One Element

Last night our team finished up State President's Conference, here in Washington DC. This week was spent with people from all across the nation including friends from Puerto Rico and our parents. Each day was spent touring, advocating, and learning more about our role as leaders in the FFA. Our theme "One Element" was focused on the power that we have to spark a revolution. (ex: It took one idea from Steve Jobs to create Apple and one voyage to discover the American continents.)

This week our purpose was to shape our influence on what the future of a youth organization can look like, yet we can also apply this mindset to our faith.

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~John 14:6

(love Jesus)

Important Elements of the Christian Faith: (www.biblecentre.org)

*Jesus Christ died for our sins.

*Grace is offered freely to each of us.

*We are promised eternal life with God if we receive Christ.

(i love Jesus)

These are basic truths that we've been hearing since Sunday school or VBS lessons, but check out Romans 6 http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rom&c=6&v=1&t=NIV#top and read with a new perspective. These are the same truths that have lead thousands of people to give their lives to God's service-to develop a passion for serving Him that lead them to the ends of the earth. How will these elements of truth reflect in your life?

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• At the age of 18 a young man set out to share his faith. William Carey is now known as the Father of Modern Day Missions. One believer, one element, and so the story of the bible was shared with China.

• Dawson Trotman set out to 'Know God and make God Known' among the men in the navy . The ministry now stretches throughout the world, especially on college campuses. One man, one element, and Navigators campus ministry was born.

• The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with a printing press. This technology started a revolution. One book, one element, and now it is the most printed book in history.

• One man was crucified on a cross for making claims He knew to be truth. He died an innocent death to save all of mankind. One death, one element, and Jesus granted us eternal life in His name.

Just as these people before us identified the truth in their lives, so we too are able. When we identify the element of truth that we hold to, we can identify what our element of purpose in life is and what the element of result in our life may be.

Our single responsibility today, the one element that we must bring to this world is to CELEBRATE the truths we know. No complaints, worries, or concerns. Only joy--the element of pure joy.

Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 118:14

A Group Set Apart

While down in the South, Randa and I made a roadtrip over to see some friends in Gulf Shores, AL. 150 college students living there as part of the campus ministry, Student Mobilization, (check out http://www.stumo.org/ to learn more) They are holding full-time jobs during the day time, then spending nights and weekends growing in their faith and leadership. Just a year ago I was in Destin, FL with this same group- my life will never be the same.

Spending nearly every day with large groups of people, I have to question what was it that causes this group of people to be so different. There was an evident difference in these people-they were glowing with joy. We saw it even during the few hours that we got to visit them. Nearly every action, every encounter could be characterized by these three words.

Desire. Urgency. Submission.

But if from there you seek the Lord our God, you will
find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul. ~Deuteronomy 4:29

Desire

When a song like "Chariots of Fire," generally used to pump-up for a football game, comes on to prepare for campus prayer you simply cannot help let out a shriek of excitement. People jumping on tables, dancing around, screaming, all from a graciousness for the opportunity for them to come before the God of the Universe in prayer for each other and Kansas State University---amazing.

In the entire environment is a desire to invest in other more, to memorize more scripture, to read more of His word, to share the Gospel more, and a desire to know the Lord of our lives more. It's a burning desire that rattles their bones to know Christ more and to make Him known.

At that time many will turn away from the faith,
and will betray and hate each other. ~Matthew 24:10

Urgency

There is no time wasted. Even in everyday conversation they immediately jump to questions that cause you to be vulnerable and open to share. The spirit is so present as there are discussions about how to be a more holy being everyday, wondering how one person shares the Gospel compared to another, and even the invitation to share your testimony with others.

Going to India for mission work next summer or to go into full-time ministry are discussions happening daily. These conversations were such a reminder that there are billions of people in this world who have yet to make the decision to follow Christ and millions who have never even had the chance to read or reject the name of Christ. For these people it's not a question of if they are to serve Christ, rather it's where---Awe-inspiring.
They live out the reality that no one is guaranteed tomorrow, why waste a moment in bringing others closer to our Savior.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil,
and he will flee from you. ~James 4:7

Submission

If one were to go around the room of Kaleo participants, nearly every person would be able to share something that they gave up in order to come. Scholarships were given up, family support left behind, jobs turned down, reputations altered, relationships ended----all for Jesus.

And everyone of them would share that their sacrifice was worth their life.

It's such a beautiful thing to see men and women living in communion with each other wanting nothing more than to spur one another on to love and good deeds. The men want to serve the women as the creations they are, and the women desire to empower the men to be the warriors God made them as---breathtaking.

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Many of these people are friends of mine and all of them are brothers and sisters in Christ. Each of them are desperately seeking to be bound with Christ even more. Join me in praying for these people as they spend their last 3 week in Gulf Shores, then as they return back to campus or to their post-graduation plans to Glorify God more.

Pray for them to

*Continue to Grow in Wisdom for Christ

*Be Bold with the Gospel

*Witness all they've seen this summer

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord, " they said, "you made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and everything in them." ~Acts 4:24