Filed under: Discussions
What does it mean to be pure?
Why would you care about purity?
What types of things need to be pure in some way?
(Water, medicine, quality food, etc..)
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
-Matthew 5:8 (NIV)
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
-Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
-Ezra
2011/02/22
Filed under: Discussions
What do you look for in a good friend?
What makes you a good friend to others?
Have your personality flaws or attitude ever caused a fight or even brought about the end of a friendship?
Have you ever betrayed or really hurt a friend?
Has a friend ever betrayed or hurt you?
What does it mean to be cautious with your relationships?
What are some qualities that you would consider a ‘deal-breaker’ in
friendship? (for example, I can’t be close with someone who…)
Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked
leads them astray.
Why do you think God says it is wise to be cautious in friendship?
*When you grow in friendship with someone, your trust grows. Their
opinion matters. Their input matters. Their thoughts and feelings
matter. If you are not cautious about who you are allowing in, you may
be setting yourself up for straying from your own goals, morals and
values. Good, healthy, strong friendships are honest, loving,
encouraging and even challenging. We should challenge one another, in
gentleness and love, to be better… to grow closer to God, farther
from sin and to be a man or woman of integrity.
Evaluate your friendships. Are you being led astray? Are you leading
others astray? It’s always the right time to put God first and follow
His direction.
-Karyn
2011-02-15
Filed under: Discussions
What does it mean to be tempted?
What kinds of things can tempt teens?
How are temptations similar to each other?
How can temptations be very specific to an individual?
Can you ever escape a temptation? How?
It is easy to fight an enemy you hate, but with temptation, your enemy is disguised as someone you love. You are fooled to trust your enemy, and are pulled into sin.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
-1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
You are responsible for standing up to your enemies, and getting away from your temptations. God will always give you a way out. If you don’t see the way out, you are not really looking for it.
If you give into sin, you will still be tempted. Giving up one battle won’t make anything easier to deal with in the future. We are not meant to handle all of this in our own power, but with God’s, and the support of others as needed.
-Ezra
2011/2/1
