Purpose in Life

What life as a non-Christian is like

We hear a lot from the teens and many people on Facebook and other social media sites and by listening to conversations. We can tell there is a lot of pain and suffering in many of your hearts. It appears that the outside is just an act, while on the inside, you are really very hurt.

¹⁰ I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
¹¹ Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

~Ecclesiastes 2 (NIV)

What is the purpose of life if there is no God? With a belief in God, you're working towards Heaven, which is your purpose in life.

A friend once asked his mother: "How do you wake up happy without drugs?" Josh's answer for us was that he know's he's loved and forgiven, and realizes that he is living in a cold, dark world. God's not here, He's in Heaven.

God will walk with you, side by side. It is up to you to ask for help or not. You need to get to the point where you are more important than your friendships with others. You need to take care of yourself first - you can find better friends. It is much easier to follow the wrong crowd, but you don't have to be in pain.

Free E-Books

Today I came across a website that recommends Christian e-books to read. The site is Christian E-Books Today.

Everyday, the post a new book title and a description of the book. Also, they post FREE e-books everyday. They may be available only on a certain device (Kindle, Nook, etc), but they are often similar. You can also see the archived free e-books, so if you missed a day, you can go back and look to see if it's still available for free.

Books can be searched for by author's name or by free fiction or free non-fiction.

If you like to read, and don't have a lot of money to spend on books, check out the site! You'll be able to find some great books with great messages, and since you don't have to pay for some of them, it's risk free! If you don't have a e-book reader, you can download the Nook or Kindle app to Apple devices. If you don't have an Apple device, you can often download them onto your computer.

*We are not receiving anything by sharing this website. We just wanted to share a way for you to check out some new books.

Why Do You Think You Can't Change?

Last week we talked about how to change your heart and your life. We discussed how you have to WANT to change yourself and make those changes. During that lesson, we heard a lot of you saying "I can't change."

Why is it that you feel that you can't change?

• Don't want to
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Low self confidence/image

What makes it so you can't change?

• Putting yourself down
• Giving up/being lazy
• No courage
• Hard to chage/afraid to change

What makes it difficult to change?

• People around you (family and friends)
• History
• Habits
• Set self up for failure
• Natural instincts (we tend to follow in our parent's foot steps)

We've talked about so many examples of people who have made the changes and have been successful. Bob has smoked and changed his ways after making steps to better his life. Mariah knew that with God she could change from her bad ways.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
~Romans 12:2 (NIV)

 The life that you're living is NOT worth living how you're living it, if you are not giving your life to God. It's not easy, but you may need to make some drastic changes to be successful in changing (ending relationships with friends and some family).

What you need to do:

• Set yourself up for success
• Really believe that you can change
• Know that you can't do it on your own

No one can change on their own. God is walking with you, and you can't hide what you are doing. You can't let the darkness control you. Light always penetraes the darkness. God is the light of the world, and you can always have His light get the darkness out of you.

You have the power within yourself with God's help to change. You need to believe and realize that He is there. God sees the whole picture and knows what is best. You can decide what course you're taking, but God can take you anywhere.

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
~Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

How to Change Your Heart

We talked about changing your heart and changing your life, and the importance of that in becoming a Christian. It is a long and major process with many steps, and that last post is only a small part of that change.

Why should you change your heart? It's a way to better yourself and bring you closer to God. YOU must be the one wanting to change and genuinely want to make that effort.

What must you try to change?

• Love of self (selfishness)
• Love of money
• Lack of love for God

What needs to be changed? Your heart

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
~Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

~Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

How do you choose to change?

1. Identify behavior that needs to be changed
2. Admit that those behaviors are not Godly
3. Locate verses that address the problem behavior (the youth leaders will help you find some if you ask for help)
4. Memorize that verse
5. Deepen the imprint of God's word on your heart (this means that you need to make deliberate steps to follow God and His word)

Things to think about when changing:

• Guard your heart and mind (Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ~Proverbs 4:23 [NIV])
• Your conducts (“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”~Jeremiah 17:10 [NIV])
• Your talks (Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. ~Proverbs 4:24 [NIV])

Remember, guard your heart so it is full of good, not evil.

³⁴ You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. ³⁵ A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. ³⁶ And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. ³⁷ The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
~Matthew 12 (NLT)
 

 ¹⁸ But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. ¹⁹ For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. ²⁰ These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
~Matthew 15 (NLT)

 

Change Your Heart, Change Your Life

Josh started off by saying that this past week, he went to the dentist for the first time in a few years. The dentist gave him some recommendations; brush twice a day, floss and use mouth wash every day. These recommendations are good for us, but we don't always follow through on that advice. Why? It's easy to forget, not made part of our routine, etc.

So what does the dentist have to do with God?

It's generally accepted that being a Christian improves your lifestyle. When tradgedies happen, people often ask for prayer and turn to God. Having a healthy, clean lifestyle is good for you. It doesn't mean we decide to live life that way, though.

When you decide to become a Christian, you need to realize that you are NOT perfect, and YOU want to have to change yourself. What you say and do define you. This is not a flesh level decision, it's a deep decision. You need to accept God and develop a relationship with Him. Things will change in your life, because it's not possible to keep your old lifestyle and have God.

What types of things that are good to change? Of course, the way you act, your behaviors and addictions and how you speak need to be changed, but there are three things that help you change your heart:

• Love of self
• Love of money
• Lack of love for God

When working toward change, you will see the biggest change in your heart and mind. You need to deliberately change what you're saying. You will begin to see that you can sense that you are doing something wrong, and try to stop doing that behavior in the future.

In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
~Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)

How do you choose change? Don't put yourself in bad positions. Everyone sees what you are doing, so choose to do good. Guard your heart, make good decisions, change your life.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
~Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

It's not too late to change your heart and your life.

It's a New Year!

{Source}

Many things come with the New Year, one of them being resolutions. A resolution is a goal that guides you to bettering your lifestyle. Generally, they are done in the beginning of the year, as a way to start over fresh.

As a Christian, we should not be looking for a specific date. Everyday is a new day for us to start over with. Life can be broken in anyway you want. Any day can be new, but it is up to you to make decisions.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

He has a plan for you. Follow it and change. You have the chance to change and make a relationship every day.

{Source}