“BUT THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG!” We've all heard the phrase that emphasizes a greater portion not easily seen.
For me, one of the first images that come to mind is the sinking of the Titanic Passenger ship and the loss of 1500 passengers, most of which froze to death in the frigid Atlantic waters of 1812. While many factors all worked together to cause the never-forgotten calamity, I read of the arrogance of the ship's owners and builders saying the Titanic (with its latest technology) is indestructible; unsinkable. This incident is a bold clear testimony of the futility of man's inventions and creations.
That iceberg was following one of God's laws that man will never change – ice floats in water and always with a definite fraction of itself submerged. Another law is that man's devices pitted against God's will always looses.
This HELP CRIES resource is a guide to better understand more of the depth of the 'disparity' iceberg in the lives of most of our youth today. Scientists say we see only one-ninth of the iceberg above sea level. Can you imagine what portion of the unseen distress of ex-teens?
To get a clearer perspective of these hidden dangers and hidden distresses amid God's creation (and control) we need only to search the scriptures to see many examples of ships and the perils they faced. The greatest ship that comes to my mind was built by an amateur surrounded not by water, but by a sea of skeptics flooded with their own ego and sinful ways.
I smile thinking of the passenger list of the Ark Noah built according to God's blueprint. There were only 8 humans sharing ship space with a zoo comprised of animals all enemies of each other. If there was ever a place for animals to pick a fight with no zoo security force to calm things down, it was on that ship.
While it's my own belief, I've convinced myself that God shut the ark's door, as reported in scripture to prevent any of the humans on board from opening the door. They would have opened the door to let in the drowning humans that were crying for help clawing at the sides of the Ark.
God's plan for life on earth, amid all of His laws, physical and spiritual, are flooded with His redemption, mercy, love, and grace..... and.... HIS timetable and justice.
The Titanic's radio operators radioed the Morse Code distress letters SOS... SOS. An additional code radioed to anyone who'd listen was CQD... CQD. One of the CQD's meanings is COME QUICK! DROWNING! COME QUICK! DROWNING! Even though many ships and land-based radio stations heard the Titanic's SOS screams, the closest responders were at least 4 hours away.
Our youth today are signaling us with just as much effort, “WE ARE DROWNING in this deadly sea of technology. We don't know where our lifeboats are, or even if we are allowed in one.”
The difference here is that God has placed you well within reach of at least one radioing COME QUICK! I'M DROWNING!
What is your response? It helps to get to the right answer is you imagine someone you love is on that doomed ship.
...
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
#4 - A Rudder Their Size
All throughout our HELP CRIES journey we emphasize our need to create and deepen our sensitivity to the HELP CRIES of our youth; whether we see odd appearances, sense strange attitudes, or not.
I shall never forget that incredible day I had just met a 20 year old boy with crippling Multiple Sclerosis wheeling himself along our trailer park road on that very hot July afternoon. There was no one else there to push his chair or be his buddy for the moment.
Maybe not so much for Good Samaritan purposes, but just wanting to learn more about ex-teens and their attitudes about life, I stopped and found him a friendly respectful person willing to talk a bit.
My heart begged God to guide my lips and not foul this up. I was the 71year old grandfather and with 40 plus years experience as Sunday School teacher, but little did I realize the blockbuster lesson God had for me from this wheelchair friend. I had explained the new things I've been learning about teens that outwardly show they aren't comfortable with the inside obstacles that life has dealt them.
I mentioned to my new friend about the "Preppies" that dress very stylish with a mindset they want to make decisions and manage their corner of the world for the better. The second prominent group is the "Goths". Their fashion includes an abundance of facial jewelry, chains, black clothing, that often includes black makeup. It seems the word 'control' often plays a part in their attitudes.
But I was blown away ... I mean really ... by my young teacher with MS as he corrected my thinking about the third group - "Emos". Until that hot afternoon, I thought the emos cut themselves because there was some kind of satisfaction in seeing their own blood. BOY WAS I WRONG!
I learned that afternoon, in no uncertain terms, that emos inflict pain on themselves (blood or otherwise) "Because that is the only pain in their life THEY CAN CONTROL." My new friend said that cutting pain was something they could control the beginning and somewhat the end. That's the only one they knew they could control. When I heard that, I dropped my cane and almost fell off the tailgate of my pickup truck.
As I spent the rest of the day and many that followed, I thought about how "CONTROL" played a part in each of the three ex-teen attitudes.
It would be good to review each of the three with the 'control' facet in them.
Before I left my new wheelchair buddy that afternoon, I asked him what phrase he had tattooed along the bottom of his left forearm. He said, "Oh. That. It says NEW ENLIGHTENED AGE. I read about it each day. I figure this is better than settling for this screwed up world and all its dead ends."
As I began telling him about my Savior, Jesus Christ, he said he had no faith in himself right now but he's looking.
Each moment I think about my new friend with "no faith in me yet" I think about a ship in a storm. I think about that ship's anchor and its rudder. Can you imagine the despair and maybe even horror you'd experience in the middle of an angry storm, not far from a rocky shoreline, and your ship has no rudder? With no rudder you'd have no control; no way to direct your ship to safety; away from certain destruction.
But a ship must also have an anchor; a way to settle in, a place of calm and safety; a home port, to aim for.
We'll see in a later segment that our silver-haired generation is perfect for reaching out to the preppies, goths, and emos with the promises of God to be that rudder in a life adrift and no lighthouses to be seen. Our generation has a crucial responsibility to reach out to those drowning in the flood of technology with its empty promises and dead-end directions.
We must prepare ourselves simply with Bible verses we can present as anchors; as home ports of peace, purpose, love for each ex-teen. We must clearly simply show that God wired us for wanting control in our lives. And His word continually proclaims Him and His power to exactly fit that need and those to come.
We must show Heaven's greatest sacrifice of innocent shed blood on Calvary as the supreme example of control; God's control in a world adrift in the destructive seas of sin.
Calvary wasn't God's 'Plan B' or a fix for His plan derailed by Satan. It was the willful act of God's own Son; the fulfillment of a prophecy; a promise, stated in the Garden of Eden. God is in control and always has been. Each page of His inspired word is written proof. Read it. Rest on it. Reach out to others with it.
I shall never forget that incredible day I had just met a 20 year old boy with crippling Multiple Sclerosis wheeling himself along our trailer park road on that very hot July afternoon. There was no one else there to push his chair or be his buddy for the moment.
Maybe not so much for Good Samaritan purposes, but just wanting to learn more about ex-teens and their attitudes about life, I stopped and found him a friendly respectful person willing to talk a bit.
My heart begged God to guide my lips and not foul this up. I was the 71year old grandfather and with 40 plus years experience as Sunday School teacher, but little did I realize the blockbuster lesson God had for me from this wheelchair friend. I had explained the new things I've been learning about teens that outwardly show they aren't comfortable with the inside obstacles that life has dealt them.
I mentioned to my new friend about the "Preppies" that dress very stylish with a mindset they want to make decisions and manage their corner of the world for the better. The second prominent group is the "Goths". Their fashion includes an abundance of facial jewelry, chains, black clothing, that often includes black makeup. It seems the word 'control' often plays a part in their attitudes.
But I was blown away ... I mean really ... by my young teacher with MS as he corrected my thinking about the third group - "Emos". Until that hot afternoon, I thought the emos cut themselves because there was some kind of satisfaction in seeing their own blood. BOY WAS I WRONG!
I learned that afternoon, in no uncertain terms, that emos inflict pain on themselves (blood or otherwise) "Because that is the only pain in their life THEY CAN CONTROL." My new friend said that cutting pain was something they could control the beginning and somewhat the end. That's the only one they knew they could control. When I heard that, I dropped my cane and almost fell off the tailgate of my pickup truck.
As I spent the rest of the day and many that followed, I thought about how "CONTROL" played a part in each of the three ex-teen attitudes.
It would be good to review each of the three with the 'control' facet in them.
Before I left my new wheelchair buddy that afternoon, I asked him what phrase he had tattooed along the bottom of his left forearm. He said, "Oh. That. It says NEW ENLIGHTENED AGE. I read about it each day. I figure this is better than settling for this screwed up world and all its dead ends."
As I began telling him about my Savior, Jesus Christ, he said he had no faith in himself right now but he's looking.
Each moment I think about my new friend with "no faith in me yet" I think about a ship in a storm. I think about that ship's anchor and its rudder. Can you imagine the despair and maybe even horror you'd experience in the middle of an angry storm, not far from a rocky shoreline, and your ship has no rudder? With no rudder you'd have no control; no way to direct your ship to safety; away from certain destruction.
But a ship must also have an anchor; a way to settle in, a place of calm and safety; a home port, to aim for.
We'll see in a later segment that our silver-haired generation is perfect for reaching out to the preppies, goths, and emos with the promises of God to be that rudder in a life adrift and no lighthouses to be seen. Our generation has a crucial responsibility to reach out to those drowning in the flood of technology with its empty promises and dead-end directions.
We must prepare ourselves simply with Bible verses we can present as anchors; as home ports of peace, purpose, love for each ex-teen. We must clearly simply show that God wired us for wanting control in our lives. And His word continually proclaims Him and His power to exactly fit that need and those to come.
We must show Heaven's greatest sacrifice of innocent shed blood on Calvary as the supreme example of control; God's control in a world adrift in the destructive seas of sin.
Calvary wasn't God's 'Plan B' or a fix for His plan derailed by Satan. It was the willful act of God's own Son; the fulfillment of a prophecy; a promise, stated in the Garden of Eden. God is in control and always has been. Each page of His inspired word is written proof. Read it. Rest on it. Reach out to others with it.
Friday, August 26, 2011
#5 - A Volcano in Shoes
I'm not a psychologist, geologist, vulcanologist, or any other kind of 'ist'. But I'm sure all of us are acquainted with pressure that builds up to a 'breaking point' and what happens next, even if it's just blowing up a balloon larger than it was designed for.
Our school books and newspapers have spent years teaching us what happens to a volcano when the pressure builds up to its breaking point; its erupting point. And the results are most always catastrophic in unthinkable proportions.
I'm going to blow my top soon!
Volcanoes and earthquakes can occur most anywhere, even on the ocean floor. What's fascinating is that God has fashioned this earth in such a way that volcanoes give us some warning signs that it's going to blow its top. According to scientific studies, earthquakes always occur before every eruption. Other ways vulcanologists begin approximate predictions of an eruption is by measuring gas fumes leaking out of vent holes to the surface. They also use satellites and other surveying equipment to discover the slight swelling of the surface around the area.
It's like God is using volcanoes and earthquakes to remind us of His power that reaches beyond our means to control, or even accurately predict. God tells us there are powerful things happening that are not easily detectable, if at all, by our futile technology.
God also gives us subtle warning signs when someone around us is about to blow his/her top. In a volcano the pool of super hot melted rock can no longer be held back and the Earth pushes that rock, called magma to the surface where it sometimes creates new land, but often becomes a blanket of death over towns, people, and animals. This may sound like catastrophe destruction by a God we say is loving.
In many ways God does show His love and provision for us through volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. But to understand, we must be 'on His wavelength'. We must be trusting Him and all He does, to bring man closer to Him and His provision. After all, isn't that a basic purpose of our life on this earth? We're in a school full of lessons that prepare us to learn and know all that we can about God, His power, purpose, judgment, and love. This prepares us for fuller fellowship with Him in Glory, where we'll be spending eternity with Him.
It's my firm opinion that humans are somewhat like volcanoes. That is, continual fear of life's obstacles build up and up. Soon the human mind can take no more and explodes like an angry volcano on anyone nearby. I believe the troubled mind of most ex-teens build up fearful stresses and pressures inside with no knowledge how to controllably vent those ongoing fears that erupts as fits and actions of anger.
In my heart, I sincerely believe that ex-teens don't want this to ever happen, but are powerless to know how to deal with the stresses and fears inside. Their self esteem takes a nosedive and they see the fear and distrust in the eyes of adults around them, which snowballs into an ongoing cycle of deeper depression.
We silver-haired folks must see and trust God's power and protection as we reach out to youth that may very well be under pressures we don't see, but yet need God's leading by still waters.
For the ex-teen Psalm 23 promises God's power to, “...maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
For the silver-haired generation reaching out to others, Psalm 23 promises, “...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
Timing becomes the uncertain unpredictable facet of volcano eruption and youthful outbursts. So the logical and loving thing to do is to be prepared and be diligent in watching and partnering with those ex-teens God has placed near you.
..
Our school books and newspapers have spent years teaching us what happens to a volcano when the pressure builds up to its breaking point; its erupting point. And the results are most always catastrophic in unthinkable proportions.
I'm going to blow my top soon!
Volcanoes and earthquakes can occur most anywhere, even on the ocean floor. What's fascinating is that God has fashioned this earth in such a way that volcanoes give us some warning signs that it's going to blow its top. According to scientific studies, earthquakes always occur before every eruption. Other ways vulcanologists begin approximate predictions of an eruption is by measuring gas fumes leaking out of vent holes to the surface. They also use satellites and other surveying equipment to discover the slight swelling of the surface around the area.
It's like God is using volcanoes and earthquakes to remind us of His power that reaches beyond our means to control, or even accurately predict. God tells us there are powerful things happening that are not easily detectable, if at all, by our futile technology.
God also gives us subtle warning signs when someone around us is about to blow his/her top. In a volcano the pool of super hot melted rock can no longer be held back and the Earth pushes that rock, called magma to the surface where it sometimes creates new land, but often becomes a blanket of death over towns, people, and animals. This may sound like catastrophe destruction by a God we say is loving.
In many ways God does show His love and provision for us through volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. But to understand, we must be 'on His wavelength'. We must be trusting Him and all He does, to bring man closer to Him and His provision. After all, isn't that a basic purpose of our life on this earth? We're in a school full of lessons that prepare us to learn and know all that we can about God, His power, purpose, judgment, and love. This prepares us for fuller fellowship with Him in Glory, where we'll be spending eternity with Him.
It's my firm opinion that humans are somewhat like volcanoes. That is, continual fear of life's obstacles build up and up. Soon the human mind can take no more and explodes like an angry volcano on anyone nearby. I believe the troubled mind of most ex-teens build up fearful stresses and pressures inside with no knowledge how to controllably vent those ongoing fears that erupts as fits and actions of anger.
In my heart, I sincerely believe that ex-teens don't want this to ever happen, but are powerless to know how to deal with the stresses and fears inside. Their self esteem takes a nosedive and they see the fear and distrust in the eyes of adults around them, which snowballs into an ongoing cycle of deeper depression.
We silver-haired folks must see and trust God's power and protection as we reach out to youth that may very well be under pressures we don't see, but yet need God's leading by still waters.
For the ex-teen Psalm 23 promises God's power to, “...maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
For the silver-haired generation reaching out to others, Psalm 23 promises, “...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
Timing becomes the uncertain unpredictable facet of volcano eruption and youthful outbursts. So the logical and loving thing to do is to be prepared and be diligent in watching and partnering with those ex-teens God has placed near you.
..
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
#6 - Worse Than Crying for Help
During World War II an American Bomber got lost, and it's crew parachuted out. The aircraft crashed about 16 miles from the crew, who all perished, 400 miles inland in the Libyan Desert of Central North-Africa. The diary belonging to one of the crew told of gruesome efforts for survival in trying to reach help.
More horrible than the accident of the “Lady Be Good” B-24 Liberator in 1943, was that none of the crew knew where they were at, nor did they know how or where to find help. The crash site wasn't even discovered until 15 long years later.
Nothing about needing help can deepen the spirit than not knowing how or where to find help; especially when navigation technology had failed to lead you to your goal.
At present there are over 30 Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites with 6 to 9 of them being accessed simultaneously by our GPS receivers in our airplane, farm tractors, automobile, or even most smart telephones. With GPS farmers can plant rows of crops over hilly fields with an accuracy of plus or minus four inches for that and other non-military purposes.
TIME is a 3rd crucial factor in needing to get help. Like the bomber crew... their time ran out in the hot arid desert conditions far more dangerous than the skies of Naples, Italy where they dropped their bombs to end the war between nations.
The time regarding the downed fliers had right hand – left hand aspects to it. On the one hand the stranded crew knew they had one canteen of water to share among them all. If only they had known there was a desert oasis just a few miles away, the history book accounts would have read quite differently. On the other hand was the time and resources the searchers were limited to, in the middle of this gigantic war. Time was running out in the minds of the family members back home who knew nothing of all this that God had full knowledge of.
Isn't it ironic that on every hand, man is restricted in some way by time. Yet the hands of the Creator of time, with those nail prints are never, in any way, restricted by time. Those are the very same open hands stretched out to us with the help cries of stranded lost souls, very near to us looking for the way 'home' to the salvation, purpose, and love of the One that rescued you and I on the far away hill called, “Golgotha”.
The manger of Bethlehem, we sing about each Christmas, is a testimony of God reaching out to all of mankind that was lost and not knowing which direction to call for help. God's own Son left Heaven and stepped into this sin-cursed defiled world to show and provide for a way home for you and I.
Now, the name Christian, means “Christ-like”. So if we are Christians deep on the inside as well as the outside, doesn't that define our task to reach out to those who have no spiritual home or how to get there? Many examples in scripture teach us to first be a friend to the lost. Next be a mentor to them, not out of pity, but of passion. Then we must show them the true direction finder, Jesus Christ and His mission to offer His love and righteousness as a free gift to all those ex-teens not knowing which way their eternal home is.
More horrible than the accident of the “Lady Be Good” B-24 Liberator in 1943, was that none of the crew knew where they were at, nor did they know how or where to find help. The crash site wasn't even discovered until 15 long years later.
Nothing about needing help can deepen the spirit than not knowing how or where to find help; especially when navigation technology had failed to lead you to your goal.
At present there are over 30 Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites with 6 to 9 of them being accessed simultaneously by our GPS receivers in our airplane, farm tractors, automobile, or even most smart telephones. With GPS farmers can plant rows of crops over hilly fields with an accuracy of plus or minus four inches for that and other non-military purposes.
TIME is a 3rd crucial factor in needing to get help. Like the bomber crew... their time ran out in the hot arid desert conditions far more dangerous than the skies of Naples, Italy where they dropped their bombs to end the war between nations.
The time regarding the downed fliers had right hand – left hand aspects to it. On the one hand the stranded crew knew they had one canteen of water to share among them all. If only they had known there was a desert oasis just a few miles away, the history book accounts would have read quite differently. On the other hand was the time and resources the searchers were limited to, in the middle of this gigantic war. Time was running out in the minds of the family members back home who knew nothing of all this that God had full knowledge of.
Isn't it ironic that on every hand, man is restricted in some way by time. Yet the hands of the Creator of time, with those nail prints are never, in any way, restricted by time. Those are the very same open hands stretched out to us with the help cries of stranded lost souls, very near to us looking for the way 'home' to the salvation, purpose, and love of the One that rescued you and I on the far away hill called, “Golgotha”.
The manger of Bethlehem, we sing about each Christmas, is a testimony of God reaching out to all of mankind that was lost and not knowing which direction to call for help. God's own Son left Heaven and stepped into this sin-cursed defiled world to show and provide for a way home for you and I.
Now, the name Christian, means “Christ-like”. So if we are Christians deep on the inside as well as the outside, doesn't that define our task to reach out to those who have no spiritual home or how to get there? Many examples in scripture teach us to first be a friend to the lost. Next be a mentor to them, not out of pity, but of passion. Then we must show them the true direction finder, Jesus Christ and His mission to offer His love and righteousness as a free gift to all those ex-teens not knowing which way their eternal home is.
Monday, August 22, 2011
#8 - Strangely Sweeter Than Honey
It's sweeter than honey! That's the truth! The king said so! More than that, God agrees! What the king was talking about, certainly was no cooking ingredient for cakes or cookies.
HELP CRIES has a powerfully important mission of showing our silver-haired generation how to recognize the distress signals from ex-teens; those young adults from 20 to about 23 or so.
Because God has charged you and I with reaching out to these souls that God loves, we should be following a 'how-to' manual that shows us the way, gives case histories, and especially a guarantee if available. Well, God's precious written word does exactly that and a whole lot more. Even Satan demonstrates his great respect for the Bible by how hard he has tried for centuries to stamp it out; to corrupt it and undermine its perceived value in this day of computers and technology.
God has made His word available in so many ways and so many languages, you can't hardly list them all. Though a bookstore will sell you a Bible for $3.00 on up, I praise the Lord that He provides us His word for 'less than nothing'. I mean, you and I can download God's word to our computers for free. But more than that, you also get programs that help you search for words and phrases. There are connected dictionaries and concordances too. If that wasn't enough, these programs even let you make notes and build lessons, to share with others. See? It truly is God's word for less than free.
There are libraries upon libraries of resources that help us discover the diamonds of truth and peace in its pages. But I take great joy in knowing that God provided a heart-to-heart Teacher to us for scripture. He's called The Holy Spirit. In these days of technology and texting, God's word even provides us a whole storehouse of tweets we can (and should) share with others. Never let anyone think God's word is out of date. The storehouse of tweets are all grouped in the book of the Bible called PROVERBS.
Let's step back and get a short big picture of our unbeatable 'how-to' manual that comes with its own Teacher (Holy Spirit). All the PRINCIPLES and TRUTHS of scripture fall into four simple purposes, listed in 2nd Timothy 3: 16.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
The four groups are: doctrine (rules), reproof (testing), correction (penalties), and instruction (learning).
The largest chapter in our Bible is Psalms 119. Does it surprise you that the total of it, talks about God's law, precepts, and testimony? That's what became our Bible. While we're there, notice what King David tells us about scripture in verse 103. Now you know where we got our 'sweeter than honey' title.
So if we skip down just two verses we can see the four groups of PERSONAL APPLICATIONS of scripture.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:105. This simple verse about lamps and lights actually gives us a quartet of groups of APPLICATIONS.
A 'lamp unto my feet' is going to show me the conditions of myself (my shoes) and if my feet are on the path. The 'light unto my path' will show me the direction of the path and any dangers along the way. Do you see the four groups of applications? Think about how these applications might apply to that ex-teen that God has placed in your harvest field. Discuss this with a Christian friend. Maybe make a diagram that would show the application of these four groups.
Talking about groups, how about getting together with some of your silver-haired friends and see how you can develop this diagram even further. It'll be a blessing you won't forget. Be sure to ask your personal Bible teacher (Holy Spirit) to help out. That's just what He's really good at. He has a strangely wonderful way of taking a principle and showing you how apply it, in a different way than He did for another challenge you had at another time.
Note: in a later HELP CRIES segment, we'll develop these applications even further.
..
HELP CRIES has a powerfully important mission of showing our silver-haired generation how to recognize the distress signals from ex-teens; those young adults from 20 to about 23 or so.
Because God has charged you and I with reaching out to these souls that God loves, we should be following a 'how-to' manual that shows us the way, gives case histories, and especially a guarantee if available. Well, God's precious written word does exactly that and a whole lot more. Even Satan demonstrates his great respect for the Bible by how hard he has tried for centuries to stamp it out; to corrupt it and undermine its perceived value in this day of computers and technology.
God has made His word available in so many ways and so many languages, you can't hardly list them all. Though a bookstore will sell you a Bible for $3.00 on up, I praise the Lord that He provides us His word for 'less than nothing'. I mean, you and I can download God's word to our computers for free. But more than that, you also get programs that help you search for words and phrases. There are connected dictionaries and concordances too. If that wasn't enough, these programs even let you make notes and build lessons, to share with others. See? It truly is God's word for less than free.
There are libraries upon libraries of resources that help us discover the diamonds of truth and peace in its pages. But I take great joy in knowing that God provided a heart-to-heart Teacher to us for scripture. He's called The Holy Spirit. In these days of technology and texting, God's word even provides us a whole storehouse of tweets we can (and should) share with others. Never let anyone think God's word is out of date. The storehouse of tweets are all grouped in the book of the Bible called PROVERBS.
Let's step back and get a short big picture of our unbeatable 'how-to' manual that comes with its own Teacher (Holy Spirit). All the PRINCIPLES and TRUTHS of scripture fall into four simple purposes, listed in 2nd Timothy 3: 16.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
The four groups are: doctrine (rules), reproof (testing), correction (penalties), and instruction (learning).
The largest chapter in our Bible is Psalms 119. Does it surprise you that the total of it, talks about God's law, precepts, and testimony? That's what became our Bible. While we're there, notice what King David tells us about scripture in verse 103. Now you know where we got our 'sweeter than honey' title.
So if we skip down just two verses we can see the four groups of PERSONAL APPLICATIONS of scripture.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:105. This simple verse about lamps and lights actually gives us a quartet of groups of APPLICATIONS.
A 'lamp unto my feet' is going to show me the conditions of myself (my shoes) and if my feet are on the path. The 'light unto my path' will show me the direction of the path and any dangers along the way. Do you see the four groups of applications? Think about how these applications might apply to that ex-teen that God has placed in your harvest field. Discuss this with a Christian friend. Maybe make a diagram that would show the application of these four groups.
Talking about groups, how about getting together with some of your silver-haired friends and see how you can develop this diagram even further. It'll be a blessing you won't forget. Be sure to ask your personal Bible teacher (Holy Spirit) to help out. That's just what He's really good at. He has a strangely wonderful way of taking a principle and showing you how apply it, in a different way than He did for another challenge you had at another time.
Note: in a later HELP CRIES segment, we'll develop these applications even further.
..
Saturday, August 20, 2011
#10 - The Golden Classroom
Your Compassion Gauge
The back-bone purpose of HELP CRIES is to learn about ex-teens. This is a good first step in preparing for reaching out to youth... actually for any age that God has placed on your heart. It's much like the 12 spies checking out their new promised land, in Joshua chapter 1. It took courage, and faith in God's plan and promises. Other precious moments in scripture come to mind, like Nehemiah spying out the destruction of Jerusalem in Nehemiah chapter 2.
These actions become a thermometer; a fuel gauge, that helps us get a good idea of our passion for ex-teens and their need of our Savior. Though God promised victory and ownership of the land flowing with milk and honey, ten of the twelve spies, rejected God's directives. All of the people, themselves, chose to believe the ten dissidents. In doing so, they signed their own death warrant that would be carried out over the next 38 years in the wilderness, and causing their children to suffer also.
Mind Your Focus
I would hasten to point out, that God's gift of a promised land to His people included giants. But another aspect of this 'passion thermometer' is seen in whether the people focused on the giant people or the giant fruits; the giant provisions from God (giant clusters of grapes, etc.). In the golden classroom, and elsewhere, it's crucial we maintain our focus on God's fruits in His/our harvest field before us.
In our neighborhood, and maybe yours too, ex-teens gather at fast-food restaurants, often just to hang out. They gather in small groups of 3 to 6 and swap the latest news. You can think of these gatherings as Golden Classrooms. We call them 'Golden' classrooms because they offer many golden lessons that typically only cost the price of a burger, fries, coke, or coffee.
Previous short visits to your classroom will tell you when your 'ex-teen teachers' are most likely there. Plan on eating slow and staying a while. These classes are none of the grab 'n run ten-minute events.
Before you enter your 'golden classroom' make sure you've prepared your heart, spirit, and mind for the lessons you'll learn. Be very clear. YOU are the student. THEY are the teachers. Yes, your teachers have orange hair, facial jewelry, and dress with no concern for their appearance (or maybe they really do.)
Love-listening Works Here
Sit in a booth close enough to theirs that will allow you to be able to overhear their conversations. Your golden classroom lessons will teach you what's on their hearts and minds. Begin to learn the many ways that Satan has twisted the ex-teen's version of truth. This is where the powerful skill of Love-listening comes in. (Love-listening is covered elsewhere in this workshop.)
These golden classroom lessons will also teach you that often, 'normal' appearing ex-teens are as troubled inside, as those with strange dress codes.
Remind yourself moment by moment, you are in the classroom not for gathering gossip or garbage data, but learning how and where to reach out to INDIVIDUALS that Jesus gave His life for. If you don't have this compassionate attitude, leave.
More than once, I've felt led and acted by handing my cellphone to one of the youth and began with, “Hey. Can you show me how to...?”
What are some other places God might place your golden classroom? Sports events, on-line chat rooms, fairs, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus etc. Use your imagination; use your heart. Ask your friends of other places you can hang out that might become your golden classroom in your golden years of service to our Lord before His soon sure return.
The back-bone purpose of HELP CRIES is to learn about ex-teens. This is a good first step in preparing for reaching out to youth... actually for any age that God has placed on your heart. It's much like the 12 spies checking out their new promised land, in Joshua chapter 1. It took courage, and faith in God's plan and promises. Other precious moments in scripture come to mind, like Nehemiah spying out the destruction of Jerusalem in Nehemiah chapter 2.
These actions become a thermometer; a fuel gauge, that helps us get a good idea of our passion for ex-teens and their need of our Savior. Though God promised victory and ownership of the land flowing with milk and honey, ten of the twelve spies, rejected God's directives. All of the people, themselves, chose to believe the ten dissidents. In doing so, they signed their own death warrant that would be carried out over the next 38 years in the wilderness, and causing their children to suffer also.
Mind Your Focus
I would hasten to point out, that God's gift of a promised land to His people included giants. But another aspect of this 'passion thermometer' is seen in whether the people focused on the giant people or the giant fruits; the giant provisions from God (giant clusters of grapes, etc.). In the golden classroom, and elsewhere, it's crucial we maintain our focus on God's fruits in His/our harvest field before us.
In our neighborhood, and maybe yours too, ex-teens gather at fast-food restaurants, often just to hang out. They gather in small groups of 3 to 6 and swap the latest news. You can think of these gatherings as Golden Classrooms. We call them 'Golden' classrooms because they offer many golden lessons that typically only cost the price of a burger, fries, coke, or coffee.
Previous short visits to your classroom will tell you when your 'ex-teen teachers' are most likely there. Plan on eating slow and staying a while. These classes are none of the grab 'n run ten-minute events.
Before you enter your 'golden classroom' make sure you've prepared your heart, spirit, and mind for the lessons you'll learn. Be very clear. YOU are the student. THEY are the teachers. Yes, your teachers have orange hair, facial jewelry, and dress with no concern for their appearance (or maybe they really do.)
Love-listening Works Here
Sit in a booth close enough to theirs that will allow you to be able to overhear their conversations. Your golden classroom lessons will teach you what's on their hearts and minds. Begin to learn the many ways that Satan has twisted the ex-teen's version of truth. This is where the powerful skill of Love-listening comes in. (Love-listening is covered elsewhere in this workshop.)
These golden classroom lessons will also teach you that often, 'normal' appearing ex-teens are as troubled inside, as those with strange dress codes.
Remind yourself moment by moment, you are in the classroom not for gathering gossip or garbage data, but learning how and where to reach out to INDIVIDUALS that Jesus gave His life for. If you don't have this compassionate attitude, leave.
More than once, I've felt led and acted by handing my cellphone to one of the youth and began with, “Hey. Can you show me how to...?”
What are some other places God might place your golden classroom? Sports events, on-line chat rooms, fairs, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus etc. Use your imagination; use your heart. Ask your friends of other places you can hang out that might become your golden classroom in your golden years of service to our Lord before His soon sure return.
Friday, August 19, 2011
#11 - The Time Tunnel
“As silver-haired parents, listening to me now, you remember those long-ago trips as youngsters to the amusement park, the penny arcade, hall of mirrors, and reading comics about Dick Tracy's futuristic wrist radio. And then a few years later the boat trip with our sweetheart through the tunnel of love. As the youth pastor of our church, and not yet in my thirties, I can't consider any of these as memories, as all of you can,” added Pastor Tim.
“But it's crucial that I take just a few more precious minutes of your time to tell you of another tunnel you've been going through, or at least the parents of highschoolers have . Most every day I see these parents with a strong saddening look of bewilderment supported by their almost fearful questions of what they've done wrong, or what had made their teens and preteens so indescribable.”
“Actually, there is a term for their attitudes and actions and I believe we can even draw a circle around their manner of living here this evening, again thanks to your Quilters for Christ event today.” Tim turned to face the marker board behind him. He wrote plainly, the two words, 'Digital Native'. He again faced his silver-haired listeners and began with, “the term probably looks strange, and I'll begin to explain this way. I need a show of hands. How many of you would likely get a correct answer if you asked a teen or preteen what a chalk and slate are used for?” Only one or two hands went up. “OK. Now how many of you in this room know what an iPad is, and a little how it's used?” Again, only three of the many present, raised their hands.”
The reason I ask these two questions is because these two items are largely at the entrance and exit of that tunnel I want to show that you have come through. You've probably used a chalk and slate, along with McGuffey Readers, listening to the wind-up pendulum clock on the wall tic-toc through the long day, learning your multiplication tables. Your attention in later years was intently focused on growing and guarding a family as you began through that tunnel of focused attention.”
“Progressing through that tunnel you struggled with the expanding attitudes of your children toward profanity, promiscuity, meeting the bills and supervising dating events. That tunnel of attention didn't let you see much of the changes from the chalk and slate, to the blackboard and colored chalk. And then the Greenboard, and of all things, the white marker board – but it doesn't stop there. Still in the tunnel, God's gift of technology gave our white marker board a brain. It's called an Interactive Marker Board. It remembers what you wrote on it; both words and pictures. It's computerized.”
“Well coming out of that tunnel vision of the challenged parent, we are startled by all the gadgetry that sort-of snuck up on us while our children were in class, and we were at work, in the home or business place. The first thing Satan does is to lie to us just as he did in God's garden. We hear these strange words like Twitter, tweets, iPods, and there's that iPad thing again. 'Well, what is it?' You ask.
Very simply, an iPad is a chalk and slate that grew up while you were in that tunnel. An iPad is about the same size as a slate, but has batteries, lights, and a computer inside. It has the ability to communicate somewhat like a telephone can, and even talk to other computers. Is it more dangerous than that chalk and slate? Probably about the same difference as your car in the driveway and your Model T at the other end of the tunnel.”
Stop for a moment and really let sink in, the ex-teens and younger have never been in a school classroom where there hasn't been a computer in the corner. Their library is very likely somewhere in their house with a keyboard and mouse hooked to it. There are many more differences between our 'long-ago' end of that time tunnel and it's opening in today's hectic school schedule.
“Now here's 'where-the-tires-meet-the-road', so to speak. You have to answer the following questions in your own heart, without reservation.
Number 1; is Satan more powerful now than the power God gave him on the other end of the tunnel? I'll repeat my question. is Satan more powerful now than the power God gave him on the other end of the tunnel?
Number 2; Does the events of God stopping the sun in Joshua 10 and the backing up of time in 2nd Kings 20, prove He still has control of all that He creates?
Number 3; Does God love your children and mine any less than He did the little boy in a basket in the Egyptian bulrushes? Let's not limit our thinking of what God is able to do.”
“Whether God is using bulrushes, blackboards, batteries, or broken hearts, let's stand ready to love and lead His living breathing gifts to us. There's no going back to the leeks, onions, and non-electronic days and ways. We have the unique responsibility of using our experience and storm-tested scriptures to teach God's unfathomable love by our love and understanding. John 3:16 on a hand-held slate, still begins on every iPad the world over, 'For God so loved the world, he gave...'
“But it's crucial that I take just a few more precious minutes of your time to tell you of another tunnel you've been going through, or at least the parents of highschoolers have . Most every day I see these parents with a strong saddening look of bewilderment supported by their almost fearful questions of what they've done wrong, or what had made their teens and preteens so indescribable.”
“Actually, there is a term for their attitudes and actions and I believe we can even draw a circle around their manner of living here this evening, again thanks to your Quilters for Christ event today.” Tim turned to face the marker board behind him. He wrote plainly, the two words, 'Digital Native'. He again faced his silver-haired listeners and began with, “the term probably looks strange, and I'll begin to explain this way. I need a show of hands. How many of you would likely get a correct answer if you asked a teen or preteen what a chalk and slate are used for?” Only one or two hands went up. “OK. Now how many of you in this room know what an iPad is, and a little how it's used?” Again, only three of the many present, raised their hands.”
The reason I ask these two questions is because these two items are largely at the entrance and exit of that tunnel I want to show that you have come through. You've probably used a chalk and slate, along with McGuffey Readers, listening to the wind-up pendulum clock on the wall tic-toc through the long day, learning your multiplication tables. Your attention in later years was intently focused on growing and guarding a family as you began through that tunnel of focused attention.”
“Progressing through that tunnel you struggled with the expanding attitudes of your children toward profanity, promiscuity, meeting the bills and supervising dating events. That tunnel of attention didn't let you see much of the changes from the chalk and slate, to the blackboard and colored chalk. And then the Greenboard, and of all things, the white marker board – but it doesn't stop there. Still in the tunnel, God's gift of technology gave our white marker board a brain. It's called an Interactive Marker Board. It remembers what you wrote on it; both words and pictures. It's computerized.”
“Well coming out of that tunnel vision of the challenged parent, we are startled by all the gadgetry that sort-of snuck up on us while our children were in class, and we were at work, in the home or business place. The first thing Satan does is to lie to us just as he did in God's garden. We hear these strange words like Twitter, tweets, iPods, and there's that iPad thing again. 'Well, what is it?' You ask.
Very simply, an iPad is a chalk and slate that grew up while you were in that tunnel. An iPad is about the same size as a slate, but has batteries, lights, and a computer inside. It has the ability to communicate somewhat like a telephone can, and even talk to other computers. Is it more dangerous than that chalk and slate? Probably about the same difference as your car in the driveway and your Model T at the other end of the tunnel.”
Stop for a moment and really let sink in, the ex-teens and younger have never been in a school classroom where there hasn't been a computer in the corner. Their library is very likely somewhere in their house with a keyboard and mouse hooked to it. There are many more differences between our 'long-ago' end of that time tunnel and it's opening in today's hectic school schedule.
“Now here's 'where-the-tires-meet-the-road', so to speak. You have to answer the following questions in your own heart, without reservation.
Number 1; is Satan more powerful now than the power God gave him on the other end of the tunnel? I'll repeat my question. is Satan more powerful now than the power God gave him on the other end of the tunnel?
Number 2; Does the events of God stopping the sun in Joshua 10 and the backing up of time in 2nd Kings 20, prove He still has control of all that He creates?
Number 3; Does God love your children and mine any less than He did the little boy in a basket in the Egyptian bulrushes? Let's not limit our thinking of what God is able to do.”
“Whether God is using bulrushes, blackboards, batteries, or broken hearts, let's stand ready to love and lead His living breathing gifts to us. There's no going back to the leeks, onions, and non-electronic days and ways. We have the unique responsibility of using our experience and storm-tested scriptures to teach God's unfathomable love by our love and understanding. John 3:16 on a hand-held slate, still begins on every iPad the world over, 'For God so loved the world, he gave...'
Thursday, August 18, 2011
#12 - Beyond Ex-Teenage Dreams
While my silver hair can't help me remember where I parked the truck coming out of the store, only a few minutes ago, I can, however still remember my teenage dreams of standing in the shoes of David, defending God's honor and army. No giant was so big to make me shake and skedaddle to safety. We all need a hero male or female, no matter our age.
I rather doubt today's teens have any God-honoring hero; or even any to choose from. It's like society is saying it's not possible to be a courageous bold leader in today's world. Courageous leaders ... and calling down fire from heaven to consume evil, well, those days are gone.
More than that; how about having a balanced life of peace, purpose, joy, and love. Ex-Teens see that life maybe available on another planet, or, only in heaven.
The key verse of a youth evangelism organization*, I was once employed by, was the anchor to their Balanced Life program. It was called balanced life because it quartered the life of a teenager in a way attention could be given to each part. The balanced life quarters were Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Social. The program gave the teen and his/her mentor a starting point to see God has provision for every area of those stressful teen growing years.
The next level broke each quarter into 4 more quarters, as follows:
Mental: Thoughts, Attitudes/Motives, Meditation, and Studies
Physical: Cleanliness/Appearance, Control of Sex, Health, and Discipline.
Spiritual: Faith, Love, Obedience, and Prayer.
Social: Associations and Witness, Activities, Abilities
Whether you think of the subdivisions listed above as 'intermediate goals' or a 'divide and conquer' process, it is a powerful way to guide a teen into looking at ALL areas of his/her life. Now before we dig deeper, I want you to look at the key verse the youth evangelism anchored all this to. Bible scholars consider this scripture to refer to the teen years and above, of our Savior Jesus Christ,
since it follows a historical account of Jesus as a 12 year old.
Look at Luke 2:52. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Consider carefully the four areas of Jesus' life. I'll add links in brackets: And Jesus increased in wisdom (mental) and stature (physical), and in favour with God (spiritual) and man (social).
As an exercise, think of some hurdles in a teen life and discuss which of the 16 areas would help a teen to zero in on making it a stronger part of a teen balanced life. Maybe even some hurdles from your own teen years ...
Hopefully, God will give us the right words to magnify the Lord Jesus as a worthy Hero for every teen to look up to and strive to emulate. After all, isn't that what the word CHRISTIAN means?
More than win (against giants of every kind).
I've loved to sing the song VICTORY IN JESUS for more than 6 decades. But the song only carries half the promise. The other half you seldom hear about, and never teach a teen (but should) uses the word MORE. Teens and most all youth, especially boys, are competitive and certainly want to win - that's the VICTORY IN JESUS. But a strange promise in scripture tells us there is another step above the Olympic's Bronze, Silver, and Gold. This strange concept taught nowhere else on earth, is that a person can MORE THAN conquer that giant in their life. Romans 8:37 says, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Now the 'through him that loved us', that's Jesus. You know, the One with the balanced life. As you mentor an ex-teen, begin by dividing up his challenges into pieces. Maybe do it as you and the ex-teen boy take a screwdriver to a junk computer, or layout all the ingredients to making a cake, with a teen girl. Who knows, maybe the process will help conquer some giant fears or unknowns in both your lives. The key is the 'through Him that loved us.'
Can you ever imagine what can be accomplished with love, sacrifice, and God's precious word?
* Youth For Christ
I rather doubt today's teens have any God-honoring hero; or even any to choose from. It's like society is saying it's not possible to be a courageous bold leader in today's world. Courageous leaders ... and calling down fire from heaven to consume evil, well, those days are gone.
More than that; how about having a balanced life of peace, purpose, joy, and love. Ex-Teens see that life maybe available on another planet, or, only in heaven.
The key verse of a youth evangelism organization*, I was once employed by, was the anchor to their Balanced Life program. It was called balanced life because it quartered the life of a teenager in a way attention could be given to each part. The balanced life quarters were Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Social. The program gave the teen and his/her mentor a starting point to see God has provision for every area of those stressful teen growing years.
The next level broke each quarter into 4 more quarters, as follows:
Mental: Thoughts, Attitudes/Motives, Meditation, and Studies
Physical: Cleanliness/Appearance, Control of Sex, Health, and Discipline.
Spiritual: Faith, Love, Obedience, and Prayer.
Social: Associations and Witness, Activities, Abilities
Whether you think of the subdivisions listed above as 'intermediate goals' or a 'divide and conquer' process, it is a powerful way to guide a teen into looking at ALL areas of his/her life. Now before we dig deeper, I want you to look at the key verse the youth evangelism anchored all this to. Bible scholars consider this scripture to refer to the teen years and above, of our Savior Jesus Christ,
since it follows a historical account of Jesus as a 12 year old.
Look at Luke 2:52. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Consider carefully the four areas of Jesus' life. I'll add links in brackets: And Jesus increased in wisdom (mental) and stature (physical), and in favour with God (spiritual) and man (social).
As an exercise, think of some hurdles in a teen life and discuss which of the 16 areas would help a teen to zero in on making it a stronger part of a teen balanced life. Maybe even some hurdles from your own teen years ...
Hopefully, God will give us the right words to magnify the Lord Jesus as a worthy Hero for every teen to look up to and strive to emulate. After all, isn't that what the word CHRISTIAN means?
More than win (against giants of every kind).
I've loved to sing the song VICTORY IN JESUS for more than 6 decades. But the song only carries half the promise. The other half you seldom hear about, and never teach a teen (but should) uses the word MORE. Teens and most all youth, especially boys, are competitive and certainly want to win - that's the VICTORY IN JESUS. But a strange promise in scripture tells us there is another step above the Olympic's Bronze, Silver, and Gold. This strange concept taught nowhere else on earth, is that a person can MORE THAN conquer that giant in their life. Romans 8:37 says, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Now the 'through him that loved us', that's Jesus. You know, the One with the balanced life. As you mentor an ex-teen, begin by dividing up his challenges into pieces. Maybe do it as you and the ex-teen boy take a screwdriver to a junk computer, or layout all the ingredients to making a cake, with a teen girl. Who knows, maybe the process will help conquer some giant fears or unknowns in both your lives. The key is the 'through Him that loved us.'
Can you ever imagine what can be accomplished with love, sacrifice, and God's precious word?
* Youth For Christ
Monday, August 15, 2011
#14 - Wiring The Minds of Ex-Teens
The wiring of the minds of teens and ex-teens (used-to-be-teens) is different in each gender. We do need to review those important differences as we learn about them, to reach out to them with greater compassion and understanding. In two words the differences revolve around COMMUNICATION in girls and COMPETITION or CONSTRUCTION in boys.
Learning Gender Gaps
God wired each one of us with a brain in two main parts or lobes. The left portion is more adept
at dealing logically; comparing numbers, facts, procedures etc. Our right lobe deals more with
relationships, personalities, feelings, sympathy, compassion etc.
Scientists are quick to say that boys and men are 'left lobe dominate', while girls and women are
right lobe dominate. Just as in a symphony all are equally important in their own way, whether we are
right or left lobe dominate doesn't make one better than the other. Consider the words 'help meet' in
Genesis 2:18. I've come to believe the life partner God gave to Adam was not just another copy of
himself (Adam) but one with abilities and temperament that complimented Adam.
This 'filling in the gaps' of Adam's abilities by Eve goes far beyond the 'be fruitful and multiply'
task for the duo; this living breathing symphony; this crowning creation by our all-powerful God.
In just a few words, the 'left lobe dominate' boys and men don't thrive in the 'calm and comfort
zone' of ladies. Men eat up action that includes competition, risky, loud, big, messy, fast, and 'think on
your feet' flashy stuff. If you're reaching out to girls - think communication; particularly digital; and
certainly frequent. If your reach out to boys - think competition and construction.
In a previous HELP CRIES segment we talked about the Golden Classroom as a powerful way to begin understanding your harvest field of ex-teen souls. Another powerful classroom we'll call the SILVER TOP classroom. Simply it's a gathering, small or large, of our silver-haired generation, snacks, marker board and earnest prayer. It works something like this:
1. Certainly begin with earnest unhurried prayer for hearts to become even more deeply burdened for the 'thrown-away' generation so many are actually afraid of – the ex-teens – ages 20 to 23 something.
2. Spend a first meeting considering the boys. Maybe show some pictures of boys with 'odd' appearances and actions. Show some pictures of some 'normal' boys, realizing that inside attitudes and stresses may be the very same, regardless of outward appearances.
3. Have some presentations that depict a Garage Mission Station. Our favorite website shows how it's done, in story form. The Garage Mission Station can be up-scaled a little for the older ex-teens.
Gramps And The Nano Web Laboratory
ChurchKids.org/0nwl/ (that's a zero)
We'll take a look at the girls side next time.
Learning Gender Gaps
God wired each one of us with a brain in two main parts or lobes. The left portion is more adept
at dealing logically; comparing numbers, facts, procedures etc. Our right lobe deals more with
relationships, personalities, feelings, sympathy, compassion etc.
Scientists are quick to say that boys and men are 'left lobe dominate', while girls and women are
right lobe dominate. Just as in a symphony all are equally important in their own way, whether we are
right or left lobe dominate doesn't make one better than the other. Consider the words 'help meet' in
Genesis 2:18. I've come to believe the life partner God gave to Adam was not just another copy of
himself (Adam) but one with abilities and temperament that complimented Adam.
This 'filling in the gaps' of Adam's abilities by Eve goes far beyond the 'be fruitful and multiply'
task for the duo; this living breathing symphony; this crowning creation by our all-powerful God.
In just a few words, the 'left lobe dominate' boys and men don't thrive in the 'calm and comfort
zone' of ladies. Men eat up action that includes competition, risky, loud, big, messy, fast, and 'think on
your feet' flashy stuff. If you're reaching out to girls - think communication; particularly digital; and
certainly frequent. If your reach out to boys - think competition and construction.
In a previous HELP CRIES segment we talked about the Golden Classroom as a powerful way to begin understanding your harvest field of ex-teen souls. Another powerful classroom we'll call the SILVER TOP classroom. Simply it's a gathering, small or large, of our silver-haired generation, snacks, marker board and earnest prayer. It works something like this:
1. Certainly begin with earnest unhurried prayer for hearts to become even more deeply burdened for the 'thrown-away' generation so many are actually afraid of – the ex-teens – ages 20 to 23 something.
2. Spend a first meeting considering the boys. Maybe show some pictures of boys with 'odd' appearances and actions. Show some pictures of some 'normal' boys, realizing that inside attitudes and stresses may be the very same, regardless of outward appearances.
3. Have some presentations that depict a Garage Mission Station. Our favorite website shows how it's done, in story form. The Garage Mission Station can be up-scaled a little for the older ex-teens.
Gramps And The Nano Web Laboratory
ChurchKids.org/0nwl/ (that's a zero)
We'll take a look at the girls side next time.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
#15 - How to Build a Bridge
How to build a bridge is what HELP CRIES is all about. But this bridge is not made of screws, steel, and paint. The bridge we're building is much larger than those we drive cars over. Our bridge is designed to carry heavier loads and help with saving and building strong lives. Ironically, our bridge is built not over some river but at a kitchen table.
The bridge links the heart of a lady with silver hair, not so much aching from stiff and sore joints, but a heart crying out to God for His design this day to connect to the heart of girls – teens and ex-teens. This bridge built at a kitchen table (maybe yours) will get lots of 2-way traffic. Each listens deeply to the other. (Elsewhere we've called this Love-listening) The bridge becomes a partnership; a journey to bring both closer to understanding what real love actually is, and what it wants to do.
Now the tools for this bridge construction are simple and readily available. A couple cookies, a cup of soothing drink, some cellphones (turned off and laying next to...) and God's precious 'How-To' manual, opened and ready to be used; as every Bible should be.
The real joy of this bridge building is seeing the anticipation and expectation the girls paint each day's experience with. If done properly, you can easily run out of cookies and kitchen chairs. Girls, teens and ex-teens are so confused, distressed, and disillusioned with all of technology's communication dead ends, they don't have anywhere to turn, except your kitchen table mission station (I mean bridge building moments).
Our favorite on-line free library has several stories about kitchen table (and picnic table) ministries you'll want to savor as you begin to reach out to those ex-teen girls, God has placed in your harvest field. Our favorite, with a non-technical technology flavor, is TEXTING WITH HOPE. This resource is broken up into short story segments just perfect for having a silver-top classroom gathering with your friends and discuss each segment and how it can apply to your harvest field.
ChurchKids.org/twh/
You can also become a
Cookie Mountain Missionary (curling iron, optional)
and a Cookie Jar Granny
The bridge links the heart of a lady with silver hair, not so much aching from stiff and sore joints, but a heart crying out to God for His design this day to connect to the heart of girls – teens and ex-teens. This bridge built at a kitchen table (maybe yours) will get lots of 2-way traffic. Each listens deeply to the other. (Elsewhere we've called this Love-listening) The bridge becomes a partnership; a journey to bring both closer to understanding what real love actually is, and what it wants to do.
Now the tools for this bridge construction are simple and readily available. A couple cookies, a cup of soothing drink, some cellphones (turned off and laying next to...) and God's precious 'How-To' manual, opened and ready to be used; as every Bible should be.
The real joy of this bridge building is seeing the anticipation and expectation the girls paint each day's experience with. If done properly, you can easily run out of cookies and kitchen chairs. Girls, teens and ex-teens are so confused, distressed, and disillusioned with all of technology's communication dead ends, they don't have anywhere to turn, except your kitchen table mission station (I mean bridge building moments).
Our favorite on-line free library has several stories about kitchen table (and picnic table) ministries you'll want to savor as you begin to reach out to those ex-teen girls, God has placed in your harvest field. Our favorite, with a non-technical technology flavor, is TEXTING WITH HOPE. This resource is broken up into short story segments just perfect for having a silver-top classroom gathering with your friends and discuss each segment and how it can apply to your harvest field.
You can also become a
Cookie Mountain Missionary (curling iron, optional)
and a Cookie Jar Granny
Friday, August 5, 2011
#18 - Making the Connection
There are many simple straight-forward projects that have a bit of technology connection to them; required for reaching the attention of that ex-teen in your God-given harvest field. You will be quite surprised to see how helpful and cooperative that youth is, when he/she sees you honestly and compassionately reaching out to them. In a sense, let them be your teacher. Make this your own Golden Classroom loaded with prayerful preparation. I like guarantees and I know you do also.
Savor this one:
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:6
Click HERE or the MAKING THE CONNECTION tab above for details.
Savor this one:
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:6
Click HERE or the MAKING THE CONNECTION tab above for details.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
#19 - Are We There Yet?
“Are we there yet?” What a simple question that always accompanies actions that involve most travel or progress; whether it be reading a story, working a problem, or going down some road. Often the question is asked by the person not knowing just what the destination or goal actually is.
Even with mankind's GPS positioning technology matched up with road maps and a human synthesized voice speaking, “turn right at this intersection”, man still has no deep satisfaction he is where he is supposed to be. Maybe we often arrive at a dead end that is decorated to look like our goal. Shortly we get an uneasy feeling we are somehow at a spot that God is not, nor has been.
This is likely the most lonely place on our planet; having trusted in man's guidance devices, being 'dumped' at a dead end we thought was a worthy goal, and now not knowing who or what to trust in. Welcome to the lost world of most teens and ex-teens.
With a heart and typing fingers full of compassion for all those in this lost world, the HELP CRIES has been published, with God's leading. My heart asks, “Are we there yet? Have we done all that God wants in this resource?” The answer comes back, “There is the frosting, you know.”
The Apostle Paul taught the young pastor Timothy all about frosting; the frosting on the cake; the finishing touch to all teaching. The clear principle is stated in 2nd Timothy 2:2:
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
Paul says the job is not done until your student becomes a teacher to others; and actually even beyond that. In a light-hearted semi-serious sort of way, I think of this as “be fruitful and multiply” (intellectually).
So how do we know when HELP CRIES has done its job? The answer is when the ex-teen that once was in that lost world of technology dead ends, is now reaching out in compassion to those ex-teens who are sending out tearful SOS!... SOS!... SOS!
The 'Grandfather Psalm' says,
“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” Psalm 71:18
Even with mankind's GPS positioning technology matched up with road maps and a human synthesized voice speaking, “turn right at this intersection”, man still has no deep satisfaction he is where he is supposed to be. Maybe we often arrive at a dead end that is decorated to look like our goal. Shortly we get an uneasy feeling we are somehow at a spot that God is not, nor has been.
This is likely the most lonely place on our planet; having trusted in man's guidance devices, being 'dumped' at a dead end we thought was a worthy goal, and now not knowing who or what to trust in. Welcome to the lost world of most teens and ex-teens.
With a heart and typing fingers full of compassion for all those in this lost world, the HELP CRIES has been published, with God's leading. My heart asks, “Are we there yet? Have we done all that God wants in this resource?” The answer comes back, “There is the frosting, you know.”
The Apostle Paul taught the young pastor Timothy all about frosting; the frosting on the cake; the finishing touch to all teaching. The clear principle is stated in 2nd Timothy 2:2:
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
Paul says the job is not done until your student becomes a teacher to others; and actually even beyond that. In a light-hearted semi-serious sort of way, I think of this as “be fruitful and multiply” (intellectually).
So how do we know when HELP CRIES has done its job? The answer is when the ex-teen that once was in that lost world of technology dead ends, is now reaching out in compassion to those ex-teens who are sending out tearful SOS!... SOS!... SOS!
The 'Grandfather Psalm' says,
“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” Psalm 71:18
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