Questions About Standards & Potato Fencing

Last night, in our 7 Star Teen meeting, I preached about standards. In a nutshell (a very small nutshell) here is what I preached.

What is a standard? Christian standards are rules, that have been based upon Biblical prinicples, which guide our conduct.

Are standards necessary? While we all would agree with and understand the fact that a person's spirituality is not determined by the outward conformity to a standard or a rule, standards are still a very necessary part of the Christian life.

Why are standards necessary? (Before continuing, take the time to read 1 Peter 1:13-16 and 2 Timothy 3:13-14) I gave the teenagers 3 Biblical reasons why standards are necessary.

1. Because God is holy.
2. Because God commands us to be holy.
3. Because the world is getting worse.

The issue of standards, whether standards that a parent sets for their children or the standards that a church youth group sets, really go back to a person's attitude. (2 Corinthians 7:1, "...perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.") As I travelled for Pensacola Christian College, most of the questions that teenagers would ask me dealt with the rules that PCC had or that the teenagers "heard" that PCC had. My normal response to those questions was, "If your attitude toward authority is right and your heart's desire is to please God than you will not have a problem with the rules."

Last night we played a game called, "Potato Fencing." Enjoy the pictures!

Ping Pong Ball Relay

We have a lot of fun on Wednesday nights during 7 Star Teens! (At least I like to think so.) We normally play some type of game during the course of the evening. Last night we played "Table Tennis Relay." The teens were divided into two teams and then grouped together by two's. Each person was given a straw. Each group, using only the straws had to blow a ping pong ball down the length of two tables and then back without letting it fall off the tables. If the ball fell off, they had to start over again. For some of the teenagers, it was a little harder than it looked!

Praise the Lord!

"O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good..." Psalm 136:1

God is good in spite of the US economy! God is good in spite of politicians! God is good because that is who He is! He cannot be anything but good!

What Does Proverbs 7:7 and Proverbs 4:23 Have In Common?

"And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding," Proverbs 7:7

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. " Proverbs 4:23

In Proverbs 7:7, the original Hebrew word, translated as "understanding," is also used in Proverbs 4:23 but it is not translated the same. What word is used instead?

Good Morning!

It was very cold this morning...at least for Charlotte, NC. It was below 30 this morning when I walked out at 5 AM to go to the gym. How cold is too cold? That is the poll question for the day from one of our local TV channels.

It's Been A Long Time

It's hard to believe that July was the last time that I posted on my blog.

It seems that all the attention has gone to Facebook. I have found an app that will "connect" my blog with my Facebook account so now I may get back to my blog a little more often.

(At church) We are currently in the midst of revival services with Evangelist Dwight Smith. His messages are posted on our church website - www.southcharlottebaptist.org.

Have a great day!

Obama

Since when is Obama running for President of the World? What's he doing giving speeches in Berlin as if he is running for president of Germany?