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{Heart4Teens.com} *No Foolin'* ______________________________________ If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Heart4Teens Visit our inspirational web site to read all the past articles in our archives and view the tons of resources we have there for teens! http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories _________________________________________ For those of you who live in other states or outside of the United States who have expressed an interest in the Creation/Evolution series our youth group is doing, we are working on getting the messages onto DVD's and making them available to you in the near future. Because so many of you asked, I will try and work some of this important info into the e-mails each week also. So stay tuned for more details this next month! From my family to yours, Author, Michael T. Powers _________________________________________ NO FOOLIN' Israel's arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the LORD his God or search for him. Hosea 7:10 How real is your love for God? Do you believe in him when things are going bad just like you do when things are going great? Are you aware of him in your daily life, or is he just someone you think about for an hour or two on Sundays? Are you confident that you know him well, or is he really just an acquaintance to you? One more question: If someone treated you the way you treat God, would you believe that person really loved you? Faking a relationship with God isn't hard to do. You just need to know a little about the Bible...sprinkle a few Christian phrases in your conversations...maintain an upbeat attitude...and pretend to care about other people's problems. With a little effort, you could fool your parents, your youth leader, your girlfriend, and even your closest friends into believing that you're a faithful follower of Christ--when, in reality, you're nothing more than a spiritual poseur. The two people you can't fool are you and God. If you don't have the fire of God's Holy Spirit in your heart, there's no way you can convince yourself that you do. And since God knows everything, he's not capable of being fooled. That's why putting on a Christian act is ridiculous. Other people's opinions of your spiritual condition mean absolutely nothing in the long run. So you're left with a choice: either start a genuine relationship with God or abandon the whole Christian scene altogether. Do yourself a favor: choose the first option. Stop trying to act like you think a Christian should act and start living according to God's Word. Stop trying to get credit for your spiritual résumé and start trying to please God with your life. In other words...stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. For more about how you can please God, check out Hosea 6:1-6. Taken from "Revolution Devotional," copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/267064 _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." --Will Rogers Verse for the Day: "So you see, it isn't good enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn't show itself by good works is no faith at all--dead and useless." --James 2:17 Teen's Thought For The Day: "Carve your name on hearts and not on marble." Parent's Thought For The Day "As a child, my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it."--Buddy Hackett Coach's Thought For The Day "Never tell a young person that something can't be done. God may have been waiting for centuries for somebody ignorant enough of the impossible to do that thing." --J. Holmes Deep Thought For The Day: "Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I tend to question the safety lessons from our four fingered wood-shop teacher." _________________________________________ Over 95,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message! __________________________________________ Author MICHAEL T. POWERS www.Heart4Teens.com Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 26 other inspirational books. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 _________________________________________ ALL-STAR Ministry --The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.) All-Stars: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights! Open to all youth grades 9-12. The Outlet: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights in the Multi-Purpose Room! Open to all youth grades 6-8. Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager. Upcoming Topics: New Series on Creation and the Authority of the Bible! February 4: Super Bowl Party! (Kauffman House 4339 Fox Hills Dr. - 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm) February 11: Dinosaurs February 18: Dinosaurs Part 2 February 25: Noah's Ark Visit our youth website to see our topics for all of 2007! http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/youth _______________________________________________ Teen Community Groups 6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (September though May) These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community. Jr. High age meets at the church and are led by Kent and Rachel Martin High School age are led by Matt and Kristi Kauffman: 4339 Fox Hills (Call 758-1243 if you have any questions!) Xtreme Teens Xtreme Teens meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 PM all year round at the Powers' house. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. Admission into Xtreme Teens is on a case by case basis. Contact Pastor Michael for more details! _______________________________ DEVOTIONALS JUST FOR YOU Whether you're a teen guy or a teen girl, there is a devotional specifically for you. Guys, check out the "Revolution Devotional," which will help you become a revolutionary for God. Girls, take a look at the "True Images Devotional," that helps you discover who you truly are in God's eyes. Both devotionals have interactive elements to help you really dig into God's Word and understand his plan for your life. Check out the Revolution and True Images devotionals here: Revolution Devotional http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=1150306&c=1060589165&m=m&type=4&h=CDDFD3E5CACF1BAF0430244DFD975782 True Images Devotional http://echo3.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=1150307&c=1060589165&m=m&type=4&h=CDDFD3E5CACF1BAF0430244DFD975782 Also available in your local Christian bookstore |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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