9/10/16 Youth Group Recap

Hi everyone,

Thanks for coming to youth group for those who can could make it!

Even if you couldn't make it, here's a recap:

Enoch shared about how he became a Christian in high school, after growing up in the church. He also shared his current struggle with glaucoma. Without his eyesight, he does not know how long he will be able to hold a job, and may have to leave the U.S. and return to Hong Kong without a work visa.

He shared that God has been teaching him three things:

1. He does not deserve anything. If anything, he deserves death. Even life is grace. Even the blurriness that he is experiencing is far more grace than he deserves.

2. He is dependent on God. Despite going to college, getting a job..(achieving everything we think of as success), it humbles us to know that we ultimately cannot control our lives and we again, deserve nothing. 

3. Finally, he wrapped up with 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We talked about how this life is just "a breath" and that even though our physical bodies are wasting away, we can look towards the eternity that we have in Christ. This effects how we see our everyday lives because we start to see that this is drastically different than what the world defines as happiness and success. We also talked about that this does not mean we drop everything (get a free pass to not work hard); Instead, it means that we work hard and do our very best because as a reaction to his grace, and as a way to be "lights" in this world. (Telling others about God by the way we act)

I know we have talked about this for weeks, but Enoch's story is REAL. These verses are not abstract lessons that we say we "know", he is living these truths out EVERY SINGLE DAY, reminding himself that even though he does not even know what the next day will hold, he has real hope! 

So, the next time you are in despair, the next time you feel like giving up, the next time you feel like it's all just too much...and trust me, I've been to those places myself, tell yourself those three lessons. Repent. And Obey. 

Will you live out those very words when everything falls apart?

Will you be willing to admit that you are dependent?

Will you be willing to admit that you are not deserving?

Will you be willing to put your trust in Jesus ONLY?

...It will ultimately come down to whether you see Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. 

Finally, don't give in to the lie that you are not able to live this out. If you have genuine faith, God has given you the same power that rose Jesus from the DEAD. How much more will he be able to EMPOWER you to trust him, love him, obey him, and worship him. 

With the love of Jesus,

Anna