Top 10 Ways to Stay Focused

25 August 2010

So it’s getting to be that time of the year when you can count the days till school starts on one hand. YAY. New Classes! More Stressing about grades! College Apps! SATs! But seriously.. If you’re like me- or like most people- my guess is that you find it hard to stay 100% on track during the school year – It’s easy to get bogged down with class work, with the social scene- insecurity slips in so quickly, and before you even realized what’s happened you’ve all but forgotten your commitments, your identity, Jesus’ call on your life-and self-centeredness (that’s not a word but whatev…) has become the name of the game again.

Well, I thought it would be helpful to gather together some tools that Christians throughout the ages- (the years compulsory schooling and the most peculiar inventions known as “middle school” and “high school” have been around) have used to stay on track, and keep out of “civilian affairs.” (2 Timothy 2) So here’s my “Top 10” practical ways to stay focused. Some of them are tips, some are guidelines, some fall in the netherworld between goals and objectives- all are things that I’ve found useful, (or, if not that, things that I’ve heard other people say and thought “hey that’s a good idea” and was too lazy and forgetful to actually implement-) things to help you keep your head in the game. Feel free to comment and add your own to the list! SO. Here we go: (insert electric-guitar heavy ESPN theme music here)

10.Early Bird Gets the Worm!
C.T. Studd once wrote, “if you don’t desire to meet the Devil during the day, meet Jesus before dawn.” Consistent devotions is a given, but try doing it first thing in the morning (It’s hard. I know. I struggle just waking up in time to make it to 1st period 5 minutes late on ordinary days.) If you can’t find the time, I would try reading a chapter in the morning while you’re eating cereal or brushing your teeth. Or outside your classroom. So yeah. If you don’t know what to read there’s lots of daily devotions on our Interhigh Site…
But anyway- morning is key. Start off your day right. While you’re by yourself at home, or waiting on the bus, send up a prayer for the day, think about the challenges you’re going to face, ask God for strength.

9.Pray Every Day and You’ll Grow!
Duh. To God. For yourself – for strength to make it through the day, for God to grant you his spirit of power, of love and of self discipline. (2 Timothy 1), thanksgiving etc.
For others- for your non-Christian friends to have open hearts, for your Christian friends to stay strong, etc. And other stuff too. About everything. “Pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

8.Chocolate Factory!
(If this doesn’t make sense do you, don’t worry about it- you’ll only get this title if you saw Veggie Tales way too many times while you were getting babysat at church.) Make sure you have some Christian friends! If you don’t have any, than you’re pretty much dead meat. No. Seriously. Get together with some like-minded friends every week. If you’re not part of a youth group do some research and find one in your area. Pray for each other. Share what’s going on in your life- the sins you’re struggling through. If there’s other Christians at school ask some of them to keep you accountable – to check you if they see you stumbling. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Or think the book of Daniel- Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.

7.Goals!
Set some! For example, something along the lines of: “I am going to share the gospel with at least one person between 1st and 4th period, one person during lunch, and one person between 5th and 6th period.” Well, set goals that are a little more realistic than that. Maybe like, invite one friend to my youth group bible study every week? Give some Christian Literature to a friend once a month? Give a gospel presentation to one friend in the year? Make some new friends? Other things of that nature…

6.Plan Ahead!
“Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have,” wrote Apostle peter to some group of early Christians. (1 Peter 3:15) Put together a gospel presentation- integrate your testimony, include bible verses, write it all down and practice it until you know it backwards and sideways and can give it naturally and casually to your friends. Improve on it as you go on living life, as you learn more bible, as your knowledge grows- as you see what people get and what people don’t, what needs clarification and what you can shorten, etc. etc.

5.Read Up!
It’s important to know what you believe- and the best way to do this is to sit down and plough through some of the tens of thousands of books that smart Christians have been writing for 2000 years about why it makes sense to be a Christian. Biology teacher blasting “creationism”? Read Michael Behe’s Darwin’s Black Box, or Lee Strobel’s Case for a Creator. One of your friends hits you with the problem of evil or some tough spiritual question? Try Mere Christianity, The Case for Faith, Letters from a Skeptic. Or if you want some serious intellectual stimulation try J.P. Moreland’s Scaling the Secular City. For anything else check out the books written by William Lane Craig (also see his debate with Christopher Hitchens- on youtube) or Josh McDowell. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

4.Lists, Post – Its..
Write it all down! To remember and remind yourself. Write out a list of all the friends you’re going to try to pray for consistently, the friends you’re going to try to reach out to. Put post-its in your locker with big bold letters along the lines of: “JESUS LOVES YOUR FRIENDS TOO” and “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT” and “WHAT IF YOU DIED TOMORROW,” or “WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT….. ??” Things like that. (and I’m only half joking.) Or bible verses. (The Great commission?) Or whatever works for you. Keep yourself reminded. Write things down so that your goals and objectives will be more concrete.

3.Spend!
Be generous. Take your friend out to lunch. Or pay for his school lunch Jesus says in Luke 16 to “use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourself, so that when it is gone you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Really. Generosity can be a powerful testament to the fact that you are in this world but not of it. Be generous in your time as well as your money- I know you would rather practice your guitar, or spend that extra time studying for that class you’re studying in- but always try to prioritize people. If an annoying friend tries to talk to you – be civil, engage, try to be loving.

2.”Don’t Worry. Be Happy.”
Strangely enough, the biblical Christian might have more in common with this laid-back, Bob Marley hippy attitude than you might think. Sometimes reflecting back on the day can be discouraging- seeing all the ways you messed up. Again. Always remember Romans 8- that “in all things (even sin) God works for the good of those who love him.” Trust- in God’s grace, in the work of the Holy Spirit.

1. BE CREATIVE!
Always be looking for new ways to reach out, to serve- creative things you can do that match the gifts God has given you and your unique situation on your campus. Maybe start a weekly after school bible study with a small group of friends. Or ask your small group leader to join you at your lunch hang out spot. Hand out Christian Literature at lunch? Play a Christian song with your band at your school talent show. Start a philosophy club to open up discussions! Walk down your local main street and engage random people in conversations about what they believe. I don’t know. Pray about it- and do something crazy and awesome. You got it.

So these are my ideas! hope they help.

from: http://www.interhigh.org/youth-culture/top-10-ways-to-stay-focused/

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Beautiful

we're all God's beautiful creation!

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Posted in: video

Reason for Everything

26 July 2010

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen! This is the southbound train to San Jose, and this is the Davis stop. We have a packed train today, so please find a seat as soon as possible.

Yes—it sure was crowded indeed, and with three bags and not enough hands, as well as three boys whom I had to keep an eye on, it was a nightmare trying to find seats last Friday on the Amtrak train.

Finally, we found seats at the end of the train and I found myself facing a pleasant looking lady with a binder, backpack, and Greek salad sprawled out about her.

“I’m sorry, but may I sit here?”

“Oh of course!”

And she hastened to make room for me in the seat beside her. After a few seconds, a conversation quickly snow balled and introductions were soon made. I learned that she was a UC Davis student who was traveling home to visit her younger sister for her birthday, and I explained that I was traveling to the Bay Area for my youth group and that my dad was a pastor. Fifteen minutes after leaving Davis, I realized that we were still talking at about 100 miles an hour, and we discovered that we were both extreme extroverts. One topic led to another, until I felt led to ask her:

“May I ask what religion your family practices?”

“Oh, my family is Greek Orthodox, but we’re not very devout even though my whole family has been baptized.”

Our conversation continued to unravel, and we began expounding on the topic of religion, and I found that she had many questions regarding Christianity and life. She began by asking,

“What do you think of the creation of the world? Do you believe in evolution? Or the Big Bang theory? Or a mixture of both?”

“Well, there are two different types of evolution argued by scientists—macro-evolution and micro-evolution. I do not believe in macro-evolution, which is the evolution of entire species forming from another species, like humans from monkeys. However, I believe in micro-evolution, which is the change of characteristics within a given species. I do believe that God the Creator created everything. I do not believe that everything came into existence on accident.”

“Now upon what basis do you believe that?”

“Well, let’s say everything did come from a single amino acid, as many evolutionists claim. Where did that single amino acid come from? It had to have come from somewhere! Furthermore, the factors of which life can exist, for example, the placement of our solar system within the spirals of our galaxy, or the placement of our planet Earth within just our solar system, is so perfectly set for sustaining life that there is no way it could have come about by chance. There are so many different factors that even if one was slightly changed, life could not exist. The number is so great that it is 1 followed by so many zeroes it could cover entire sets of encyclopedias!”

“Yes, that is true…”

“I honestly think that it takes greater faith to believe that life is all an accident and is meaningless than to have faith in a God who created everything and is orchestrating everything behind the scenes.”

“Now that is an interesting statement! Wow….” And here I could just see the clog works of her mind churning and she seemed to be lost in thought. After a few moments, she turned to me again and said,

“So you think that everything is done for a reason? You think God has everything planned? Because then why did God create bad?!? And isn’t God just controlling us like puppets, then?”

“No, God did not create bad.”

“He did—he created Satan, didn’t he?”

“Yes he did, but he did not create bad. He created Satan, but Satan chose to do bad. God creates good things that turn bad. God created us humans to do good, but he also gave us free will and the choice to make out own decisions, which was his ultimate proclamation of love. He didn’t strap us to chairs and tell us what to do. So no, he is not controlling us. Hence the reason why evil continues to exist in the world.”

“Then what do you think is the purpose of life? Why did God even create us if we’re not going to even do what he intended? What is the purpose of going through all the suffering of this world? Why do we have to?”

“Well, let’s say we were all perfect creatures, and we were all just with God in heaven for all eternity, without ever experiencing life here on earth. We didn’t do anything wrong, and we all lived in harmony and glory. God would not have the chance to show us how great his love is for us—we would have no opportunity to come to him, to have a relationship with him, because we wouldn’t need him at all. I believe the purpose of life is to come closer to him through a relationship.”

“Then if God really does love us, why does he allow suffering?” She shared with me how one of her younger sisters had gone through a serious disease several years back which had almost caused her to lose her sister, and the question of her sister’s suffering had troubled her for so long.

“Well, through suffering, we are able to come closer to God. If everything was going fine and dandy, how would we grow closer to him? It is through suffering and pain, we are able to grow and get closer to him. Just as in relationships, hard times evoke the strongest points in relationships in which both grow, so does suffering bring us closer to God. Now, God does not wish pain and suffering upon us. But, he allows it to happen, because he wants what is best for us.”

“Yeah, that is true…” And she explained to me how she realized even within her own family and within her own sister’s life, there had been so much growth and strength which grew from that hard time. She grew silent for a time, and after a few moments turned to me once again and said,

“So then if God knew all this…all this evil was going to happen in the world, then why didn’t he just send Jesus into the world before? Why did he wait so long?”

“Well, God is a merciful God, and in the Old Testament you can see how many times he tried over and over again to bring his people back through prophets like Jonah did for Ninevah. God knew all along that Jesus was going to have to come and save us from our sins, but he still wanted to give us a chance. But, in his perfect timing and will, his plan unfolded.”

“So you think there is a reason for everything? You really think there has been a plan all along? Because I have a really hard time believing that all things—all aspects of life past and present relate together.”

“Yes, I do. I think we all have an omnipotent, omniscient, and loving God who has a master plan in which we all fit.”

“Yeah, I guess….like I think this talk with you was planned. See, I just barely missed the earlier train…by one minute. If I had made it onto that train, I wouldn’t be here right now talking to you…” she chuckled, “Maybe he wanted me to talk to you today…”

Wow! Hearing her say that blew my own mind away! The fact was I had almost gone on the next later train to the Bay Area, and if I had, I would not be sitting there in Car 1 of the southbound train talking to this precious soul. And it hit me so afresh that, wow, God really does have a reason for everything!

By that time, we had reached her final destination, and as she prepared to leave, I gave her a resource which I myself found very helpful—a lecture by Rob Bell called “Everything Is Spiritual” which I hoped would help her understand the supremacy and sovereignty of God in our world and how much he desires that in our lives. As she left the train, I silently prayed for this precious creation of God to open her heart and engage in a personal relationship with the Creator God of the universe who loved her so much!

As I sat back and breathed deeply after such a long conversation (well over an hour!), I was so thankful for the kind of training I have received through Interhigh and other worldview and apologetics training!! I also could not helping thinking what a great God we serve—a God who can use even the young to further His Kingdom and who is a faithful God in control of all things.

Soli Deo gloria!

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

from:: http://www.interhigh.org/worldview/reason-for-everything/

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No Harvesting

While the teens are at Mission Camp, the teachers aren't "Harvest"-ing.

Kind of sad.

I think this the first time since, I can't remember when, we've broken the tradition OG-COD started of going to Harvest Crusades every year.

Greg... I'll miss you this year. But in all honesty... to me... it was never about you.

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Posted in: harvestcrusade cod tradition