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Judas Iscariot had followed Jesus for three years — heard His teachings, witnessed His miracles — and yet he led the mob to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Bible tells us Satan entered Judas and set the plan in motion.
Which raises a bigger question: why does God allow Satan to operate at all? The answer might surprise you. Satan, in his twisted way, actually serves the purposes of God. The crucifixion looked like Satan's greatest victory. He prompted Judas to betray Jesus, had Him beaten and crucified, and watched Him die. But what Satan didn't realize was that he was walking straight into God's plan. The death of Jesus on the cross was exactly what God had ordained all along to offer redemption to the whole world — and in that moment, Satan sealed his own doom. His best shot against God became the greatest gift to humanity. So whatever darkness you're walking through right now, hold on. Satan's best shots against you will ultimately work for your good and God's glory. |
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The "ates" of a relationship with God
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There are three key pieces to help build your relationship with God.
COMMUNICATE: Communication is talking and listening. Do you take the time to communicate with God? We communicate with God through prayer. Take time each day to talk to God through daily prayer. EDUCATE: To become more knowledge, we need to learn more. A dusty Bible is just a fixture on the shelf. Open the Bible to learn God's Word. What else? How about Christian music, podcast, sermons, spiritual books? CONGREGATE: Satan loves for us to be isolated. When we stay away from other like minded people it is easier for Satan to attack you. When you learn to congregate with like minded people, they can help you when Satan attacks. BUILDING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD MAKES YOU PART OF THE HOPE! |
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The Hurdles in Your Life
How do the hurdles in your life define who you are? The BIGS have been learning about the hurdles in their lives. Hurdles, struggles, life situations and what others say about you can define you or refine you. What hurdles do teens have in their lives; made fun of, not enough to eat, no money, not pretty/handsome ,weight, screwed up family, parents don’t have time for me, my clothes, no friends are a few they shared. When we look at our situations, we can always find people who have it better and who have it worse than the situation we are in at this moment. We learned about wallowing in the mud(staying in that situation) or using it to get out of the mud and grow from it. Three things we found help you grow from the hurdles in your life. #1 A strong foundation whether it is family, friends or groups. Some of the kids at the Hope shared that the Hope Center is their foundation. A strong foundation helps you to understand that hurdles in your life don’t define you, but help you build the person you can become. #2 Attitude is a key piece. Some great testimonies have shown how a person looks at their hurdles and how those hurdles help them be the person they are. Some great lessons we have learned #3 A relationship with God. Having a relationship with God will not always make the situation easier, but leaning on God can help you through the valleys and back to the mountain tops. When you feel that life can’t be worse, take some time to look up a few people:
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Verses to help us through our struggles
The BIGS at the Hope Center have been learning about Verses in the Bible that can help them face the valleys and hurdles in their lives.
STAY TUNE FOR THEIR PICKS!
STAY TUNE FOR THEIR PICKS!