Thrive Youth

02/06/2017

Devotion 2 from Mark Hall & Casting Crowns

The Very Next Thing:

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Big Things For God

Whenever most believers read through Scripture, most of us grasp it, take it to heart, and believe it. We’re just not sure where our lives meet up with it.

For instance, I know I need to trust God with my life. That’s a big, giant concept. I know I need to be a leader—but I’m not always sure what that means. I know I need to be on fire, I need to be all in, I need to do whatever it takes, I need to cross the line, and I know I need to measure up to all of these huge slogans we hear.

We all believe it and we all want it. We’re just not sure what we’re supposed to do with it. We’re not sure what following God looks like from where we are. We have an idea of this awesome walk with Jesus out there somewhere, but we’re looking for the bridge to get over to it. Exactly what does following Jesus look like?

It’s just doing the very next thing he says. The. Very. Next. Thing. Serving God isn’t this giant dream about something that will happen a year from now. It’s not a goal he’s going to have you fulfill in a month. It’s right now.

“Big things for God” is not something you do after you graduate or move on to the next position or get a promotion. “Big things for God” is the person sitting next to you right now. God put breath in your lungs to sit next to that person right now, and you can do something right now.

The very next thing is the act of kindness you put off last week. Do it now—all in the name of Jesus. It’s the phone call you need to make, the note you need to send, the meal you need to provide, the pat on the back you need to give, the hard work you need to put in, the hospital visit you need to make, the bill you need to pay, the Scripture you need to quote in love, the forgiveness you need to grant, the forgiveness you need to seek.

We can make a relationship with Jesus too complicated by dwelling on nonessentials. Following God is just the very next word of love that you need to speak to somebody, to the very next broken heart that needs to be encouraged. Ministry isn’t limited to Sundays. It’s not on a stage. It’s not with certain gifts by certain people with certain personalities and a microphone. It’s you, where you are, doing the next thing God tells you to do.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit...

01/26/2017

From Mark Hall of Casting Crowns - The Very Next Thing Day 1 Devotion

Holding Back

I wrote “What If I Gave Everything” on our new album as the prequel to “The Voice of Truth.” At first, I called the song “Still Standing Here” because the song starts with the question all believers face at one time or another: “Why am I still standing here? I know better. I know I should get moving.”

It’s fun to enjoy the aftermath of going to the theater to see “Lord of the Rings” or “Gladiator” or any movie with epic battles. You’re sitting there in that huge moment at the end when the screen goes black, the coolest song ever cranks up, and the credits begin to roll. Suddenly, you’re ready to conquer the world. I like watching men leave the theater after those kinds of movies.

They stand up looking stiff and walk down the aisle with their chests poked out like, “Excuse me, I can’t get my arms through the crowd because they’re so massive and stick out so far. I’ll just have to walk sideways down the steps.”

All of us men are that way. We just sat on our butts for two-and-a-half hours, ate Starburst Minis, and drank a Coke, yet we act like we lived the movie we just watched. We didn’t do anything. We were the audience to somebody else’s adventure. But I believe those moments are evidence of our spirits shouting from within: “That needs to be me! That must be me!”

I encountered those feelings over and over when I began to learn how to follow God and do the very next thing. It happened all through high school and college and even when I entered ministry. I couldn’t help but think, “Nobody in church is actually doing what they’re saying. It’s time. Let’s do this.”

That’s why “The Voice of Truth” includes this lyric: “Oh, what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes…” It’s the cry of every man when it comes to wanting to be the hero. It’s the cry of every believer when it comes to wanting to live for Jesus.

And it’s why you hear on “What If I Gave Everything” the simple question we all long to answer: God, what if I stopped holding back from you?

To meditate on this further and listen to What if I Gave Everything on The Overflow Christian music service, please visit oflow.it/00ne/99w2YpoOvw

“Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:1-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Listen to the music from this Casting Crowns Devo. Free 7 Day Membership

12/02/2016

For this Friday come prepared and be ready to chat about the two days worth of scripture!

10/25/2016

January 22, 2017 Winter Jam!!! Whose interested?

Excited to announce we will be joining Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2017! Check out all the dates at www.jamtour.com! See you guys soon!

10/07/2016

For everyone's safety we will be cancelling youth group tonight. Projections have tropical storm level weather hitting NC as early as this evening. Stay home with your families and be safe! Check in throughout the night and let us know how you are doing!

09/23/2016

Youth Group tonight is at Sunny Skies! 7pm - see you there!

08/17/2016

Tri-county Youth Event - Who's interested?

06/02/2016

Hey Everybody! We will be doing another movie night this Friday! What's your favorite movie snack?

05/06/2016

What is your favorite youth group game?

05/06/2016

Don't forget to invite your friends for tonight's youth group!

05/06/2016

We have an Instagram Account!!! find us on instagram: thriveyouthnc

04/25/2016

Today, I was reminded what happens when we compartmentalize our lives; when we do not allow the fullness of God to saturate our lives and bring fullness only found in Him.

James 3:1-11, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water."

Remember, that faithfulness is the holistic result of bringing the Trinity into all of our lives. When we lose sight of this, when we do not include one of them our faith cannot stand and we fall short. In this case, I had to apologize for words I wrote that were not directed to the person who was hurt, but they were hurt none-the-less.

They were hurt because they felt their hard work has been diminished insulted and rightfully so. Something each one us should consider is this: will my words hurt those intended or unintended?

This is something I have begun to ask myself within the last two weeks and it helps me stay focused on the Lord when I speak. We are image bearers of God, but so are those who receive our words, good or bad.