Teen Tracts

Monday, September 04, 2006

Listening to Teen IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

From Pastor Dennis Gray

Good communication with teens, as with anyone, is to listen carefully to what they say. Also, involved is noticing non-verbal communicating or body language. Maybe this later is as important.

Families often do not know how to communicate. Why is this? Maybe it is fear. Could be anger. Maybe the teen has been disciplined harshly and is afraid of this happening again. It could be depression or anxiety. Other factors could be invovled.

Active listening also involves being reflective. This means to repeat what a person is saying in ones own words so that we can check to see if we have understood correctly. We do this in counseling and we can do this when listening.

Research teaches us that a number of teens are lonely or do not feel part of their families. Families are often very busy and do not realize that their children are as lonely as they maybe are.

Families attend sports events etc and their children go on a bus and they go by car. No communication. This goes for quite a number of activies.

Some one has once concluded that parents do not communicate "real teaching" to their children more than just a few seconds a day, like 60 seconds. There is a need for real teaching to be done.

Families need to plan to spend time together. Quality time and even longer periods of time together. Things need to be slowed down.

Teens want to be listened to and they like dialog and discussion. They also want parental input. Reasoning with them and teaching God given principles are what is needed. Youth Director? Parent? Teacher? Pastor? Get to listening!

It is Never Okay!!

It's Never Okay!

Everything seemed routine when the worship service started. Following our confession of sin, Pastor Stevens declared: "As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce that God says, "That's okay. No problem. Don't worry about it. You'd better be sorry. Go in peace, but I don't want to have anything further to do with you!"

We all stood there, eyes and mouths wide open. "What's the matter?" Pastor asked. "Isn't that the way you answer those who say 'I'm sorry?' Why do you object to hearing the same from God? This introduced his sermon.

We know our sins are forgiven. Yet, we sometimes think, talk, and act as though our forgiveness from God doesn't matter in our conflicts with family, friends, at work or play.

God responds to sin much differently. Sin is never okay. Sin is never no problem. Only one cure exists for sin - forgiveness. God forgives us because Jesus paid the full price for our sins by dying on the cross. We share the good news when we forgive one another as God through Christ forgives us.

Pastor's sermon ended with the announcement of God's forgiveness. We left that day refreshed, confident in the peace that passes all understanding.

Jesus, my Peacemaker, help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Amen.

Daily Devotional From Portals of Prayer

Special Encouragment for Sunday School Teachers

For Sunday School Teachers

I took a piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day,
And as my fingers pressed it still,
It moved and yielded to my will.
I can again when days were past --
The bit of clay was hard at last;
The form I gave it, it still bore,
But I could change that form no more.

I took a piece of living clay
And gently formed it day by day,
And moulded with my power and art
A young child's soft and yielding heart.
I came again when years were gone --
It was a man I looked upon;
He still that early impress wore,
And I could change him nevermore.

--Author unknown

Of course it is Jesus who changes hearts. However, we do our part as called by Him. Remember, Jesus asked for those watching to remove the tomb stone at Lazarus' grave and later to remove the cloth which bound him.

Read Deuteronomy 6....Blessings teachers!

Pastor Dennis




God Created this World!!!

Most translations of the Bible say - as an example - "Let there be Light" - when in actuality God said, "Be Light." He created this world and more with the power of His Word and He made it all out of nothing. "God said," "and it was so," "and it was good."


Grand Canyon


Genesis 7:20-22

Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. 21And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.


Luke 17:22

And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.


Luke 17:26-27

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.


Psalm 68:4

Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.


Psalm 66:4

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.


Psalm 104:4

Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:


Genesis 1:11

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.


Genesis 1:21

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


Genesis 1:25

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


Job 40:15-24

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. 16Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 17He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 18His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. 19He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. 20Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. 21He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 22The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. 23Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 24He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.


Job 41:1-34

Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? 2Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 3Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? 4Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? 5Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 6Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? 7Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears? 8Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. 9Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? 10None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? 11Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. 12I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. 13Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? 14Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 15His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. 16One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. 17They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. 18By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 19Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. 20Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 21His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. 22In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 23The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. 24His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. 25When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. 26The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 27He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. 28The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. 29Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. 30Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. 31He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 32He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. 33Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. 34He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.


Horses and fossils:


Job 12:7-10

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? 10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.


Psalm 104:24-25

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 25So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.


Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.


Astronomy:


Isaiah 45:18

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.


Romans 1:20

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:


Job 9:9

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.


Job 38:31-32

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?


Jeremiah 10:12

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.


Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.


Genesis 1:14-19

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.


Sunday, September 03, 2006

What is this blog?

This blog will reflect various posts church youth directors, pastors and educators including teachers and administrators and not forgetting Sunday School teachers will want to read and post their insights and ideas on. It is meant to be a good place for ideas and the sharing of ideas also a spot for the posting of concerns. Certainly prayer concerns. It is connected to the Mercy and Truth Publishers site - www.wiktel.net/mtp. It is through the ministry of Alma Free Lutheran Church 28098 300th Avenue NW, Argyle, MN 56713. So, feel free to check the site and to post your comments, suggestions, insights and what ever pertinent comments you wish to make.