this point resisted the urge to respond in frustration to these claims.
Let me give you an example. One video on You-Tube is about questions every Christian should ask, and they involve questions, like “why doesn’t God heal amputees?” and “why do bad things happen to good people?” The video then continues to answer these questions by supposing God is imaginary, and that Christians and Jews and biblical writers are ignorant and illogical.
Do you see how this could upset a person of faith? But to respond in anger to these types of accusations is not to respond in a biblical way, and in no way would help to show Jesus to these accusers.
The fact of the matter is, the people with these views, are the ones who are ignorant of the God of the bible. It is obvious from their questions that they are trying to manipulate people through an emotional response. If they were truly interested in answers, they would not make assumptions about who God is, or what the Bible claims about God.
The important question is not “why do bad things happen to good people?” the question is “why does anything good happen to any of us, who have offended a holy God?” Some people are offended at the notion of an all loving God allowing pain and suffering in the world, when the fact is that the pain and suffering the world endures is a direct result of sin, not a lack of love from our heavenly Father.
God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1) and everything belongs to Him. When God created the earth, there was perfect harmony. Man and beast side by side in the garden, every creature eating the herbs and the fruit of the trees, until man chose to disobey God’s command not to eat of one particular tree.
In that moment of disobedience sin entered into the world, and the world was placed under a curse by God (Gen 3:16-18). After that time the body became weakened, and prone to disease and death, whereas, it had previously been immune, for the Lord had proclaimed the penalty for disobedience to be death (Gen. 2:17).
By our inherited nature from the time of Adam, and our own disobedience to a holy God, we are only deserving of evil things, yet God has restrained judgment on the earth, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
God has pronounced death to all who disobey him. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), but God has provided hope through Jesus Christ to a cursed and dying world. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Only by the blood of Christ, the sinless God-man can our sins be paid for. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:13).
Does God answer prayer? Does God still heal people, the way he did in the Bible? Yes!! But He answers according to His purposes and not our own. God desires a personal relationship with you. He does not answer your prayers, for your purposes (James 4:3), but to accomplish His sovereign will!!! Until people are ready to submit the authority of God in this world and in their lives, they will never know the joy, that comes from knowing Him.
His purposes are not always clear, but they are always for the good of those that love Him (Romans 8:28). We all would do well to recognize we are not meant to understand everything that happens in this life and heed the words of David in Psalm 131:1, “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”
Let us love the Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ and enjoy His wonder, as He chooses to work in our lives.
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Briarwood Baptist Church | Student Ministry
I am so excited about leading the Student Ministry here at Briarwood Baptist Church.
We have a great opportunity here to impact the world for the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
During our Wednesday night Youth Bible Study (ybs) we have begun going through the New Testament book of James.
We are discovering what the Bible has to say about what true Christianity looks like, how God uses difficult times
to build us up into the image of Jesus, the importance of faith in action, and how to show others the love of Christ,
as well as His expectation of us as Christian disciples. What an awesome time this is to learn the truth of God´s
word on so many important aspects of our life. I am really excited about the fellowship at our house this weekend,
as well as, the upcoming TEEN TIME at the Church. What a great opportunity this can be to reach out to those who need
a relationship with Christ and to connect with those that already have one. I look forward to seeing both new faces and familiar ones.
I encourage you all to be involved with all that is happening at Briarwood Baptist Church, especially here at the
OASIS where you can drink from the living water and never thirst again.
e-mail Matt