Source SM Recap: Volume #29

Current Series: Facebook OfficialTitle: “Happily Ever After” Main Thought: When we become obsessed with relationships, we lose sight of who we are. The Word: Judges 13-16, Proverbs 4:23

Message Explanation: Obsessed. You create the best online profile that people will find attractive. That one person notices you. You are so excited that they noticed you! Just to help us understand this more, let’s watch a clip on this idea of living. “happily ever after!”

We lose sight of ourselves when our worth is tied to how many relationships we have – especially of the opposite sex. God has given us our own unique identity – many times we look at other people to define ourselves. Sometimes we are looking for someone to “complete” us. Jesus is the only person who can make us whole.

Tonight, we are going to dive into a love story that is an obsession story. We are going to take a look at the strongest man who ever lived. He had incredible physical strength!  He was the top dog! The story is found in the book of Judges. During this time of history, the Israelites were grouped together and were led by “Judges,” who helped take care of the people (Judges 13:2-5, Judges 13:24-25).

 There were three conditions a Nazirite had to observe:

1) He could not touch a dead body of any kind. 2) He was not allowed to drink wine or strong drink, or even to have any contact with the fruit of the vine. 3) He was to let his hair grow long.

Samson was called by God to DELIVER the Israelite people from the Philistines. He was a beast!

What was Samson’s weakness?

Judges 14:1-3: One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.”

3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?”

But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” But Samson has a problem—he just can’t stay away from the ladies, and not just any ladies, but women who were not right for him, that were keeping him from what God had in store for him.

 Samson’s Strength was OUTWARD

a. He killed a lion with his bare hands. b. He single-handedly killed thirty Philistines. c. He killed one thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.

 Judges 16:4-5: Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.

Judges 16:15-16: “Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” 16 She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.

Samson was WEAK on the inside.

a.   He was WEAK on the inside b.  Delilah’s name is literally: “weakness” 

Delilah wanted to know the source of his strength. Samson basically led her on and wouldn’t tell her the truth. Samson’s strength was in his hair, in the fact that he never cut it—which was part of the Nazirite vow, the vow the angel of the Lord had said would set Samson apart. He became infatuated with a woman named Delilah, who betrayed the secret of his strength to the Philistines (Judges 16:4-20).

Three things were wrong about this relationship:

1)  He cared nothing for this girl as a person. He simply saw her and wanted her. 2)  God had commanded that they were not to intermarry with unbelievers. But Samson did not care! He saw the girl and he wanted her. 3)  He disobeyed his parents.

How do you date and who you date affects your future:

 1.   Guard your heart

 Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.”

 Obsession leads to an absence of wisdom

Do they love Jesus with all their heart? Do he/she honor me or use me? Does this relationship bring glory to God?

The person you marry is the second largest decision of life!

 2.   Give your heart to serve Christ

The Landing: Always keep your relationship with God above every other relationship. We are all like Samson. We have power of God in our lives as Christ followers. But, when we become focused upon ourselves, we lose sight of our identity in Him.

Element of Fun: We showed a video called, “Princess Vlog." It depicts the epitome of obsession.

Music: You Deserve, Praise Him, One Thing Remains, Faithful One (closing).

Favorite Moment: Leading a student to Jesus that another student invited and asked for us to all sit and talk. It is a blessing to see students ministering to students.

What’s Next: We will finish the new series, “Facebook Official” as we talk about God's plan for sex.

Abandon Weekend 2013 Recap!

What do you get when 500 students and leaders join together to serve God together?

Life change. 

We finished a great weekend serving the community with over 500+ students from churches in the area! I love partnering with other groups and serving together. Our purpose at Abandon weekend was simply to be the hands and feet of Christ.

I'm grateful for other student leaders who didn't just plan another "get-together" but instead led students out on mission for Christ. If we only tell students how to serve God and never put it into action, I believe we stunt their spiritual growth.

Students learned to serve with all of their heart. Students responded to Christ.

What an amazing weekend!

We were excited to see that the Ocala Star Banner covered the story and shared it with the community.

Source SM Recap: Volume # 28

Current Series: Facebook OfficialTitle: “Relationship Status Update” Main Thought: The reality of what is inside a person is more important than what we see on the outside. The Word: Genesis 2:18-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Proverbs 5:1-5

Message Explanation: We all face pressure, especially with our RELATIONSHIP STATUS. What happens on the inside is more important that what is on the outside.

Let’s go to the beginning as we discover what the Word says about relationships: 

Genesis 2:18: Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Genesis 2:21-23: So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone,
and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’
because she was taken from ‘man.’”

“woman (WO-MAN!) is “isha” means she had her source in him.

Why do unhealthy relationships form?

Focused on lust not love. Love waits. Lust takes. As guys we have a built in desire to be conquerors and to “save the damsel in distress!”

 Guys need respect and struggle with insecurity. We look confident but under the exterior but want to measure up. “Mr. Confident and good looking is usually the most insecure!”

 Guys are visually driven. We want what we see, what we find so attractive in a person, to be a reflection of the entire person.

Proverbs 5:1-5: “My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen carefully to my wise counsel. 2 Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you’ve learned. 3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
and her mouth is smoother than oil. 4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword. 5  Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.6  For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.”

Why do unhealthy relationships form?

- Dating like you are married. Girls are emotionally driven. Girls will lie to themselves that “this guy will change.” Acting married shows up in how they talk, act and spend time. It creates an “ownership” mentality that is only meant for covenant marriage relationship.

Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”

Truth: Inappropriate intimacy now will affect future intimacy with your future spouse.

There is no perfect relationship, but through Jesus’ power we can have lasting relationships. Here’s the truth: If you look at the opposite sex the way Christ teaches, you will learn how to make them last.

How to build boundaries in dating:  

1.  Know Your BOTTOM-LINE! (How far is too far vs. what’s best for future) 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4: God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.”

2. Communicate Your STANDARDS!

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.” Job 31:1 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23

 3.  Avoid COMPROMISING SITUATIONS! 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8: “God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

4. Get OUT when Necessary

What can you do to fight the temptation to settle only for what you see instead of what is going on beneath the surface?

To love Christ above everything and anyone. Matthew 22:37-39: ^“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

How would you define the relationships in your life? Are you obedient to Christ and His Word? Are your relationships under Christ’s control?

Element of Fun: We showed a video called, “Guys to Avoid” as an illustration to show that we need to focus on what is inside and not what is on the outside.

Music: Praise Him, Forever Reign, Revelation Song, Only to You, All I Need  is You.

Favorite Moment: Students sharing they want to fall more in love with Jesus during this stage of life and prepare for dating for marriage later.

What’s Next: We will continue the new series, “Facebook Official” as we talk about the whole idea of living, "happily ever after."