GOD_IS LOVE

It's homecoming season again! The time of year where everyone is asking the same question around all our HS campuses. Some can't wait to be asked the question so they can shout to the world their proud answer, others fear the mention of it.

It's the question: "So, who are you going to homecoming with?"

Just like valentines day and the prom, homecoming is a time of year were the word "love" get thrown around a lot. IS what we see at homecoming dances and on the faces of friends really love? This past weekend we talked about the fact that GOD_IS LOVE.

We started wrapping our brains and our hearts around this thing called love. Jesus said His followers should be known for it. God is it. So, what will you do with it? God's love changes everything! As we approach FALL RIOT in 9 days here are 4 truth's about God's love and the kind of love we can have as a response to His Love:

GOD_IS unconditional love
10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:10
Question: Do you love others unconditionally in the same way Christ loved you?

GOD_IS costly love (sacrificial)
The most basic definition of God’s love is sacrifice
God’s love = defined by sacrifice/cost
God shows his love by sacrifice
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9
Question: What has living out your love for Christ cost you?

GOD _IS pursuing love
1 John 4:19
God pursued you for a purpose…That you would pursue others
Peter’s Story: Jesus called him to minister to others as a way to show his love for God
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. John 21:11
Christ called Peter to respond to His pursuing love by pursuing others!

”We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19

Question: Who are you pursuing for Christ? Who are your “sheep”?

GOD_IS annoying/persistent love
God’s love is everlasting!
"I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
So, what’s or response???? Persistently love others

John says it this way…
11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13”We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:11-16

Fall Riot Tshirts

Students, if you are waiting to get your FALL RIOT Tshirt they should be in this Wednesday night @ Motion or Overdrive for $10. Be there, Get one, Wear it, Make an impact for Christ!



We're challenging every one of our students to get a Fall Riot Tshirt to wear around their schools in the next 10 days to share the word about the biggest community-wide event of the Fall here in Kingwood. We already ordered 200 and every one of them are gone! I just love empowering our students to take the initiative on reaching their friends for Christ - it is their ministry!

Don't know about FALL RIOT? click HERE

Fall Riot...will you REPRESENT your school?

Fall Riot is in 3 weeks. Will YOU represent your school?

Tell EVERYONE you know because this will be a HUGE event and you don't want them to miss out. Spread the word via facebook by inviting your friends to join the Fall Riot Group. Get there by clicking here http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=133452831524

Can't see the video? go to www.brianaharris.blogspot.com

GOD_IS - Part 2: CREATOR

Today everyone seems to be into the environment, going Green, organic, hybrids, even wind power. being all for the earth is trendy and I'm all for that (it's good stewardship), but what about being all for the earth's CREATOR?

Week 2 we asked the question,"Do you worship the CREATION or the CREATOR?

IF GOD_IS Creator - - we need to know a few things about this creator, and ask what does it mean to me, to us, that he created?? 3 things to know...


1. GOD CREATED “out of nothing” - Ex nihilo

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm. Psalm 33:6-9

• Before God created nothing existed except himself
• If matter existed apart from God, then what inherent right would God have to rule over it and use it for his glory – NONE!
  IMPACT: What confidence could we/you have that every aspect of the universe will ultimately fulfill God’s purposes, if some parts of it were not created by him? – NONE

2. God Created ADAM and EVE (and you and I) in a Personal WAY

"the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7

3. God Created the Universe to show HIS GLORY
Revelation 4:11 says, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

This clip was filmed by NASA on the Apollo 8 mission as astronauts 1st saw earth from space. As the men saw earth as a whole for the 1st time they began to quote Genesis 1 as a prayer...Creation purposed to give glory to the Creator! watch the 1st part of the video to see for yourself

GOD_IS

If I were to come up to you out of the blue and say "God is...?" How would you respond?

God is...scary

God is...love

God is...unknowable

God is...out to get me

God is...

Every Sunday this fall for 2 months we are aking that very question, "What is God like?", " Do we really know GOD?"

Week 1 we went to the very source of who God is.....Trinity.

God is 3 in one, He is one being with 3 persons that relate to you and I every day.

Tough to describe? Yes

Hard to imagine? Sure

Seems like a contradiction? You know it

I'm always comforted to knwo that I worship a creator that is mysterious in some ways yet he stoops down to describe/reveal Himself to me in a way that I can only begin to understand.

This picture seems to get the closest to describing GOD as Trinity as I have ever seen.

He is a Father figure - when we need to know that everything is under control. Colossians 1:16 say, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."

He is Saving Son - when we need someone who understands and stands in the gap for us when we drop the ball. 1 John 2:1 says, "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."

He is the Holy Spirit - a counselor, someone to guide us, someone to remind us of God's best path for us, and even Christ said of the Spirit in John 14:26, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Fall Riot!!!!!!!!!

due to the fact that there will be tons of people and tons of FREE Chick-fil-A at the FAll Riot i thought this was appropriate!

Wednesday, October 7th @ 6:30pm

FREE COMMUNITY-WIDE STUDENT RALLY!
YES, THERE WILL BE FREE Chick-Fil-A! (plus)

football highlights from area schools!
big prizes!
live music!
dance crews!
quarterback challenge!
drum lines!so much more!
Don't let your self of your school miss this HUGE event for the fall.

Do you play on the football team, cheer, dance, play a sport at your school? If so, we would love to involve YOU...simply email bharris@second.org and let me know!

Ignition

This Labor Day our student ministry is asking how we can labor to be sure that every one of our students have a plan (or "Tactic") for their spiritual growth. The heart of it all is found in Colossians 1:28-29...

28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29

Yesterday we distributed over 200 copies of a new bible study guide to our students (more to come) called "Ignition." It's our hope and prayer that through these simple books our students can begin to feed themselves on God's Word, develop a sense of community (as all of our students will be studying the same scriptures every week), and get more from our weekend Bible studies and LIFE Groups. Here is a sample page from the book

Livi's 4th Birthday

Yesterday Olivia Grace celebrated her 4th birthday. I just love birthdays! What a great time to celebrate who an individual is and to remind them how loved they are, and with Livi it's no exception.

She had a "Princess" party with princess dress up, princess cake, tons of "princess" friends, princess cookies and (as far as this Dad is concerned) to many princess presents.

I can't belive that my little girl is 4...I'm so blessed when it comes to family, there IS nothing greater!

here's to family and the blessings they bring,

Brian

(Ben Also enjoyed his sis's party!!)