TEEN CHALLENGE

      At camp this year I played a game for the first time that was called Fortress. In Fortress there's a lot of pushing, shoving, and dragging (it's a perfect game for girls like me with no coordination or athletic skill to speak of). But the entire point is to try and get the other teams' flags to your side and to guard yours from them. The more people that are guarding the flag, the harder it is for the other team to get to it. If the other team can get enough people out, they're eventually going to get the flag. So, if you're smart, you're going to try and protect your teammates.      The same is true with our spiritual battles. If we want to guard our beliefs and standards and churches from getting overtaken by the enemy (Satan) then we will help protect our teammates. If Satan is taking down people at your church, won't it be easier for him to ruin the church? If everyone is falling away won't your Pastor be discouraged? So how can you help "...

      "Hello, how are you today?" I greet my customer with a smile as I grab their shopping bags and begin to scan their items. "Alright, how about you?" they respond with a tired smile. "Great, thanks." I reply. As they put their credit card into the machine and punch in the pin I continue scanning and ask, "How's your day been going today?" They nod and say, "Ok so far.". As I put their bag in the car and hand them their receipt I smile and say, "Have a great rest of your day!". "You too!" they reply, and they go on their way.      I have had this scenario happen hundreds of times as I work the register at my job. I have interacted with hundreds of different people and effected every one of them in some way. And they have affected me as well. We all have the power to change a person's day, whether for good or for bad. If a customer comes through my line smiling and cheerful, they make my day better. If they...

    There's a song that Rabbit sings on a Winnie the Pooh movie that I heard recently. Rabbit was singing about their map that they were so thankful to have. But as I listened to the words I couldn't help but think some of the same things about the Bible. Read the lyrics and think about the Bible while you do.   "A map is not a guess An estimation or a hunch A feeling or a foolish intuition A map is a dependable,  Unwavering, inarguably accurate  Portrayer of your position Never trust your ears Your nose, your eyes Putting faith in them Is most unwise Here's a phrase you all Must memorise In the printed word Is where truth lies Never trust your tummies Tails, or toes You can't learn a thing From any of those Here's another fact I must disclose From the mighty pen True wisdom flows If it says so Then it is so If it is so Well so it is A thought's not fit to think 'Til it's printed in ink Then it says so So it is... On the page is where The truth app...

      This months devotional comes from Bro Anthony Collins from First Baptist Church of Hammond, IN. Bro Collins is the Vice President of Operations at Hyles Anderson College. "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.  And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;"  I Thessalonians 4:9-10      Paul gave the church at Thessalonica some pretty strict instructions regarding sanctification and behavior in this chapter. In verse 9, he transitions to talking about brotherly love and the importance of showing the love of God to one another. Paul acknowledges in verse 10 that this church does that, and does it well. He encourages them to increase their love for one another “more and more.” As I read that phrase, “more and more,” I was challenged to increase my love for the brethren....