JFCKids @jfckidsjesse - Tumblr Blog

How Spiritually Fit Are You?

I have been working out a ton. My life has pretty much been consumed with work out videos, supplements, carefully managing food, and making sure I make it to the gym. In fact there is very little that will make me skip the gym. And if for some reason I sleep in and miss my scheduled time, I end up stressing out the entire day, trying to rework my schedule so that I'm able to make it. Then I realized something, why don't I do that with spending time with God? Why don't I make it a priority in my life? And if I miss an opportune time, why don't I do everything in my power to rework my day to make sure that I spend time with the Holy, Almighty God that created me? People will say that working in the ministry is just one big Bible Study. I mean what else do you do, besides read the Bible, take people out to coffee and pray? And my response every time is actually quite a lot. My day is filled with administrative things and little housekeeping items. Making sure volunteers are scheduled, all the supplies have been gotten and the weekend can run effectively. And amidst all of that commotion, along with a family and two children under the age of two (until Saturday) I somehow replace my quiet time with busy time. Well this month, among the transition of curriculum we use on the weekend, we wanted to change that, not only in our lives but trying to influence the kids in our ministry to do the same. So we came up with a 30 day challenge. Can you work out your spirit man, at least 3 days a week for 30 days? And if you do, can you start to notice changes in your spiritual appearance? The challenge is this, work out your spirit man in two ways, which can be chosen by the participant at least 3 days a week for any amount of time. Journal your progress and bring it back, if you stay consistent and participate throughout the whole month then you will get a special reward at the end. The kids asked if they had to do this, and the answer is no. If they don't want to grow in Christ and want to stay at the same place spiritually, they don't have to do it. Just like if a person doesn't want to lose weight, and become less fit every day, they don't have to work out. I work out my physical body so that I can be ready for whatever life throws at me. If my daughter wants to play tag for 2 hours, I'm in. If I want to run a 5k, I can. I work out my spiritual body so that it can effectively wrestle the devil when he tries to attack me. How can we expect to remain more than conquerors if our spirit is lacking the endurance and strength to withstand the enemies attacks? This month, do this with your kids, and see how spiritually fit you can be. Encourage them by coming along side them and working out with them! My wife and I are doing it this month, and of course with my personality, I took it up a notch. I am choosing to read the whole Bible in 90 days, which turns out to be close to 18 chapters a day. It seems like a lot, but ends up being worth it in the long run. I'm on my second day and already feel amazing. Do this with your kids, and see how much they and you both change!

Shoulder was hurting from workout on Friday so I ran today. Half hour of hill sprints with a #weight vest. And then a 26 minute #5k right after. #quads are on fire! #crossfit #paleo #healthyliving #running #trailrun #5k #hillsprints #imnotstraightedgeimkingdomminded #kingdom #116 #mustachefitness #bloodsweatblood

#kingdom #quads #paleo #crossfit #weight #imnotstraightedgeimkingdomminded #mustachefitness #hillsprints #running #116 #5k #trailrun #healthyliving #bloodsweatblood

Listen, Obey, Change / My Warped Tour Recap

If you're wondering why your kid came home wearing a bracelet with three beads on it and the only explanation you got was that "They change mommy!" I can explain.

#kid min #kids #kids min #kids ministry #JFCKIDS #jfc #jfckids2013 #warpedtour christian jesus

Patience

Wow - It's been forever since I've written anything for all you parents out there. It hasn't been on purpose, trust me. It is just sometimes, as we all know, life gets in the way. And my life has been pretty hectic lately.

As most of you know, my wife Laura and I recently welcomed our second beautiful daughter, Lillian Harper, into the world. It has been such a joy to watch our growing family become even bigger! We both feel incredibly blessed with where we are in our life.

But sometimes, you can just be unsatisfied with everything around you. It could be materialistic, for example I have a clothes problem. I constantly find myself wanting new clothes, and become impatient to get them. Or it can be spiritual. Maybe you are waiting for a breakthrough, and it just hasn't happened yet. Maybe you prayed for something, and either it wasn't answered or wasn't answered the way you wanted it to be. Waiting on God can be so difficult sometimes, and that is what we are trying to explain to your kids.

Easter Recap

Wow, sorry Parents. It's been forever since I have even had time to write on this thing to let you know what's going on! I apologize for my absence, but with preparation for Easter, and preparation for baby #2, it's been busy to say the least. But with hard work comes the pay offs, and these past two weekends have had a lot of pay offs.

It's amazing to me how good God is. These past two weekends, we have seen more growth than our entire year of being here so far. Around 50 kids from the past two weeks made a first time commitment to Christ. How awesome! It is clear to me that God is wanting to shape a generation to follow Him, and it is starting now.

This Easter, I felt like the Lord wanted me to focus on Thomas, and his trouble believing that Jesus had actually risen from the dead. Thomas saw Jesus everyday for 3 years, watched Him perform countless miracles, and heal the sick almost every day. But when Jesus died, Thomas doubted everything Jesus had ever done or said, and he chose to forget the promise that Jesus was going to come back.

If it was easy for Thomas to doubt, how much easier is it for us being that we have never seen Jesus? We must have faith that Jesus, was born of a virgin, never sinned, died on the cross, and rose again three days later all without ever seeing physical proof. I felt like the Lord wanted to reinforce in His children His legitimacy and existence. It is easy for them to doubt God too. They go through things that shake their faith even at a young age. I remember most of the things that they are going through, I didn't go through until a couple years down the road.

And I'm not one to say this often, but the enemy is out to cloud young children's minds into thinking that Jesus is a nice thought, but not the savior of their lives. This is 100% a lie that is quickly infesting the morality and belief system of the young generation.

My hope is that Jesus spoke this past weekend through my words and got into the hearts of the children that attended one of our services. He desires to reach out to your kids, have a relationship with them, and be there for them through everything they go through.

This week with your family, have a frank discussion about some of the doubts they have about Jesus and their faith. I promise that with enough perseverance you will find that your kids have some questions. Even if you are not a biblical scholar (which I am not) the Holy Spirit will give you the right words to say to your children. It's important to be open with your family about your doubts and struggles so that you can strengthen each other. If an original disciple can doubt God, it is no question that we will too. Help guid your child's questions into belief and Faith. It'll prove to be important in their lives.

#JFCKIDS #jfckids2013 #kids min #kids ministry

Honesty - Choosing to be Truthful in Everything You Say and Do

What a concept. I wonder why it's so hard for us to constantly tell the truth. Well, I know why, it is in greater hopes of self preservation. Normally we tell a lie to either make ourselves look better, or to save ourselves from looking bad. Right? I mean I can't think of any other reason why I ever told a lie. It was either to get out of getting in trouble (which never worked) or to say I did something fantastic when really I didn't. But what is it about those scenarios that make our mind automatically go to lying? Are we so concerned with how people think of us that it goes so far as to make us sin?

I bet if we had an eternal mindset, and knew that God appreciated it when we told the truth, we wouldn't lie as much. "Yeah, I messed up, but my God is a God of restoration, and with His help and my attitude of repentance, we can get through this," never went through my mind before I lied to my parents about my falsely completed homework.

So how do we reach our kids with this issue? Yeah we can always chose the ever popular, "If you lie, you are going to get into more trouble," which is true. Or we could try something else.

We talked to the kids this weekend about how it hurts people when we lie. I asked one service how many kids had ever told a lie and have it not hurt people. To my surprise some kids raised their hands, then I asked how many of those lies were still lies, and the truth hadn't come out in those situations. A lot of kids then realized the reason it didn't hurt anyone, was because they had never come forward with the truth, and they were still living the lie. That hurt my spirit because then the kids think it's better to live with the guilt of the lie then to tell the truth, or they have lived with the lie for so long that they are numb to the conviction that normally comes with sinning.

We as parents, need to portray Honesty in everything we do. Choosing to be honest (as long as it's appropriate, some things parents go through aren't fit for kids) in everything we say and do as a family. And portraying a culture of Repentance, and Grace in our house holds. I'm not saying someone shouldn't get in trouble for lying. There should be appropriate consequences. But I promise you that kids would be more inclined to tell the truth if they knew their parents weren't going to explode when they found out. That is where the grace comes in. Kids need to understand that lying is wrong, but also understand that God forgives them when they have a heart of repentance, and so do you.

This week as a family, make a conscious decision to be Honest in everything you say and do. Encouraging your kids to tell the truth, and then it is your job as parents to lead them in an attitude of repentance, explaining why they did was wrong and then showing to them Grace, just as Christ showed us grace. You'll be surprised how hard this is. I promise your kids notice every time someone calls asking for you and you say "Tell them I'm not here" even though you are. There is no difference between a little white lie, and a monumental lie. A lie is a lie, just as sin is a sin. Lead your family in Honesty this week, and watch your family change for the better!

Do mean people deserve to be forgiven?

LET IT GO - That's what we've been trying to get across to the kids. Peace. Choosing to let it go, rather than win an argument. This is one of the ways we prove we care about others. Even when we know we are right, humbling ourselves to resolve the situation.

Definitely not the worlds point of view on the situation. And sometimes, not even a Christians view. This past weekend was the last weekend we discussed Peace at JFCKids, and I wanted to take the opportunity to make sure the kids understood the depth of what Christ did for them on the cross.

Since Adam and Eve, we have been separated from God. From birth, to death, our sin and our inability not to sin continues to drive us further and further from our loving creator. No matter how hard we try, no matter how many good things we do, it can never cover for the amount of wrong we commit during our lifetime. We could never be at Peace with God, because of our sin.

Most children knew that being separated from God isn't good, but they didn't understand the depravity of sin. Most of them when I asked the question 'Do mean people deserve to be forgiven?' said no, because they were mean. And then I found out they all thought of themselves as good people, until we discovered that they were all sinners (go figure). Suddenly they grew silent as the wheels began turning.

Does that mean I don't deserve to be forgiven? Yes. That's exactly what it means. None of us do. That is Mercy. But still, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus created peace between us and our loving Creator by sacrificing Himself on the cross for those who would believe, and those who won't. No exceptions. And if Christ is our model for living, shouldn't we choose to forgive those who are less deserving of it?

All sin, no matter how grotesque, or how small separates us from God. Doesn't matter if you brutally murder someone (didn't describe that to your kids FYI) or tell a white lie, it still takes us further from God. Now don't get me wrong, your earthly consequence should and will be much different, but the eternal one won't. Unless you have our amazing, selfless, humble and kingly Peace Keeper, Jesus Christ. Through Him and Him alone lies our salvation, and freedom from sins.

All people are sinners, and all deserve the love, grace and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ. And Jesus calls us to be "little Christ's" to the gentiles around us. And one of the biggest ways we can do this is by forgiving the undeserving, because if it wasn't for the redemptive power and love of Jesus Christ, you would be just as lost and disgusting as they are. Everyone is in need of a savior, including myself, you and the unbelievers.

This week with your kids, choose to be humble. Choose to take time out of your day to pray for the bullies at school, the bullies at work, the mean people around the world, the awful teacher, the prisoners, the young boy or girl at school who smell and have no friends, and most of all your family. That your family would be able to maintain humility, and the realization that we all came from nothing, to everything via the loving perfection of Jesus Christ.

Week 3 Recap - Prove you Care about Others by being a part of the Solution

This past weekend we tried something new in JFCKids. We wanted all your kids to get involved, not just a select few that we are able to call up. We want your kids to get what we teach them, to truly understand the concept we present to them. From kindergartners to fifth graders, the age range might change but the point is the same. Peace. And not just any peace, the peace that passes understanding. The kind of peace that confuses the wise, and brings shame to the proud. The kind of peace that allows us to forgive, when we should avenge. The kind of peace that gives us the grace to let it go, rather than prove our point. And this past weekend the kind of peace that gives us the courage to be a part of the solution, even when it isn't our fight.

I love John Mayer. I think he is talented, and makes fantastic music. But his most famous song, is my least favorite of his. "Waiting on the world to change" is a ballad of this generation that gives excuse to our laziness, and blames it on the fact that we can do little to nothing to solve the bigger problems of the world.

Wrong. Without the silent peacemakers, there will never be a difference. Abigail, was a silent peacemaker. Her husband, Nabal, denied David and his 600 mighty men some food that they more than deserved for making sure Nabal's sheep and shepherds remained safe. David's rage burned bright while Abigail's peace overcame the situation. She saw the need, and she became the solution. She took it upon herself to bring food to David and his men, calming David down and saving her Husband and all their people from being massacred. Without someone deciding they COULD do something about an issue, there would have been a lot of dead bodies.

We tried to teach the kid's this weekend that if we see something going on (as long as it is safe) that we need to be a part of the solution to help solve it. From sibling fights, to parental conflicts, we discussed the best ways to making peace in any situation, even ones that we necessarily aren't involved in. Maybe two of your friends are fighting about a completely unrelated issue to you, do you let them fight and say mean words to each other? Or do you step in before it is too late to save that friendship?

We might see the homeless issue and say, until we can provide food for all there is nothing I can do. That couldn't be further from the truth. When Jesus was on earth He didn't go and visit EVERY sick person, and EVERY demon possessed person. That would've been extremely difficult. He healed the ones He could, and that made the difference. Just because you can't affect all, doesn't mean you shouldn't affect one. Affecting one person could be the catalyst to affect hundreds, or even thousands. As most of those people Jesus encountered went on to tell their friends, family and neighbors what God had done for them.

Lets be the difference this week, lets be the solution instead of the problem. Work out ways with your kids to be a part of the solutions on some big issues. What can you do as a family? Do you have a lot of extra clothes and toys you could donate? Could you gather up some non-perishable food to donate? Could you maybe find a family friends organization to volunteer with that helps make a difference! Teach your kids this week that it is important to be the solution, instead of just another problem.

Jesus, Moses & Woody, The Theology of Toy Story 3

Not all cartoons are created equal and I have found myself pleasantly surprised, if not in awe at the quality of movie that Pixar has been producing (aside from ‘Brave’). Pixar has nothing short of revolutionized ‘children’s’ movies’. I can’t remember the last time I’ve cried at a movie, and yet the end of “Toy Story 3” and the beginning of “Up” both had me pretending that there was something in my eye. Pixar has boldly been taking kids’ movies into much deeper waters than has been the typical shallow pools of simplistic morals and slapstick(although I do enjoy good slapstick). Kids can pick up on more than we give them credit for and Pixar understands this. What I love to see is that their risk has paid off and proven that movies can be more than mere entertainment. ‘Toy Story 3’, along with ‘Up’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ are the only animated films ever to be nominated for Academy Award for best picture. It was nominated for five Academy Awards and won the award for best animated feature and is the top grossing animated film of all time.

There are plenty of resources for parents who want to review the appropriateness of a movie before their spongy kids will soak it up. The reviews typically address issues such as violence, swearing, and lewdness, and place a red flag on movies to avoid, which is helpful to some extent, but while it is good to protect our kids from bad it is equally, if not more important to teach what is good. I want to not just avoid feeding my kids junk food but to nourish them with what is healthy. I want to be proactive and not reactive. Luckily, we have movies like ‘Toy Story’ that are both nourishing and tasty.

I don’t remember any lessons that I was taught in Sunday school as a kid, but I do remember many stories that different teachers told. Stories have sticking power. We think in story-form, and so do kids. This is partly why Jesus taught in parable form. The power of parables lies in their simplicity and their ability to stick with us.

Teachable moments are everywhere and all the time for parents and ‘Toy Story 3’ is rife with theological lessons we might otherwise overlook. So let’s take a look at this ‘parable’.

Faith

The main theme of the film is faith. Woody has strong faith that Andy his owner (God) loves them genuinely and unconditionally and would never abandon them. The other toys faith is wavering at best but returns at the end of the film. And then we have Lotso, the main antagonist, who has completely lost or abandoned his faith in ‘owners.’

Lotso is a perfect example of a profound truth that I’ve heard Pastor John teach on a few times; He says, “Disappointment is the mother of bad theology.” We see in Lotso’s flashback that he was deeply disappointed by an unfortunate situation in which his ‘owner’ whom he loved and who loved him in return, seemingly abandoned him and replaced him with another toy. Disillusioned and bitter we see the exact moment in which his theology begins to go bad.

We all have someone in our lives who is bitter against God to some extent, whether an immature Christian with an incomplete picture of God or a rebellious atheist who is militantly against anything to do with Jesus. I love that as the director draws back the curtain on Lotso’s past that we are given a chance to feel his pain of abandonment. Just as Andy’s toys are seemingly abandoned, Lotso is seemingly abandoned by his owner Daisy through a series of unfortunate events. We feel sympathy and begin to give a little grace to Lotso.

Pixar here, steps away from the typical, oversimplified ‘bad guy’ character who is purely evil and develops a more realistic antagonist; one who is more ‘human’. In an attempt to deal with a painful wound he builds a wall. I have found in people who reject Christianity that the foundation of their disbelief is not an intellectual stumbling block but an emotional one. If you take the time to dig you will inevitably unearth a relic from the past; an unhealed wound perhaps from a parent, friend, or a leader in the church who claimed Christ but didn’t live Christ. Not that it’s our place to excuse unbelief but God has been teaching me to see more of the brokenness and ‘lostness’ in people instead of the ‘villain’. And what a great opportunity to teach our kids grace for ‘bad guys.’ Seeking healing and restoration instead of judgment is Gods heart.

As God has been growing me and teaching me about the depth of His grace I’m becoming more and more weary of movies and books in which there are obvious caricatures of heroes and villains. Mark Driscoll likes to say, “The bible is not a book full of bad guys and good guys, but a book full of bad guys and Jesus.” I love this, especially being someone who read the Bible wrongly, legalistically, for many years of my life, thinking that the Bible has bad guys and good guys and I must choose to live as a good guy so that God will bless me. But now I know Grace, and that I never had the chance of being the ‘good guy’ on my own and that the only one who deserves the white horse is Jesus.

If God had written the ending for this film Woody would have given his life to save Lotso even after Lotso had abandoned him, thereby producing a changed and repentant heart in Lotso as Andy would have graciously adopted him in to the family of toys, carving his name into Lotso as he did for his other toys as a permanent seal of ownership. But of course, if you’ve seen the movie, Lotso doesn’t have a change of heart. Even after Woody saves his life and Lotso, in return, gets the chance to save Woody, he refuses to throw the off lever to the conveyor belt that is speeding Woody and his friends to impending doom, taunting woody with the words, “Where’s your owner now?” as he abandons his fellow toys in the same way he has been (or felt) abandoned.

The counterpoint to Lotsos cynicism is Woody’s unwavering conviction. As the other toys are beginning to disavow their allegiance to Andy, and beginning to see Sunnyside as their promised land, Woody is trying to convince them to remain faithful.

Woody: “I have a kid, you have a kid, Andy! Whose name is written under your boot?”

My senior high youth pastor had a tagline he would always say to us: “remember who you belong to.” Woody knows that he and his ‘family’ (all Andy’s toys) find their identity in the fact that they are loved by Andy just as we as Christians find our identities in Christ because He loved us first and purchased us with His blood- He owns us. Woody is the compass always pointing toward faith and allegiance.

The Good Shepherd vs. the False Shepherd

I’m amazed by the image of Woody pleading with the other toys to believe him that Andy, their beloved owner had not abandoned them as they believed, but instead, through a series of unfortunate events, had been placed in a bag by the garbage and thrown out quite by accident. The toys disbelief is understandable but frustrating as they wallow in their self pity.

I’ve had a similar image in my mind for years of Moses, pleading with the ever grumbling Israelites, as they are feeling abandoned and aimless in the desert. Woody unfolds throughout the movie into one of the best ‘Good shepherd’ characters I’ve ever seen. Woody has found favor with Andy and he’s bound and determined to keep the family together and in Andy’s presence. He is a steadfast leader despite his right-hand- man Buzz (Aaron) being led away into idolatry with the other toys, doubting Andy and making for themselves a golden calf. “It’s ok, we have a plan,” says Buzz to Woody as he and the other toys are getting into the box that will soon deliver them into enslavement at the hands of Lotso at Sunnyside daycare. Woody tries desperately to dissuade them but their minds are made up.

This leads us to the main antagonist Lots-O-Huggin’ Bear. Lotso is a fascinating character. He even has the audience fooled as we see him at first as the loveable old grandpa figure who cares for everyone and appears warm and hospitable. This makes him all the more treacherous and frankly, a little disturbing; not your typical kids’ movie villain- but a perfect example of the false teachers we are warned about by Paul, Peter John and Jesus himself in the New Testament. Galatians 4:17 says the false teachers will “zealously court” those in the church. The Message translates the passage this way:

“Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God’s grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important.”

This is a great example of the true danger of false prophets because the dangerous ones come to you as Lotso introduced himself to Buzz: with a big, warm fuzzy hug. Many people have a naïve perspective of false teachers as obvious and overt such as the eccentric television evangelists who are always asking for money, or ministers who perform gay marriages. While these people may indeed fall into the category of false teachers, they are not the most dangerous ones for the same reason that the most dangerous place to be if we were in a war (and we are in a spiritual war) is not on the front lines shooting- there, at least, you have a weapon to fight with and you know exactly where the enemy is- Instead, the most dangerous place to be in a war is unwittingly leading a battalion through a field of land mines. Jesus addresses these ‘land mines’ in one of his many attacks on the Pharisees in Luke He says,

“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.” (Luke 11:44)

To a Jew, walking over a grave would cause spiritual defilement and these men were therefore hidden sources of defilement because they were outwardly spiritual and appeared to be clean. Paul writes of the false teachers in Corinth:

“They’re a sorry bunch- pseudo- apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers- posing as Christ’s agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn’t surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God.” (2 Cor. 11:13 msg.)

The director even has the audience fooled for a while as to Lotso’s true identity, perhaps so that we will feel the betrayal along with the other characters. But if we pay attention, his deviancy is hinted at in his speech to the new toys as he is giving them a tour of the nursery when they first meet:

Lotso: “We don’t need owners at Sunnyside. We own ourselves. We’re masters of our own fate, we control our own destiny.”

There are many forms of false teaching, some of which even seem to have pretty solid theology to back them up. Here though, Lotso’s particular brand of false teaching represents the current humanist world view that Christians must battle against. This is stunning because this is a dominant belief that pervades our, post-modern culture: the idea that the answer lies within man and God is archaic and unnecessary -that man is in control and God isn’t. Satan’s great bribe is the belief that man is innately good and will eventually save himself through education, self-esteem, enlightenment, good will and general human decency. While the Bible claims that man is innately bad, unable to cure his illness and therefore needs a savior. And here the director attributes this popular, worldly mindset to the villain and the counter belief -that our value lies in who our owner is- to the hero. Here, “Toy Story 3” is boldly going against the flow of the seemingly endless torrent of secular humanism that Hollywood pumps out. It’s become almost a kind of ‘Where’s Waldo’ game for me. As I watch movies anymore I see, whether blatant or subtle, the ‘progressive’ message of ‘man-is-god’, or ‘religion is for uneducated mid-western bumpkins.’

Compare “Toy Story 3” to Kung-fu Panda in which this humanistic centered philosophy is portrayed as good. Where the hero of the story discovers, as he unrolls the sacred scroll -which supposedly contains the hidden wisdom of the universe- that the scroll is actually a mirror, insinuating that the answer lies within- to find the truth we must look within ourselves and create our own ‘truth.’ A very new-age, humanistic, demonic lie hidden in a cute, funny, ‘harmless’ kids movie.

This is a side note but worth talking about because as parents we must recognize that there is no such thing as mindless entertainment- there is no neutral ground. If we aren’t actively teaching truth to our kids the void will be filled with the worlds’ values. The devil disguises himself as an angel of light and he is a master of subtle deception, his weapon of choice is not the ‘lie’ but the half-truth. Bill Johnson, in reference to the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16) says, “Rebellion often hides behind misapplied truth.”

Christ and His Kingdom

Getting back to the Toy Story ‘parable,’ I love the family of God imagery in all the Toy Story films but what excites me about the third film is seeing the spreading of God’s kingdom theme. It’s interesting that the fist time we see Lotso’s evil side is as he realizes he cannot persuade Buzz to become a turn-coat because he is a “family man.” Light always reveals what is in the dark and at the end we see that the family (kingdom) mentality of Andy’s toys has in fact spread to Sunnyside. Sunnyside becomes a family, a joyful home where there is finally freedom from the oppression of Lotso. Somehow Ken is converted and becomes the new ‘father’ of Sunnyside along with Barbie the ‘mother’. We see the nuclear family being promoted here (another value that we don’t see a lot of from Hollywood these days). Perhaps it is his love for Barbie (although I wouldn’t want to promote missionary dating) but somehow Andy’s toys influence his decisions. Being a catalyst to change, they become a light in the darkness of Sunnyside.

Most important though is the end of the movie, where we have the heart wrenching twist in Woody’s ultimate act of faithfulness. Saving the best for last; here we see Jesus. Woody, through the entire film has only wanted one thing: to be with Andy. He is clearly Andy’s most cherished toy, and it seems, as the adventure draws to a close that Woody will finally be with Andy as the only toy he chooses to take with him to college. The other toys aren’t jealous because they know he deserves it. Woody is the most faithful and deserving of all the toys. The entire movie has been a set up for this moment, the twist, when Woody willfully gives up his rightful place at the right hand of Andy for the good of his flock and the furtherance of the kingdom to the next generation. Woody condescends and leaves the box headed for college and forever being with Andy to places himself in the box with the other toys to be given away. Just as Christ, in the great ‘twist’ in history condescends from His rightful heavenly throne to earth for the good of his sheep and to begin a new chapter in God’s Kingdom, Woody understands that a new chapter must begin for his flock. And at the same moment we see the anguish and hesitation in Andy’s face as he too accepts that he must give up his favorite toy. It’s a bittersweet and powerful moment after Andy has tenderly introduced each toy to Bonny and comes to Woody. With loving sentiment he says, “Now Woody is special because he’ll be there for you know matter what.”

Any story worth being told has been found in the Bible first and it always excites me to see Jesus in film, books, or music. We are inundated with entertainment today more than any time in history and now our kids will have access through technology to more than we can imagine. Whether its adults watching prime time television or kids watching Disney, there is a constant battle for our minds. It’s so important that we understand that the battle is not between white and black but between white and off-white. God’s truth in ‘Parables’ are everywhere, good or bad, but Satan effectively disguises himself as ‘good’ so as to go undetected. We want to protect our kids from scraping their knees on the occasional bad word, violence or scantily dressed woman in the movies they watch but why would Satan waste his time trying to scrape knees when he could subtly infect us with a fatal virus- a twisting of God’s character or of Jesus’ work on the cross, or of our relationship to God).

The good news is that true Christians have the Holy Spirit to help discern truth from half-truths, And that God gives wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5). We must be aware of the Devil’s tactics, practice discretion and know Gods Word. But we take comfort in the fact that Jesus’ sheep know His voice and He will ultimately protect those who belong to Him. So remember who you belong to.

-Nate Noe is a professional designer and an avid studier of God's word. He is married to Christina Noe, and together they have two little girls, Josie, and Claire. Nate Lives in Littleton, CO.

#Studying for a brand new season of #jfckids! More to be unveiled soon! #jfckids2013 #unveilingmarch2013

#jfckids2013 #studying #unveilingmarch2013 #jfckids

Peace - Proving You care more about someone else than winning an argument

This one was a little hard to swallow. In fact, both Laura & I, as well as one of our helpers was put in a situation where we had to choose to forgive, instead of prove we are right this weekend.

I do not think this is a coincidence since we are teaching this subject to the kids. What better way than to tell them that what we are teaching them happens all the time!

We talked about the story of Isaac and his wells found in Genesis. The story goes that King Abimelech, king of the Philistines would kick Isaac and his posse out of the area every time Isaac dug a well, even though the well obviously belonged to Isaac. The amazing thing is that instead of fighting the Philistines back, Isaac moved his crew every time. This decision actually resulted in a peace treaty with Isaac and King Abimelech, a treaty that wouldn't have happened if Isaac had chosen to fight back.

Isaac had every right to be upset. Those were his wells, and he worked hard to dig them, only to have them taken away every time. There are situations every day where we have the right to be upset. We know that we are not in the wrong, and we want to prove it. We know that something wasn't fair, and we want our opinion known.

Does it ever occur to us that it really doesn't matter who is right? Will the argument that we are having make any difference in eternity? So what if your spouse is wrong and you're right, (I know that's hard to take) just be the bigger person and let it go.

That's what we taught the kids to do, because that is what Jesus would do. We were wrong, and He was right. But instead of fighting us from Heaven and PROVING that He is King of Kings, he died on the cross for our mistakes, not His. Your spouse said something hurtful? Forgive them. Some lazy bum at work got a promotion instead of you, who puts in hours and diligent work constantly? Forgive them. How much of a testimony can we be if we act like the world? Instead lets choose to act like our Savior, and be a witness of His glory and grace in our lives every where we go.

When we let something go that we are justified to be upset at, and someone notices, we are effectively being witnesses of the Gospel. Which is our one purpose anyway.

#JFCKIDS #kids #kids min #parents #forgiveness #peace

We ended January by talking about how we should think of doing everything as if we were doing it for the Lord. An extremely relevant concept, as when I was their age I did almost everything, from homework to chores, with a bad attitude. If it came between chores and video games, I would choose to do the chores as quickly as possible, even if it mean I did an awful job, just to get to video games quicker.

The weekend started with a quick review of all the Bible characters we talked about this month who showed great determination. If you don't remember - either because your kids give you a limited amount of information, or you haven't read past blog posts, we talked about how Noah was determined to be the only one following God, even though people were making fun of him. How Moses was determined to do what God said even though he didn't believe in himself and how God was determined to free the Israelites even through Pharaoh's stubbornness. And how Ruth showed Determination by sticking by Naomi through her rough time, even though she was leaving all the comfort she had.

This was one of the months where I truly felt like we got to the kids, and that they truly understand Determination. They were able to answer review questions, explain to me why each character showed determination, and how it related to their life. Laura and I had a great time teaching this month, and it was extremely rewarding.

We ended the month with Colossians 3:23-24, and how it says that we should do everything unto the Lord, not unto humans. This week with your kids, encourage them to do everything as if they were doing it for the Lord. And really encourage an attitude change. They aren't doing it for you, or for their coaches or anyone really, but they are doing it to be good witnesses to the cause of Christ.

We are expecting GREAT things for 2013 and January was a great way to start the year off!

#kids min #kids ministry #jfc #JFCKIDS #determination #family

God's Sovereignty in our Chaos

Sometimes it's hard to see through the fog. We can only see what's happening directly to us, or 5 feet in front of us. We don't know what's coming for us, where we are going, who's around us, or where we will end up. We can't see the lines of the road, we can't see the houses that line our paths, we can't see anything. And then all of the sudden a whirlwind of force hits you directly in the chest. You didn't see it coming, but it hurts like heck. You are confused, as to why it happened, and hurt that no one tried to warn you. You are upset, but can't realize that this whirlwind of force is actually leading you out of the fog. It's trying to push you into a different direction to get you back on track, because the fog has set you off course. But you can't see that, you can only see the fact that something unexpected happened to you, and everyone's to blame.

Life is like that sometimes. Sometimes the will of God isn't as certain as it used to be and we are just walking on the road of life because walking is better than standing still waiting for God to speak. We aren't sure where He is leading us, He isn't directing us, we feel that we are just left to fend for ourselves. And then the traumatic happens, and it crushes us.

We normally don't see tragedy coming, that is what makes it tragic. I'm sure that's the way Naomi, Ruth and Orpah felt when their husbands, (which included both of Naomi's sons) died suddenly, leaving them with nothing. But really, God was trying to get them back on track. He didn't send the tragedy, but is powerful enough to use the tragedy.

You see, I believe these ladies were out of the will of God. Naomi and her family left Bethlehem because of a famine and moved to a place called Moab. They didn't trust in God to provide for them, and Naomi's husband Alimilech decided to move the family. The problem with moving the family was that they moved to an extremely sinful place. The Moabites first came from the unconceivable act of Lot's daughters sleeping with him and producing children. The Moabites worshiped false God's such as Keymosh, and were not following God at all. Moab is where Naomi's two sons found wives, Orpah and Ruth. Ruth had always been in God's big plan, but He had other plans for her and her life, that she couldn't even see.

Thus the tragedy was born. Tragedy is a result of sin in the world, not a result of our sin. When something bad happens to us, or to someone else it is not because of a hidden sin, it is because of all sin. And unfortunately, tragedy struck Ruth and her household, but that didn't mean God couldn't use what the enemy intended for bad for good in Ruth's life.

After one thing led to another Ruth and Naomi headed back to Bethlehem where God put Ruth and a man named Boaz together. They ended up getting married, and Ruth produced a child, which happened to be Jesse's father, and Jesse the father of David. God took this tragedy, and produced something so miraculous that Ruth's son ended up being in the line of Jesus himself.

Tragedy is inevitable. But it doesn't mean that God's not paying attention. He still has everything in control, and sometimes thats impossible to see. Ruth was there for Naomi, and she took care of her even though she didn't have to. We taught the kids that it is important to be a "Ruth" to a "Naomi" anytime they see someone in need. Or, if they are going through something, to have someone that could be a Ruth to them. If they had no one, we explained to the kids that Jesus would always be there for them. No matter what they were going through. A parents divorce, no friends, bullying, it doesn't matter. Jesus is for them, and they need to try as hard as possible not to become bitter at God for their situation because they can't see the whole picture, but God can.

It sucks, when life sucks. But God is still good. God is still holy, and our situation doesn't change that. If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever then that certainly doesn't depend on our mortal lives. It doesn't mean He's ignoring you, it means the world is imperfect. But God is so amazing, He can use that awful situation for His plan and purpose for you and your life.

This week with your kids, see how they are doing. Be that person for them that they can rely on and trust. Let them know that you will always be there for them. Sympathize with their situation. And then lead them back to Christ. In anything they are going through, remember to point them to Jesus, and keep their eyes focused on Him. Because when we look to Jesus the things of the world will fade away, and our minds will be renewed and our Faith improve.

#fog #kid min #kids ministry #january #determination #Jesus #tragedy #ruth #jfckids #jfc #ministry

Pharaoh, Let My people go! (How God showed more determination than Moses)

This past weekend was our second week in our month of learning about determination, and we learned about Moses. What's funny to me, is that it wasn't until after all four services this past weekend that I realized God showed more determination with the pharaoh and the israelites than Moses did. In fact, Moses showed very little determination when God asked him to free the Israelites.

Hasn't God showed us and the Israelites Determination throughout all of humanity? The Israelites complained constantly, doubted God and even worshipped a false god that they made themselves! It's amazing to me that at any time God could've easily given up on us and let us to our own devices, but He hasn't yet, and never will.

Moses doubted immediately that he was the right one for the Job when God asked him to be the one to do His work. God promised He would go with Moses, even gave him the power to perform miracles and speak with authority, but Moses still insisted God had gotten it wrong.

I think the most comforting thing about this weekend that I figured out too late, is that when we are tired, frustrated and no longer have the will to finish what we started, God has enough grace and power to finish it for us. The whole story of Moses is that he had to rely on God to speak, move in power, and convince a man with a hard heart. All things that are impossible without the glory of God.

A lot of times I think God calls to do something that we are not fit to do, so that when we accomplish what He wants us to, it is impossible to claim any of the glory for ourselves because it would have been impossible for man. Like Joshua with Jericho, I believe that God had them dance and sing around the walls of Jericho so that when the city fell it would be known throughout the land that God is fighting for them, and by no means was it the power of man that allowed the city to fall.

Two things can be taken away from this weekend's lesson.

One: If God has called you or your child to do something that seems impossible, it probably is, but God will provide a way for you to accomplish HIs will in a way that only gives Him glory. Your child wants to be a missionary but you don't have finances or they aren't comfortable sharing their faith? That means that when the money comes in miraculously or when your child comes alive by sharing their faith that it could only be God that has enabled these things to happen. Your marriage is in the shambles? Well when God heals it then people will know that He was at work all along. When God calls us to do something, we can be assured that He will protect us, He will provide the means necessary for us to complete the job, and that He will ultimately receive all the glory in any given situation.

Two: God never gives up on us. God is determined to see us through everything. Even if we give up on Him, give our lives to idols, or just plain turn away, God is always fighting for us. In fact He has already fought for us, and won. God never gives up on His people, and that includes you and me. And when we fall short, when we want to give up because we are so dang tired, God in all of His divine mercy, grace and power will come through and rescue us.

This week with your family, make a list of all the promises you feel like God has told you. I found out this weekend that a lot of kids don't feel like God has ever spoken with them, and that broke my heart. Begin to pray a lot more with your kids, invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of your conversations and teach your kids the different ways God can speak to them. It can be through their conscience, through writing in a journal, through their imagination or anything else. Talk about certain situations that if God told us to do, would be difficult to complete, but are important to finish because God told us to. And go back to the list you made any time God fulfills one of His promises, it could be years or weeks but it will be a continual reminder that God is faithful and comes through for us in our greatest need!

Determination - Deciding it's worth it to follow God

This weekend I asked the dangerous question of "Who thinks it's difficult to be a Christian?" to your kids. I thought you'd be interested to know that 95% of the kids in service raised their hands, and this included our younger kids as well. What is going on in the world that even a kindergartner finds it difficult to serve the Lord? If you didn't know there was a spiritual war out for your kids, you do now.

Noah must have thought it was hard to be a christian too. I mean it says in the Bible that he and his family were the only ones serving God in the entire world. I can't imagine having that much oppression in my life. I'm sure that constantly people were pressuring him to do things that went against God's will for his life. I can't imagine being the only one left, who was going to stand up for righteousness.

Noah must have had the end in mind, instead of the present.

In order for Noah to keep on trusting God and doing what God wanted him to do, he must have known in his heart that in the end it was going to be worth more to follow God, instead of going along with the world. I'm sure it would have been so easy for him to give in, for him to stop building the ark, for him to stop listening to a God that was telling him something so crazy it made him even less credible to his peers. But he didn't. He didn't give up, he decided it was worth it to finish what he started. He had determination.

How difficult is this for us in today's age? We worry about what people think about us so much that it hinders what we do on a daily basis. If we stand up for Christ in our office will we be fired? If I tell people at school about Jesus will I be made fun of? If I share my concerns about a movie being inappropriate will my friends leave me?

Instead of fearing the almighty Creator we fear the created.

Is it worth it to follow Christ?

Sure it would be easy to give up. I'm sure Noah thought about giving up many times. Asking God why He had to build the boat, why He had to be the one to follow God. But I am positive Noah knew that it was worth more to obey Christ, than it was to have friends.

Noah's life looked different. He obeyed God, in spite of the state of the people around him. We talked this weekend about how it is worth it to follow God. And how it is worth it to Be the one who keeps doing what's right.

It's hard to follow Christ in today's world.

Your kids find it difficult to serve God. They are facing pressures most of us could never imagine. Drugs surround them, pre-marital sex is a legitimate issue in the lives of pre-teens, and provocative, un-Godly themes are controlling the media that they consume. The only way they will overcome these pressures in their lives will be the power of God, and their conscious decision that God is worth more than the pleasures of the world.

We have the job of showing our children that all of the treasures of this world don't even come close to the treasures of Heaven. We have the task of showing them that it is worth more to believe in God all the way until the end. We have to show them that Jesus is worth it. Is He worth everything in your life? Is He everything to your family? Do your kids understand why we serve Him? Because if He isn't number one, your kids will have a difficult time following Him when life comes up.

A great way to fight this battle with your kids is to spend time praying, reading and worshiping together. For ideas of how to do this with your child look back on my post about how to engage in Family Worship.

Compassion - Worshiping with our Lives

Well thats it, this is literally the last day of 2012. Way to go Mayans... am I right? Anyway, we finished up our final lesson on Compassion this last weekend and it was definitely... interesting. Our main topic of discussion was the wise-men and how they showed their worship to Jesus in a lot of different ways, and none of them were by singing songs of worship. We talked to the kids about how worship is not just singing, but in fact should be a lifestyle! With everything that we do we have the opportunity to worship God, whether it be at school, at home, at soccer practice, or at church.

The wise-men demonstrated that they worshiped God by trusting in Him with their long journey. We don't know exactly where the wise-men came from, but we know it took them a long time to finally get to Jesus. These men were not devout Jews, or even Jewish at all, but knew that the new King of Israel had been born because the star was in the sky. They knew it was worth the risk of the journey, even if it meant death, to go and see the new eternal King. Can you imagine going on that long of a journey with a score of Gold in your pack? They had to have trusted in the Diving knowledge of Christ to make sure they were safe on that one.

They also worshipped Jesus by not only giving Him presents, but with their actions as they kneeled before Him when they gave Him their presents. If we can get the picture, these grown, educated, wise men kneeled before an at most two year old running around yelling "mama" and "dada." They lowered themselves to what they knew would be their king. It didn't matter the fact that they were extremely well known and had most likely good reputations. They knew that all of their glory and treasures on earth would not amount to the praise and the treasure that this baby, the future King of the Jews and the world, deserved.

How often do we have this opportunity? These wise men gave up their livelihood and gifts for a baby. We see Jesus now in a different form, a glorified redeemer of man kind, who shed His blood for all of us, while we hated Him, and we still don't show the kind of respect and worship that these wise men showed.

Worship is a lifestyle, with everything that we have we should worship Jesus. He should receive all of the glory, all of the time!

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

JFCKids