Risk #4 -- Risk to Know God: 042711

Tonight we finished our series on Risk. Tonight's risk was the risk to know God. Knowing God is risky because knowing God more will make you want to change and knowing God will take time, effort, and sacrifice. In order to know God we need to first remember two things. #1. We are limited in how much we can know God because he is too great to grasp and fully understand since we are finite and he is infinite. We are also limited by what he has actually shared with us through the bible and the Holy Spirit. #2. We need to know why we want to know him. Philippians 3:7-11 tells us that knowing God is the most important thing, everything else is rubbish compared to it. So how do we know God? We have to study (read the bible, listen to things about God, see what nature teaches us about him, listen and share with others). We have to spend time with him (prayer, make sure you make a plan to do so). We have to continue to spend time with him (make it a daily habit). We have to spend time with him in different situations and times. Finally we have to remind ourselves what we have already learned (writing it down, making a movie, drawing a picture, talking about it, etc...) So why should we do this? #1. It will change your life for the better. #2. It will change the world for the better. #3. It will change your view of the world. #3. It will change your destiny. It is well worth it!

I give tonight: B-
Favorite Moment: Studying Justin Beiber

Risk #3 -- Risk to Love Differently: 042011

Tonight we continued with our Risk series by looking at the risk of loving differently. This is a risk because the way the world loves is the easiest path, though not the best, whereas if we love like God asks us to it will be a struggle. Our verses for the night were 1st John 4:19-21. We are to change who we love as well as how we love. Most people love those who are nice to them and themselves. But God calls us to love everyone and love Him as well. Most people associate love with an emotion, something that just happens that we have no control over, but the Bible teaches us that it is a choice and it is associated ith action. 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 gives us the best description of love: it is patient, kind, doesn't envy, doesn't boast, isn't proud, isn't rude, not self-seeking, isn't easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, doesn't delight in evil, rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, and never fails. Why should we take this risk? #1. All people are valuable. #2. God commands us to. #3. It will help to end drama. #4. It helps form our character to be more godly.

I give tonight: C
Favorite moment: "What's Love, Baby Don't Hurt Me!" -- Always fun to sing in front

Risk #2: Risk to Act Differently -- 041311

Tonight we continued our series on risks that you can take that will help change your life as well as the world around you. We talked about the risk to act differently. James 2:14-17 tells us that faith without deeds is a dead faith, useless to us and those around us. We talked about how we change should happen in three forms. First it should change in how we act toward others, things like we should be a servant rather than being served, we should be caring rather than careless about others, and we should be holy rather than heathenistic. Second, it should change how we act around others, meaning that we should act the same no matter who we are hanging out with. Third, it should change how we act alone, the way we act when no one else is around will reveal our true character. Why should we make these changes? God tells us to, all people are valuable, it will help end drama, and it shows others we are christians. I give tonight: A- Favorite Moment: Showing imperfection through sound issues

Risk #1 -- To Speak Differently: 040611

Toinight we started with our first of four weeks on risks. We challenged tonight for you to change how you talk. This really takes two different forms: How we talk with people and How we talk about people. When we are talking about how we talk with people we ar talking about things like: swearing, taking God's name in vain, our attiude when we talk to people, and the topics that we talk about. In each of these God desires us to speak differently than the world around us, using pure language, talking about pure topics, doing it all with kindness and being encouraging. When we are talking about how we talk about people it has to do with things like: Loving instead of mocking, conistency and truthfulness instead of gossip, and building people up instead of tearing them down. So why should we take this risk? #1 All people are valuable, #2 God asks us to, #3 Helps to end drama, and #4 That is what we want for ourselves.

I give tonight: B+

Favorite Moment: Application Time