Elephant Room + Stress & Anxiety

Stress & Anxiety. Something that if you're breathing, you've struggled with since birth. So, what do we do with it?

Our anxiety should drive us into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

We get anxious when we try to play God. We try and control everything and end up carrying a weight that wasn't meant for us to carry. Our anxiety will decrease when we remember who God is and how big He is.

Our problems are like a grain of salt to God.

If God can take care of our eternity, He can take care of your anxiety. Some of us believe He can but aren't letting Him.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6,7 

When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up. When we lift ourselves up, God will humble us. 

Always recognize Jesus as a DAILY need in your life. When we go to God daily, we let go of anxiety. 

You need two things: JESUS and the CHURCH.

God asks us to cast our anxieties onto Him and do not real them back in!

We can tend to overwhelm our friends and family with our stress and anxiety but they, too, are carrying their own weights. BUT JESUS can't be overwhelmed.

...hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught. Psalm 55:2

 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:5-6

Gods presence > Our problems 

Concentrate on what you DO have and not on what you DON'T have. 

We can't always change our circumstances but we can change our perspective.

We worry so much because we pray so little...but no one cares about you like Jesus does!

Watch ALIVE here!

Elephant Room: Pornography

Last night you could have heard a pin drop in the room at Alive. Why? Because we wrestled with a topic that 80% of guys struggle with and 30% of girls struggle with. A topic where addictions begin at the ripe age of 9 years old. That's a lot of struggle going on and not a lot of speaking about it and
So, last night it was spoken about.

THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE BODY OF CHRIST IS PORNOGRAPHY.

• Playboy's website averages about 5,000,000 hits per day.
• There are more porn outlets in our world than there are McDonald's restaurants. 
• The effect of pornography is just as addictive as cocaine or heroine. 
• $97,000,000,000.00 is made off of the porn industry. That is more money than ALL the combined revenues of professional sports! 
• Every minute, 2,000,000 people view pornography.
• 58% of all divorces involve an addiction to porn. Not alcohol, not drugs...pornography
• 747,000 sex offenders are in the U.S. 87% looked at porn.
• 40% of people lose their jobs because of an issue with pornography.
• Pornography increases marital infidelity by 30%!

I'll say it again. The greatest threat to the body of Christ is pornography. It destroys your mind, your jobs, your families, and the money spent in this industry supports sex trafficking, exploits someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's mother. They are not their for our enjoyment.

So, the church has to speak up. 

The enemy wants us to start viewing women and men as objects and toys. Not as sons and daughters of the King.

Porn may be one click away but HOPE is one prayer away!

Unfortunately, facts do not change people. Only Jesus can change people! 

"It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

The more we fall in love with JESUS...the less likely we are to love our sin. 

What you feed GROWS. What you starve DIES. 

God cares about your ETERNITY & your PURITY

When God asks you to do something, like forego sin, He will give you the strength to do it.

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Matthew 5:28-29

If your phone being in your room at night causes you to stumble, leave it in the living room. If you have a laptop in your room, get it out. If you have magazines or books that cause your mind to go places that they shouldn't go, get rid of them. 

Ladies, dress to be looked at but not lusted after. Dress so that guys are eager to know you and not your body.

"How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word." Psalm 119:9

Confess, Repent, and Eliminate Access. We can have victory over sin by surrendering to Jesus! 

helpful resources:

*XXXChurch.com

*My Purity Coach APP

Watch the service here

 

Elephant Room + Bullying & Suicide

I've noticed that during these Elephant Room topics, you can always hear a pin drop in the room. The case was no different last night when we tackled bullying & suicide. I think that those of us who have been out of high school for awhile tend to overlook the bullying issue because it really just wasn't a big thing for us. Sure people were mean and hateful but there weren't "easy ways" of bullying someone online. The measures that some people go to in order to show hate has become extreme and needs to stop.

Nowadays, one smile, one helping hand, one act of kindness can impact a student's life forever. Never underestimate the difference you can make in someone else's life.

There are three lies that the enemy always wants to plant in our minds- the lies that Nobody cares, everyone is better off without you, & nobody loves me.

Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary problem.

Someone commits suicide every 13 minutes. It's the 3rd leading cause of death.

"Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool-why die before your time?" Ecclesiastes 7:17

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Jesus went through the greatest amount of pain and suffering so that he could comfort us in ours.

If God didn't care about you, there would have been no cross.

"Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them." Luke 6:31-32

You can either speak LIFE into someone or you TAKE life from them. Our words have a lasting effect on people. Out of the overflow of our hearts, our mouths speak. Where's your heart?

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

 We can't expect people to act like they love Jesus if they don't have a relationship with Him. When people who don't know Jesus say & do hurtful things, it's because their heart is not right.

"An eye for an eye makes the world go blind."

Bullying is ONE step away from suicide. If you're a victim of bullying:

1. TELL someone!
2. Walk away
3. Find a friend to help stand up for you!
4. Defend yourself
5. Pray for them

God died for the victim AND the bully!

*If you're a victim, the National Suicide Hotline can help you! 1(800) 273-8255 or visit remedylive.com

Jesus DIED for YOU so that YOU could LIVE for HIM!

Don't allow the enemy to steal, kill, & destroy your life! God creates everything and everyone for a specific purpose! He's not done with you yet!  

Elephant Room // Week 2

Last night we had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of Will Snipes! He tackled Marijuana as well as other drugs that are being abused by people today. He challenged everyone with 10 points. If we could check off at least the first five points, then we should be okay to continue smoking Marijuana. Here's the 10.

1. Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." If you're a follower of Christ, your desire should be to honor God by honoring your father and mother. If your parents allow you to smoke, then you can check this one off.
2. Exodus 20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Drugs tend to turn people into liars. If they don't, you can check this one off.
3. Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." The further someone falls into addiction, the more desperate they become, making an idol out of it. If Marijuana isn't an idol to you, you can check this one off, too...1 Corinthians 6:12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything." Drugs become your master. They tell you what to do, when to do it & how to do it.
4. Romans 13:1-5 "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience." It's illegal in South Carolina to smoke Marijuana. You can't check this one off. 
5. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.Therefore honor God with your bodies. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our bodies. Studies have shown that just a casual use of Marijuana can lead to mental illness.
6. Romans 14:20-23 "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin." If we say we follow Jesus and that Jesus has changed our life, yet continue to do drugs, we ruin our witness and cause others to not want what we supposedly have. 
7. Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Doing something because everyone else is doing something is conforming. When you aren't of sober mind, you can't follow God's will for your life.
8. 1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lionlooking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
9. Romans 1:28-32 "Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Encouraging someone else to do something and continuing to do something that you know is against God's word is sinful. Watching others join in makes you feel better about your actions and not as bad.
10. Ephesians 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit" We are to fill ourselves with the Spirit, not things that contradict it.

"Sometimes the Church thinks that if we don't talk about it, it will go away."
Click here to watch

Elephant Room // Week 1

Last night we started on the most controversial series that we've ever done. Topics that, a lot of the time, churches want to brush on the rug and pretend they don't exist: Homosexuality, Transsexuality, Bullying, Suicide, etc. We believe that if the world is speaking up for these things then the church needs to speak up for them. The world should never be louder than the Church. 

Saying all of that, I do believe that the church has failed to some extent. I believe that IF these topics have been addressed, that a lot of times, it's not out of love but out of hate. No one has ever come to Jesus through hate. I love what my husband said to open up last night:

"Too many have WON arguments & LOST relationships!"

This is not about winning an argument. This is about acknowledging what God has to say about it. I'm going to post the video of the service at the end of this because I feel like a lot of the time things that are typed from behind a computer screen get misconstrued. But I wanted to leave you with some points from last night for those of you who don't have the time to watch.

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Satan always tries to convince us that we are the only one in the world dealing with something. However, we are never alone in anything.

Just as appliances come with an owner's manual, we come with an owner's manual - The Bible. If we want to know how we were created, why we were created, or who we were created for, we have to seek the creator. 

The only one who can label you is the one who created you and the only one who can define you is the one who designed you.

In order to know WHO we are, we have to know WHOSE we are.

"So God created mankind [your name] in his own image, in the image of God he created them [your name]; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

 "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

 "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7

God spent a lot of TIME on us! No one was born with the wrong body. God, being a perfect creator, spent time knitting us together. To say that we were born with the wrong body would be saying that God made a mistake. God doesn't make mistakes, he makes masterpieces.

 "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:15-16

 "For we are God’s handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

 A lot of us feel like we were meant to be someone we weren't. We feel as though God created us to be a different sex. It shouldn't be, "I feel. Therefore I am." but "God says Therefore I am." We would always be in trouble if we all acted upon how we felt. We would be living immoral and unbiblical lifestyles if we acted upon every feeling we had. We should always listen to God's truth above our feelings. God's word isn't A truth it's THE truth.

A lot of the time, we feel as if we can't change. We were born this way. Yes, we were born sinners. And no, WE can't change...on our own. The sin in my life that I used to deal with was changed because of Jesus, not because of my efforts. We can't go around committing crimes and claim that it's because we were born that way. 

Homosexuality and Transsexuality didn't just appear. It's been going on since day 1. 

"A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lordyour God detests anyone who does this." Deuteronomy 22:5

A lot of times, we claim that we just want people to be happy. But we can't live for what makes us happy. We have to live for what makes God happy!  

Gods word is never meant to tear us down but to set us FREE

"They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:25-27

Anatomically speaking, a man was designed for a woman. In order to be fruitful and multiply according to scripture, you need a man & a woman. 

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Here's the bottom line. I may not struggle with homosexuality but it's just the same as my greed, pride, and anger. We are all in the SAME BOAT. We are all sinners in need of God's grace, daily. The bible doesn't call homosexuals to heterosexuality but to holiness and holiness will lead to heterosexuality. He calls us all of us to holiness!

Jesus was the epitome of love. We are to love - not hate. People will know we are His disciples by how we LOVE one another. Jesus has shown us all love still not approving of our sin. The greatest love we can offer each other is the truth. The most loving thing Jesus ever did was not ignore our sin but die for them. 

 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted. There is never anything that tempts us that didn't tempt Him first. However, he did not ACT on his temptations or feelings. Jesus' invitation to us is always to come as we are but not stay as we are.

Alive Service // Elephant Room Week 1

Game Day // Week 3

It's a wrap on our Game Day series and it was a special one. This series, like I've said before, has ushered in a turning point in our student ministry. We have seen our students come alive in their worship and in their small group time! Big things are happening and we are pumped for it!

Whether it's in sports or in life, there's going to be a time of adversity in our lives and as Christians, it should drive us away from Jesus but to Jesus. Also, as Christians, we have hope that we don't have to walk through it alone.

Maturity in Christ comes through adversity in life. Being a Christian doesn't exclude you from adversity but it does reveal our need for Jesus and other people.

Count it ALL JOY, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith parodies steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Trials should be a Christians best friend. It's how we see trials that's important. Trials are OPPORTUNITIES not OBSTACLES. 

The world says, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
The gospel says, "Good things happen to bad people."

God is trying to grow us through trials.

If God didn't give you more than you could handle, we wouldn't need Him.

Trials aren't meant to make you weaker but STRONGER! They aren't to destroy you but to DEVELOP you!

Trials are unavoidable but Jesus is always available!

We are more concerned with our comfort than we are our character!

"The presence of pain doesn't mean the absence of God." -Derwin Gray

The SIZE or AMOUNT of our trials are no match for the God we serve!

Trials are TEMPORARY but God is ETERNAL!

Jesus not only takes care of our trials but he's taken care of our sins!

Game Day // Week 2

If you know anything about the sports world whether you've participated in the game or cheered from the sideline, you know there's a cost. There's a cost to participate and there's a cost to cheer them on. Nowadays, people have gone from being "fans" of the game to full on "fanatics" People spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to follow their favorite team. They pay for a ticket, the apparel, the tailgate spot, the food, etc. If you play you're paying for your uniform, private lessons, hotel stays, gas, and time.

What if we took all of our energy and converted it over to being a follower of Jesus? A lot of times we want to follow a certain church and just "do church" instead of being a devoted follower of Jesus. The Church should be more enthusiastic about the One they follow (Jesus) than they are about the team they follow!

Are we making sacrifices to follow Jesus? Because there are sacrifices to be made! Real disciples follow Jesus no matter the cost...even when it's inconvenient.

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:3-9

In Mark's account, the woman goes without a name. The story isn't about us. What if we went through life not worrying about OUR name but about HIS name? When people hear your name do they think about Jesus?

There's often a pain we go through when we follow Jesus. She broke a perfume bottle that costed her a year's wages. That had to be painful. Though there's pain in following Jesus, there's more pain when we don't!

If you want to see your life radically changed, hold nothing back when following Jesus! This woman held nothing back. She broke the bottle. There was no saving "some for later".

"Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing." -John Henry Jovette

Anything you do for Jesus isn't a waste but of eternal value!

We will be criticized when we follow Christ. Jesus had the woman's back in this story and He always has ours! 

Live a life for Jesus that's a STORY WORTH TELLING.

*You can always watch our services LIVE (and for the next 24 hours) on the Periscope App under Michael Hux

Game Day // Week 1

Morning all! My Alive hangover this morning is REAL as there is so much stampeding through my head. I'll share more of that at the end BUT last night we started a brand new series and it was excellent! We all know that a lot happens before game day: eating right, being prepared, & practicing.  The same should all go into our lives as we prepare for game day, every day. 

Are we preparing ourselves for the game day of life? The Christian life isn't a playground it's a battleground. There are two people competing for our lives - one that will save it and one that could destroy it. An unprepared Christian is a defeated Christian. 

Part of growing spiritually includes going through battles...but we get to face them with Jesus who reigns victorious!

We have a game plan -- The Bible!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

To be strong in the Lord we first have to be IN the Lord!

We are in great danger when we think that we can stand in our own strength rather than His.

We are not encouraged to put on the full armor of God ... we are commanded!

PUT on the armor - don't CARRY it!

The enemy never takes a day off. Neither should we.

Our fight is not against PEOPLE!

The question is not who will win - because God's already won. The question is who will STAND! Our responsibility is to STAND UP!

We let down our armor when we play with sin.

The quickest way for the enemy to flee from you? Submit to God.

We can't WIN without JESUS!

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Now, for the stampede in my head. Our family is a firm believer in making church fun. Many disagree and that's okay but we believe that church should be the most fun place on this earth! The church should out-do the world in terms of fun! We yearn for students & adults to WANT to come to church, WANT to serve, & WANT to stay- not out of obligation but out of WANT. Whether we get them there because we feed them or we get them there because we let them blow off some steam with corn hole, we do it and then point to them JESUS every.single.time. 

Saying that, I believe last night was the tipping point in Alive Student Ministry. Last night was unlike anything we've experienced at Alive in our short time of being there. I believe our students are on the brink of revival and it was evident last night in the way they worshipped Jesus unhindered. When students are declaring Jesus as the center of their lives and His church, I get chills. And when students are making decisions and leaders are fist pumping & jumping up and down...I get more chills.

Thank you to all of our leaders (students and adults) and volunteers (students and adults). I say "students and adults" because Alive would not happen without the service of our students AND adults! I love seeing our adults shepherding our students to their potential & greatness in Jesus. Ya'll, the best is yet to come and satan isn't happy so let's "armor up!"