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WWW.LIFEWAY.COM<br />
july 2009 // U.S.A. $2.95
July<br />
09<br />
ec magazine contents<br />
volume 15 • number 4 / ecmagazine.blogspot.com<br />
“The work of Jesus was not a new set of ideals<br />
or principles for reforming or even revolutionizing society,<br />
but the establishment of a new community,<br />
a people that embodied forgiveness,<br />
sharing and self-sacrificing love in its rituals and discipline.<br />
In that sense, the visible church is not<br />
to be the bearer of Christ’s message, but to be the message.”<br />
—Stanley Hauerwas<br />
6 famous trios<br />
throughout<br />
history<br />
by ec staff<br />
check out all the famous trios we<br />
dug up just for you!<br />
8 What’s the deal<br />
with devotions?<br />
by Mandy Crow<br />
confused about ec’s devotions?<br />
Here’s your guide!<br />
16 finding God in<br />
american History<br />
by jerry Faught<br />
Faith is part of the history and<br />
traditions of America. Investigate<br />
its impact in this story.<br />
30 community Q&A<br />
by Jennifer Denning<br />
meet Nick, a teen in North Carolina<br />
who’s striving to live according to<br />
God’s idea of community.<br />
40 Indescribable<br />
<br />
by michael cummings<br />
Confused about the concept of<br />
God’s three parts? So were we<br />
until we read this.<br />
4 5 Summer Movie<br />
Madness<br />
by ec Staff<br />
Want to wow your friends with your<br />
movie knowledge? Here’s how.<br />
4 6 Summer fun<br />
by Hannah Wakefield<br />
From roller coasters to beaches,<br />
we’re here to help you beat<br />
summer boredom.<br />
56 Modesty for girls<br />
AND guys<br />
by jen mCcaman/will Snipes<br />
this his-and-hers article will show<br />
you that modesty is about more<br />
than dressing like a grandma or<br />
trying to keep your thoughts pure.<br />
60 Second chances<br />
by Amber mushegan<br />
god forgives freely. Do you?<br />
Read this article to find out why<br />
forgiveness is so important.<br />
26 Living in Community<br />
by Jennifer Denning<br />
We were created to live in community because it’s a reflection of the<br />
character of God. Do you?<br />
This month's student contributors:<br />
A big thank you to Austin Simmons, Kendra Stahl, Laura Cole, Morgan Mikulencak, Aimee Osborn,<br />
Hannah Kirchner, Will Johnston, Lerinda Baham, Lotti Bublitz, D.D. Smith, Chelsea Csuvilla, Jonathan<br />
Cants, Chris Vasquez, Elias Hernandez, Abby Jones, Mallory Crayne, Lacie Lane, Rebekah Kissinger,<br />
Abbie Garner, Maria Morslender, Zephaniah Pilcher, Kaitlyn Turvaville, Kelsey Powell, Kaylen O’Neal,<br />
Paige Stout, Shiane Roten, Cordeija Carter, Danielle Fink, Lady Tatum, Justin Vogtsberger, Kayla Drew,<br />
Kristi Phillips, and Chris Dupree. Thanks for making us your FUGE track time!<br />
cover photo: Scott Greenwalt / makeup: Mary Elizabeth Long<br />
ec magazine jul 2009 | 3
departments<br />
volume 15 • number 4 / ecmagazine.blogspot.com<br />
July<br />
09<br />
1 Contents<br />
3 writer's block<br />
4 Statements<br />
you said it; we printed it.<br />
4 Q u e s t i o n<br />
of the Month<br />
5 The connection<br />
by Chansin bird<br />
Intentional community is never<br />
boring. Get Josh’s perspective on it.<br />
9 Father<br />
Devotions: Week of July 5<br />
by Kaylan Christopher<br />
god wants you to know Him as a<br />
loving Father.<br />
15 Life:Essentials<br />
Take a break, then learn about<br />
improving your soccer skills.<br />
19 His Father’s Son<br />
Devotions: Week of July 12<br />
by David Burnette<br />
He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.<br />
Trust Him.<br />
.<br />
2 5 Fun:Miscellaneous<br />
read this for everything random<br />
and July-related you ever wanted to<br />
know!<br />
31 Counselor<br />
Devotions: Week of July 19<br />
by Amy Keys<br />
you are not alone, no matter how<br />
often you feel that way.<br />
37 In Your own words<br />
“Forever Friend,” a student poem<br />
by Sheryl Pang<br />
38 S n i p p e t s<br />
& Soundbites<br />
Goofy information to brighten your<br />
day: doughnuts, the world’s longest<br />
ear hair, and wedgies used to fight<br />
crime!<br />
43 Campus Connection<br />
by Maria Nuguid<br />
Use ec’s weekly devotion themes to<br />
lead a Bible study on the Trinity with<br />
these helpful tips.<br />
48 f i n d i n g c o m m u n i t y<br />
in CHile<br />
by chansin bird<br />
god is all about community among<br />
His believers all over the world!<br />
49 M y s t e r y<br />
Devotions: Week of July 26<br />
by Randy Fields<br />
learn more about how God loves you<br />
in three Persons.<br />
55 Mk Corner<br />
By Ashley Brents<br />
ashley loves the Japanese in Jesus’<br />
name.<br />
62 Mandisa on Modesty<br />
by Tifany Borgelt<br />
Get Mandisa’s take on modesty in the<br />
spotlight.<br />
63 music connection<br />
by Kevin Sparkman<br />
Read reviews of a few recent<br />
album releases you need to hear.<br />
64 The Parting Shot<br />
Don’t forget the final five!<br />
essential connection<br />
Production & Ministry Team<br />
editorial Project Leader Mike Wakefield<br />
content Editor Mandy Crow<br />
production Editor Emily Cole<br />
graphic designer Jen Showalter<br />
Student Ministry Specialist<br />
Sherry Spillman<br />
National Student Ministry Leader<br />
Paul Turner<br />
Send questions or comments to:<br />
Mandy Crow, Editor<br />
One LifeWay Plaza<br />
Nashville, TN 37234 0174<br />
or ec@lifeway.com<br />
Management Personnel<br />
Senior Director,<br />
Student Ministry Publishing Jimmy Hester<br />
Director,<br />
Student Ministry Scott Stevens<br />
Director, Publishing,<br />
LifeWay Church Resources Gary H. Hauk<br />
Advertising<br />
One Lifeway Plaza Msn 136 • Nashville, Tn 37234<br />
phone (615) 251-2289 / fax (615) 251-2039<br />
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director, magazine advertising & circulation<br />
Rhonda Edge Buescher<br />
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Printed in the United States of America<br />
essential connection, JULY 2009, (ISSN 1078-<br />
2788; Item 005075081) is published monthly by<br />
LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern<br />
Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza,<br />
Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President.<br />
© 2009 LifeWay Christian Resources of the<br />
Southern Baptist Convention. For inquiries,<br />
visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Church<br />
Resources Customer Service at the above<br />
address. For subscriptions or subscription<br />
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Annual individual or gift subscription, $24.95.<br />
Bulk orders shipped to one address when<br />
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To investigate the possibility of advertising in<br />
essential connection, visit www.lifeway.com/<br />
magazines.<br />
Advertisement Disclaimer: This magazine includes<br />
paid advertisements for some products<br />
and services not affiliated with LifeWay. The<br />
inclusion of the paid advertisements does not<br />
constitute an endorsement by LifeWay Christian<br />
Resources of the products or services.<br />
All Scripture quotations are taken from the<br />
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® , copyright<br />
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible<br />
Publishers. Used by permission.<br />
Do you really KNOW God?<br />
Take a look at the plan of salvation<br />
Know God. To be sure you are going to<br />
heaven, it is essential that you know God<br />
in a personal relationship. Without this<br />
relationship, you are completely separated<br />
from Him (Rom. 3:23; 6:23).<br />
Name jesus as your lord and<br />
savior. You must believe that Jesus is who<br />
He said He is—God’s Son. As the perfect, sinless<br />
Son of God, only Jesus can forgive your<br />
sin (Rom. 10:9-10).<br />
Writer's Block<br />
Community.<br />
I grew up in a small town in a simple house with one brother.<br />
I didn’t have to share a room with anyone. My brother and I shared a bathroom, but<br />
it was big and had two sinks. If someone in the family was being overly annoying,<br />
you could find solace and privacy in your room, in the basement, or somewhere else<br />
where no one would bother you. That was my idea of perfect community. No one was<br />
really messing up my stuff; I didn’t have to share, at least not all that much; and my<br />
brother mostly kept his mess contained in his room.<br />
Then, I went to college. Suddenly, I was sharing the world’s tiniest room with<br />
a girl I’d never met who was even more shy than me. She was neat and a good<br />
roommate, but living with her was an experience. I didn’t always get to watch what<br />
I wanted on TV. I couldn’t invite my friends over whenever I wanted. I sometimes<br />
had to be a friend when all I wanted to do was curl up on my bed and think about<br />
my problems. I had to share a bathroom with girls who weren’t so great at cleaning<br />
up after themselves, and the guys down the hall often woke me up in the wee hours<br />
of the morning playing some crazy hallway game they’d dreamed up. It was crazy; it<br />
was chaotic; it was community.<br />
And you’ve probably noticed that community is the big theme of this month’s<br />
issue of ec magazine. That’s because God Himself is community. He is God in<br />
three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And if community is such<br />
an integral part of who He is, shouldn’t it be a vital part of the way we live? The New<br />
Testament is very clear: Jesus called us to be a community of believers who live life<br />
completely differently from everyone else. Christ followers are to be known for their<br />
crazy love, their radical forgiveness, and their desire to live lives that don’t blot out<br />
His light. Jesus has called us to live as a community of believers, broken and needy as<br />
we are, to display His love and His glory to the world.<br />
You’ll learn more of what that means in Jennifer Denning’s story, “Living in<br />
Community” on page 26 and the profiles on pages 30 and 48. Confused about the<br />
Trinity? Read Michael Cummings’ story on page 40. Wondering why forgiveness is<br />
such a big deal? Check out Amber Mushegan’s article, “Second Chances,” on page<br />
60. Dig deep into the truths of God’s Word this month, learning to relate to Him as<br />
Father, Son, and Spirit. Let go and understand that not understanding everything<br />
is OK. God is big enough, good enough, and awesome enough to handle anything<br />
we can throw at Him. Let go this month. Let Him show you what it means to live in<br />
community with Him, with other believers, and with the world.<br />
Own up to your sin. Take personal<br />
responsibility for your sin and confess it to<br />
God. He will hear your prayer and forgive<br />
you of your sin. Forgiveness is a free gift<br />
—all you have to do is ask (Rom. 6:23; Eph.<br />
2:8-9; 1 John 1:9-10).<br />
Walk a different direction. The Bible<br />
calls this turning away from your sinful<br />
choices repentance. To repent really just<br />
means to go in a different direction. As a<br />
Christian, you will want to live differently<br />
(Luke 13:3; Eph. 5:8).<br />
4 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 5
Statements<br />
Have something to say? Send us an e-mail at ec@lifeway.com, write ec letters at One Lifeway<br />
Plaza MSN 174, Nashville, TN 37234-0174, or stop by ecmagazine.blogspot.com.<br />
Reader wants to share<br />
her talent<br />
I have a few poems that I would like<br />
you to read, but I don’t know how to<br />
message them to you. I just started<br />
out on Facebook today. My dream<br />
is to have a poem featured in the<br />
magazine.<br />
Lindsay on Facebook<br />
(Lindsay, thanks for finding ec’s fan<br />
page on Facebook and taking the<br />
time to write on our wall. We would<br />
love to read your poetry. Getting<br />
it to us is actually pretty easy. You<br />
can e-mail us at ec@lifeway.com<br />
or godlifefun@gmail.com. If you’d<br />
rather send us hard copies and use<br />
the U.S. Postal Service, just send the<br />
Overheard<br />
poems to Mandy Crow, One LifeWay<br />
Plaza, MSN 174,Nashville, TN 37234.<br />
Include your contact info when you<br />
send us the poems, including your<br />
mailing address. If we like your work<br />
and decide to use it in an issue of ec,<br />
we’ll send you a letter and other information<br />
in the mail. Keep writing, and<br />
please, share your talents with us!)<br />
Fan offers article ideas<br />
I don’t want to sound like a wannabe,<br />
but the blog you posted about my<br />
problem [with anxiety] was so helpful.<br />
My friends thought it was great,<br />
and we were wondering if you would<br />
do some article about that topic for<br />
people who read the mag but don’t<br />
have Facebook. I want everyone who<br />
has this problem to have inspiration<br />
to keep going with this wonderful<br />
advice. Thanks so much!<br />
Madison on Facebook<br />
(ec: We are so humbled that you<br />
turned to us for advice about dealing<br />
with anxiety and that the post we<br />
put on the blog featuring Scripture<br />
passages spoke truth into your life.<br />
It’s humbling to be used by God!<br />
Your idea about doing an article in<br />
an upcoming issue of ec is a good<br />
one. We’re currently planning several<br />
months in advance and always want<br />
to include articles about stuff you’re<br />
actually dealing with. So let us know<br />
if you have more ideas for articles,<br />
because we crave your input!)<br />
just in from the Facebook fan page:<br />
<br />
“I love your magazines! Our church orders them<br />
every month, and they inspire me.” —Nikki<br />
<br />
“Are you sure that’s the right address because<br />
I would really like to know that Web site.”<br />
—Michaela*<br />
things we wonder about: “I love the new cover and<br />
everything in it!” —Jennifer, on Facebook<br />
*Michaela’s right, guys! On page 5 of the March issue, we printed a Web address that no<br />
longer works. We’re trying to find out what happened to www.thirstnomore.org. Sorry!<br />
Question of<br />
the Month<br />
What’s your favorite<br />
way to serve other<br />
people?<br />
“I like just to be their friend and<br />
then when they need someone<br />
I am the first one to give them<br />
some help. ”<br />
Rebekah, on ec’s facebook<br />
fan page<br />
“My favorite ways to serve others<br />
is just random acts of kindness!<br />
They’re so much fun and people<br />
don’t expect them, so I love<br />
seeing their faces when I do a<br />
random act [of kindness] for<br />
them!”<br />
Anna, on Ec’s Facebook Fan<br />
Page<br />
“By helping with anything I can<br />
do.”<br />
Clayton, on ec’s facebook<br />
fan page<br />
Read more answers at:<br />
http://cli.gs/S5LShn<br />
Next month’s question:<br />
What’s the worst<br />
assignment you’ve ever<br />
gotten at school?<br />
So just what are you thinking? Here at ec<br />
magazine, we want to know. Each month<br />
you’ll find a question we want your input<br />
about. So check it out and e-mail us with<br />
your thoughts! We can’t wait to hear from<br />
you!<br />
© istockphoto / Scott Griessel<br />
Living<br />
the Truth<br />
God is Three. Three in One. The<br />
Father loves the Son who loves the<br />
Holy Spirit. There is a relationship<br />
involved. We, created in God’s<br />
image, have been made relational<br />
beings as well. We were made to<br />
connect not only with God, but with<br />
other people.<br />
Just the Facts<br />
Josh Corlew cares a great deal about living in<br />
rich, soul-satisfying community with others.<br />
He isn’t famous, and he doesn’t have all the<br />
answers. But he’s trying to take Jesus’ words seriously,<br />
and he has experienced a different way<br />
of living because of it. For one year Josh lived<br />
with two families and two other single guys.<br />
The nine of them shared the space of half of a<br />
quad-plex. It wasn’t very roomy. They each came<br />
Word study<br />
Trinity. A word meaning<br />
threefold; the way we<br />
have chosen to refer to the<br />
relationship between God<br />
the Father, Jesus the Son,<br />
and God the Spirit. The word<br />
does not appear explicitly<br />
in Scripture, but the concept<br />
is clear. The Trinity is<br />
difficult to understand, but<br />
at its very core it helps us to<br />
understand that God loves<br />
community and wants to<br />
relate to us through relationship<br />
rather than religion.<br />
god the connection<br />
from wealthy backgrounds but chose to live as a<br />
racial minority in a low-income neighborhood.<br />
Why?<br />
“I used to live according to what most people<br />
consider the American dream. I aimed for a<br />
high-paying career so I could have my own<br />
place and complete control over my surroundings.<br />
I spent all my time and money in ways<br />
that were self-indulgent.”<br />
Though that’s the way many people live,<br />
Josh realized it wasn’t in line with his faith.<br />
He’d been living a decent Christian life by most<br />
standards, but when he examined himself, he<br />
wasn’t pleased. Investing everything into himself<br />
just left him empty.<br />
So Josh and some other people decided to<br />
find a house, move in together, and share everything,<br />
similar to what the early Christians did<br />
in the Book of Acts.<br />
“Can you really put nine people together in<br />
that small of a place and still love each other<br />
and call yourself Christian at the end of it? The<br />
answer was a resounding yes. Spiritually, I grew<br />
the quickest and most I’d ever grown.”<br />
They didn’t have to plan a worship service or<br />
Bible study meetings. Around the dinner table,<br />
conversation would naturally turn to Scripture<br />
and how it related to life. Living with people<br />
who cared about God, love, and their neighbors<br />
motivated Josh to embrace a radical faith.<br />
“I’m effective in my walk if I’m with people<br />
doing the same thing. For me to really grow, I<br />
have found that I need the constant interaction<br />
with other people who are also trying to live out<br />
their faith. Left to my own, I sit back and ignore<br />
all the problems that are around me.” <br />
What about you?<br />
getting started • By chansin bird<br />
◼ Are there people in your life with whom you can<br />
be completely honest and who will be honest with<br />
you? How might you foster such a relationship?<br />
◼ Think of someone you admire who has a strong love<br />
for others. How is that person living out his/her<br />
faith, and what can you do to follow the example?<br />
◼ Do you know what Jesus said about loving other<br />
people? Look through the Gospels for examples.<br />
◼ How have you watered down God’s Word with<br />
excuses and rationalization? What changes will you<br />
allow God to make in your life this week?<br />
Read<br />
The Irresistible<br />
Revolution:<br />
Living as an<br />
Ordinary Radical<br />
Shane Claiborne<br />
(Zondervan, 2006)<br />
“Seeing Claiborne’s<br />
interpretation of<br />
Scripture . . . and of<br />
the current inclination<br />
of Christianity<br />
in America was<br />
encouraging and<br />
convicting.” Josh<br />
Browse<br />
⊲www.rebaplace<br />
fellowship.org,<br />
⊲www.thesimple<br />
way.org, and<br />
⊲www.churchofthe<br />
sojourners.org<br />
All of these are Web<br />
sites of organized<br />
intentional Christian<br />
communities.<br />
Listen<br />
Mockingbird<br />
Derek Webb (INO<br />
Records, 2005)<br />
“He is one of the most<br />
prophetic musical<br />
artists I’ve ever<br />
heard. It is about<br />
re envisioning the<br />
Church.” Josh<br />
Send us your answers! Find us on Facebook<br />
6 | jul 2009 ec magazine<br />
or visit ecmagazine.blogspot.com.<br />
ec magazine jul 2009 | 7
8<br />
famous trios<br />
throughout history<br />
by the ec staff<br />
all illustrations © istockphoto<br />
Three. It may not seem like<br />
that important of a number, but<br />
there sure are a lot of good (or<br />
at least interesting) things that<br />
come in threes. And since you’ll<br />
be learning about the Trinity in<br />
this month’s devos, we thought<br />
we’d kick the month off with<br />
a lighthearted look at some<br />
famous trios.<br />
The Jonas Brothers<br />
(Kevin, Joe, and Nick)<br />
Three Little Pigs<br />
Three Stooges<br />
(Larry, Moe, and Shemp—and sometimes Curly)<br />
Three Wise Men<br />
The Three Musketeers<br />
(Athos, Porthos, & Aramis)<br />
Three Blind Mice<br />
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod<br />
Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato<br />
The Three Amigos<br />
Stop, Drop, and Roll<br />
Snap, Crackle, Pop<br />
Huey, Duey, and Luey<br />
Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria<br />
Past, Present, and Future<br />
The Three Tenors<br />
(Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti)<br />
8 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 9
ea h me Y ur wa s!<br />
0 | j L 2 09 ec ma az n e<br />
to b ne r t em?<br />
ace o God nd i e?<br />
JoHn 6 27 28<br />
EpHE i nS 1 3 14<br />
Hi i pi nS 3 1 - 1<br />
pSA m 6 : -3<br />
m ttH w 6 3 - 3<br />
H brEwS 1 6<br />
4 | j l 2 09 ec ma az n e<br />
o k ow G d t e F t e in n<br />
n i a e r l t ns p ou a e<br />
o s en t me w h H m and<br />
k ow w a ’ i po t n to im<br />
O e wa to o ha i to e d<br />
H s W rd O r s g e t o s<br />
w l h l yo r ad h ou h he<br />
B b e n a ear<br />
• E ra 1 N hem ah 6<br />
• A ts 1 7<br />
What’s the deal<br />
with devotions?<br />
By Mandy Crow<br />
Sometimes, honestly, it<br />
irks the ec staff when we<br />
hear ec referred to simply<br />
as a devotional magazine.<br />
Not because it isn’t, but<br />
because we’ve worked very<br />
hard to make it more—it’s<br />
a magazine for your whole<br />
life, we say. We make<br />
sure ec includes articles<br />
and information to guide<br />
you along this journey of<br />
faith, along with the daily<br />
devotions.<br />
But the point of ec magazine—if we<br />
had to pick just one—is to help you start<br />
and develop a deeper relationship with<br />
Christ. If we put out an issue of the<br />
magazine that didn’t encourage you to<br />
dig into God’s Word and experience His<br />
still, small voice for yourself, would we<br />
be doing anything worthwhile?<br />
Scripture is one of the ways God<br />
has chosen to speak to us, urge us to<br />
action, and show us what it means to<br />
live holy lives. The Bible changes lives<br />
because it is God’s Word. It is truth. And<br />
we want our readers to dig deep into<br />
Scripture—to read it for yourselves and<br />
let it change your lives. We can’t do that<br />
for you, but we can give you devotions<br />
that guide you in that pursuit.<br />
And if ec magazine can be a part of<br />
helping just one of you have a deeper<br />
relationship with God, we want to!<br />
So, maybe you’re ready to dig into<br />
Scripture and find out what God has to<br />
say to you. Maybe you want to use ec to<br />
help you do that. Well, then this is the<br />
article for you!<br />
First of all, we at ec urge you to<br />
set aside some time each day that is<br />
devoted solely to reading Scripture and<br />
prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you<br />
understand God’s Word. Let God speak<br />
to you through the Bible and show you<br />
how to take the truths you learn and put<br />
them into practice in your life.<br />
As someone who didn’t get the<br />
importance of daily Scripture reading<br />
until college, I can at<strong>test</strong> to you that this<br />
is vital. Don’t depend on your student<br />
minister, your pastor, your parents, or<br />
anyone else to tell you what Scripture<br />
says. Read it. Study it. Think about it.<br />
The Bible has something to say about<br />
your daily life. Let the truth of Scripture<br />
take root in your heart now while you’re<br />
young and let it guide your steps. That<br />
way, you won’t look back on blessings<br />
you missed because you didn’t take the<br />
time to read God’s Word and hear what<br />
He had to say.<br />
Next let’s talk about the basics.<br />
Understand that ec’s devos are<br />
arranged by week and start on Sundays.<br />
Therefore, the first week of devotions<br />
begins on<br />
the first<br />
☞<br />
Sunday of<br />
the month,<br />
whether it<br />
falls on the<br />
first day<br />
or not. The<br />
previous<br />
month’s issue will take care of the daily<br />
devos for the first week of the month in<br />
such cases.<br />
Also know that all of ec’s devotions<br />
are now dated and there are devotions<br />
or application of Scripture for each<br />
day of the<br />
month. Our<br />
reading<br />
plan for<br />
each<br />
week is<br />
simple. You<br />
read the<br />
Weekend<br />
devotion<br />
on Sunday<br />
and read<br />
and think<br />
U<br />
1<br />
Weekend > 7/5<br />
teach me<br />
Your W a y s<br />
Moses sa d to the Lord<br />
Look You have to d me<br />
Lead th s people up but<br />
You have not l t me know<br />
whom You w ll end wi h<br />
me You sa d know you<br />
by name and you have<br />
a so found favor n My<br />
ight —Exodus 33: 2<br />
R ad ex dus 3 12 7<br />
ve you e eR gone h ou h<br />
a m z ? I s c nf s ng It<br />
au es ou to sk W er do I o<br />
n w? nd W o kn ws he way u ?<br />
t s fu l f un xp c ed wi ts u ns<br />
nd s r r se ar und v ry c r er<br />
The l er we et he mo e<br />
on u i g God way and fe s<br />
o r ey b com s Our ea ch or w o<br />
He i and w at He an s us o do an<br />
som t mes eem i e a ma e We ave<br />
qu s i ns so we m ke a d c s on nd<br />
ch o e a pa h to o ow W f nd ho e<br />
an we s a ou d t e co n r ut un<br />
i to no h r f rk n t e pa h wh re<br />
mo e qu s i ns a a t nd so n<br />
n er od y s S r p ur pa sa e<br />
E en wh n he d dn un er tand<br />
G d s wa s M se s i l u re d ed<br />
a d so gh God ut s y ng P e se<br />
Th s s t e s me k nd o pr ye we<br />
eed o p ay d i y E ch d y p es n s<br />
a ew tw t or u n n un am l r<br />
a h to o l w a ew de i on to<br />
m ke Don you w nt o kn w th t<br />
he er on w o knows t e way<br />
th ou h t e maz is u d ng y ur<br />
s ep ? F r H m o t a h you H s w ys<br />
you ave o a t a ly now H m<br />
Ma y pe p e don kn w od<br />
be au e hey ren se k ng H m or<br />
s en in t me w th H m ev ry ay<br />
The ma e o seek ng H m may<br />
s em ov rw e mi g at im s but e<br />
s no un t a na le r u kno ab e<br />
He es es o ha e a de p u he t c<br />
re at o s ip w h you one n wh h<br />
ou w l se k H m nd s y S ow me<br />
our w ys a d I w l f l ow!<br />
H<br />
Monday > 7/6<br />
God wants to know you.<br />
T<br />
k<br />
h nk ba k to when y u w e a k d o you emem er he im s y ur<br />
d d r nd a her a e ch r or ome o h r ma e f g re n y ur i e wa ed<br />
n o a oom? l be some f hem c r i d a ce t in u ho i y a d p es nce i h<br />
th m w ev r t ey w nt D d you a e re p ct or ho e p op e? id ou wa t<br />
Re d th ou h ex dus 3 18 23 nd c re u l co s der e se 19<br />
W at o yo th n Mos s me nt w en e a ked od o sh w H s g o y?<br />
W y i i th t h co l n t ee he<br />
He sa d w l cause l My<br />
goodne s to pass n f ont of<br />
o you v r d s re o eel t e<br />
r se ce f F t er od mo e?<br />
h nk ac on he men ou e<br />
e p c ed o had c os bo d wi h<br />
in fe Do ou h nk od d s r s o<br />
ha e a c o e i t ma e e a i n h p<br />
wi h u as H s h dr n?<br />
M se wan ed o f l y k ow God nd pe t me n H s g o i us p e en e n<br />
o ay s cr p u e pa s ge Mo es r l t on h p w th G d appea s v al nd<br />
n ma e M ses e med o be v ry omf r ab e w th od so mu h t at e<br />
s mp y as ed G d t e qu s i n he d b en d i g to ask to ee G d s g o y God<br />
d dn t h de r m M s s or g ore i re ue t He a sw red M se and ho e to<br />
ho or Mo es equ st b t n H s own w y and n H s own me<br />
T e po nt? G d de i es o h ve an n ma e re a on h p w th you e wan s<br />
to i p ay H s lo y as mu h as ou an h nd e and l ow y u to now mo e<br />
and m re f H s c ar c er T i k ab ut t ke t i : G d ori i a ly r a ed he<br />
r l t o sh p b tw en a at er nd h s h ld o be a eep on ec on Some<br />
of ou ave he i d of ad t at ou n w x er e ce ha k nd o co ne t on<br />
w th a d ot e s of ou d n t No ma t r wha k nd o dad ou h ve God he<br />
F t er d s r s t sh w im e f c e r y o you He w nt to now y u i t ma e y<br />
a d ha e t e k nd o r l t on h p w th ou t at a a he has w th h s n or<br />
d ug t r But ou h ve o be w l ng<br />
you nd w l proc a m the<br />
name Yahweh efo e you<br />
I wi l be g ac ous to whom<br />
I wi l be g ac ous nd w l<br />
have omp ss on on whom<br />
I w l h ve comp ss on<br />
—Exodus 3 19<br />
about the Monday through Friday<br />
devotions on their respective days.<br />
How is<br />
God like<br />
a Father<br />
in your<br />
l i f e?<br />
Then comes the journal page. This<br />
is intentional. We’ve given you a lot to<br />
consider during your weekly devotions,<br />
and we don’t want to do anything that<br />
encourages<br />
journal Week of july 5<br />
f a t h e r<br />
Known > 7/11<br />
n h s we k s de oti ns y u ve s u i d who G d i as at er t s t e way<br />
He as cho en o r l te o us a d He c ls a h one f us n o a F t er<br />
h ld e a i ns ip i h H m B t wh t do s hat m an And ow do s t<br />
a f c yo r da y i e? et ta e t i week de o i ns a t le eepe :<br />
h nk bou yo r G d as F t er nd wh t we e l ar ed bou H s<br />
h a t r Do y u be eve e i l v ng mer fu and omp ss o ate?<br />
W y or w y no ? W i e do n some m re ha a t r s i s hat ou now<br />
o be ru of G d t e F th r Now ch o e to e i ve t a ou Him<br />
A e th e t in s n yo r i e hat ou eed o c n es to our a he so<br />
t at e can o g ve ou Are ou ea y to u r nd r yo r i e o H m n<br />
ob d en e a d t us ? Som t mes h s s a d i y d c s on )<br />
Mak a l st W at re ome s e i i way you an pur ue G d t day<br />
th s w ek t is mon h nd h s y ar Star s mp e ra th s i ht ow:<br />
God ea h me Y ur w ys<br />
Going<br />
Deeper<br />
To ig ee er n o who G d<br />
t e Fa h r i and ow to<br />
pu su Hi ways ea :<br />
<br />
Abba meansf at h e r ordaddy i n<br />
Aramaic And it’s what God allows us<br />
to call Him See Galatians 4 6<br />
<br />
Personal Space<br />
Prayers thoughts<br />
& questions:<br />
Read Through<br />
the Bible<br />
t<br />
s<br />
3<br />
Wednesday > 7/8<br />
It really did hurt him more<br />
than it hurt you.<br />
A<br />
you to be<br />
only hearers<br />
of the Word.<br />
Our plan at<br />
ec is not to<br />
ask you to<br />
simply read<br />
Scripture,<br />
but to<br />
engage in<br />
it. We want<br />
the truth of God’s Word to change<br />
your attitudes, behaviors, and lives.<br />
That’s why we included a journal page<br />
when we redesigned the magazine. Our<br />
plan is that you read and meditate on<br />
the “Known” section of the journal page<br />
as your Saturday devotion. The idea is<br />
that you simply take some time out of<br />
the week to look over the big themes<br />
and truths of that week’s devos. We<br />
want you to ponder those truths, apply<br />
them to your life, and let God’s Word<br />
and the Holy Spirit spur you to action.<br />
Finally, you need to understand<br />
why ec’s devotions are written the<br />
way they are—with an intro, questions<br />
about the Scripture passage, and a<br />
final thought. The opening is designed<br />
to help you start thinking about that<br />
day’s topic; the questions make you dig<br />
into the Bible for yourself; and the final<br />
paragraph drives home the truth we<br />
want you to understand when you close<br />
the magazine and go about your life.<br />
Our hope is that we’re giving you tools<br />
that you can use,<br />
both now and all<br />
throughout your<br />
journey<br />
of faith. ec<br />
s a chi d you pRobably expeR enced d sc p i e n some s nse r ght?<br />
Mo t of us h ve—whe her hat was a pank ng be ng gro nded i t ng<br />
n me out or ometh ng e se And orma ly when you we e di c p in d t was<br />
be ause ou did ometh ng wr ng How do you emem er f el ng a t r you were<br />
d s ip ned? D d you want o go and mess up a ai ? W re you s rry or y ur acti ns?<br />
Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed<br />
“Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and g acious<br />
God slow o anger and rich in faithfu love and truth ”<br />
—Exodus 34 6<br />
today read th ough exodus 4:5 9 nd ake a car ful ook at ve se 6<br />
Make a l st of he cha ac er s ics u ed in his pa sage o esc ibe God<br />
What s ands out o you the mos ?<br />
Have ou een God act n any of hese ways n your i e? How id th t m ke<br />
y u ee ? Wha did t tea h you about H s cha ac er and His lan f r your i e?<br />
What s God s at i ude towa d si ?<br />
For you he w rd f ther may make y u r nge or t may br ng back w et<br />
memor es of a c ose el t onsh p w h y ur dad i her way h s pass ge of<br />
S r ptu e sc eams G d s our F the ! So w at does hat ac ua ly mean?<br />
G d i st t ld Moses hat He was compa si nate gr ci us ai hf l ov ng<br />
or iv ng nd me c ful But He went on o ay th t He wa ts our ho ness<br />
wh ch means He won t i nore our in He s de in tely a fa her of or iv ness<br />
and sec nd hanc s but He an t nd w n t ver ook when we choo e o l ve n<br />
oppos ion to H s st ndar s<br />
Does t at sound i e a d d o you? Su e it do s! We of en th nk of God as his<br />
gra dfa he -f gu e w th a ong wh te be rd i t ng on a ock ng cha r n h aven<br />
j st wa t ng o st i e s down f we m ss up B t that s n t the rue p ctu e of<br />
God s cha ac er H s ch rac er s to l ve org ve and ble s us for ur obed ence<br />
and f i hfu ness<br />
week of july 5<br />
Photos this section: © istockphoto / eileen groome, mike manzano, kristina castagnola, gene chutka & jamie carroll : p. 9, © david sacks / getty Images<br />
father<br />
Personal Space<br />
You may have a lot of names for your dad. You may even use<br />
different ones for different situations, like Father when he’s<br />
trying your patience, Dad when you want to talk, and even<br />
Daddy when you want something.<br />
But those words aren’t just names; they’re also descriptions of the relationship<br />
you have. Fathers are supposed to be the people who protect us, take care of us,<br />
know all our faults and still love us, and encourage us to be the best people we<br />
can be.<br />
Some of us are lucky to have great relationships with our dads. Others of us<br />
don’t—and not for any lack of trying. Earthly fathers mess up, forget, and make<br />
mistakes, but that doesn’t change the fact of the relationship. Your dad is your<br />
dad. Always.<br />
So, why—in a world of messed-up father/child relationships—would God<br />
choose to reveal Himself to us as Father? Because there’s an intimacy in that<br />
relationship. Like the best earthly dads, God loves us in spite of our mistakes. He<br />
wants to protect and guide us. He wants us to be the people He created us to be.<br />
He sees the best in us and wants the best for us. He loves us in spite of all the<br />
times we’ve failed and doesn’t hold those against us. God wants to know us as<br />
His children—not just His followers. The Trinity may be confusing, but this fact<br />
isn’t: God wants to know you, love you, take care of you, and dream dreams for<br />
you. God wants to be your Father.<br />
10 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 11
Weekend > 7/5<br />
U 1<br />
teach me<br />
Your Ways<br />
Moses said to the Lo r d ,<br />
“Look, You have told me,<br />
‘Lead this people up,’ but<br />
You have not let me know<br />
whom You will send with<br />
me. You said, ‘I know you<br />
by name, and you have<br />
also found favor in My<br />
sight.’” —Exodus 33:12<br />
Read Exodus 33:12-17.<br />
Have you ever gone through<br />
a maze? It’s confusing! It<br />
causes you to ask, “Where do I go<br />
now?” and “Who knows the way out?”<br />
It’s full of unexpected twists, turns,<br />
and surprises around every corner.<br />
The older we get, the more<br />
confusing God’s ways and life’s<br />
journey becomes. Our search for who<br />
He is and what He wants us to do can<br />
sometimes seem like a maze. We have<br />
questions, so we make a decision and<br />
choose a path to follow. We find those<br />
answers around the corner, but run<br />
into another fork in the path where<br />
more questions await—and so on.<br />
Enter today’s Scripture passage.<br />
Even when he didn’t understand<br />
God’s ways, Moses still surrendered<br />
and sought God out, saying, “Please<br />
teach me Your ways!”<br />
This is the same kind of prayer we<br />
need to pray daily. Each day presents<br />
a new twist or turn, an unfamiliar<br />
path to follow, a new decision to<br />
make. Don’t you want to know that<br />
the Person who knows the way<br />
through the maze is guiding your<br />
steps? For Him to teach you His ways,<br />
you have to actually know Him.<br />
Many people don’t know God<br />
because they aren’t seeking Him or<br />
spending time with Him every day.<br />
The “maze” of seeking Him may<br />
seem overwhelming at times, but He<br />
is not unattainable or unknowable.<br />
He desires to have a deep, authentic<br />
relationship with you—one in which<br />
you will seek Him and say, “Show me<br />
Your ways, and I will follow!”<br />
Monday > 7/6<br />
God wants to know you.<br />
Think back to when you were a kid. Do you remember kthe times your<br />
dad, grandfather, a teacher, or some other male figure in your life walked<br />
into a room? I’ll bet some of them carried a certain authority and presence with<br />
them wherever they went. Did you have respect for those men? Did you want to<br />
be near them?<br />
Read through Exodus 33:18-23 and carefully consider verse 19.<br />
What do you think Moses meant when he asked God to show His glory?<br />
He said, “I will cause all My<br />
goodness to pass in front of<br />
you, and I will proclaim the<br />
name Yahweh before you.<br />
I will be gracious to whom<br />
I will be gracious, and I will<br />
have compassion on whom<br />
I will have compassion.”<br />
—Exodus 33:19<br />
Why is it that he couldn’t see the<br />
face of God and live?<br />
Do you ever desire to feel the<br />
presence of Father God more?<br />
Think back on the men you’ve<br />
respected or had a close bond with<br />
in life. Do you think God desires to<br />
have a close, intimate relationship<br />
with us as His children?<br />
Moses wanted to fully know God and spent time in His glorious presence. In<br />
today’s Scripture passage, Moses’ relationship with God appears vital and<br />
intimate. Moses seemed to be very comfortable with God, so much that he<br />
simply asked God what he’d been dying to ask: to see God’s glory. God didn’t<br />
hide from Moses or ignore his request. He answered Moses and chose to honor<br />
Moses’ request, but in His own way and in His own time.<br />
The point? God desires to have an intimate relationship with you. He wants<br />
to display His glory, as much as you can handle, and allow you to know more<br />
and more of His character. Think about it like this: God originally created the<br />
relationship between a father and his child to be a deep connection. Some<br />
of you have the kind of dad that you now experience that kind of connection<br />
with, and others of you don’t. No matter what kind of dad you have, God the<br />
Father desires to show Himself clearly to you. He wants to know you intimately<br />
and have the kind of relationship with you that a Father has with his son or<br />
daughter. But you have to be willing.<br />
How is<br />
God like<br />
a Father<br />
in your<br />
life?<br />
2<br />
w<br />
Tuesday > 7/7<br />
Need a<br />
second<br />
chance?<br />
Maybe it was a collectible,<br />
expensive electronic, or<br />
family heirloom. Think back to when<br />
you broke something very valuable—<br />
something that belonged to someone<br />
else. How did the owner react? Was<br />
he or she angry or upset with you?<br />
How did you react? What would you<br />
have done differently if you could do<br />
it again?<br />
The Lo r d said to Moses,<br />
“Cut two stone tablets like<br />
the first ones, and I will<br />
write on them the words<br />
that were on the first<br />
tablets, which you broke.”<br />
—Exodus 34:1<br />
Read through Exodus 34:1-4 and<br />
focus in on verse 1.<br />
Do you recognize that these tablets<br />
were the Ten Commandments?<br />
Because you know this, how valuable<br />
do you think they were to God? Why?<br />
Why do you think God gave Moses<br />
a second chance to redeem himself<br />
after he broke the tablets in anger?<br />
What does this teach you about<br />
God’s forgiveness in your life today?<br />
For what do you need forgiveness<br />
and a second chance?<br />
The tablets were important to God<br />
because He made them as a physical<br />
reminder of what it meant to live<br />
according to His ways. He had an<br />
important message for the Israelites,<br />
but Moses broke the first set of<br />
tablets in anger. God could have<br />
cursed Moses, struck him dead, or<br />
replaced him with another leader.<br />
But, instead, He gave Moses a second<br />
chance and asked him to create two<br />
new stone tablets. This also says a lot<br />
about how God the Father treats us as<br />
His children when we mess up. We’re<br />
going to mess up, but He doesn’t<br />
reject us or give up on His plans<br />
for our lives. He is a God of second<br />
chances. Even for you.<br />
3<br />
Personal Space<br />
How well<br />
do you<br />
obey?<br />
Are you<br />
abusing<br />
His grace?<br />
Wednesday > 7/8<br />
It really did hurt him more<br />
than it hurt you.<br />
As a child, you probably experienced discipline in some sense, right?<br />
Most of us have—whether that was a spanking, being grounded, sitting<br />
in time-out, or something else. And, normally, when you were disciplined, it was<br />
because you did something wrong. How do you remember feeling after you were<br />
disciplined? Did you want to go and mess up again? Were you sorry for your actions?<br />
Then the Lo r d passed in front of him and proclaimed:<br />
“Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious<br />
God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.”<br />
—Exodus 34:6<br />
Today, read through Exodus 34:5-9 and take a careful look at verse 6.<br />
Make a list of the characteristics used in this passage to describe God.<br />
What stands out to you the most?<br />
Have you seen God act in any of these ways in your life? How did that make<br />
you feel? What did it teach you about His character and His plan for your life?<br />
What is God’s attitude toward sin?<br />
For you, the word “father” may make you cringe, or it may bring back sweet<br />
memories of a close relationship with your dad. Either way, this passage of<br />
Scripture screams, “God is our Father!” So, what does that actually mean?<br />
God first told Moses that He was compassionate, gracious, faithful, loving,<br />
forgiving, and merciful. But He went on to say that He wants our holiness,<br />
which means He won’t ignore our sin. He is definitely a Father of forgiveness<br />
and second chances, but He can’t and won’t overlook when we choose to live in<br />
opposition to His standards.<br />
Does that sound like a dad to you? Sure it does! We often think of God as this<br />
grandfather-figure with a long, white beard, sitting on a rocking chair in heaven,<br />
just waiting to strike us down if we mess up. But that’s not the true picture of<br />
God’s character. His character is to love, forgive, and bless us for our obedience<br />
and faithfulness.<br />
12 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 13
Personal Space<br />
“You will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling that resonates<br />
in the heart of a father as he looks upon his son.”<br />
—Kent Nerburn<br />
You<br />
are His<br />
joy.<br />
4<br />
How authentic are you with God?<br />
Thursday > 7/9<br />
God wants it all.<br />
5<br />
Do we have any overachievers out there? You know who I’m talking<br />
about. It’s the student who always waves her hand in class to answer<br />
the teacher’s question as if she’s working air traffic control. It’s the guy who<br />
goes above and beyond in his chores to please mom and dad—even tackling<br />
the disgusting jobs no one else wants. You know exactly to whom I’m referring.<br />
Think about every area of your life. Are you that person in any of those places?<br />
“He has told you men<br />
what is good and what it is<br />
the Lo r d requires of you:<br />
Only to act justly, to love<br />
faithfulness, and to walk<br />
humbly with your God.”<br />
—Micah 6:8<br />
Read Micah 6:6-8 and really pay<br />
attention to verse 8.<br />
According to these verses, what<br />
does the Lord require of us?<br />
Now pick these things apart and<br />
match them to your life. Are you<br />
fulfilling the requirements?<br />
Where could you improve?<br />
Look over the list of sacrifices and displays of devotion listed in this passage<br />
as you consider verse 8. How does what God wants compare to these things?<br />
What does God want from you?<br />
God doesn’t require you to slaughter a lamb and prepare it as a burnt sacrifice<br />
for your sins each week. He doesn’t ask you to shave your head and commit<br />
your whole life to serving Him in a monastery in the remo<strong>test</strong> parts of Europe.<br />
He won’t ever ask you to quote at least 100 verses of Scripture back to Him each<br />
night before bed.<br />
He doesn’t need your big, over-the-top displays of devotion. He just wants<br />
you—ALL of you. Micah told us exactly what God wants from you. More than<br />
anything else, He wants your holiness, obedience, loyalty, and love while<br />
walking in a close, daily relationship with Him.<br />
Friday > 7/10<br />
Don’t be fake.<br />
You go to church every<br />
Sunday. You sit in the<br />
uncomfortable chair or pew for at least<br />
an hour. You sing the same hymns and<br />
songs you did last week. You hear a<br />
sermon. You leave and go home. Next<br />
week, you come back to do it all again.<br />
Does this sound like your worship<br />
routine, or do you go deeper?<br />
“God is spirit, and those<br />
who worship Him must<br />
worship in spirit and truth.”<br />
—John 4:24<br />
Take a look at John 4:21-24. Then, go<br />
back and reread verse 24.<br />
What does it mean to worship in<br />
spirit and truth?<br />
Is your worship rehearsed from week<br />
to week? Why or why not?<br />
How can you worship God intimately<br />
in spirit and truth?<br />
What steps will you take in order to<br />
do so?<br />
Jesus had this intense conversation at<br />
high noon one day with a Samaritan<br />
woman who was drawing water from<br />
a well. He confronted her about her<br />
worship style, saying, “You worship<br />
guessing in the dark . . . It’s who you are<br />
and the way you live that count before<br />
God” (John 4:22-23, The Message).<br />
Jesus said the Father wants<br />
“those who are simply and honestly<br />
themselves before Him in their worship<br />
. . . [They] must do it out of their very<br />
being, their spirits, their true selves,<br />
in adoration” (John 4:23b-24, The<br />
Message).<br />
People get too caught up in worship<br />
styles—what to do and what not to do,<br />
what to sing or not to sing, and what to<br />
wear. These minor things have actually<br />
caused churches to split. God cares<br />
about these trivial things—but more<br />
than those, over everything, He simply<br />
desires your pure, unfiltered praise and<br />
adoration. He just wants the true you to<br />
worship the true Him.<br />
14 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 15
journal: Week of july 5<br />
father<br />
Known > 7/11<br />
In this week’s devotions, you’ve studied who God is as Father. It is the way<br />
He has chosen to relate to us, and He calls each one of us into a Fatherchild<br />
relationship with Him. But what does that mean? And how does it<br />
affect your daily life? Let’s take this week’s devotions a little deeper:<br />
Think about your God as Father and what we’ve learned about His<br />
character. Do you believe He is loving, merciful, and compassionate?<br />
Why or why not? Write down some more characteristics that you know<br />
to be true of God the Father. Now, choose to believe it about Him.<br />
Are there things in your life that you need to confess to your Father so<br />
that He can forgive you? Are you ready to surrender your life to Him in<br />
obedience and trust? (Sometimes this is a daily decision.)<br />
Make a list. What are some specific ways you can pursue God today,<br />
this week, this month, and this year? Start simple. Pray this right now:<br />
“God, teach me Your ways.”<br />
<br />
Personal Space<br />
Prayers, thoughts,<br />
& questions:<br />
© istockphoto<br />
Footwork<br />
Frenzy<br />
It’s summer and that means more time for<br />
soccer for a lot of you. It’s no secret that foot<br />
skills are important in the game of soccer.<br />
As a middle school soccer coach, one of the first<br />
things I look at during try-outs is a player’s foot<br />
skills—how they handle the ball with their feet.<br />
And you can bet that if I’m evaluating a player<br />
on his or her footwork, so are other coaches<br />
around the country. So maybe you want to take<br />
your soccer game up a notch this summer? One<br />
way to do so is to use your time off from school<br />
to work on the fundamentals of footwork.<br />
life essentials<br />
around the ball to disguise the direction you plan<br />
to go.” It could also be described as: “using the<br />
different surfaces of your feet to control the ball.”<br />
Being a good soccer player involves more than<br />
just being able to kick the ball. Being able to control<br />
the ball allows you and your team more time<br />
to develop the perfect play.<br />
unde rstand th e e le m e nt<br />
of surpri se .<br />
Your ability to disguise the direction you plan<br />
to go is one of your grea<strong>test</strong> weapons in soccer.<br />
It has everything to do with the development of<br />
your foot skills. Players such as David Beckham<br />
and Ronaldinho are fun to watch because of their<br />
highly developed foot skills. Moves like the scissor<br />
and step-over are deadly weapons on the soccer<br />
field. They come from developing foot skills.<br />
Work it out.<br />
Set up two cones 10 yards apart.<br />
5 mins: dribble between cones cutting with the<br />
inside of your left foot<br />
5 mins: dribble between cones cutting with the<br />
inside of your right foot<br />
5 mins: dribble between cones cutting with the<br />
outside of your left foot<br />
5 mins: dribble between cones cutting with the<br />
outside of your right foot<br />
w h o ’ s<br />
playi ng?<br />
Tournaments<br />
leading up to the<br />
2010 World Cup<br />
include:<br />
• FIFA U-20 World<br />
Cup: Sept. 24–<br />
Oct. 16 in Egypt<br />
• FIFA U-17 World<br />
Cup: Oct. 24–Nov.<br />
15 in Nigeria<br />
• FIFA Beach<br />
soccer World<br />
Cup: Nov. 16-22<br />
in United Arab<br />
Emirates<br />
Going<br />
Deeper<br />
To dig deeper into who God<br />
the Father is and how to<br />
pursue His ways, read:<br />
John 16:27-28<br />
Ephesians 1:3-14<br />
Philippians 3:12-21<br />
Psalm 63:1-3<br />
Matthew 6:32-33<br />
Hebrews 11:6<br />
<br />
Abba means father or daddy in<br />
Aramaic. And it’s what God allows us<br />
to call Him. See Galatians 4:6.<br />
Read Through<br />
the Bible<br />
To know God the Father in an<br />
intimate relationship, you have<br />
to spend time with him and<br />
know what’s important to Him.<br />
One way to do that is to read<br />
His Word. Our suggestions<br />
will help you read through the<br />
Bible in a year.<br />
• Ezra 1–Nehemiah 6<br />
• Acts 1–7<br />
Know what it i s .<br />
Tim Betts, a former assistant coach for Trevecca<br />
Nazarene University and a current staff coach<br />
for Brentwood Soccer Club in Brentwood, Tenn.,<br />
defines foot skills as “movements of your feet<br />
Sleep Study<br />
Learning to let go, trust<br />
God, and relax is something<br />
you learn over a lifetime.<br />
But you can do something<br />
about getting a good night’s<br />
sleep now. Like:<br />
• Develop a bedtime<br />
routine. Doing the same<br />
things each night forms a<br />
habit and tells your body<br />
it’s time to wind down.<br />
• Have a bedtime. Yes,<br />
you’re almost grown, but<br />
bedtime is still important.<br />
Get up at the same time,<br />
too. It helps!<br />
• Exercise in the afternoon.<br />
Exercise is always<br />
good, but exercising in the<br />
afternoon will help your<br />
sleep patterns.<br />
© istockphoto / jason stitt<br />
The answer you need to hear:<br />
How do I let go and relax?<br />
Remember the Sabbath? The Fourth<br />
Commandment requires us to take time<br />
out of our week for a sabbath for rest. This<br />
is an act of obedience on our part, but also<br />
an acknowledgement on God’s part that<br />
sometimes we just need to slow down and<br />
Have fun.<br />
Players with great foot skills stand out, but we<br />
hope you’re playing because you love the sport<br />
and enjoy the challenge.<br />
by Greg Joiner<br />
relax. So, He instructed us to take time to<br />
enjoy Him and the blessings He’s given us.<br />
But how do you put a little sabbath into every<br />
day? Here’s how:<br />
Spend time seeking God. Spending time<br />
worshiping, praying, reading the Bible, and<br />
listening for God’s wisdom and direction<br />
gives a sense of peace and a clarity that can<br />
be found nowhere else. Then, enjoy life.<br />
God is glorified when we enjoy the world He<br />
created and the relationships He’s given us.<br />
Take time to rest and be realistic about<br />
learning to let go. Take a few minutes every<br />
day or set aside one evening per week to<br />
simply rest. Once this habit has been<br />
established, it will be hard to break. Our<br />
bodies and souls were designed to need and<br />
desire rest. Don’t let your life run you!<br />
by Rachel Carrozziere<br />
16 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 17
Finding God in<br />
American History<br />
By Jerry Faught<br />
At of our country’s 44th president,<br />
the beginning of the year, all of<br />
America witnessed the inauguration<br />
Barack Obama. As he took the oath of office, he<br />
declared that he would execute faithfully the<br />
duties of his office with God’s help.<br />
© istockphoto / john kropewnicki<br />
The last phrase of the oath—“so help me God”—reminded<br />
me of my trip to New York City just a few weeks earlier. I had<br />
traveled by bus to Ground Zero to see the work being done on<br />
the new World Trade Center. I then walked across the street<br />
to visit St. Paul’s Chapel. St. Paul’s, built in 1766, miraculously<br />
survived the collapse of the twin towers on September 11,<br />
2001. For eight months after the tragedy, this church served<br />
as a place for volunteer relief workers to eat and rest. Inside<br />
the chapel, I saw pictures of many who died in the terrorist<br />
attack. A feeling of deep sadness came over me as I looked at<br />
the pictures and other memorabilia.<br />
That’s when I saw a sign indicating that George<br />
Washington, our nation’s first president, had been inaugurated<br />
in St. Paul’s in 1789. I walked over to a bench called<br />
Washington’s Pew where he knelt to pray during his inaugural<br />
service. As I exited the church, I surmised that the pew<br />
and the chapel itself stood as a monument of hope in a confusing<br />
and chaotic world.<br />
That experience reminded me that God shows up in a big<br />
way throughout the history of our nation. Let’s discover a<br />
few of the significant ways that our nation has expressed its<br />
dependence upon God.<br />
Religious freedom doesn’t mean no religion<br />
Virtually all the men involved in the founding of our nation<br />
believed in God. Although some were Deists who believed that<br />
God did not intervene directly in the world, most of the founding<br />
fathers were Pro<strong>test</strong>ant Christians. These leaders realized,<br />
however, that making Christianity or any other religion the<br />
official or established religion of the nation would not be<br />
healthy for religion or the<br />
state. That is why Congress<br />
passed the First Amendment<br />
to the Constitution which<br />
prohibits the government<br />
from establishing or favoring<br />
any religion and protects the<br />
free exercise of religion in<br />
our land.<br />
Although we Americans<br />
have prized religious freedom,<br />
this has not prevented<br />
us from making public<br />
statements about our reliance<br />
upon God. Take out a<br />
coin from your pocket or<br />
purse, and you will see the<br />
motto “In God We Trust.”<br />
These words were placed on<br />
United States coins<br />
America’s religious freedom<br />
has not prevented us from<br />
making public statements<br />
about our reliance upon God.<br />
during the terrible days of the Civil War. Religious fervor<br />
among Americans had increased during the crisis of war.<br />
Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many<br />
appeals from pious persons throughout the country urging<br />
the government to honor God on United States coins.<br />
Congress passed an act on April 22, 1864 that allowed “In<br />
God We Trust” to first appear on the 1864 two-cent coin. The<br />
phrase later appeared on other coins.<br />
The phrase “In God We Trust” does not only appear on<br />
coins. In 1956 President Eisenhower approved a law passed<br />
by Congress declaring “In God We Trust” to be our national<br />
motto. A year later the phrase was found on paper money<br />
for the first time when it appeared on the one-dollar silver<br />
certificate.<br />
Another famous American phrase mentioning God comes<br />
from the pledge of allegiance and is recited daily by millions<br />
of schoolchildren around the country. The pledge was originally<br />
written in 1892 by a Baptist minister named Francis<br />
Bellamy (1855-1931). In 1953, the Roman Catholic fraternal<br />
service organization, the Knights of Columbus, mounted a<br />
campaign to add the words “under God” to the Pledge. At the<br />
© istockphoto / lee pettet<br />
18 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 19
Personal Space<br />
Trying to remove God<br />
from American history is<br />
a misrepresentation of our<br />
nation’s history.<br />
week of July 12<br />
His Father’s Son<br />
time the nation found itself opposing the spread of atheistic<br />
communism in the world. The country was engaged in the<br />
so-called Cold War with the Soviet Union. Partly in response<br />
to these events, Congress passed a bill which was signed<br />
into law by President Eisenhower in 1954 to add the words<br />
“under God” to the pledge. President Eisenhower said at the<br />
time: “From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren<br />
will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village<br />
and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our<br />
people to the Almighty.”<br />
Our fervent dedication<br />
How to pray<br />
So you understand the<br />
importance of praying for<br />
our country’s leaders but<br />
want some tips on how<br />
to do so? We’ve got some<br />
ideas:<br />
• Take a look at today’s<br />
political headlines. Pray<br />
for President Obama to<br />
approach these things<br />
with wisdom.<br />
• Pray for the First Lady,<br />
Michelle Obama, and the<br />
president’s family. Pray<br />
that they will be godly<br />
parents to their children<br />
and teach them to rely on<br />
God’s truth.<br />
• Check out the White<br />
House Web site<br />
(www.whitehouse.gov) or<br />
your state government’s<br />
Web site and get a list<br />
of government officials.<br />
Pick a name and pray<br />
over that leader for a<br />
week. Pray for God’s<br />
wisdom, guidance, and<br />
peace to be a part of his<br />
or her decision-making.<br />
Thank God for seeing the<br />
big picture we can’t see.<br />
Ask Him to remind these<br />
leaders of the things that<br />
are important to Him and<br />
close to His heart.<br />
to God has been memorialized<br />
repeatedly in our<br />
nation’s capital. Take a tour<br />
of Washington D.C. and<br />
reflect in amazement at the<br />
many references to God on<br />
famous buildings and monuments<br />
throughout the city.<br />
Take the Capitol building<br />
for example. In the House<br />
chamber is the inscription,<br />
“In God We Trust.” Above<br />
the gallery door stands a<br />
marble relief of the great<br />
lawgiver Moses. At the east<br />
entrance to the Senate<br />
chamber are the words<br />
Annuit Coeptis. This Latin<br />
phrase, which also appears<br />
on our paper currency,<br />
roughly means that God has<br />
favored our undertakings.<br />
In the chapel, a beautiful<br />
stained glass window<br />
depicts George Washington<br />
in prayer under the inscription<br />
“In God We Trust.”<br />
The Supreme Court building,<br />
dedicated in 1935, has<br />
a number of images of Moses with the Ten Commandments.<br />
These can be found at the center of the sculpture over the<br />
east portico of the Supreme Court building, inside the actual<br />
courtroom, engraved over the chair of the Chief Justice, and<br />
on the bronze doors of the Supreme Court itself.<br />
Our treasure hunt could continue, but hopefully you<br />
have discovered that God is our national treasure. In the<br />
end, Americans should understand that while separation<br />
of church and state is vital to protect our religious<br />
freedom, trying to remove God from American history is a<br />
misrepresentation of our nation’s history. ec<br />
Praying for one nation under God<br />
How much time do you spend praying for politicians? The Apostle Paul<br />
instructed Christians to pray, “ . . . for everyone, for kings and all those<br />
who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life”<br />
(1 Tim. 2:1b-3a). Elected or appointed officials of our nation, whether<br />
at the local, state, or national level, serve the people.<br />
Besides the fact that we have a Christian responsibility to pray for<br />
our leaders, we should desire to pray for those who serve us in the<br />
political arena. We should pray for our president and his family to be<br />
able to enjoy quality time together even though the demands of the<br />
job are enormous. We should pray for him to have wisdom in making<br />
decisions, especially ones that will have a profound impact on people<br />
in our nation as well as individuals around the globe.<br />
We should pray often for our Congressmen and women, our governor,<br />
our mayor, and state legislators as well. Politicians pass laws that<br />
often have a powerful bearing on our quality of life. The prayers we<br />
send to God on their behalf carry significant weight.<br />
© istockphoto / stephen finn<br />
Photos this section © istockphoto /dori o’connell, nick schlax, andrzej burak, matthew hertel, and dmitriy tereschenko<br />
She’s the spitting image of her dad. He’s his father’s son.<br />
When someone looks like his or her dad, we love to pull<br />
out every available cliché to describe the situation.<br />
Sure, those phrases are trite and overused, but there’s a bit of truth<br />
in them. You tend to take on the characteristics and mannerisms of<br />
the important people in your life, dads included. You’re a <strong>test</strong>imony<br />
to your father because your life and the way you live it say something<br />
about Him.<br />
God hasn’t left us to figure out what He’s like all on our own. He<br />
sent His own <strong>test</strong>imony of Himself into the world in the form of<br />
Jesus, His Son. Jesus, the Son of God and the second Person of the<br />
Trinity, lived on this earth, facing the same fears, trials, and temptations<br />
we face. And He lived to tell His Father’s story. Most of all, He<br />
lived out His Father’s love.<br />
Jesus is the eternal God. He is His Father’s Son, and therefore,<br />
loves you even when you fail. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living<br />
God, the One who makes an eternal difference. Does He make an<br />
eternal difference in your life? Are you your Father’s child?<br />
20 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 21
weekend > 7/12<br />
Do you<br />
know him?<br />
He is the image of<br />
the invisible God, the<br />
firstborn over all creation.<br />
—Colossians 1:15<br />
Read Colossians 1:15-17.<br />
when you hear someone<br />
mention the name “Jesus,”<br />
what comes to mind? A baby in a<br />
manger? Or maybe just a religious<br />
feeling? Regardless of who you are, it<br />
is crucial that you figure out who this<br />
Jesus is. Your forgiveness, joy, and<br />
eternity are at stake. The good news<br />
is that God’s Word gives us a clear<br />
answer.<br />
In Colossians 1:15 we learn that<br />
Jesus Christ is the very image of God,<br />
showing us exactly what God is like.<br />
In fact, He is the divine Son of God<br />
who came in the flesh. It may surprise<br />
you to learn that everything in the<br />
universe was created through Him<br />
and for Him. Even now, the world<br />
holds together because of the living<br />
Lord Jesus. Mountains, oceans, and<br />
all people were created for the glory<br />
of Jesus Christ.<br />
Some people claim to know God<br />
and love Him while rejecting Jesus.<br />
Our passage makes it clear that<br />
this is not possible because God has<br />
revealed Himself perfectly in the<br />
person of His Son. The Father not<br />
only created and sustains the world<br />
through Jesus, but He also saves<br />
sinners through Him. The Son of<br />
God became a Man in order to save<br />
people like us who deserve God’s<br />
punishment.<br />
Amazingly, Jesus Christ, the<br />
Creator and Lord of the universe, died<br />
for our sins on a cruel cross and rose<br />
from the dead that we might have life.<br />
This is the Jesus of the Bible. Do you<br />
know Him?<br />
You have to let<br />
Jesus be Lord<br />
of your life.<br />
It’s a decision<br />
YOU have to<br />
make.<br />
1<br />
monday > 7/13<br />
Is He at the center of your life?<br />
whom do you look up to in our culture? Do you often wish that others<br />
thought more highly of you? What do you think that says about your heart?<br />
Read Colossians 1:18-23 and look closely at verse 18.<br />
He is also the head of the<br />
body, the church; He is the<br />
beginning, the firstborn<br />
from the dead, so that<br />
He might come to have<br />
first place in everything.<br />
—Colossians 1:18<br />
What does it mean that Jesus is to<br />
have the “first place in everything”<br />
(Col. 1:18)?<br />
What does it mean that all of God’s<br />
fullness dwells in Jesus?<br />
What does it say about the<br />
greatness and worth of Jesus’<br />
sacrifice in light of the fact that He<br />
is fully God?<br />
Does He have first place in everything in your life? Why or why not?<br />
Our culture tells us constantly that the way to happiness and meaning in life is<br />
to have better self-esteem. After all, they say, you need to learn to love yourself<br />
because it is all about you. This may sound appealing, but it completely goes<br />
against God’s design. No wonder it leaves us so empty in the end.<br />
God has designed creation so that His Son, Jesus Christ, would have first<br />
place in all things. This makes sense, for Jesus is fully God. The simple truth:<br />
God never intended for us to be the center of the universe. When we get a<br />
glimpse of His glory, we begin to realize how unworthy and sinful we are. Yet, in<br />
His grace, God has provided the way for us to be forgiven of our sins because of<br />
Jesus’ great sacrifice on the cross. Everything we need in life is found in Him, for<br />
He is Lord of all.<br />
So what does that mean for your daily life? If Jesus is Lord of everything in<br />
this world, He is Lord of your life—all the drama, decisions, dreams, fears, and<br />
doubts. But you have to let Him be Lord of your life. Have you submitted to<br />
Jesus as Lord?<br />
2<br />
tuesday > 7/14<br />
Here’s how to get a life.<br />
why do you think some students live to get a “rush” from things like<br />
drugs, adventure, and relationships with the opposite sex? Do you think<br />
these things will bring true and lasting pleasure? Where do you look in life for<br />
true enjoyment and fulfillment?<br />
Life was in Him, and that<br />
life was the light of men.<br />
—John 1:4<br />
Read John 1:1-5. What does verse 4<br />
mean to you?<br />
Who is the Word in these verses?<br />
How was He involved in creation<br />
according to verse 3?<br />
According to these verses, what is life? From where does it come?<br />
Who gives it?<br />
Does it surprise you that physical and spiritual life come from the Word<br />
of God? Why or why not?<br />
Where have you found yourself searching for life other than from Christ?<br />
Do you love the la<strong>test</strong> thing in technology? You will soon discover that you are<br />
fighting a losing battle. Just when you think an iPod ® could not possibly hold any<br />
more songs, they come out with a new one that holds twice as many. Your iPod<br />
then becomes an ancient artifact. Many people take this same approach to life.<br />
Because of our sinful nature, we are always looking for something or<br />
someone other than God to satisfy us. You’ve seen it in yourself and your<br />
friends, in that constant search for meaning through money, sex, popularity,<br />
whatever. But the One who created us offers true life.<br />
Jesus is referred to as the Word of God in today’s passage, and it is through<br />
Him that God created the world. Both our physical and spiritual lives depend on<br />
Him. Other things may offer us a short-lived sense of security and excitement,<br />
but eternal life comes only through Jesus Christ. Only He truly satisfies us<br />
forever.<br />
3<br />
Personal Space<br />
wednesday > 7/15<br />
He’s Got<br />
power.<br />
when was the last time<br />
you went to the doctor? Have<br />
you ever felt like you needed more<br />
than physical healing? Does it ever<br />
seem like no one can handle all the<br />
problems that overwhelm your life?<br />
So that what was spoken<br />
through the prophet<br />
Isaiah might be fulfilled:<br />
“He Himself took our<br />
weaknesses and carried our<br />
diseases.” —Matthew 8:17<br />
Read Matthew 8:14-17. Reflect on<br />
verse 17.<br />
What does this passage teach you<br />
about Jesus’ attitude toward those<br />
who are physically sick? Toward<br />
those who are spiritually sick?<br />
What does this episode in Jesus’<br />
ministry tell us about His mercy and<br />
His power?<br />
Is there a sin in your life that seems<br />
too great for Jesus to overcome?<br />
How does this passage speak to that?<br />
It is rare that we see someone who is<br />
both powerful and merciful. But this<br />
is exactly what we see in Jesus Christ.<br />
Matthew 8:17 refers to Isaiah 53:4, an<br />
Old Testament prophecy about a man<br />
to come who would take upon Himself<br />
the sickness and sin of His people. This<br />
prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.<br />
In Matthew 8:14-17, the situation<br />
surely seemed grim. However, Jesus’<br />
healing touch was more than just a<br />
“hang-in-there” pat on the back. It was<br />
a touch of divine mercy and power.<br />
In fact, the woman was completely<br />
and instantly healed! Jesus Christ<br />
has power and authority over all of<br />
creation, but His greatness does not<br />
mean that we are insignificant to Him.<br />
He cares for the weak and sinful. He<br />
has the power to deal with sickness—<br />
physical and spiritual. He can free us<br />
from the spiritual effects of our sin.<br />
True satisfaction is in Christ alone.<br />
22 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 23
Personal Space<br />
“Jesus is God spelling Himself out<br />
in language<br />
that men can understand.”<br />
—S.d. Gordon<br />
5<br />
Friday > 7/17<br />
Jesus did it<br />
on purpose.<br />
How would you answer if<br />
someone asked you about your<br />
purpose on earth? What about Jesus—<br />
what was His purpose on earth? Does<br />
it affect yours? How so?<br />
“For the Son of Man has<br />
come to seek and to save<br />
the lost.” —Luke 19:10<br />
Don’t you understand?<br />
Jesus came for you!<br />
4<br />
Jesus came for you. Trust that.<br />
Thursday > 7/16<br />
It’s not a popularity con<strong>test</strong>.<br />
when was the last time you visited a hospital? How would you describe<br />
your emotions in light of what you saw? What do you think would lead<br />
someone to work in such an environment?<br />
When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are<br />
well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do need one. I didn’t<br />
come to call the righteous, but sinners.” —Mark 2:17<br />
Read Mark 2:13-17 and contemplate what Jesus said in verse 17.<br />
Who were the people Jesus spent time with in these verses? Why is that<br />
important? What does it say about His attitude toward us?<br />
Who are the “sick” ones Jesus referred to in verse 17?<br />
Why was it surprising that Jesus called on Levi to follow Him?<br />
Do you see yourself as sick or well? Why is it better to admit our sickness?<br />
Do you regularly confess your sins to God, asking for His mercy and<br />
forgiveness and admitting your need for Him?<br />
Those who are privileged to grow up with Christian parents in Christian<br />
churches often forget the truth taught in today’s lesson. If we have received<br />
salvation through Jesus Christ, we need to remember that we have done nothing<br />
to deserve it. In fact, Jesus came to us because we were sick and sinful. He came<br />
because we needed healing and forgiveness.<br />
Every person on earth needs one thing from Jesus—mercy. Remembering<br />
this should keep Christians humble and grateful. We should see non-Christians<br />
with compassion, since we are dependent on the same mercy. Jesus did not only<br />
come for people who are moral, popular, athletic, or smart, for there is no one<br />
who is righteous (Rom. 3:10). He came to show His love and His mercy to sinners<br />
like us, no matter what our background. He reaches out to the least deserving—<br />
to the people like us, like you. He loves you. It doesn’t matter who you are or<br />
what you’ve done.<br />
Read Luke 19:1-10, stopping to think<br />
about verse 10.<br />
Why was it a big deal that Jesus<br />
spent time with Zacchaeus,<br />
a tax collector?<br />
Do you know people who seem<br />
unlikely to be saved? How would<br />
you use this passage to counsel a<br />
friend who feels too sinful to<br />
follow Jesus?<br />
What was Jesus’ purpose in coming<br />
to earth?<br />
Why is it important that Jesus<br />
stayed focused on His purpose?<br />
Jesus never ceases to amaze us in the<br />
way He interacted with people. He<br />
refused to let the world influence the<br />
way He acted. In today’s passage, the<br />
crowd complained when Jesus went<br />
to stay with a sinful tax collector.<br />
After all, why would Jesus associate<br />
with someone who got his money by<br />
cheating others?<br />
The fact of the matter is that we<br />
are just like Zacchaeus. While we<br />
may not be rich or cheat people out<br />
of money, we too have sin that needs<br />
to be forgiven. As sinners, all of us<br />
need the salvation that only Jesus<br />
gives. He knows the particular sins in<br />
our own lives, yet He extends grace.<br />
After we receive this grace, we should<br />
feel compelled to extend it to others.<br />
The good news is that no matter how<br />
sinful and lost a person may be, Jesus<br />
came “to seek and to save the lost”<br />
(Luke 19:10). And His purpose is now<br />
our purpose.<br />
24 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 25
Personal Space<br />
fun miscellaneous<br />
journal: Week of July 12<br />
His Father’s Son<br />
Going Deeper<br />
Build on what you have learned<br />
this week by reading the<br />
following passages:<br />
John 17:1-3<br />
Isaiah 53:1-12<br />
Philippians 2:5-11<br />
1 Timothy 1:12-17<br />
Prayers, thoughts,<br />
& questions:<br />
statue of andrew jackson in jackson square, new orleans © istockphoto<br />
The War of 1812<br />
actually ended<br />
in 1815. Andrew<br />
Jackson became<br />
an American<br />
hero during the<br />
war when he led<br />
troops to victory<br />
in New Orleans.<br />
© istockphoto / david h. lewis<br />
Betsy Ross: Fact or Fiction?<br />
Some historians doubt her role in creating the first<br />
flag; others say it’s true. We may never know the full<br />
story. Consider what we do know:<br />
She did sew a flag. Betsy Ross was a<br />
seamstress in Philadelphia. Legend and affidavits<br />
from her family say that she was visited by a small<br />
flag committee (including George Washington) in<br />
June 1776 and asked to sew the nation’s flag. No<br />
invoices or concrete proof exist, but we do know<br />
from records that were maintained that Ross did<br />
indeed sew flags during that time period.<br />
Congress didn’t adopt a flag until<br />
later. An official flag design wasn’t adopted until<br />
July 1777, but the wording of that resolution is very<br />
unspecific. It appears that Congress was adopting a<br />
design already recognized as the national symbol.<br />
For more info on the debate, visit http://www.<br />
ushistory.org/betsy/index.html.<br />
Known > 7/18<br />
Jesus. For many of us, He may be the Person of the Trinity to whom we<br />
find easiest to relate. He knows what it’s like to be human, to walk on this<br />
earth and dream, hope, plan, and doubt. He is the only way to salvation<br />
and, sometimes, we find ourselves believing our own misconceptions<br />
about Christ. So, what misconceptions have this week’s devotions<br />
revealed to you? How have this week’s lessons caused you to think<br />
differently about Jesus?<br />
How might your new understanding affect the way you share the gospel<br />
with others? How will this affect the way you relate to Jesus?<br />
What things in your life have you failed to submit to the Lordship of<br />
Jesus Christ? What steps will you take to submit them this week?<br />
How will you respond when others claim that Jesus was only a good<br />
moral teacher? What passages from this week assure us that He is so<br />
much more?<br />
How have you allowed the idea that you must somehow earn Jesus’<br />
love and affection to creep into your relationship with Him? What steps<br />
will you take this week to rest in His grace and trust Him at His word?<br />
?<br />
To have a relationship with someone, you<br />
have to spend time with him or her. How<br />
much time do you spend with Jesus?<br />
Read Through<br />
the Bible<br />
If you want a deeper<br />
relationship with Christ, a good<br />
way to start is by reading His<br />
Word. Follow our suggestions<br />
and you’ll read through the<br />
Bible in a year.<br />
• Nehemiah 7–Job 3<br />
• Acts 7–10:48<br />
Playlist facts about freedom songs<br />
Song: “God Bless America”<br />
Written: in 1918 by Irving Berlin and revised by him in 1938<br />
Facts: Known as the unofficial national anthem, “God Bless America”<br />
is a prayerful song often sung at sporting events and has gained in<br />
popularity since the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Berlin, who was<br />
Jewish, wrote the song while serving in the U.S. Army. He decided to<br />
give royalties from the song to a fund called The God Bless America<br />
Fund, which in turn distributed the money to the Boy Scouts and<br />
Girl Scouts. The song was first performed by singer Kate Smith on<br />
Armistice Day 1938, and quickly became her signature song. Berlin’s<br />
song is sometimes preferred over the more musically complex “Star-Spangled Banner.”<br />
Song: “The Star-Spangled Banner”<br />
written: in 1814 (as a poem) by Francis Scott Key<br />
Facts: Key wrote his poem during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, a<br />
key battle in the War of 1812. Key, a lawyer, had been working with the<br />
British for the release of a prisoner. He was successful, but the British<br />
feared Key had heard their battle plans, and forced him and others<br />
to wait out the bombardment aboard a ship downstream from Fort<br />
McHenry, where the battle raged. When he saw the American flag<br />
flying proudly above the fort on the morning of September 14, 1814, he<br />
knew that America had not surrendered. He wrote the poem on an envelope in his pocket!<br />
Song: “America the Beautiful”<br />
Written: in 1893 by Katharine Lee Bates<br />
Facts: Bates was an English professor at Wellesley College. In 1893,<br />
she took a train out to Colorado Springs, Colo., to teach a summer<br />
school session. As she rode from the East Coast to Colorado, the<br />
sights inspired her. She wrote a poem about everything she saw, and<br />
it was first published in 1895. The preferred tune is one written by<br />
Samuel Ward and published as a hymn called “Materna.” That tune<br />
was first applied to Bates’ poem in 1904. Ward had passed away in<br />
1903, though, so he never knew the renown his music would one day achieve. Many have<br />
lobbied Congress to elevate the song to the status of national hymn or even to serve as the<br />
national anthem, equal to or in place of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”<br />
If you’re a baseball<br />
fan, you’re probably<br />
gearing up for the<br />
MLB’s All Star game.<br />
This year, the 80th<br />
All Star game will<br />
be played at Busch<br />
Stadium in St. Louis,<br />
Mo., on July 14. This<br />
will be the fifth time<br />
the game has been<br />
played in St. Louis,<br />
though the last time<br />
was in 1966 the<br />
first season that the<br />
Cardinals played in old<br />
Busch Stadium. Will<br />
your favorite baseball<br />
player be among the<br />
All Stars? Let’s hope!<br />
26 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 27<br />
© istockphoto / valerie loiseleux
photos by<br />
Scott Greenwalt<br />
Living in<br />
Community<br />
by Jennifer Denning<br />
Go back in time to the year A.D. 420. A Syrian monk<br />
at that time decided to live out his faith in God by<br />
isolating himself from the rest of the world. Other people<br />
have done this throughout history; we refer to them as<br />
hermits. But Simeon—who became known as Saint<br />
Simeon Stylites or Simeon the elder—took the idea of<br />
isolation to what we might call the extreme.<br />
He chose to live away from people, perched atop a<br />
pillar, at first 6 feet tall, later extended to about 50 feet.<br />
There he resided for 39 years, exposed to the weather,<br />
sitting or standing in a small space where only a railing<br />
prevented him from falling to his death. His only access<br />
to the world around him was a ladder, which his followers<br />
used to bring him just enough food to survive. 1<br />
Reflecting on the way Simeon lived his life, you’ve<br />
got to admire his discipline and self-denial. This guy<br />
took his faith seriously and sacrificed radically to show<br />
his dedication to God. Still, you have to wonder if his<br />
extreme devotion was a little misguided. His example<br />
raises the question, “Does God really intend for His<br />
people to live unto themselves, all alone?” The words of<br />
Scripture indicate otherwise.<br />
28 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 29
uilding<br />
community<br />
in your life:<br />
• Get involved in<br />
a church. We’re<br />
not talking about<br />
getting your name<br />
on the membership<br />
list. We’re talking<br />
about serving,<br />
getting to know<br />
people, and<br />
getting involved<br />
in ministry. You<br />
cannot read the<br />
New Testament and<br />
come away with<br />
the idea that being<br />
an active part of a<br />
church body is not<br />
important. It is!<br />
(continued on page 29.)<br />
God’s Design<br />
for Us:<br />
Community<br />
Nineteenth-century<br />
poet John Donne<br />
famously wrote, “No<br />
man is an island.”<br />
He went on to<br />
describe people as<br />
parts of a continent,<br />
all interconnected.<br />
Just as Europe<br />
becomes smaller<br />
when a mere clod of<br />
its land washes out<br />
to sea, so each of us<br />
is diminished, he<br />
said, by the death of<br />
any individual. We<br />
are part of the whole<br />
and belong to each<br />
other. 2<br />
This analogy<br />
accurately portrays<br />
God’s intent for<br />
His people. From<br />
the moment God<br />
created the first<br />
man, He declared,<br />
“It is not good<br />
for the man to be<br />
alone” (Gen. 2:18).<br />
Even God<br />
Himself is one in<br />
three. The three Persons of the Trinity—<br />
God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy<br />
Spirit—exist in relationship with one another.<br />
Made in His image, we too are meant to live<br />
in relationship with others. Before His death,<br />
Jesus prayed for His followers that they might<br />
be one as He and the Father are one (John<br />
17:11).<br />
The Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes<br />
echoes the idea that people need each other.<br />
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 says: “Two are better than<br />
one because they have a good reward for their<br />
efforts. For if either falls, his companion can<br />
lift him up; but pity the one who falls without<br />
another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down<br />
together, they can keep warm; but how can<br />
one person alone keep warm?”<br />
This concept of living in community with<br />
others, particularly with other believers, is<br />
fleshed out in New Testament teachings about<br />
how Christians make up the body of Christ.<br />
Like the various parts of our physical bodies,<br />
we are interdependent; we need each other<br />
(1 Cor. 12:12-26). We are to be concerned for<br />
each other. When one of us suffers, that suffering<br />
should bring pain to the rest. When<br />
one of us receives some honor, everyone in the<br />
body should be glad about it.<br />
Within the body, we all have different spiritual<br />
gifts, like teaching, preaching, or serving,<br />
to name a few. These are given by God so His<br />
people can work together to build up the body<br />
of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13). As members of Christ’s<br />
body, we are instructed to love one another<br />
deeply and to serve one another (1 Pet. 1:22;<br />
4:8-10), to carry each others’ burdens and to<br />
help those caught in sin (Gal. 6:1-2). God’s<br />
design for the community of believers is that<br />
we be a support network, an accountability<br />
system, a team, and a family. His intention is<br />
that we do life together, not alone.<br />
What Community Looks Like:<br />
Sharing<br />
During the 1960s, a phenomenon of<br />
American culture was the commune. In communes,<br />
people (your grandparents call them<br />
hippies) lived together in groups, sharing all<br />
their resources. Their way of life was aimed<br />
at rejecting materialism and getting back to<br />
nature. 3<br />
But communes neither originated nor<br />
ended with hippies. They have been present<br />
throughout history in different cultures, and<br />
there was an element of communal life in the<br />
early church. Acts 2:42-47 describes the early<br />
church life as one in which members held<br />
their possessions in common, sharing with<br />
one another and selling what they owned to<br />
help those among them in need. They met<br />
together daily for meals, fellowship, teaching,<br />
and prayer.<br />
Living in community with other believers<br />
today doesn’t necessarily mean sharing all<br />
property. But it certainly does demand a<br />
willingness to share with those among us in<br />
need. It also involves hospitality—opening<br />
not just our homes but our hearts and lives to<br />
one another. That means being transparent,<br />
or real, with others, sharing and caring about<br />
what’s going on in our lives.<br />
Living in community also means being<br />
inclusive. Galatians 3:27-28 says, “For as many<br />
of you as have been baptized into Christ have<br />
put on Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave<br />
or free, male or female; for you are all one in<br />
Christ Jesus.” God welcomes all who receive<br />
Christ into His family. No one is excluded,<br />
and no one is inferior. The community of<br />
God’s family is not a private club, and it is not<br />
designed to be divided into cliques.<br />
In an article for Brio magazine, Christian<br />
singer/songwriter Brandon Heath talked,<br />
among other things, about his own experience<br />
of living in community with other Christians.<br />
When seven guys moved next door to him,<br />
Brandon and his new neighbors started a<br />
community of sorts on their block by holding<br />
a Wednesday night group. They started<br />
working together to serve their neighborhood.<br />
What began as a small group attracted others<br />
and grew to the point that it became difficult<br />
to find a parking spot on Brandon’s street.<br />
Asked to describe what true community<br />
is, Brandon replied: “True community is<br />
being broken in front of each other and realizing<br />
how equally we need Jesus. Hearing<br />
what Jesus is doing in each other’s lives is<br />
so encouraging. Real community is serving<br />
together, being humble together, serving each<br />
other, and being available. I think it’s providing<br />
for the needs of others, period.” 4<br />
Where Community Begins:<br />
You<br />
If you are a believer, you’re part of God’s<br />
family and a member of the Christian community.<br />
There’s more to doing life together<br />
than just putting your name on the roll at your<br />
local church. Meeting regularly with other<br />
believers for worship and fellowship is part<br />
of living in community. Hebrews 10:25 urges<br />
Christians not to give up meeting together<br />
but rather to encourage one another more and<br />
more as the day of Jesus’ return approaches.<br />
Living in community also means working<br />
to build relationships with other Christians<br />
outside of regular meeting times. Connecting<br />
with others this way doesn’t just happen<br />
by itself. You can’t always wait for others to<br />
approach you to initiate relationships. The<br />
person who lives out his or her faith in community<br />
is one who reaches out to others. That<br />
could mean asking someone new at church<br />
to hang out with you or it could mean sharing<br />
what’s hurting you with your Sunday School<br />
class instead of trying to carry that burden<br />
alone.<br />
Living in community means you recognize<br />
that you belong to a body that includes<br />
all believers—those of different cultures,<br />
races, denominations, and so forth. Your<br />
community reaches across the globe to<br />
believers in Africa and India and China;<br />
Living in community<br />
means you recognize that<br />
you belong to a body that<br />
includes all believers.<br />
so should your concern. It means you<br />
understand your connection to believers<br />
of all ages in your own church and live in<br />
relationship to them, treating all with respect<br />
and compassion. That might mean you take<br />
time to stop and speak to an elderly gentleman<br />
sitting alone at church or volunteer to<br />
help care for the kids in the nursery. Living<br />
in community means you keep your circle of<br />
friends open, rejecting cliques and inviting in<br />
newcomers.<br />
It’s been said that this life is just a dress rehearsal<br />
for the main event, which is spending<br />
eternity with God in heaven. Our time here on<br />
earth is miniscule compared to the never-ending<br />
existence we will enjoy after this life.<br />
But consider this: heaven will not be a<br />
lonely, isolated place. The Bible describes it<br />
as a home where throngs of believers from<br />
the whole world throughout human history<br />
will live together united by our love for and<br />
worship of God. It only makes sense then, if<br />
we are going to spend all of eternity together<br />
with other Christians, that we learn to live in<br />
community with them here on earth. Once we<br />
learn to give and receive encouragement, work<br />
together for a common purpose, and share<br />
our joys and sorrows by living in community,<br />
we may feel that we’ve found a little bit of<br />
heaven . . . right here on earth. ec<br />
Sources:<br />
1. “Saint Simeon Stylites,” Encyclopedia Britannica<br />
[online], cited 6 February 2009. Available from the<br />
Internet: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/<br />
topic/545077/Saint-Simeon-Stylites.<br />
2. John Donne, “XVII. Meditation,” The Literature<br />
Network [online], cited 6 February 2009. Available<br />
from the Internet: http://www.online-literature.com/<br />
donne/409/.<br />
3. Judy Keen, “Thriving communes no haven for<br />
‘deadbeats,’” USA Today [online], 29 August 2007<br />
[cited 6 February 2009]. Available from the Internet:<br />
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-28-<br />
communes_N.htm.<br />
4. Gina Rossing, “From Songwriter to Singer,” Brio<br />
Magazine [online], 2006 [cited 6 February 2009].<br />
Available from the Internet: http://www.briomag.<br />
com/briomagazine/entertainment/a0007123.html.<br />
• Find a community<br />
group at church.<br />
It may be your<br />
Sunday School<br />
class or a small<br />
group sponsored<br />
by the church. It<br />
may be people who<br />
speak God’s truth<br />
into your life. Share<br />
life together and<br />
make an effort.<br />
• Community<br />
isn’t just a church<br />
thing. God has left<br />
us in the world<br />
for a reason, and<br />
often, the best<br />
way for people to<br />
come to faith in<br />
Christ is through<br />
relationships with<br />
those of us who<br />
profess Him as<br />
Lord and Savior<br />
and actually live<br />
out our faith. Your<br />
whole life, not just<br />
one little part of<br />
it, should be about<br />
serving God and<br />
bringing glory to<br />
Him.<br />
30 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 31
Community Q&A<br />
by Jennifer Denning<br />
week of July 19<br />
Counselor<br />
Personal Space<br />
NICK: If I didn’t have those relationships,<br />
I would probably get in trouble<br />
a lot more at school. They provide an<br />
example for me. Even if there are kids at<br />
my school who don’t do the right thing,<br />
the people at my church help me out<br />
and show me what I should be doing.<br />
They have a positive influence on me.<br />
Nick is an eighth grader in Raleigh, N.C., who attends public school.<br />
He knows very few professing Christians in his school but has found<br />
community in connecting with other believers in his church. Nick<br />
has attended church all his life. He became a Christian when he was<br />
7 years old. Here’s what he said about what it means to him to live<br />
in community when ec magazine writer Jennifer Denning recently<br />
took the opportunity to talk with him.<br />
JD: Nick, what are some ways you<br />
connect with other believers?<br />
NICK: My church is small, and so is<br />
my youth group. Because our church<br />
is small, I’ve gotten to know everyone<br />
there pretty well. I have relationships<br />
not only with other teenagers but also<br />
with adults as well as kids younger than<br />
me. I’ve gotten to know a lot of the<br />
adults by going out to eat with them<br />
after church and talking to them. I can<br />
relate to them a lot because the things<br />
they talk about I like to talk about, too.<br />
With the kids younger than me, I have<br />
already been where they are now, so I<br />
can understand them.<br />
JD: Why is it important to you to<br />
have close relationships with other<br />
Christians? How would your life be<br />
different if you didn’t have those<br />
relationships?<br />
© istockphoto / jacob wackerhausen<br />
JD: Give an example of how have other<br />
believers have helped you.<br />
NICK: When my grandfather died last<br />
year, my youth leader encouraged me<br />
and helped me get through it. He came<br />
to visit me and attended the funeral. He<br />
talked to me about it at youth group.<br />
Also, another leader at my church took<br />
some of us young people through a<br />
video series about the creationist theory<br />
of the earth’s origin and taught us about<br />
apologetics [defending our faith]. It<br />
really prepared me for all the teaching<br />
of science material that conflicts with<br />
my faith at school. It helped me stand<br />
up for what I believe at school.<br />
JD: How have you helped other<br />
believers in your community? Can you<br />
give an example?<br />
NICK: A friend in my youth group also<br />
lost one of her grandparents this past<br />
year. When my friend’s grandmother<br />
died, I tried to comfort her.<br />
JD: What advice would you give to a<br />
teen who wants to connect with other<br />
believers but doesn’t know how? What<br />
could that person do to build solid relationships<br />
with fellow Christians?<br />
NICK: Try to connect with people and<br />
work to become friends with people at<br />
your church. Just be yourself and don’t<br />
try to be all good and different just<br />
because you’re at church. If you do that,<br />
people will grow to know you as someone<br />
you aren’t really. ec<br />
Photos this section: © istockphoto / juan estey, tania oloy, viorika prikhodko, gina addison, & brandon laufenberg<br />
Guidance counselor. Career counselor. Substance<br />
abuse counselor.<br />
You live in a society that is always seeking counsel. When<br />
we don’t know what to do, we turn to our “counselors”—<br />
friends, family, and sometimes, professional therapists.<br />
We want to know what to do or how to fix the problem. At times,<br />
you just want someone who will listen and counsel—a guide, adviser,<br />
mentor, that person who will help you figure out what to do and<br />
discuss what the next step is.<br />
A good counselor, though, doesn’t just tell you what to do. A good<br />
counselor helps to shed light on the problem and guides you to<br />
the right decision. The best counselors don’t leave you alone in the<br />
situation, but they also don’t coddle you. They guide, but you have to<br />
be willing to make the effort.<br />
Life is hard. But God didn’t leave us alone in the middle of this<br />
messy life. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit, our Guide and Counselor.<br />
If you are a believer, God’s own Spirit lives within you, guiding<br />
you, giving you wisdom and power, and lighting the steps of your life.<br />
It’s the Holy Spirit that enables you to do God’s work. The Holy Spirit is<br />
at work in your daily life as your Guide, your Friend, your Counselor.<br />
30 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 31
Weekend > 7/19<br />
Streams<br />
of living<br />
water<br />
f<br />
“The one who believes in<br />
Me, as the Scripture has<br />
said, will have streams<br />
of living water flow from<br />
deep within him.”<br />
—John 7:38<br />
Read John 7:37-39.<br />
In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy<br />
searches the land of Oz tirelessly<br />
for the wizard, whom she hopes will<br />
help her get home. When the wizard<br />
proves to be a phony, Dorothy sobs<br />
desperately, fearing she will never get<br />
home. Only then does she discover<br />
that she has had the power to get<br />
home all along.<br />
However, it isn’t Dorothy who<br />
has the power; it’s her red shoes.<br />
Discovering this truth, she smiles<br />
serenely and clicks her heels together,<br />
uttering those famous words, “There’s<br />
no place like home.”<br />
Sometimes, we act just like Dorothy.<br />
We search tirelessly for something to<br />
take away the dry and empty feeling<br />
inside, but we can’t find anything to<br />
satisfy us. Good grades, a new car, or<br />
going on our dream date don’t change<br />
the way we feel. We may even begin<br />
to feel desperate, thinking our soul’s<br />
thirstiness will never be quenched.<br />
If we’re Christians, we don’t<br />
need to look any further than inside<br />
ourselves for streams of living water<br />
to quench our spiritual thirst. No, we<br />
don’t possess these streams ourselves<br />
any more than Dorothy possessed<br />
the power to get herself home. The<br />
Holy Spirit, who lives inside us, causes<br />
streams of living water to flow from<br />
deep within us. The living water we so<br />
desperately crave has already been<br />
given to us.<br />
Jesus has sent the Helper, the<br />
Counselor, the Holy Spirit Himself to<br />
live within us and give us everything we<br />
need. When we drink of His living water,<br />
we never have to be thirsty again.<br />
1<br />
O<br />
Monday > 7/20<br />
Sometimes, you don’t<br />
have to say anything.<br />
have you ever had a conversation that left you speechless? Perhaps<br />
someone said something so incredibly rude that you couldn’t believe<br />
what you just heard. Maybe you received the terrible news that someone you<br />
loved had just died. Whatever it was, you had no comeback. You might not have<br />
even been able to think straight, let alone push intelligible words out of your<br />
mouth.<br />
Sometimes, you might feel like that when you pray. During those times, the<br />
Holy Spirit is faithfully bringing your deepest pains before the Father. And He<br />
isn’t using words, either.<br />
In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our<br />
weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as<br />
we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with<br />
unspoken groanings. —Romans 8:26<br />
Read Romans 8:12-27 and spend extra time considering verse 26.<br />
What does the author, Paul, think about our present sufferings?<br />
Do you agree with him? Why or why not?<br />
What do you think is the weakness Paul refers to in verse 26?<br />
Do you ever lack the words to pray? When?<br />
How does it make you feel to know that even when you don’t know how to<br />
approach God, you are still being prayed for by God Himself?<br />
You don’t have to get it all together to come to God. You don’t have to sound<br />
spiritual or use big words. You don’t even have to use words at all. It is perfectly<br />
fine to just sit before God and sob or simply utter that amazingly powerful<br />
word—help. In those moments, the Holy Spirit brings our painful, hopeless<br />
situation before the Father, praying in ways deeper than we can imagine, always<br />
perfectly aligned with God’s will. Our God is completely faithful, not only to hear<br />
our prayers, but to actually voice them for us in our times of need.<br />
When you<br />
can’t say<br />
the words, the<br />
Holy Spirit<br />
can. Let Him.<br />
Personal Space<br />
“I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit.”<br />
—L.J. Suenens<br />
Be<br />
surprised.<br />
32 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 33
2<br />
Tuesday > 7/21<br />
You are<br />
not alone.<br />
It had been an amazing ride for<br />
the disciples, spending every day<br />
with Jesus. They’d hung out together,<br />
witnessed amazing miracles, and<br />
reveled in the pleasure of asking<br />
Jesus anything they wanted to know.<br />
Then, Jesus told them He was going<br />
back to the Father. This was actually<br />
going to be a good thing, though,<br />
because the Holy Spirit was coming.<br />
The Holy Spirit, whom they couldn’t<br />
see or touch. The disciples had to be<br />
longing to keep Jesus with them, but<br />
it wouldn’t happen. But it would be<br />
for their benefit, or so Jesus said.<br />
Read John 16:5-11. Ponder verse 8.<br />
Why will the Counselor convict<br />
the world about sin? About<br />
righteousness? Judgment?<br />
How have you experienced each of<br />
these convictions in your life?<br />
How would Jesus’ absence benefit<br />
the disciples?<br />
Why do you think Jesus considers<br />
having the Spirit a benefit?<br />
Has God ever allowed a blessing to<br />
be taken from you, only to replace<br />
it with something better? How did<br />
it affect your relationship with<br />
Him?<br />
“When He comes, He will<br />
convict the world about<br />
sin, righteousness, and<br />
judgment.” —John 16:8<br />
When the Holy Spirit lives within us,<br />
we get to have a one-on-one running<br />
conversation with God. No one else’s<br />
prayers ever interrupt ours. We have<br />
a personal mentor to explain God’s<br />
Word to us, and when we step out<br />
of His will, He immediately lets us<br />
know. He continues to keep us in<br />
check, not because He’s out to get us,<br />
but because He loves us and wants a<br />
healthy, growing relationship with us.<br />
3<br />
The Holy Spirit wants to talk to<br />
you. Are you listening?<br />
Wednesday > 7/22<br />
You can hear him now.<br />
Remember playing “GOSSIP” when you were a kid? Usually, the end<br />
result was so different from the original message that it was barely<br />
recognizable because someone paraphrased, couldn’t remember what they’d<br />
been told, or just made up another message to be funny.<br />
The Holy Spirit passes messages from God the Father to us, but He never gets<br />
them wrong or changes them around just to mess with us. When He speaks to<br />
our hearts, we can be sure we’re hearing exactly what the Father intends to say<br />
to us.<br />
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into<br />
all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He<br />
will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to<br />
you what is to come.” —John 16:13<br />
Read John 16:12-15 and focus on verse 13.<br />
What will the Spirit of truth do when He comes?<br />
How do you think this happens?<br />
How will the Spirit glorify the Father?<br />
What truth has the Holy Spirit given you from the Father recently?<br />
The next time you open God’s Word, sit through a sermon at church, or even<br />
listen to your favorite music, ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand God’s<br />
truth. He never intended for you to have to figure it out on your own. You have<br />
your own personal tutor available every moment of the day, but you can choose<br />
whether or not to call for His help or pay attention to His voice.<br />
It can be frustrating and confusing trying to recognize the Holy’s Spirit’s<br />
voice, but don’t give up. Ask Him to help you hear Him better. And keep<br />
practicing. The closer you pay attention and the longer you listen, the better<br />
you will become at identifying His voice. He wants you to recognize it. He wants<br />
to talk with you.<br />
4<br />
How can you use your gifts for God?<br />
Thursday > 7/23<br />
You have gifts. Use them.<br />
What are you really good at? You’ve probably heard that God gave<br />
you that talent or ability, but if you are a Christian, there’s more. God has<br />
given you at least one special gift for the purpose of benefiting the church. Just<br />
like how only your fingers know exactly where to scratch that itch on your head<br />
or how your nose is vital to breathing in the air your body needs to survive, the<br />
gift(s) given to you help out the church, the body of Christ, in a unique way.<br />
Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, stopping to read verse 7 aloud a few times.<br />
From where do believers’ gifts come? Are there any exceptions?<br />
For what purpose does God give<br />
A manifestation of the<br />
Spirit is given to each<br />
person to produce what<br />
is beneficial.<br />
—1 Corinthians 12:7<br />
What special ability has God given you?<br />
How can you use that ability to benefit the church?<br />
gifts to believers?<br />
How do you honestly feel about<br />
believers who are really different<br />
from you? What might need to<br />
change about your attitude toward<br />
others?<br />
What does God say about these<br />
people and their gifts?<br />
Do you know how God has gifted you? The same Holy Spirit who prays for you<br />
with groaning too deep for words, the Spirit who knows you better than you know<br />
yourself, has personally placed something in you. It’s alright if you haven’t figured<br />
out what that is yet, but it’s not too early to begin trying. Check out some different<br />
places to serve in your church. Make a list of things you’re good at and like to do.<br />
Ask people who know you well what gifts they see in you. Above all, pray. Ask God<br />
to help you discover what special gifts He has placed within you for the benefit of<br />
the church.<br />
5<br />
Personal Space<br />
Friday > 7/24<br />
Speak up!<br />
If you were invited to a Bible<br />
study where you thought the Holy<br />
Spirit would show up in a powerful<br />
way, would you go? Some people<br />
wouldn’t want to miss it, while others<br />
would stay away at all costs. Perhaps<br />
they’re afraid, or they doubt that the<br />
Holy Spirit’s power is alive and active.<br />
What do you think? What happens<br />
when He shows up?<br />
When they had prayed,<br />
the place where they were<br />
assembled was shaken,<br />
and they were all filled<br />
with the Holy Spirit and<br />
began to speak God’s<br />
message with boldness.<br />
—Acts 4:31<br />
Read Acts 4:29-31. Consider how<br />
you would have felt had you been<br />
present in verse 31.<br />
What were the threats these<br />
Christians faced? Look over Acts 4<br />
if you’re not sure.<br />
What threats, either real or<br />
imagined, keep you from speaking<br />
about Jesus boldly?<br />
How did these Christians respond<br />
to the threats they faced (v. 29)?<br />
Why do you think they didn’t ask<br />
God to remove the threats?<br />
How do you think they knew the<br />
Holy Spirit had come upon them?<br />
Does this sound scary to you? Why<br />
or why not?<br />
Perhaps you’re in a difficult situation<br />
at home or school. You might be<br />
tempted to ask God to take you out<br />
of it. Sometimes, that does need to<br />
happen, but perhaps God wants to<br />
give you strength, through His Spirit,<br />
to speak about Jesus boldly in the<br />
midst of difficulty. He just might<br />
change the lives of those around you<br />
through the bold words He empowers<br />
you to speak. Next time you find<br />
your faith threatened, ask Him for<br />
boldness to speak His truth.<br />
34 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 35
journal: Week of July 19<br />
Counselor<br />
<br />
Personal Space<br />
life in your own words<br />
Known> 7/25<br />
you’ve spent this week learning about the third Person of the Trinity,<br />
the Holy Spirit. Frankly, the Holy Spirit is often the most ignored member<br />
of the Trinity, since He is by nature mysterious and difficult for us to<br />
understand. But the Holy Spirit is real and a daily part of your life if you<br />
are a Christian. So how do you become more attentive to His leading in<br />
your life? How can this week’s truths about the Holy Spirit affect your life?<br />
Think about your response to the Holy Spirit. Do you ignore Him? Do<br />
you appreciate Him? Do you understand Him? Do you obey Him? Do you<br />
know Him?<br />
What is something that still doesn’t make sense to you about the Holy<br />
Spirit? Do you have to understand every last thing to believe?<br />
Make a list of times when you personally experienced the Holy Spirit’s<br />
presence. Perhaps He comforted you, caused God’s Word to come alive,<br />
or gave you boldness to speak God’s message in a difficult situation.<br />
Write out a prayer thanking the Holy Spirit for His intimate presence in<br />
your life.<br />
Going<br />
Deeper<br />
To learn more about<br />
the Holy Spirit, read the<br />
following:<br />
Luke 12:11-12<br />
John 14:25-26<br />
Acts 1:8<br />
1 Corinthians 6:19-20<br />
Ephesians 1:13-14<br />
Ephesians 4:29-32<br />
<br />
The Holy Spirit isn’t just your<br />
conscience. He is God in you.<br />
Pay attention when He speaks.<br />
Prayers, thoughts,<br />
& questions:<br />
Read Through<br />
the Bible<br />
One of the ways the Holy<br />
Spirit helps us grow in faith<br />
is to open our understanding<br />
of Scripture. Let Him work<br />
in your life as you read<br />
God’s Word. Follow our<br />
suggestions, and you’ll read<br />
through the Bible in one year.<br />
• Job 4–28<br />
• Acts 11–16:15<br />
Jesus died for you and me;<br />
Jesus died so we could be free.<br />
© istockphoto / jill fromer<br />
Forever<br />
Friend<br />
By Sheryl Pang• via e-mail<br />
Best friends come and go,<br />
but Jesus stays, this I know.<br />
He is there when you don't<br />
understand.<br />
Put Him down and blame Him;<br />
Firm will He stand.<br />
He loves you beyond all compare,<br />
even when you are unfair.<br />
Jesus will never leave nor<br />
forsake;<br />
His love for you will never shake.<br />
Jesus died for you and me;<br />
Jesus died so we could be free.<br />
I don't deserve Him, no one does.<br />
He will always love all of us.<br />
Never let the Devil break you<br />
down.<br />
Just remember who wore that<br />
crown.<br />
Lay your crown at His feet.<br />
Jesus is strong and can't be beat.<br />
36 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 37
Snippets &<br />
Soundbites<br />
By the quirky and über-talented ec team<br />
Fun run or Yum run?<br />
Ever get Hungry during your run? Just<br />
try the Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh, N.C.<br />
During this race, more than 5,000 runners jog 2 miles to the<br />
local Krispy Kreme, eat 12 doughnuts each, and then jog back<br />
to North Carolina State University, where the race begins.<br />
And they all do it in less than an hour. Back in 2004, the event<br />
started as dare among some college friends. This year, the<br />
event raised more than $35,000 for charity. Unfortunately, the<br />
participants consumed more calories than they burned in this<br />
race. Twelve Krispy Kreme doughnuts contain 2,400 calories<br />
and 144 grams of fat. And running 4 miles only burns about<br />
400 calories. Oh, but who cares? These folks got in a run, a<br />
meal, and raised money for a good cause. Not a bad deal.<br />
Wedgies:crimefighting<br />
secret?<br />
Yes, they’re<br />
uncomfortable, and we<br />
don’t advocate you giving<br />
them to your little brother<br />
or sister. But a wedgie was<br />
the only thing that stopped<br />
a man who’d tried to break<br />
into a car in Salt Lake<br />
City, Utah. A woman saw<br />
him attempting to break<br />
into her coworker’s car<br />
and chased the guy. She<br />
caught up to him, but he<br />
was a squirmer who kept<br />
nearly getting away from<br />
her. That is, until she gave<br />
him a forceful wedgie and<br />
put him in a headlock.<br />
Needless to say, he stayed<br />
very still until the cops<br />
were able to get there and<br />
arrest him. We bet he’s<br />
regretting ever thinking<br />
about stealing THAT car!<br />
Featuring: doughnut runs, ridiculously long<br />
ear hair, kissing bans, crime-stopping wedgies,<br />
and hand-knit sweaters for balding chickens!<br />
5 things<br />
to<br />
remember<br />
this 4th of<br />
July:<br />
Don’t jump<br />
over lit<br />
fireworks<br />
As fun as it may<br />
look, it’s not smart.<br />
Watch the<br />
Mayo<br />
You wouldn’t want<br />
to get sick, so<br />
ask yourself (or<br />
your host) how<br />
long something’s<br />
been without<br />
refrigeration.<br />
Lather up<br />
Don’t forget the<br />
sunscreen!<br />
be Patriotic<br />
Fly a flag, wear red,<br />
white, and blue,<br />
paint your face,<br />
or whatever. Let<br />
people know you’re<br />
proud to be an<br />
American!<br />
be grateful<br />
You’re fortunate<br />
to live in the USA.<br />
Thank a veteran for<br />
his or her service<br />
to our country.<br />
You have a lot of<br />
freedom as an<br />
American citizen,<br />
but even more as a<br />
child of God! Thank<br />
Him for it.<br />
160<br />
The most miles<br />
ever run in<br />
24 hours on<br />
a treadmill.<br />
(Record set by<br />
Arulanantham<br />
Suresh Joachim<br />
in Canada.)<br />
As men get older, the hair on<br />
their heads slows its growth.<br />
Meanwhile, the hair in their ears<br />
and noses continues to grow.<br />
Turtle gets fake flippers<br />
After a shark attack left “Lu”<br />
the loggerhead turtle with severe<br />
injuries to her forelimbs, Japanese<br />
scientists have fitted her with new<br />
prosthetic ones.<br />
While her swimming capabilities<br />
are only up to 60 percent of a healthy<br />
turtle her size, researchers are hopeful<br />
about her recovery.<br />
Erika Akai, a researcher at the nonprofit<br />
Sea Turtle Association of Japan<br />
said, “She should eventually be able<br />
to lay eggs on a beach.” They’re trying<br />
to get her strong enough to actually<br />
climb up to the beach after swimming<br />
there.<br />
Mind the lip<br />
Kissing banned in British<br />
train station<br />
In an Effort to speed up commute<br />
times, couples are no longer allowed to kiss<br />
at the train station in Warrington, UK (about<br />
3.5 hours northwest of London). While the<br />
public thinks the new “no kissing” signs are<br />
a little silly, city officials say the ordinance is<br />
more of a reminder to not hold up the lines.<br />
Cut your hair!<br />
Radhakant Baijpai claims his 10-inch<br />
ear hair has brought him luck and prosperity.<br />
The 58-year-old Indian grocer has been<br />
growing out the hair in his ears since age<br />
18, and he has never taken scissors to the<br />
bushy masses protruding from his ears.<br />
Baijpai takes special care of his ear<br />
hair, washing it with a specially formulated<br />
herbal shampoo (aren’t we glad to hear<br />
that he washes it!) and making sure to not<br />
If you’re in England,<br />
don’t bother<br />
referring to that<br />
warm shirt of yours<br />
as a “sweater.” They<br />
call it a “jumper.”<br />
Interview?<br />
You?<br />
Yep, you read that correctly.<br />
We want to interview YOU!<br />
Here’s the deal: we love to hear<br />
from our readers. When we get<br />
to hang out with you at focus<br />
groups, you make us laugh, help<br />
us to see this world through<br />
your eyes, and give us reason to<br />
celebrate that God didn’t make<br />
us all with the same personalities<br />
and talents.<br />
So, we’re trying to find out more<br />
about our readers with the ec<br />
Reader Five-Minute Interview.<br />
We ask a few simple questions;<br />
you answer them. Then, we print<br />
them here. Look for the Reader<br />
Five-Minute Interview thread<br />
on our page on Facebook or<br />
check out the link on the blog at<br />
http://ecmagazine.blogspot.com.<br />
Stop by soon!<br />
Take your ec somewhere<br />
that makes you happy<br />
and take a picture. Then,<br />
send it our way. Use the<br />
link on our blog!<br />
wear rings so that he doesn’t accidentally<br />
catch and rip out some of the hair.<br />
His wife has asked him to cut the ear<br />
hair, but he never has. And now that he’s<br />
the Guinness World Record holder for<br />
longest ear hair, she’s quit asking him<br />
about it. She said she knows it’s a source of<br />
pride for him. But the sheer amount of hair<br />
protruding from this guy’s ears makes one<br />
wonder if he ever heard her ask him to cut<br />
it in the first place.<br />
People Are Talking<br />
You live in a world that tells you a lot of lies—<br />
about yourself, what matters, and how you should<br />
look or act. See what some celebs had to say about<br />
that recently.<br />
“People say, ‘It’s<br />
part of being<br />
famous,’ but I<br />
didn’t want that.<br />
I wanted to be a<br />
singer. I’m probably<br />
lying when I say that. I did want to be famous,<br />
but I didn’t realize what famous was. I thought<br />
fame just meant ‘Everyone will love me.’”<br />
—Lily Allen, Spin, February 2009, pg. 46.<br />
“I definitely took my hits, and I definitely got<br />
punished for the bad things I did. And you<br />
know what? Some of those I deserved. Having<br />
been given a second, third, whatever chance,<br />
I don’t think that’s being a magician. Maybe<br />
it’s about having an absolute blind faith in a<br />
higher power. Maybe there’s something I’m<br />
supposed to do that I haven’t done, and that’s<br />
why I keep getting chances.”<br />
—Actress Shannen Doherty, Radar, October/<br />
November 2008, p. 64.<br />
Featherless chickens get<br />
hand-knitted sweaters<br />
Rescuer calls on community to knit<br />
for 1500 rescued fowl<br />
Lucky hens end up at the Little Hen Rescue<br />
Centre in Norwich, UK, where Jo Eglin takes in<br />
hens deemed poor egg layers by the farms where<br />
they lived and layed. Saving them from certain<br />
death, Jo noticed that many of the hens were so<br />
stressed out by the large farms where they had<br />
lived that they lost their feathers. So Eglin called on<br />
anyone who knew how to knit to start making<br />
sweaters for the 1500-member brood. The<br />
chickens are naked no more!<br />
fun random notes<br />
The Buzz<br />
Dates you don’t want to<br />
miss in July:<br />
July 1: Creative Ice Cream Flavors<br />
Day<br />
July 4: Independence Day<br />
July 7: Chocolate Day (as if Feb. 14<br />
wasn’t enough for this food!)<br />
July 11: Cheer Up the Lonely Day<br />
July 17: On this day in 1790,<br />
Washington D.C. was<br />
established as our nation’s<br />
capital.<br />
July 22: Hammock Day<br />
July 27: Take Your Pants for a Walk<br />
Day (Hmm. OK?!)<br />
July 30: National Cheesecake Day<br />
(yes, please!)<br />
Overheard:<br />
• Former dcTalk member Michael<br />
Tait joined the newsboys, replacing<br />
Peter Furler as<br />
their lead singer.<br />
He performed<br />
with the group for<br />
the first time on<br />
March 7, 2009.<br />
• Remedy Drive<br />
will be playing the<br />
Cornerstone Festival this month in<br />
Bushnell, Ill. For more info, check out<br />
page 46 or visit<br />
www.cornerstonefestival.com.<br />
• Talk of BarlowGirl and Everyday<br />
Sunday releasing new albums sometime<br />
this summer.<br />
Next month in ec:<br />
Articles on living with purpose this<br />
school year, pursuing God’s will, an<br />
interview with Henry Blackaby about<br />
hearing God, time management<br />
and organization tips, DVD reviews,<br />
and five weeks of devotions about<br />
pursuing God and His will.<br />
38 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 39
Indescribable:<br />
The Trinity<br />
by Michael Cummings<br />
Trinity. You won’t hear a great deal of<br />
conversation about that word in the school cafeteria, but it is<br />
a very important component of Christianity. Webster defines<br />
Trinity as “the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three<br />
persons in one Godhead according to Christian dogma.” 1 The<br />
term “Godhead” refers to the nature of God, while a “dogma” is<br />
a belief held to be true by a certain group of people.<br />
© istockphoto / matthew hertel<br />
If you’re confused about the Trinity, then you are in good<br />
company. The early Christian fathers struggled with this<br />
concept for hundreds of years before they drew the conclusion<br />
that Yahweh was the three-in-one God.<br />
The Trinity is one of the great mysteries of our faith. It<br />
is hard to wrap our three-and-a-half-pound brain around<br />
this concept. One of the reasons it is difficult is that no<br />
solid examples of this can be found in the natural world.<br />
However, this has not stopped us from trying to understand<br />
God’s nature.<br />
I have heard examples all of my life, such as the one<br />
that compares the Trinity to water. Water can have three<br />
forms—liquid, gas, and solid, yet all of these forms come<br />
from the same substance. This is a really good effort, but it<br />
falls short. God the Father had a relationship with the Son<br />
and the Spirit, and this is where things get tricky with the<br />
water example. First of all, water cannot have a relationship<br />
with anything because it is an inanimate object. Second,<br />
the human form is a bit more complicated than even water,<br />
not to mention how infinitely more complicated the nature<br />
of God as Father and Spirit is. Third, all three forms of<br />
water cannot co-exist for a sustained amount of time. If<br />
you don’t believe me, try putting ice into boiling water to<br />
see how long they co-exist. It is best not to try to explain<br />
the indescribable God we serve using this or any other<br />
analogy.<br />
The God we serve chose to reveal Himself to humanity<br />
throughout history as three distinct Persons, and yet He is<br />
One. We do not worship three gods. God tells us so when<br />
He gave Moses these words to speak: “Listen, Israel: The<br />
Lord our God, the Lord is One” (Deut. 6:4).<br />
How can this be? The answer is simple: we don’t know<br />
how it can be true, but we know that it is true because the<br />
Word of God is true.<br />
The Scripture provides<br />
much evidence which<br />
confirms that, throughout<br />
time, the three Persons of<br />
the Trinity have co-existed<br />
(Gen. 1:26, Gen. 3:22, Gen.<br />
11:7, Isa. 6:8, Matt. 3:16-17,<br />
Luke 4:14, John 1:1-2, and<br />
1 Cor. 2:10-11). These are<br />
just a few of the Scriptures<br />
in which the different<br />
Persons of the Trinity are<br />
interacting and co-existing.<br />
Some people might debate<br />
this topic, but even though<br />
the Bible is God’s Word<br />
and is true, not everyone<br />
holds to this view.<br />
The Trinity is one of the great<br />
mysteries of our faith. It’s hard<br />
to wrap our three-and-a-half<br />
pound brain around it.<br />
So what evidence do we have that it is true? The evidence<br />
is in you! Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep<br />
My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He<br />
will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He<br />
is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him<br />
because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know<br />
Him, because He remains with you and will be in you”<br />
(John 14:15-17).<br />
In our world, people are constantly searching for heroes<br />
with supernatural abilities like Wolverine and Harry Potter.<br />
However, we have the Hero the world really needs. He<br />
is the One and only true Hero. He is the Triune God who<br />
lives in each and every one of us who call ourselves Christians.<br />
If you want to prove to the world that God exists and<br />
that His Word is true, then simply let the God who resides<br />
within you out into the world. Show His love, mercy, and<br />
grace to a world that is desperate for a real hero.<br />
If you do this, you will give the world a small glimpse of<br />
the indescribable God we serve. ec<br />
1. “Trinity,” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed.<br />
(Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).<br />
© istockphoto / tim mccaig<br />
40 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 41
Understanding the Trinity<br />
by Michael Cummings<br />
The Trinity is by no means an<br />
easy concept to understand.<br />
That’s why believers have<br />
employed various analogies<br />
throughout the years as they<br />
attempt to wrap their brains<br />
around the concept of a God<br />
who is Three-in-One. So let’s<br />
take some time to consider a<br />
few of those analogies and discuss<br />
their limitations.<br />
The one-person analogy:<br />
One person takes on many different<br />
roles throughout their lifetime such as<br />
father, son, and husband.<br />
Problem: Although the different<br />
roles are covered here, the interaction<br />
between the three could not happen<br />
unless the individual liked talking to<br />
himself.<br />
Three-leaf clover analogy:<br />
A three-leaf clover has three parts,<br />
but it is only one clover.<br />
Problem: Each leaf is only part of the<br />
clover, and, if taken apart, each part<br />
does not represent the whole clover.<br />
Also, the clover is impersonal and does<br />
not have the complex personality interaction<br />
found in the Trinity.<br />
The three interlacing circles<br />
analogy:<br />
We have all seen this symbol for the<br />
trinity.<br />
© istockphoto / Denise Bentley<br />
Problem: This analogy breaks down<br />
from the beginning, because each circle<br />
is never really in the whole. Also, if they<br />
are taken apart, they are separate and<br />
have nothing that connects them back<br />
to the original symbol.<br />
The arm analogy:<br />
This analogy emphasizes three parts<br />
of the arm: the shoulder, the elbow,<br />
and the hand. All of these different<br />
parts function as a part of the whole<br />
arm, but each has different task to<br />
complete.<br />
Problem: If you take an elbow out of<br />
the arm, the function of the arm is hampered.<br />
Also, the elbow in and of itself<br />
is not an arm; it is simply a part from<br />
the arm. And once again, there is not<br />
interpersonal relationship between the<br />
different parts of the arm.<br />
The tree analogy:<br />
This analogy emphasizes three parts<br />
of the tree: the roots, the trunk, and<br />
the branches. All of these parts are<br />
said to make up the whole tree, and<br />
all have different functions within the<br />
tree.<br />
Problem: These different parts have<br />
a similar problem with all of the previous<br />
examples. They are only a part of<br />
the tree, and, when separated from the<br />
tree, they are not considered a tree.<br />
And yet again, we see the lack of the<br />
interpersonal and complex personality<br />
relationship contained in the Trinity.<br />
Conclusion:<br />
There are no perfect analogies that<br />
can be used to represent the complex,<br />
amazing, and indescribable God we<br />
serve. The analogies we’ve listed are all<br />
imperfect because we can’t describe a<br />
God we can’t fully understand. To me<br />
this isn’t a disappointment. If we could<br />
explain the great God we serve with<br />
words found through human wisdom,<br />
just how big of a God would He be? ec<br />
1<br />
Father<br />
Read and study Micah<br />
6:6-8.<br />
The gist:<br />
How can people tell you’re<br />
related to someone? By the obvious<br />
resemblance. More than your<br />
words, people will know you are<br />
God’s child if you act like Him.<br />
Face Time:<br />
• Read Micah 6:6a. Do you ever<br />
get confused over what God<br />
wants of you? Why?<br />
• Micah reminds us of what God<br />
requires in verse 8. List the<br />
things he said God requires.<br />
• What does it mean to act justly?<br />
What does that look like today?<br />
• What are some examples of<br />
loving faithfulness?<br />
• What does it mean to “walk<br />
humbly” with God? How can we<br />
strive to do that today?<br />
• We dream of achieving big<br />
things for God. Micah’s list, however,<br />
is very practical. Which is<br />
harder to fulfill: big things or<br />
the day-to-day practical things?<br />
• God wants a heart response<br />
from us—not just a material<br />
offering. Why?<br />
Making it personal:<br />
When we truly know God, our<br />
hearts are changed to be like His.<br />
The evidence will be there: we<br />
spend time in His Word; we value<br />
what He values; we act accordingly.<br />
It’s important to note that Micah’s<br />
list is concerned with our daily<br />
walk with God.<br />
In your small group, list everyday<br />
ways you can apply Micah’s list.<br />
Pray together for opportunities to<br />
do these. Realize that God honors<br />
the obedience that prompts your<br />
actions, and He will continue to<br />
provide you with ways to glorify<br />
Him.<br />
2<br />
god campus connection<br />
Bible Studies You Can Use • By Maria Nuguid<br />
The Trinity. Personal Bible study should be a part of your Christian life, no<br />
doubt. But there’s also something to be said for talking about God’s Word with<br />
other believers. Maybe you’re part of a small group Bible study at your church,<br />
meet with a few Christian friends before school, or are involved in a Christian<br />
club at school. Think about using this month’s devotion themes to guide your<br />
study and discussion. We’ve provided some talking points and questions to<br />
guide your discussion or help you lead a devotion time.<br />
His Father’s<br />
Son<br />
Read and study Colossians 1:13-23;<br />
Matthew 16:15-16.<br />
The gist:<br />
Why has Jesus’ reputation taken<br />
such a beating? Is He actually just<br />
a prophet or a good man from long<br />
ago? The Bible says Jesus is the<br />
exalted Son of God, and the only<br />
One who can make an eternal<br />
difference in our lives.<br />
Face Time:<br />
• Colossians 1:13 sums up what<br />
Christ did. Are you one of those<br />
who has been rescued and<br />
transferred? Explain.<br />
• Why is it important that Christ<br />
was involved in creation?<br />
• What does the passage in Colossians<br />
teach you about Christ’s<br />
divinity?<br />
• Colossians 1:15-20 lays out who<br />
Jesus is and what He did. Which<br />
action means the most to you?<br />
• Read Matthew 16:15-16. If you<br />
were Peter, how would you<br />
answer? Why?<br />
• In Colossians 1:21-23, we see the<br />
need to continue in the faith.<br />
What does this entail?<br />
Making it personal:<br />
Peter’s admission of long ago still<br />
rings true today. Jesus is ultimately<br />
more than who the world thinks He<br />
is. He isn’t just a good teacher or a<br />
prophet who taught some worthwhile<br />
truths. He is the Christ, the<br />
Messiah, God in the flesh who calls<br />
us to a new way of life. We will know<br />
the awesome reality of His glorious<br />
presence when He returns. For now,<br />
He wants us to get busy introducing<br />
Him to our friends. He wants to<br />
touch their lives the same way He<br />
touched yours.<br />
Encourage your small group to<br />
share Jesus with a friend this week.<br />
Discuss ways you can do this.<br />
Remind yourselves of how Jesus<br />
called you into relationship with<br />
Him and discuss how God is working<br />
in your life today. Pray together,<br />
thanking Jesus for His sacrifice and<br />
continued presence in your lives.<br />
42 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 43
campus connection god<br />
Bible Studies You Can Use • By Maria Nuguid<br />
Too often, we<br />
make our faith<br />
about how we<br />
feel. The truth:<br />
faith really isn’t<br />
about you. It’s<br />
about God’s<br />
unchanging love;<br />
Jesus’ salvation<br />
through grace;<br />
the Holy Spirit’s<br />
presence.<br />
3<br />
Counselor<br />
Read and study Galatians 5:22-25.<br />
The gist:<br />
The Holy Spirit is the third person<br />
of the Trinity. He is fully God, and<br />
your body is His temple. And it’s true,<br />
to live by the Spirit is to bear fruit in<br />
the Spirit.<br />
Face Time:<br />
• Read Galatians 5:22. The word<br />
“fruit” is singular, yet Paul<br />
listed several. Did Paul make a<br />
grammatical error? Explain.<br />
• Are the fruit of the Spirit Paul<br />
listed interconnected? How?<br />
• Do you think there is such a thing<br />
as a defeated Christian? Why?<br />
• How do you sometimes allow yourself<br />
to live as a defeated Christian?<br />
• What do these verses teach you<br />
about the Holy Spirit’s role in the<br />
Christian’s life?<br />
• Do you see any of these qualities in<br />
your life? Where?<br />
• How have you experienced the<br />
Holy Spirit developing these<br />
qualities in your life?<br />
• What qualities do you think the<br />
Holy Spirit is trying to grow and<br />
develop in you today? Why? How?<br />
• Acts 7:51 describes those who<br />
resist the Holy Spirit as stiffnecked<br />
and uncircumcised in heart<br />
and ears. What do you think this<br />
means?<br />
• When have you resisted the Holy<br />
Spirit’s leading in your life? What<br />
happened?<br />
• In verse 25, we are instructed to<br />
live by the Spirit. What does that<br />
mean?<br />
• Why is it important that God has<br />
given us the Holy Spirit as a guide?<br />
Making it personal:<br />
The Holy Spirit is available 24/7. He<br />
convicts us of sin and gifts us to do<br />
our part in God’s church. He is our<br />
comfort, encouragement, and faithful<br />
Friend.<br />
So think about it. Are you overwhelmed?<br />
Sound the alarm! Plug into<br />
the power that is waiting. The Holy<br />
Spirit will never turn you away.<br />
Spend some time in reflection. As<br />
a small group, discuss ways you allow<br />
the enemy to make you lose sight of<br />
the hope that is yours. Encourage<br />
each other through prayer.<br />
God loves you because He is love. It’s a mystery of mercy<br />
and grace that He wants a relationship with each one of us!<br />
4<br />
Mystery<br />
Read Genesis 1:26; Luke 3:21-22.<br />
The gist:<br />
Face it. The Triune God is a<br />
mystery we’ll never resolve. But<br />
that doesn’t stop us from getting<br />
to know Him. Although unable<br />
to fully comprehend, we can be<br />
certain that all three Persons of<br />
the Trinity are lovingly involved in<br />
our lives.<br />
Face Time:<br />
• Read Genesis 1:26. Was God<br />
speaking to the same Persons<br />
present at the baptism in Luke<br />
3:21-22? Explain.<br />
• Do these passages help you<br />
understand the Trinity? Explain.<br />
• Does it bother you that the<br />
Trinity is a mystery? Why or<br />
why not?<br />
• What role does faith play in believing<br />
the truth of the Trinity?<br />
• How does this affect how you<br />
relate with God?<br />
Making it personal:<br />
What’s one more thing that unites<br />
the Triune God? You. Each Person<br />
of the Trinity loves you and longs to<br />
fulfill His part in your life.<br />
Reflect together in your small<br />
group. Do you really know God as<br />
Father? How is Jesus truly your<br />
Savior and Lord? Is the Holy Spirit<br />
actively at work in your life?<br />
We may not fully understand<br />
how the Trinity works. We may<br />
have more questions than answers,<br />
sometimes. But one thing is for<br />
sure. God loves us, and we need<br />
never question that. Pray together,<br />
understanding that you don’t have<br />
to have everything figured out to<br />
be a person of faith loved by God.<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
Summer Movie Madness<br />
by ec’s staff<br />
July is here and the summer movie season is in full swing. Harry Potter and the<br />
Half-Blood Prince is expected to release this month. And without a High School<br />
Musical release on the horizon this summer, Ashley Tisdale will take on aliens in this<br />
month’s They Came from Upstairs. So before you head out to the theater to see<br />
whatever summer movies have piqued your interest, we thought it would be fun to<br />
take a look at some interesting stats about the silver screen and summer releases.<br />
Top 10<br />
ec<br />
says: ec<br />
says:<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
This movie is a<br />
classic, but it’s long.<br />
Make watching it<br />
an event!<br />
While rated PG,<br />
this film is violent<br />
and includes<br />
questionable<br />
content and<br />
profanity. We don’t<br />
recommend you<br />
watch it.<br />
This movie<br />
perennially tops<br />
lists of good movies.<br />
Know that it is<br />
very long and deals<br />
with adultery.<br />
This movie is<br />
based on a true<br />
story. It is intense<br />
and full of peril,<br />
along with repeated<br />
misuse of God’s<br />
name.<br />
highest grossing movies<br />
ever: *<br />
Top 10 movies<br />
with best July 4<br />
opening:<br />
Gone with the Wind (1939)<br />
Star Wars (1977)<br />
The Sound of Music (1965)<br />
4 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)<br />
5 The Ten Commandments (1956)<br />
6 Titanic (1997)<br />
7 Jaws (1975)<br />
8 Doctor Zhivago (1965)<br />
9 The Exorcist (1973)<br />
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs<br />
(1937)<br />
*<br />
Stats are for movies released domestically<br />
and adjusted for ticket price inflation.<br />
1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)<br />
2 War of the Worlds (2005)<br />
3 Superman Returns (2006)<br />
4 Men in Black II (2002)<br />
5 Men in Black (1997)<br />
6 Independence Day (1996)<br />
7 Terminator 3: Rise of the<br />
Machines (2003)<br />
8 The Perfect Storm (2000)<br />
9 Armageddon (1998)<br />
Terminator 2: Judgment Day<br />
(1991)<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
This is an<br />
emotional,<br />
fictional account<br />
of the doomed<br />
luxury liner. For a<br />
more historical look<br />
that’s less focused<br />
on sex, try A Night<br />
to Remember or<br />
Titanic: Death of a<br />
Dream.<br />
This movie is very<br />
dark, offers little<br />
hope, and portrays<br />
flawed heroes in a<br />
world that is falling<br />
apart at the seams.<br />
Don’t mistake us<br />
mentioning it here<br />
as endorsing the<br />
movie or its content!<br />
This movie is full<br />
of ungodly content<br />
and themes. We<br />
do not recommend<br />
you watch it.<br />
This movie is<br />
darker and more<br />
intense than its<br />
predecessors. It<br />
pushes the truth<br />
that all people are<br />
valuable, but it is<br />
less clear on what<br />
tolerance and/or<br />
acceptance should<br />
look like. We’d<br />
suggest turning to<br />
Scripture for a more<br />
informed idea.<br />
Top 10 movies<br />
with the best summer<br />
opening:<br />
1 The Dark Knight (2008)<br />
2 Spider-Man 3 (2007)<br />
3 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead<br />
ec<br />
says:<br />
Man’s Chest (2006)<br />
4 Shrek the Third (2007)<br />
5 Spider-Man (2002)<br />
6 Pirates of the Caribbean: At<br />
World’s End (2007)<br />
7 Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of<br />
the Sith (2005)<br />
Summer wouldn’t be the<br />
same if we didn’t include<br />
some sports movies.<br />
Here are a few of the<br />
American Film Institute’s<br />
favorite sports movies:<br />
• Hoosiers<br />
• The Pride of the Yankees<br />
• National Velvet<br />
8 Shrek 2 (2004)<br />
9 X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)<br />
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of<br />
the Crystal Skull (2008)<br />
10. Mandy and Emily of the ec team<br />
were left wondering why they spent<br />
their money on a ticket after seeing<br />
this one in the theater.<br />
44 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 45
Top 10 Beaches<br />
1 Caladesi Island<br />
State Park,<br />
Dunedin/Clearwater,<br />
Florida<br />
2 Hanalei Beach,<br />
Kauai, Hawaii<br />
3 Siesta Beach,<br />
Sarasota, Florida<br />
4 Coopers Beach,<br />
Southampton, New York<br />
5 Coronado Beach,<br />
San Diego, California<br />
6 Main Beach,<br />
East Hampton, New York<br />
7 Hamoa Beach,<br />
Maui, Hawaii<br />
8 Cape Hatteras,<br />
Outer Banks, North<br />
Carolina<br />
9 Cape Florida State<br />
Park,<br />
Key Biscayne, Florida<br />
Beachwalker Park,<br />
Kiawah Island, South<br />
Carolina<br />
Whale Watch<br />
Cruise, San Juan<br />
Island near Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
Watch for orca,<br />
humpback, and gray<br />
whales in Friday Harbor<br />
near Seattle. Don’t miss<br />
the opportunity to get a<br />
close up of these giant<br />
sea mammals!<br />
Top 10 Ballparks<br />
1 Wrigley Field<br />
Chicago Cubs<br />
2 Fenway Park<br />
Boston Red Sox<br />
3 Old Yankee Stadium<br />
New York Yankees (new<br />
stadium opened in 2009)<br />
4 Oriole Park at<br />
Camden Yards<br />
Baltimore Orioles<br />
5 Coors Field<br />
Colorado Rockies<br />
6 Jacobs Field<br />
Cleveland Indians<br />
7 Turner Field<br />
Atlanta Braves<br />
8 Ballpark<br />
at Arlington<br />
Texas Rangers<br />
9 Dodgers Stadium<br />
Los Angeles Dodgers<br />
Safeco Stadium<br />
Seattle Mariners<br />
http://americasbestonline.<br />
net/baseball.htm<br />
Broadway in<br />
Bryant Park,<br />
New York City, NY<br />
Can’t afford to see a<br />
Broadway show while<br />
in New York? Well, on<br />
Thursdays in Bryant<br />
Park, cast members<br />
perform snippets of<br />
Broadway shows. It<br />
is a free event! You<br />
can even pack a picnic<br />
lunch for these outdoor<br />
shows.<br />
New England<br />
Carousel Museum,<br />
Bristol, Connecticut<br />
Remember the days<br />
when you begged to<br />
ride the carousel?<br />
Well, now you can see<br />
a collection of 300<br />
antique carousels in<br />
one spot! It’s much<br />
better than spending<br />
five bucks on one ride<br />
at the mall.<br />
http://www.drbeach.<br />
org/drbeach/best beach<br />
list 2008.htm<br />
<br />
<br />
Top 10 Most<br />
Visited National<br />
Parks<br />
1 Great Smoky<br />
Mountains National<br />
Park, North Carolina/<br />
Tennessee<br />
2 Grand Canyon<br />
National Park, Arizona<br />
3 Yosemite National<br />
Park, California<br />
4 Olympic National<br />
Park, Washington<br />
5 Yellowstone<br />
National Park<br />
Wyoming<br />
6 Cuyahoga Valley,<br />
Ohio<br />
7 Rocky Mountain<br />
National Park, Colorado<br />
8 Zion National Park,<br />
Utah<br />
9 Grand Teton<br />
National Park,<br />
Wyoming<br />
Acadia National<br />
Park, Maine<br />
http://www.nps.gov/pub aff/<br />
refdesk/10MVUNP.pdf<br />
<br />
Carlsbad Caverns,<br />
Carlsbad, New Mexico<br />
Tour a cave the size<br />
of 6.2 football fields,<br />
stand in a Hall of<br />
Giants, view an 89 foot<br />
rock column, watch bat<br />
flights in the evening.<br />
Carlsbad Caverns<br />
provides family fun.<br />
Tickets are cheap,<br />
and tours can be easy<br />
(for younger siblings)<br />
or difficult (for the<br />
adventuresome). Just<br />
make sure you don’t fall<br />
in the Bottomless Pit!<br />
Cornerstone Festival,<br />
June 29 July 4 • Bushnell, Illinois<br />
Cornerstone is a five day event<br />
attended by over 20,000 people to<br />
celebrate Christianity in culture. This<br />
year’s festival features renowned<br />
artists Anberlin, Hawk Nelson, Relient<br />
K, and many more. But it is not just<br />
a concert. Cornerstone also offers<br />
classes and workshops, seminars,<br />
and many outdoor activities as well.<br />
St. Louis Zoo,<br />
St. Louis, Missouri<br />
This is an impressive<br />
free zoo! It houses<br />
5,000 animals including<br />
bears, penguins, big<br />
cats, antelope, and<br />
many more.<br />
Schlitterbahn<br />
Water Park,<br />
New Braunfels, Texas<br />
Schlitterbahn<br />
showcases 17 slides, a<br />
sandless shore, surfing<br />
simulation, and more<br />
stunning slippery sites!<br />
One of the best water<br />
parks anywhere.<br />
Louisville Slugger<br />
Museum,<br />
Louisville, Kentucky<br />
Visit the birthplace of<br />
bats used by sluggers<br />
from Ty Cobb and Hank<br />
Aaron to Ken Griffey Jr.<br />
and Derek Jeter. Tour<br />
the factory and get your<br />
own legitimate (though<br />
miniature) Louisville<br />
slugger bat at the end!<br />
<br />
Zorb Smoky<br />
Mountains, Pigeon<br />
Forge, Tennessee<br />
Because who wouldn’t<br />
want to bounce down<br />
a hill inside a giant<br />
inflated ball?<br />
Summer<br />
Fun<br />
by Hannah Wakefield<br />
Top 10 Roller<br />
Coasters<br />
Superman<br />
Ride of Steel<br />
Six Flags, New England<br />
Agawam, Massachusetts<br />
Millenium Force<br />
Cedar Point<br />
Sandusky, Ohio<br />
3 Nitro<br />
Six Flags Great Adventure<br />
Jackson, New Jersey<br />
4 Montu<br />
Busch Gardens<br />
Tampa, Florida<br />
5 SheiKra<br />
Busch Gardens<br />
Tampa, Florida<br />
6 Fahrenheit<br />
Hersheypark<br />
Hershey, Pennsylvania<br />
7 The Incredible Hulk<br />
Universal Studios<br />
Orlando, Florida<br />
8 Apollo’s Chariot<br />
Busch Gardens<br />
Williamsburg, Virginia<br />
9 Superman<br />
Ride of Steel<br />
Six Flags America<br />
Largo, Maryland<br />
Kingda Ka<br />
Six Flags Great Adventure<br />
Jackson, New Jersey<br />
http://themeparks.about.<br />
com/cs/coasterbooks/a/<br />
bestcoasters.htm<br />
http://americasbestonline.<br />
net/index.php/pages/<br />
rollercoasters.html<br />
46 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 47
Finding community in Chile<br />
By Chansin Bird<br />
Caidon George knew the<br />
people in her church loved her.<br />
At 18 years old, she’d grown<br />
up surrounded with the support of the<br />
members of Lakeside Baptist Church<br />
in Texas. Even without her asking, they<br />
helped her find the money to go on a<br />
mission trip to South America. What<br />
Caidon didn’t know was that she’d find<br />
a community of love and acceptance in<br />
Chile as well.<br />
“It was such an open and loving<br />
culture. I’d like to go back.”<br />
She was the youngest of 150 missionaries<br />
from all over the world who<br />
met in Chile to serve for two weeks. The<br />
only person she knew on the trip was<br />
her pastor. All the missionaries were<br />
divided amongst 30 local churches.<br />
From house visits to conducting a mini-<br />
Vacation Bible School to visiting a prison,<br />
Caidon’s job was to socialize and get<br />
involved with the youth and children’s<br />
activities. The missionaries’ goal was to<br />
encourage the small group of Christians<br />
there and share Jesus with the church’s<br />
neighborhood.<br />
Though she was scared on the plane<br />
ride and didn’t know what to expect,<br />
it didn’t take long for her to fit right in<br />
with the Chileans.<br />
“The pastor of the [local] church was<br />
intimidating to me at first,” Caidon said.<br />
“He seemed strict. But by the fourth<br />
day we were already joking around. He<br />
had a daughter my age, and they would<br />
invite me to hang out. They called me<br />
their hija—that’s ‘daughter’ in Spanish. It<br />
© istockphoto / jan rihak<br />
was one big family for me. In a random<br />
city in a random country—to be connected<br />
in that way was really touching.”<br />
They not only welcomed Caidon in<br />
their group, but the small church of<br />
about 100 people had its own special<br />
relationship.<br />
“In that one church, everyone took<br />
care of everyone. I would walk with<br />
Carlos, the 17-year-old translator, and<br />
we would go to someone’s home from<br />
the church. He didn’t know the person<br />
well, but they opened their homes to<br />
each other because they had a bond<br />
between church members.”<br />
Caidon liked the Chilean’s focus on<br />
family time. At 4 p.m., no matter what<br />
the person was doing, everyone would<br />
go home for once time. They drink tea<br />
or coffee, have a snack, and visit with<br />
their family.<br />
“I’d be at a different house every day<br />
during that time. It was neat to be a part<br />
of each family. We’d stop and relax and<br />
ask how their day was.”<br />
The Chileans were also open to<br />
accepting tracts.<br />
“We all had tracts that had our personal<br />
<strong>test</strong>imony translated on them.<br />
Throughout the day we’d pass them<br />
out. Here in America if you pass out<br />
tracts, people ignore you or grab it and<br />
throw it away. In Chile, I was afraid I’d be<br />
rejected a lot.”<br />
But she wasn’t. The passersby would<br />
come up to her and ask what she was<br />
passing out. They often immediately sat<br />
on a bench and read the tract.<br />
“Even if they weren’t interested or<br />
if they were from a different religion,<br />
they’d still stop and listen to whatever<br />
you had to say.”<br />
At the end of the week, the church<br />
threw a farewell party for the missionaries.<br />
After the barbecue, Caidon’s new<br />
friends stayed up until 5 a.m. dancing,<br />
goofing off, and enjoying each other’s<br />
company. Even the pastor came over<br />
late in the night.<br />
“Coming back, I was in tears. It was<br />
the hardest good-bye I ever had to do,<br />
and I was just there two weeks.” ec<br />
Week of July 26<br />
photos this section: © istockphoto / shelly perry, jason stitt, ron hohenhaus.<br />
Mystery<br />
Personal Space<br />
Movie thrillers, murder mystery novels, and crime shows have<br />
made the word mystery commonplace.<br />
To us, a mystery is simply something to be figured out—unraveled, taken<br />
apart, and wholly understood. But the word means so much more than that. At<br />
its very essence, the word mystery describes something that isn’t just difficult<br />
to figure out, but may be entirely impossible for us to wrap our brains around.<br />
A true mystery is difficult to explain, puzzling, and sometimes beyond human<br />
understanding.<br />
There’s a quality of mystery when it comes to God. You can absolutely know<br />
Him and live in relationship with Him because of Jesus. You can take on His<br />
characteristics and become more like Him. You can walk in daily counsel with<br />
the Holy Spirit and seek guidance from Scripture. You can know God, but<br />
knowing Him doesn’t mean you understand every last thing about Him or<br />
His ways.<br />
Some of that mystery has to do with the concept of the Trinity, God in three<br />
Persons. No explanation or comparison we come up with actually does the<br />
Trinity justice or encompasses the concept in its entirety. God isn’t entirely<br />
comprehensible. We can’t understand Him completely or explain all His ways<br />
through human reasoning. But we can live in relationship with Him—God<br />
the Father who loves us without measure, Jesus the Son who has first-hand<br />
knowledge of our sorrows and joys and gave Himself up for us, and the Holy<br />
Spirit who guides and counsels. He is God in three Persons.<br />
And that’s a true mystery of mercy and grace in every sense of the word.<br />
48 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 49
weekend > 7/26<br />
Three in one<br />
After Jesus was baptized, He<br />
went up immediately from the<br />
water. The heavens suddenly<br />
opened for Him, and He saw the<br />
Spirit of God descending like a<br />
dove and coming down on Him.<br />
And there came a voice from<br />
heaven: “This is My beloved<br />
Son. I take delight in Him!”<br />
—Matthew 3:16-17<br />
Read Matthew 3:13-17.<br />
It’s one of the most important<br />
days of your life. It could be your<br />
graduation, an awards banquet during<br />
which you are receiving an award, a<br />
game in which you are starting, or a<br />
concert in which you are performing.<br />
Chances are pretty good that you want<br />
all of your family and friends there to<br />
help you celebrate that special day.<br />
Jesus was no different. It was the<br />
day of His baptism. He didn’t send<br />
out any formal invitations, post it on<br />
Facebook, or tell everybody He knew<br />
about it, but it was still a very special<br />
day for Him.<br />
The example of baptism that Jesus<br />
gave us that day was significant,<br />
but what was even more significant<br />
was the fact that the Trinity—God<br />
the Father, the Son, and the Holy<br />
Spirit—was present for this day. How,<br />
you ask? Jesus was baptized, God the<br />
Father spoke, and the Holy Spirit was<br />
present in the form of a dove.<br />
This week’s devotions are all about<br />
the Trinity. While we won’t find the<br />
word Trinity in the Bible, we do find<br />
examples again and again of how God<br />
exists in three Persons. He is God the<br />
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy<br />
Spirit. While these are three distinct<br />
Persons, they are still one.<br />
While we try and explain how it’s<br />
possible for God to be three in one,<br />
sometimes we just need to accept that<br />
we will not understand everything<br />
about Him. It is only when we begin<br />
living in a relationship with God the<br />
Father through Jesus Christ the Son<br />
with the Holy Spirit as our counselor,<br />
guide, and empowerment that we<br />
begin to understand this concept<br />
called the Trinity.<br />
1<br />
monday > 7/27<br />
Listening isn’t the same<br />
thing as hearing.<br />
Ever noticed how we want to understand how everything works and<br />
why it works the way it does? We have a unique quest to discover behind-thescenes<br />
information on how and why things work. How does a fax really work? How<br />
is it possible to send a picture from your phone to somebody else? Why do your<br />
friends do the things they do? Go ahead, take a minute and ask yourself what it is<br />
that you really want to know. How would knowing it make an impact in your life?<br />
The spiritual person, however,<br />
can evaluate everything, yet he<br />
himself cannot be evaluated by<br />
anyone. For: who has known<br />
the Lord’s mind, that he may<br />
instruct Him? But we have the<br />
mind of Christ.<br />
—1 Corinthians 2:15 16<br />
Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, paying<br />
close attention to verses 15 and 16.<br />
Up to this point, where have you<br />
received your knowledge of how God<br />
does things?<br />
What is it that you would like to<br />
know about why God does things the<br />
way He does?<br />
How does God say we are given information about His ways?<br />
To what degree in your life is the Spirit of God giving you knowledge?<br />
If you are not gaining an understanding of God and His ways, what ultimately<br />
keeps that from happening?<br />
What do you think about the statement, “we have the mind of Christ”?<br />
Understanding the depth of God comes down to whether or not we are willing to<br />
take the steps to be spiritually alive and grow spiritually. Paul told it straight to<br />
the Corinthians: when we are alive in Christ, we have access to everything that<br />
God’s Spirit is doing around us. God’s Spirit was given to us to help us gain a better<br />
understanding of who God is and what He is doing. God is not something we have to<br />
wish we could figure out; He gives us what we need to help us understand. But we<br />
have to be willing and ready to listen.<br />
God gives us what we need. We don’t<br />
have to understand it all.<br />
2<br />
How much do you look like God?<br />
tuesday > 7/28<br />
Don’t you know<br />
how much you’re loved?<br />
Want to buy a house or a car sometime in the future? These two items<br />
are major investments and big purchases in life. Each of them requires<br />
that we discipline ourselves to save and come up with a down payment to prove<br />
that we really want those things. Have you ever had to save up for something you<br />
really wanted it? What was it? For how long did you save? What other resources<br />
did you use to get it?<br />
In Him you also, when you heard<br />
the word of truth, the gospel of<br />
your salvation—in Him when<br />
you believed—were sealed<br />
with the promised Holy Spirit.<br />
He is the down payment of our<br />
inheritance, for the redemption<br />
of the possession, to the praise of<br />
His glory. —Ephesians 1:13 14<br />
Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Reread verses<br />
13-14.<br />
According to these verses, when did<br />
God start planning for you?<br />
What was the down payment that<br />
God provided?<br />
What did Christ do for the down<br />
payment?<br />
What did the Holy Spirit do for the<br />
down payment?<br />
What is significant about the three portions of the down payment provided for you?<br />
What does this tell you about God’s plan and love for you?<br />
Your down payment was started long before you were ever born. From the very<br />
beginning of time, God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit have been planning for you and<br />
investing in your life. God, before all creation, knew that He wanted to have a relationship<br />
with you and was making plans to make that possible. Paul reminded us<br />
in this passage that only in Christ can we discover just how much was given on our<br />
behalf. Do you understand? Jesus sacrificed the glory and honor He deserved to<br />
come to earth where He was mocked, ignored, and crucified. He gave Himself up<br />
for you. And there’s more! God gave us the Holy Spirit to seal you and to remind<br />
you of what was planned for us. God—in three Persons—loves you.<br />
3<br />
Personal Space<br />
wednesday > 7/29<br />
Whom do you<br />
look like?<br />
He looks like his dad. No, he<br />
looks like his mom. Come on,<br />
he really has the look of his granddad.<br />
Ever heard these words before? Every<br />
new baby is put through this ritual.<br />
For years to come there is the annual<br />
squeezing of the cheeks followed by<br />
the words, “Oh she looks just like . . .”<br />
Whom do you look like?<br />
Then God said, “Let Us<br />
make man in Our image,<br />
according to Our likeness.<br />
They will rule the fish of the<br />
sea, the birds of the sky, the<br />
animals, all the earth, and<br />
the creatures that crawl on<br />
the earth.” —Genesis 1:26<br />
Take a look at Genesis 1:26-31. Think<br />
about what God did in verse 26.<br />
Whom do these verses say you look<br />
like?<br />
What does it mean to be made in<br />
God’s image?<br />
Who is the “Our” in verse 26?<br />
Do you look more like God the<br />
Father? The Son? The Spirit?<br />
Why is it important that all three<br />
Persons of the Trinity were present<br />
and involved in creation?<br />
While your earthly parents will<br />
argue for years over whom you most<br />
resemble, the truth of the matter is<br />
you were created in the image of God.<br />
While your physical attributes may call<br />
to mind your parents or grandparents,<br />
God created you in His image. But God<br />
wasn’t talking about physical things,<br />
like your face or the shape of your<br />
hands. You were made in God’s image,<br />
in a spiritual sense. Everything about<br />
you was created with God’s nature and<br />
character in mind. That includes the<br />
Father’s attributes, the Son’s attributes,<br />
and the attributes of the Spirit of God.<br />
Nobody has more bragging rights than<br />
God of whom you look like.<br />
50 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 51
Personal Space<br />
“The important point is not whether we can understand the Trinity, even with<br />
the help of illustrations, but whether we will believe what the Bible has to say<br />
about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and about their relationship to each other.”<br />
—James Montgomery Boice<br />
You don’t have to<br />
understand.<br />
You do have to<br />
trust.<br />
4<br />
Acknowledge God as three in one.<br />
Thursday> 7/30<br />
God is three in one.<br />
5<br />
Eggs are unique. They’re made up of the yolk, the white, and the shell.<br />
All three are different, but it is still only one egg. Water can take on three<br />
different forms—liquid, gas, or solid, but it is still always water. Can you identify<br />
other things that contain three different parts but are still one? Go ahead, see<br />
how many you can name.<br />
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Memorize verse 4.<br />
“Listen, Israel: The Lo r d<br />
our God, the Lo r d is One.”<br />
—Deuteronomy 6:4<br />
What is God the Son’s role?<br />
What is God the Holy Spirit’s role?<br />
Why did God choose to show Himself in this way?<br />
Who is the “One” in “the Lord is<br />
One”?<br />
How would you explain the three<br />
distinct Persons of God?<br />
What is God the Father’s role?<br />
There are several things in life that we have a hard time explaining. Trying to<br />
understand that God is three Persons but still only one God is one of those<br />
things. However, when we break it down like the egg or water, it is much easier<br />
to understand. Each Person in the Trinity has a distinct function. They function<br />
independently but together are still only one God.<br />
Throughout history, theologians and deep thinkers have spent countless<br />
hours coming up with analogies to help us understand the concept of the<br />
Trinity. In the end, they all break down because there’s always going to be some<br />
mystery about how these three distinct Persons are interrelated. Each One is<br />
different and relates to us differently, but they aren’t three gods. This is God the<br />
Father who created us and loves us without limit, yet can’t look upon our sin;<br />
Jesus the Son who died so that we could have a relationship with God; and the<br />
Holy Spirit who is our Guide, Comforter, and Friend. You’ve seen the Trinity at<br />
work in your life. You can’t explain it, but you know it’s true. Trust God.<br />
Friday > 7/31<br />
In His Name.<br />
Have you ever given or recited<br />
a pledge to something or<br />
someone? I’m sure you have. How about<br />
the Pledge of Allegiance? If you have<br />
obtained a passport, you had to affirm<br />
a pledge regarding your citizenship to<br />
this country. Can you think of any other<br />
things that you pledge? What does it<br />
mean when we pledge allegiance to<br />
something? It means that we endorse<br />
not just the pledge but what the pledge<br />
stands for as well.<br />
“Go, therefore, and make<br />
disciples of all nations,<br />
baptizing them in the name<br />
of the Father and of the<br />
Son and of the Holy Spirit.”<br />
—Matthew 28:19<br />
Read Matthew 28:16-20. What do<br />
you need to be doing, in light of<br />
verse 19?<br />
What does baptism represent?<br />
How is God the Father represented<br />
in baptism?<br />
How is God the Son represented in<br />
baptism?<br />
What about the Holy Spirit is<br />
represented in baptism?<br />
Why do we baptize in the name of<br />
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?<br />
What are we saying when we do<br />
this?<br />
Why is this important?<br />
We know and understand that<br />
baptism is a <strong>test</strong>imony and a symbol<br />
of what has already taken place in<br />
us when we accept Christ into our<br />
lives as Lord and Savior. When we<br />
baptize somebody in the name of the<br />
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are<br />
recognizing and acknowledging that<br />
God is three in one. We are displaying<br />
and indicating an oath to the Triune<br />
God when we follow in obedience in<br />
baptism. We acknowledge that God<br />
is our Creator and Jesus’ Father; that<br />
Jesus is our salvation; and that the<br />
Holy Spirit is our Comforter, Guide,<br />
and Teacher.<br />
52 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 53
journal: Week of July 26<br />
MYstery<br />
Known> 8/1<br />
So how do you put the truths of this week’s devotions into motion in<br />
your life?<br />
Think about what each member of the Trinity means to you. What does<br />
God the Father mean to you? What does God the Son mean to you?<br />
What does God the Holy Spirit mean to you?<br />
How are you allowing each representative of the Trinity to make<br />
Himself real to you on a daily basis?<br />
How can you explain the Trinity to those who don’t understand it?<br />
How deep is your understanding of why God chose to show Himself in<br />
this way to us?<br />
What do you need to do in order to gain a better understanding of the<br />
Trinity? What steps will you take this week to better understand?<br />
What is one way you can live out the qualities of each Person of the<br />
Trinity today?<br />
?<br />
Faith isn’t understanding every facet of<br />
God’s character. It’s believing He is who He<br />
says He is and can do what He promised.<br />
Personal Space<br />
Going Deeper<br />
To go deeper into the idea of the<br />
Trinity we studied this week, read:<br />
1 Corinthians 12:3-7<br />
2 Corinthians 13:13<br />
Ephesians 4:1-16<br />
Hebrews 9:11-14<br />
1 Peter 1:3-12<br />
Jude 20-21<br />
Prayers, thoughts,<br />
& questions:<br />
Read Through<br />
the Bible<br />
Want to know more about God<br />
in three Persons? Read His<br />
Word! Follow our plan and read<br />
the whole Bible in a year.<br />
• Job 29–Psalms 12<br />
• Acts 16:16–20:16<br />
Sharing<br />
Jesus<br />
in Japan<br />
MK uses 5-minute English<br />
lessons, park evangelism<br />
M<br />
y name is Ashley<br />
Brents. I’m 13, and I<br />
live in Tokyo, Japan. My<br />
parents and I moved to Japan when<br />
I was 8 weeks old, and my brother,<br />
Adam (12), and sister, Avery (7), were<br />
born here. My parents serve as project<br />
coordinators/volunteer mobilizers<br />
for the International Mission Board’s<br />
Tokyo team.<br />
I love the Japanese people, the<br />
culture, everything! But I love America<br />
a lot, too. My mom and I joke about<br />
where my home really is. We decided<br />
that it probably is on the airplane<br />
between the two countries.<br />
Two ministries I really enjoy are<br />
Five-Minute English and park evangelism.<br />
Five-Minute English is a tool<br />
we use to start conversations with the<br />
Japanese so we can share the gospel.<br />
We hold up signs advertising it at train<br />
stations and call out, “Five-Minute<br />
English!,” and people come up to us.<br />
We use a workbook with questions<br />
such as, “Are you a spiritually<br />
minded person and why?”<br />
Park evangelism is going to<br />
the big parks in Tokyo and trying<br />
to make friends. When people are<br />
playing games, we ask if we can play,<br />
too. We hang out with them and try<br />
to share Christ. One time I walked<br />
up to someone who was sitting on a<br />
blanket, and he asked me to tell him<br />
about Christ!<br />
Sometimes our team dresses up as<br />
clowns and gives out Bible tracts as we<br />
talk to people who are watching us. I<br />
make balloons and give them to the<br />
little kids. It can be hard because the<br />
kids speak Japanese better than I do—<br />
and I don’t know what animal they are<br />
asking me to make!<br />
I help with park evangelism in the<br />
summer and Five-Minute English<br />
year-round. I usually work with other<br />
missionaries and volunteers who<br />
come from the U.S. on mission trips.<br />
It is pretty exciting. Last summer 439<br />
volunteers came and talked to 12,201<br />
people, mostly using Five-Minute<br />
English and park evangelism. More<br />
than 1,200 Japanese heard the plan<br />
of salvation, and 88 people got saved.<br />
Isn’t that awesome? God works in<br />
totally cool ways.<br />
I believe God has a plan for the<br />
Japanese. Three summers ago,<br />
the Tokyoites seemed closed to the<br />
gospel. But today they are open and<br />
love talking to Americans. One of my<br />
missionary friends said, “The spiritual<br />
climate of Japan is changing.”<br />
We would love to have you come to<br />
Japan on a mission trip! I love volunteers<br />
and think it would be so cool if<br />
you would come! If you’re interested in<br />
learning more about work among the<br />
Japanese or how you can be involved<br />
in missions, go to http://thetask.org or<br />
http://going.imb.org. <br />
Life mk corner<br />
photos courtesy IMB<br />
fast facts<br />
Japan<br />
Mk STories • By Ashley Brents<br />
Climate: varies from tropical in south to<br />
cool temperate in north<br />
Terrain: mostly rugged and<br />
mountainous<br />
Area: 145,882 sq. miles (slightly smaller<br />
than California)<br />
Natural Resources: negligible<br />
mineral resources, fish (With virtually<br />
no energy natural resources, Japan is<br />
the world’s largest importer of coal and<br />
liquefied natural gas as well as the second<br />
largest importer of oil.)<br />
Population: 127,288,416 (July 2008 est.)<br />
Literacy: 99% of people in Japan age 15<br />
and over can read and write<br />
Ethnic Groups: Japanese—98.5%,<br />
Korean—0.5%, Chinese—0.4%, other—<br />
0.6%<br />
Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist<br />
84%, other 16% (including Christian<br />
0.7%)<br />
Fact List Source: The CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.<br />
gov/library/publications/the world factbook/geos/<br />
ja.html<br />
Pray<br />
• That the people we meet using Five-<br />
Minute English and park evangelism will<br />
have a hunger to know Christ.<br />
• That the pop culture in Asia will shift<br />
toward God’s truth, the only thing that<br />
can free the Japanese from sin and<br />
death.<br />
• For members of the IMB Tokyo team as<br />
they work to see house churches started<br />
in West Tokyo.<br />
54 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 55
By Jennifer McCaman • illustration by Angela Martini<br />
Extreme Mod esty Makeover<br />
Hairnets and Stockings<br />
She greets you every day with a<br />
cheesy grin and a hearty scoop of<br />
green beans. She’s the lunch lady,<br />
and we love her. But think for a<br />
moment about her, well, outfit.<br />
Picture the hair net, shapeless<br />
dress, apron that falls just above<br />
her gray stockings, and black,<br />
flat shoes.<br />
What words would you use to<br />
describe this fashion style? Odds are<br />
“sexy,” “hot,” and “cute” didn’t make the list.<br />
As Christian girls, we’ve heard the word<br />
“modesty” preached at us until it starts to<br />
conjure up a cafeteria lady in our minds. For<br />
most of us, “modesty” is a list of things we’re<br />
not allowed to wear, including the scandalous<br />
spaghetti-strap shirts, two-piece bathing<br />
suits, and sweatpants with “hottie” printed<br />
across the seat. Admit it: modesty often<br />
seems like your less-than-fashionable<br />
mom’s main weapon in her plot to<br />
take away everything cute in your<br />
wardrobe.<br />
Actually this concept of modesty<br />
is far from the truth. Modesty goes<br />
beyond clothes to the core of who<br />
we are. The world teaches us that<br />
our waist, bust size, and flirty<br />
personality give us value as<br />
females. Psalm 139:13-15 speaks<br />
another message:<br />
For it was You who created<br />
my inward parts; You knit<br />
me together in my mother’s<br />
womb. I will praise You,<br />
because I have been<br />
remarkably and wonderfully<br />
made. Your<br />
works are wonderful,<br />
and I<br />
know this very<br />
well. My bones<br />
were not hidden<br />
from You when I was<br />
made in secret, when I was<br />
formed in the depths of the earth.<br />
We have value because<br />
we belong to God.<br />
God made us exactly<br />
as He wanted, and He<br />
loves us.<br />
First Corinthians<br />
6:20b (The Message)<br />
says, “ . . . let<br />
people see God in and<br />
through your body.”<br />
Like this verse says,<br />
modesty is letting<br />
people see God in and<br />
through your body.<br />
Modesty does not<br />
mean joining a convent<br />
or never wearing<br />
makeup. Instead, it’s<br />
Modesty Test<br />
As girls, clothes are<br />
woven into our DNA.<br />
From shoes and<br />
purses to tops and<br />
jeans—every choice is<br />
deliberate. Even girls<br />
who “don’t care”<br />
about their clothes<br />
intentionally don’t<br />
care, meaning they<br />
intentionally select<br />
quirky T-shirts,<br />
shoelaces, and<br />
jeans to pull off the<br />
“I-don’t-care” look.<br />
As lovers of fashion,<br />
how can we tell if our<br />
choices honor God?<br />
dressing and acting in a way that honors Christ.<br />
Modesty can be defined as “freedom from<br />
vanity.” 1 We all know people at school who are<br />
obsessed with flaunting their image. Modesty<br />
is freedom from the pressure to conform to<br />
the world’s standard of beauty. Along with the<br />
cafeteria-lady lie, the world spews other false<br />
information about modesty.<br />
Myth Modesty is restricting.<br />
Truth Modesty is freedom.<br />
Google certain girl celebrities, and you’ll see a<br />
slew of photos that would probably embarrass<br />
their moms. Hollywood teaches that fashion is<br />
freedom. They argue that a truly independent,<br />
uninhibited girl isn’t afraid to show what she<br />
has. The media equates sexiness with selfexpression.<br />
In reality, freedom is only found in Christ.<br />
When you honor God with your life, you<br />
understand freedom at a level the world can’t<br />
imagine. This freedom empowers you to<br />
become the woman God made you to be.<br />
The world’s idea of beauty is imprisoning.<br />
Many girls become depressed, anorexic, cutters,<br />
or at the least, insecure with the way they<br />
look. Talk about prison.<br />
Modesty in Christ gives freedom. You are<br />
free to feel good about who God made you to<br />
be. You don’t have to draw attention to your<br />
body or throw yourself at a guy. You never have<br />
to worry about embarrassing pictures popping<br />
up on Myspace. Sure, you can still dress cute,<br />
wear make-up, and fix your hair, but your<br />
worth is not found in your appearance or your<br />
wardrobe. That is freedom.<br />
Myth Modesty is insecure.<br />
Truth Modesty is confidence.<br />
More than clothes, modesty is an attitude.<br />
The world teaches girls that confidence is<br />
found in looking sexy. Actually, true security<br />
is learning to see yourself the way God sees<br />
you. Psalm 45:11 says “the king will desire<br />
your beauty.” Psalm 139:13 teaches us that God<br />
knit us together in our mother’s womb. We<br />
are beautiful because we are made by God.<br />
We don’t have to draw attention to our bodies<br />
by wearing revealing clothing or flirting<br />
provocatively. Running after the world’s idea of<br />
beauty only leaves us empty and insecure.<br />
Myth Modesty is boring.<br />
Truth Modesty is mystery.<br />
Perhaps the most powerful word to describe<br />
spiritual modesty is “mystery.” Modesty is<br />
keeping yourself mysterious to guys and to the<br />
world. Instead of flaunting your body, wear<br />
cute clothes, but cover up. Instead of throwing<br />
yourself at a guy by calling, texting, and flirting<br />
all the time, hold back. Be mysterious. Let God<br />
cultivate an inner beauty that is captivating to<br />
the guy he wants to bring your way. Don’t get me<br />
wrong. Modesty doesn’t mean being quiet or shy<br />
necessarily. It’s great to have a bubbly, passionate<br />
personality if that’s who God’s made you to be.<br />
Just don’t let a desire for attention cause you to<br />
make bad decisions. If<br />
Mini-checklist<br />
Does this outfit<br />
reflect who I am in<br />
Christ?<br />
Can I move<br />
around in this outfit<br />
(standing, sitting,<br />
leaning, bending<br />
over) without<br />
anything showing?<br />
Will guys respect<br />
me wearing this?<br />
a guy isn’t interested<br />
in you, let him walk<br />
away. If the loud, less<br />
clothed girl in your<br />
class seems to attract<br />
all the guys, don’t<br />
worry. You will never<br />
regret your choice to<br />
pursue modesty and<br />
mystery.<br />
Myth Guys only like sexy outfits and<br />
flirty girls.<br />
Truth Guys long for a girl who doesn’t<br />
make them struggle.<br />
Generally, guys are visual creatures who are<br />
easily tempted to lust. Your choice to pursue<br />
modesty hugely impacts their purity. You seriously<br />
have the power to help your guy friends<br />
pursue Christ. Simply by wearing a shirt<br />
that’s not low-cut under a plunging neckline,<br />
you help guys keep their thoughts pure. Also<br />
by intentionally not sitting in a guy’s lap and<br />
avoiding sexually flirtatious contact, you help<br />
them grow in Christ. Sure it’s difficult. Many<br />
girls think guys should just control themselves,<br />
but it’s just not that easy. As girls, we<br />
connect emotionally. Guys connect physically.<br />
Help your guy friends—and all guys—stay<br />
pure when they’re around you. By honoring<br />
God with your body, you also respect the guys<br />
around you. It might seem like guys don’t<br />
notice your effort, but (trust me) they do, and<br />
more importantly, so does God.<br />
Myth Modesty is easy.<br />
Truth Modesty is sacrifice.<br />
Pursuing Christ-centered modesty is totally<br />
rewarding, but it is also a sacrifice. As you set<br />
higher standards for your wardrobe, you’ll<br />
have fewer choices at stores. You might have to<br />
go to two or three stores to find a bathing suit<br />
that doesn’t show everything. Maybe you’ll<br />
completely ignore a style many of your friends<br />
wear because it doesn’t reflect who you are in<br />
Christ. Modesty also means that certain guys<br />
are totally off limits. (You don’t really want<br />
these guys anyway.)<br />
Don’t be discouraged. Your choice to honor<br />
God with your body will always be worth it.<br />
Modesty doesn’t just happen. You have to<br />
choose to go against the world and be different.<br />
Intentionally decide to dress and act in<br />
a way that glorifies God. Don’t let anything<br />
come between you and your commitment. ec<br />
1. “modesty,” Dictionary.com [online], cited 6 February<br />
2009. Available from the Internet: http://dictionary.<br />
reference.com/browse/modesty.<br />
Warning:<br />
Confronting<br />
Immodesty<br />
Girls who do not<br />
have Christ have no<br />
reason to dress like<br />
Christians. We have<br />
a different standard.<br />
Do not freak out<br />
over their clothes<br />
until you freak out<br />
over their lives.<br />
Your first goal is to<br />
lead them to Christ,<br />
not to dress them<br />
up like a Christian.<br />
Many non-Christian<br />
girls think Christians<br />
judge them and<br />
look down on them<br />
because of how they<br />
dress and act. Choose<br />
to show these girls<br />
kindness and love,<br />
without conforming<br />
to their choices.<br />
As Christ changes<br />
their hearts, He’ll<br />
eventually change<br />
their wardrobe and<br />
attitudes.<br />
Check out<br />
ecmagazine.blogspot.com<br />
this month for some<br />
modesty quizzes just<br />
for the girls!<br />
56 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 57
Modesty: Not just a girl thing!<br />
By Will Snipes • illustration by Angela Martini<br />
Let’s be honest for a minute—the truth is<br />
that writers often draw a blank when beginning<br />
an assignment. Most of you have probably<br />
experienced this firsthand when given a<br />
writing task by an English teacher. Where do<br />
I begin? What will I say? What will be my main<br />
points?<br />
It was no different for me with this task.<br />
So I did what many of you would do—I did an<br />
Internet search for the word modesty.<br />
I found a good definition: moderation in<br />
speech, dress, or behavior. The word itself<br />
is linked to the Latin word modestus, which<br />
means “keeping within measure.” I read about<br />
styles of dress throughout history and how<br />
they have changed.<br />
I even discovered cultural information about<br />
appropriate behaviors, such as the fact that<br />
the Australian Aborigines appear indifferent to<br />
nakedness, but are deeply embarrassed if they<br />
are seen eating. Although I was beginning to get<br />
some ideas, I still didn’t have the focus I needed<br />
to write this article. How do I explain to teenage<br />
guys why modesty is important? Because, really,<br />
we only ever talk about that in the context of<br />
what some girl is wearing, right?<br />
I found my inspiration buried deep on an<br />
informational Internet page, under a heading<br />
titled “Antonyms.” There was the one word<br />
that was all I needed to get the ball rolling.<br />
So guess what’s an antonym for modesty.<br />
Pride.<br />
Pride is all about focusing attention on<br />
ourselves. It’s about saying: “Hey everybody—<br />
look at me!” It’s about being the loudest, the<br />
funniest, the strongest, the craziest, the most<br />
watched person in the room.<br />
When you think about it, there really is<br />
a reason people use that phrase “proud as<br />
a peacock.” Pride can be compared to the<br />
male peacock’s behavior. He displays his brilliant<br />
plumage in order to gain attention from<br />
females. Loud, funny, crazy, and trying to<br />
gain the attention of girls . . . does that sound<br />
like some of the guys you know? Maybe—just<br />
maybe—does it sound a little like you?<br />
Modesty is all about self-control. It’s about<br />
not drawing attention to ourselves, but rather<br />
letting our lives direct all glory to God. It’s<br />
about offering our bodies—our very lives—<br />
as living sacrifices that point others to the<br />
redemptive work of Christ in our hearts (Rom.<br />
12:1).<br />
Girls often struggle with modesty in terms<br />
of how they present themselves to the world.<br />
They use their style of dress and the body<br />
God has blessed them with to gain attention.<br />
Because we are wired differently from girls,<br />
modesty for guys takes a different slant, but it<br />
is still an important component in the overall<br />
makeup of who we are in Christ.<br />
Guys, ask yourself these questions as you<br />
begin to examine the level of modesty in your<br />
own life:<br />
• Do you tend to brag about your accomplishments<br />
in areas like athletics or<br />
achievements?<br />
• Do you play the “one-up” game, where<br />
you always have to make yourself look a<br />
little better than others?<br />
• Do you tell inappropriate jokes or use<br />
inappropriate language to gain attention<br />
or laughs?<br />
• Have you taken a picture of your<br />
muscles and displayed it for all the world<br />
to see on Myspace or Facebook ® ? We<br />
all know you’ve been hitting the weight<br />
room, but is that really necessary? Is God<br />
glorified in those pictures?<br />
• Are you searching for any opportunity<br />
to draw peoples’ attention to you, your<br />
physique, or your accomplishments?<br />
Why are you parading around like that<br />
peacock?<br />
As you honestly search your heart for<br />
answers to these questions, maybe God is<br />
showing you that your life is not displaying<br />
much modestus, as our ancient Latin friends<br />
termed it. Maybe you’re not keeping things<br />
“within measure.” Maybe you’re proudly soaking<br />
up the attention of the world while leaving<br />
the glorifying of God out of the picture.<br />
Consider the words of the psalmist: Search<br />
me, God, and know my heart; <strong>test</strong> me and know<br />
my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in<br />
me; lead me in the everlasting way (Ps. 139:23-<br />
24).<br />
Let’s make it clear that there’s nothing<br />
inherently wrong with being concerned about<br />
your appearance or taking some pride in your<br />
accomplishments. It’s all about things being<br />
done within measure. And about God receiving<br />
glory in the end.<br />
Oh, and one last thing from my Internet<br />
search? Recent scientific research has shown<br />
that it’s not the bright tail feathers of the male<br />
peacock that draw the most attention from<br />
the females. Instead, it’s his vocalization—his<br />
words, so to speak. Although the parallel may<br />
not be direct, perhaps the best way to gain<br />
some positive attention in this world might<br />
be through the kindness, gentleness, and sensitivity<br />
of your words, through encouragement<br />
and exhortation of others rather than showing<br />
off. Maybe focusing more on God and less on<br />
yourself is truly attractive to the world.<br />
And that’s a definition of modesty that I can<br />
take to heart. ec<br />
Modesty for<br />
guys?<br />
Modesty is a big<br />
deal, right? For girls<br />
that is.<br />
At least that’s the<br />
idea all our Christian<br />
talk about what girls<br />
should and shouldn’t<br />
wear seems to say.<br />
But modesty is about<br />
more than clothes!<br />
It’s a way of life. It’s<br />
part of pursuing<br />
purity. We’ve boiled<br />
modesty down to<br />
what we can and<br />
can’t wear, then<br />
made it all about<br />
girls. It’s more than<br />
that.<br />
Scripture commands<br />
you to pursue a life of<br />
purity. Check out<br />
1 Timothy 4:12;<br />
2 Timothy 2:22; and<br />
1 Peter 1:15-16; 2:9.<br />
Your lives—every<br />
part of them—are<br />
supposed to be<br />
characterized by the<br />
pursuit of holiness,<br />
purity, humility, and,<br />
yes, modesty.<br />
That should affect<br />
every part of your<br />
life, from what you<br />
wear to what you<br />
say, where you go,<br />
and who you think<br />
is most important in<br />
your life.<br />
And when you truly<br />
understand modesty,<br />
humility, and<br />
holiness, the most<br />
important person<br />
in your life won’t be<br />
you.<br />
58 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 59
Second<br />
Chances<br />
By Amber Mushegan<br />
For being a people who have been so freely forgiven, it sure is<br />
difficult for us to forgive, isn’t it? Our nature is to become angry<br />
and hope that others get what they deserve after they have hurt<br />
or wronged us in some way. But God gave His only Son to die<br />
in order to cover our sins in forgiveness. We certainly didn’t get what we<br />
deserved! Our God is the Giver of second chances! We all know that we<br />
need second chances, but do you give them as well as take them?<br />
© istockphoto / simon oxley<br />
Over and over again in Scripture, God stresses the<br />
importance of forgiveness. Being a person who forgives is<br />
vital to having a right relationship with God and others.<br />
Christ even said that we must forgive others in order to be<br />
forgiven. (See Matt. 6:14-16.) So, how do we do it? How do<br />
we actively pursue forgiveness in our lives?<br />
The first key is accepting God’s forgiveness yourself.<br />
Jesus said that “the one who is forgiven little, loves little”<br />
(Luke 7:47). In other words, if you haven’t accepted God’s<br />
forgiveness and live in that<br />
Famous second<br />
chances<br />
Lucille Ball. In 1927,<br />
the actress was dismissed<br />
from drama school<br />
by teachers who said<br />
she had no future as a<br />
performer. Later, she won<br />
four Emmy Awards for<br />
her performance in<br />
“I Love Lucy.”<br />
Michael Jordan. As a<br />
high school sophomore,<br />
Jordan was cut from the<br />
varsity basketball team.<br />
He made the team the<br />
next year and went on<br />
to make history in the<br />
sport both in college and<br />
the NBA.<br />
Jonah. In the Old<br />
Testament, God<br />
instructed the prophet<br />
Jonah to go to Ninevah<br />
and deliver God’s<br />
message. Jonah ran<br />
the other way. When<br />
rescued by God, he was<br />
obedient—even if it was<br />
with the wrong attitude.<br />
Kurt Warner. In 1999,<br />
the quarterback led the<br />
St. Louis Rams to a Super<br />
Bowl victory. By 2004<br />
he’d been dismissed from<br />
the Rams and lost the<br />
starting QB position for<br />
the New York Giants. In<br />
2009, he led the Arizona<br />
Cardinals to their first<br />
Super Bowl appearance<br />
and threw for 377 yards<br />
despite the team’s loss.<br />
You. God loves you—too<br />
much to leave you lost<br />
without purpose, trapped<br />
by sin. He gave you a<br />
second chance in Christ.<br />
Trust Him in all things,<br />
with all your heart.<br />
freedom yourself, there<br />
is no way you will be able<br />
to truly forgive others<br />
and love as Christ loves.<br />
The ability to forgive is an<br />
outpouring of Christ in<br />
us and is impossible apart<br />
from Him.<br />
So, you are living in<br />
God’s forgiveness and<br />
want to forgive others,<br />
but how? Peter asked that<br />
question of Christ, and the<br />
answer probably surprised<br />
all who were listening.<br />
Peter wanted to know if he<br />
should forgive his brother 7<br />
times, and Christ said not<br />
just 7, but 70 times 7. (See<br />
Matt. 18:21-22.)<br />
The point? Forgiveness<br />
is a constant process, not<br />
an instant one. Christ<br />
wasn’t saying that we<br />
must only forgive a certain<br />
number of times. He was<br />
demonstrating that we<br />
must continue forgiving<br />
again and again, giving the<br />
matter over to God in obedience<br />
until it is settled in<br />
our hearts. He knows it’s<br />
not easy for us, but He calls<br />
us to be obedient and allow<br />
Him to work through us.<br />
Unforgiveness is like<br />
a disease that will spread<br />
through your body like<br />
wildfire. It will cause you<br />
to wallow in anger and to<br />
grow bitter and resentful,<br />
missing out on the joy<br />
that the Lord brings. The<br />
picture of unforgiveness in<br />
the Bible is that of the un-<br />
forgiven person being roped<br />
to the back of the person who<br />
refuses to forgive. When you<br />
refuse to forgive another,<br />
you are truly carrying them<br />
around on your back, bearing<br />
the weight of that burden<br />
day after day. It hurts you<br />
so much more than it hurts<br />
them! When you choose to forgive, you release your burden<br />
to the Lord and allow the person who has wronged you<br />
to be free. Remember that love does not keep a record of<br />
wrongs. When you forgive someone, you can release them<br />
and give them a clean slate.<br />
What do you do if you just don’t feel like you can possibly<br />
forgive someone? One of the best ways to align your<br />
heart with the heart of God is to simply pray for them.<br />
Ask God to help you see them from His point of view, as a<br />
person who is dearly loved and bought at a great price, just<br />
as you are. Pray for God to give you a love for the person<br />
who has wronged you.<br />
Forgiving those you love is easier because you generally<br />
know that they most likely didn’t intend to hurt you. Forgiving<br />
those who seem unlovable is much more difficult<br />
because it’s easier to stay angry with them. Pray for God to<br />
help you love them in humility, recognizing that God loves<br />
them as much as He loves you.<br />
Remember that love does not<br />
keep a record of wrongs.<br />
Now, what happens after you forgive? I truly believe<br />
that obedience brings joy, and being obedient to God by<br />
forgiving others is a great reward in and of itself. But I<br />
have also found that sometimes the results of forgiveness<br />
are far-reaching—beyond what we can even imagine. For<br />
example, in high school I had some friends who constantly<br />
ridiculed my faith. Their comments were often harsh and<br />
hard to swallow, but I made a conscious effort to forgive<br />
them and to show them that I loved them no matter what<br />
they said. A few years after high school, one of those<br />
friends called me at college and apologized for how she had<br />
treated me back then. She said she had accepted Christ and<br />
couldn’t wait to tell me because I had shown her the love of<br />
Christ when she seemed unlovable.<br />
You never know what the impact of your choices will<br />
be. The way you choose to live your life and your faith now<br />
can make an eternal difference. Just choose—every day,<br />
every moment, if need be—to live for God and be obedient<br />
to His Word. Walk in the freedom that forgiveness brings,<br />
because you’ve been given a gift you can’t earn by a God<br />
who will never love you any more or any less. You won’t<br />
regret living in the power of that love. Ever! ec<br />
© istockphoto<br />
60 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 61
Mandisa on Modesty<br />
Music reviews fresh from ec • by Kevin Sparkman<br />
fun music connection<br />
By Tifany Borgelt<br />
Nowhere is appearance<br />
more highly valued than in<br />
the entertainment industry.<br />
Whether you’re a singer, actor,<br />
model, or whatever, physical<br />
beauty and the display of it<br />
seems to be what makes or<br />
breaks a person’s career.<br />
For those of us who live in<br />
the real world—where camera<br />
crews and microphones don’t<br />
follow our every move—we<br />
fortunately don’t have to worry<br />
about our looks making or<br />
breaking us. But what happens<br />
when you are a Christian whom<br />
God has given a platform upon<br />
which millions of people look?<br />
Are the standards different<br />
then?<br />
Simon Cowell blasted<br />
Mandisa Hundley several times<br />
during the audition process<br />
during season 5 of “American<br />
Idol.” He later apologized, and<br />
Mandisa ended up as a top 10<br />
finalist that season. Her first<br />
album, “True Beauty,” released<br />
in 2007 and garnered both<br />
Grammy and Dove Award<br />
nominations. “Freedom”<br />
released in March 2009.<br />
Find Mandisa online:<br />
mandisa.sparrowrecords.com<br />
myspace.com/mandisa<br />
Read more thoughts about<br />
modesty on our blog:<br />
(ecmagazine.blogspot.com).<br />
In your world, modesty is probably<br />
a synonym for unfashionable and<br />
lame. That’s not quite the truth,<br />
though. ec recently caught up<br />
with Mandisa, singer and former<br />
“American Idol” con<strong>test</strong>ant to<br />
chat about modesty and why it<br />
matters—onstage and off.<br />
ec: Modesty. What do you think of when you<br />
hear that word?<br />
Mandisa: To me, modesty is humility. I believe<br />
humility can be seen in one’s attitude, speech,<br />
and appearance.<br />
ec: Because you have been very outspoken<br />
about your Christian faith both on “American<br />
Idol” and beyond, do you think that the world<br />
holds you to a different standard in how you<br />
present yourself, in how you look and what you<br />
say?<br />
Mandisa: On “American Idol” I learned that<br />
there is always someone watching you. That is<br />
especially true in a world where living by biblical<br />
values is not the norm. This is true for me,<br />
because of the fame I was given by being on the<br />
most popular television show in America. But<br />
this is also true for every Christian who chooses<br />
to live their lives in a way that would be pleasing<br />
to God. Some people refer to me as a “star.”<br />
Philippians 2:14-15 says that you are a star, too!<br />
ec: Given that there is a certain level of self<br />
promotion in the entertainment world, how does<br />
modesty play into how you present yourself?<br />
Mandisa: I have learned that just as<br />
Philippians 2 says, God will promote those who<br />
wa k in humility. Certainly if Jesus, being in very<br />
nature God, could humble Himself to serve<br />
humanity by His death, [then] I can present<br />
myself in humility and allow God to promote me.<br />
I am fully aware that everything good I am, have,<br />
and have done is because of the Holy Spirit’s<br />
work in me and God’s favor on me.<br />
ec: Is modesty just an attitude of the heart? In<br />
other words, if your heart is right before God,<br />
does it really matter what you wear?<br />
Mandisa: I believe that if your heart truly is the<br />
Lord’s, it will affect what you do. If my heart is<br />
right with the Lord, I won’t want to say certain<br />
things, wear certain things, or act in certain<br />
ways. I would want to live my life in a way that<br />
reflects well on Him.<br />
Joy Lippard<br />
Joy Lippard<br />
(independent artist)<br />
In a world of<br />
pop princesses,<br />
Joy Lippard<br />
shines because<br />
of her depth<br />
and originality.<br />
iPod Picks:<br />
“Dishes”<br />
& “Such a<br />
Time”<br />
iPod Picks:<br />
“Get Up” &<br />
“Elementary”<br />
iPod Picks:<br />
“Take<br />
Everything” &<br />
“Carry Me”<br />
iPod Picks:<br />
“When It Feels<br />
Right” &<br />
“One World”<br />
iPod Picks:<br />
“Hole in my pocket” may<br />
be the best female vocal<br />
performance of 2009!<br />
“I Will Write You Letters”<br />
is a feel-good song that<br />
proves Lippard’s maturity<br />
beyond her years.<br />
Weeding through the<br />
mediocre artistry of today’s<br />
reality show con<strong>test</strong>s and<br />
everyday home-grown<br />
talents, we find a shining<br />
star in singer/songwriter Joy<br />
Lippard. The self-titled debut<br />
release showcases a fully<br />
armed performer as she<br />
delivers with pen, piano, and<br />
power-pop vocals that rise<br />
above anything you would<br />
expect from a mic-wielding<br />
18-year-old. But she has been<br />
songwriting since the tender<br />
age of 11. Check out Joy<br />
online at www.joylippard.com.<br />
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Flynn Adam Such a Time (Gotee Records)<br />
Flynn adam’s sound<br />
is part party music,<br />
part thoughtful<br />
Visit ecmagazine.blogspot.com<br />
and find us on Facebook!<br />
Signature:<br />
if you like Gnarls Barkley, you’ll love Flynn Adam. Adam, a<br />
member of LA Symphony, a Christian hip hop group, has created a<br />
release that honors his hip hop background, but also establishes a<br />
more alternative sound. Adam counts the new album as an important<br />
lyrics.<br />
milestone in his journey of faith: “I have a better picture of who God is by just being honest and<br />
upright with Him through this journey.” Learn more at www.myspace.com/flynnadam.<br />
Robert Pierre Identity (thinkaboutit Records)<br />
Robert Pierre<br />
doesn’t let the world<br />
define his identity or<br />
his sound.<br />
this album is a true reflection of an ordinary 16-year-old<br />
Florida boy finding an extraordinary identity through Jesus Christ.<br />
There is, however, nothing ordinary about Robert Pierre’s talent.<br />
Pierre delivers the ballads flawlessly (“I Will Love You” and “I’ll Be<br />
There”) while turning a 180 with a slate of edgy pop/rock tunes to<br />
round out this project. Coming from the heart of a teenager, there’s no question where Robert’s<br />
“Identity” lies. For more, see Robert online: www.robertpierre.com.<br />
Seventh Day Slumber Take Everything (BEC)<br />
Bottom line: This Not only does this album feature a new spin on worship<br />
album invites us to standards known the world over, but when you consider the life<br />
deeper relationships Seventh Day Slumber frontman Joseph Rojas has been delivered<br />
with Christ, even in from as a daily cocaine addict, it will put an entirely new<br />
hard times.<br />
perspective on this worship experience. On “Carry Me,” you hear<br />
the soul of this hard rocker crying out to Jesus and offering an<br />
anthem for people suffering from hard stuff. More online: wwwseventhdayslumber.com.<br />
Various Artists Hip Hope Hits 2009 (Gotee Records)<br />
This compilation is<br />
full of the best of<br />
the best.<br />
For the fifth time, Gotee Records releases one of the most<br />
anticipated hip hop records of the year. In the vein of popular<br />
compilation formats, Gotee comes strong with its ‘09 version<br />
featuring favorites tobyMac, KJ-52, GRITS, Verbs, and Pettidee.<br />
The compilation’s cohesive sound is a <strong>test</strong>ament to the mutualr espect between artists like<br />
these in the tight-knit Christian hip hop community.<br />
62 | jul 2009 ec magazine ec magazine jul 2009 | 63
1<br />
parting shot life<br />
The Final 5<br />
(things ec wants you to remember):<br />
You can’t do it all alone. You were never supposed to.<br />
At His very core, God is all about community. He’s Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And that’s exactly why He<br />
never meant for you to live your faith in a vacuum. See pages 26, 30, and 48.<br />
photo: © istockphoto / denys sevriukov. illustrations: angela martini.<br />
2<br />
Truth that<br />
will never<br />
go out of<br />
style: modesty is<br />
about more than<br />
just clothes.<br />
<br />
Modesty is about more than<br />
what you do or don’t wear—and<br />
it’s not just an issue for girls.<br />
Modesty is about living your life<br />
in such a way that it brings glory<br />
to God. It’s shouldn’t be a fad.<br />
3<br />
Summer<br />
shouldn’t be<br />
boring. Celebrate<br />
each day!<br />
Each day is a gift from God.<br />
Strive to see them as such.<br />
Take some time to enjoy the<br />
ways God has blessed you.<br />
See pages 16 and 45.<br />
4<br />
Your country<br />
needs you!<br />
You may think you can’t<br />
do much to help our country and our<br />
leaders, but you can. Just pray for<br />
them. Check out page 18 for ideas<br />
about what to say.<br />
5<br />
Faith isn’t about understanding<br />
everything. It’s about trusting.<br />
God doesn’t think exactly like you do, and no matter how hard you<br />
try, you can’t wrap your brain around every facet of His character.<br />
But He is good; He is love; and He has made a way for you. See pages 40 and 60<br />
to see what we mean.<br />
64 | jul 2009 ec magazine