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Father, husband and currently in-between jobs. Just relocated to Michigan from Nebraska and am on the hunt for work! These are my musings about life so far and what I've done.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Generation MOVE: The Object and Purpose of Our Faith

*New post alert*

;-)

http://generation-move.blogspot.com/

~Curtis~

PS: Be sure to leave me comments on it and tell me what you think!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Generation MOVE: Intro & Static Beliefs


Intro: Generation Move is a counter against static beliefs and rising indifference towards faith in today's young Christian culture.

Verse:
"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
~James 2.17

Topic: Static beliefs

Everyone has beliefs. However, most people believe what they want so that they can continue to live a certain way. Very few people continue to live a certain way because of what they believe. Beliefs are necessary when convenient, but unnecessary when inconvenient.

Faith requires movement on a belief. I could believe that a chair can support my weight, but if I don't sit down in it, I'm not exercising faith. Faith is the willingness to act and live a certain way because of what one believes. If a chair I sit on regularly always holds me up, then that chair is worthy of my faith, or faithful. But if I don't sit down on it, then I'm insinuating that the chair is unworthy of my faith. Whatever belief I have about the chair isn't worth anything because I'm unwilling to risk sitting down in it. Beliefs aren't proven by anything else unless you move.

God is worthy of our faith. He has proved Himself faithful generation after generation. So why don't we move a lot more on His faithfulness? We hold static beliefs that allow us to keep living our protected lives day after day. Our faith is small and so our movements are limited. Sure, God still uses us, but just imagine the wonderful things we could be doing for God instead of the small, mediocre ones we attempt now! The patriarchs of the Old Testament were known for their faith, and look what they accomplished:

"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith."
(Hebrews 11.7)

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.'"
(Hebrews 11.17-18)

"By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward."
(Hebrews 11.24-26)

"By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned."
(Hebrews 11.29)

Lets be the generation that moves. Wouldn't it be awesome if people looked back at our lives and remembered us for our faith? Be active in your community. Find a place where you are outside your comfort zone and risk something for Heaven. People are dying while we're living static beliefs that have absolutely impact on our lives and on those around us. Move!

Song Spotlight: Dare You To Move by Switchfoot



Lyrics:

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

[Chorus]
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

[Chorus]

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before


God bless,
~Curtis~

Notices: A permanent blogspot has been created for Gen. MOVE posts. URL: http://generation-MOVE.blogspot.com

We want to hear from YOU. Email me at upwardmomentum89@hotmail.com if you're interested in having your Move story published in an issue. How has your faith moved lately? I'm hoping to do some interviews in the future, so stay posted about that. If you have any requests or personal questions that are not directly related to an issue, please email it to me.