What Were You Doing When You Were 17? Or better yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Zac Sunderland, 17, just became the youngest solo circumnavigator yesterday after finishing a 13-month navigation around the world. (watch the video and see his really cool shirt!)

Easier read than understood. You might not be amazed since you don't have an idea of who Zack is or probably what he's doing. I didn't know Zac or what he's actually done. Back in June I just knew that he's sailing around the world in an attempt to set a new record. But as I read through all media coverages about him, I am constantly amazed. He set out on the seas alone, dealing with storms, gigantic waves, ships, trailing pirates, and desolation.

But what really amazes me is what the mainstream doesn't mention about Zac. That he is a true and strong Christian, the eldest of seven children in his family, and has a unique fashion sense (I say, see the video and check out the shirt he's wearing. He's got lots of those). And that he's doing this not just to break a record but to share God through his life to everyone.

While not all of us are called to do such a huge task like Zac, we are called to be faithful. In big and small things alike. Zac is not a genius. He's a normal youth just like you and me. The only difference is that he chose to step up and do something extraordinary that would lead people to know God. What will you choose?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

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Click links below to know more about Zac Sunderland:

ESPN Magazine June 2009 Cover Special: Zac Sunderland

Yahoo News: Teen Is the Youngest Person to Sail Around the World Alone

LA TIMES: Teen Mariner Completes A Feat Around the World

ABC News: How Young Is Too Young To Risk Your Life?

Zac Sunderland.com

Zac Sunderland's Return

Find Us On Facebook!

If you have a Facebook account there's a 90% chance you'll get addicted to it. Watch the video. Be amused and prevent addiction.

While trying to avoid addiction be sure to join the SIBFK-AAFC Facebook group. Invite your friends and friends' friends. Re-connect with old camp buddies, share pictures, update each other and reminisce camp days.

Define Eternal Life... and you win a prize? Woot! Woot!

Don't give the mechanical knee-jerk answer you often give in Sunday School. If you can rightly define eternal life you get a prize. Honest.

Only that don't ask SIBFK-AAFC officers for the prize because it's not for us to give. Don't get us wrong but we are not giving a contest. What we are telling you is that you can actually win a prize if you rightly define eternal life with your life.

Let's define eternal life. Jesus defined it Himself in John 17:3, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Receiving the gift of eternal life is not the end of "accepting" Jesus Christ. It's only the beginning of it. We often mistake accepting Jesus Christ as just a passport to have. Yes, He is the passport to heaven but He is more than that.

Eternal life is to know Him.

To know Him is to know all facets of His Person as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Well, those combination of words may seem frightfully "religious" or would strike you as "so spiritual." And yes, to know God is spiritual because God is Spirit and He cares so much about your spirituality. Being spiritual does not mean you will seclude yourself from the physical world. What God wants is for your soul, your spirit is to have fellowship with Him.

Fellowship with God is not just church worship service. Fellowship is spending time with Him alone in quietness, reading His word, talking to Him and occupying our minds of Him everyday. I know you've heard that so many times from your pastors, youth leaders and Sunday school teachers. You probably don't want to continue reading because you already heard this. But wait there's more!

I know very much that many of you are kinda "tired" of hearing the "spend time with God in prayer and devotions" line. I think I know why. It's because you don't do it. You don't do regular daily devotions. Your pastor would not be repeating that over and over if you're actually doing it. Just like your parents, they will not tell you repeatedly to wash the dinner dishes if you're already washing the dishes.

Now that you have a fair idea of eternal life, it's time to get the prize. Actually, you already have the prize which is the gift of eternal life. The only problem is that you are not using the gift you received. Like some of the Christmas gifts you probably received, you think them so beautiful so you end up hiding them in your cabinet. For preservation and long life.

But the gift we received does not work and will not work like that. The Apostle Paul tells us to continue to work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12) and live up to what we have already attained--that is, eternal life. (Phil 3:16)

If you're given an iPhone, you would not immediately know how to operate all its functions. You have to spend time reading the manual to figure everything out and then it will work for you. Same way with God. You would knot know and understand how He will work in your life if you don't read the Bible and talk to him on a regular basis.

"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you to will and to act
according to his good purpose."
Philippians 2:12-13

Guys, make your salvation work for you. Don't put it away. Use it!

Muni-muni: New Schedule of Activities

Bakit kaya mas marami ang pumupunta pag Sunday Worship Service kaysa sa Wednesday prayer meeting?

Ano kaya ang mangyayari kapag ang nakasanayan nang gawin ay baguhin? Kung ang Wednesday Prayer Meeting o Friday Cottage Meeting ay maging Sunday Prayer Meeting, mas marami na kayang aattend?

Eh pag ang Sunday Worship Service ay naging Wednesday Worship Service... kokonti kaya ang pupunta o ganun pa din karami?

Ano sa palagay mo?

The Lord Gave Victory To David

Early this summer I was challenged and encouraged by the book, “David: Man of Prayer, Man of War” written by Walter Chantry. I stumbled back across the following excerpt (one of many) while reading through my journals from that period, and realized how helpful it could be to rebelutionaries. As we all attempt to serve God with our lives it is necessary to remind ourselves who is really helping whom.

All of David’s successful conquests are explained in this way: “The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.” Again we discover that the history of David is not about what David did for God, but about what God did for David!

David would not build a house for God; God would build a house for David. David would not bring military victories to the feet of the Lawgiver, as man’s gift to the Most High. God would preserve David amidst all dangers.

The grace of God for man is too often turned into the idea that it is man who does heroic feats for God. Our humanistic dream is that we may do great things for God. We shall give our genius, our talents, and our strength to him. We will build cathedrals for him. We will round up converts for him. Today the emphasis seems to be, we will put on entertaining extravaganzas for him. Yet the theme of grace is what he does for us!

In conflicts between truth and righteousness on the one side, and falsehood and wickedness on the other, the news is to be found elsewhere than in ourselves. God gave victories to David.

If anything significant occurs in the Kingdom of God, there is a vast incongruity in God’s preserving and using unlikely, inept, unwise, and powerless creatures who are opposed by principalities and powers both earthly and heavenly. The Almighty is not in a tight spot, needing men to come to his rescue. It is we who, in every hour and emergency of life, stand in need of the Lord to uphold and to deliver us.

It is tragic when readers of Scripture barely notice the historical record, “The Lord gave victory to David,” but rather bolster their humanistic theory that “David surely gave the Lord’s cause a boost in his day.”

Father, forgive us for ever thinking we are “giving you a boost” through the work you allow and equip us to do. May we be ever aware of our complete dependence on you. Thank you for including your children in what you are doing. You don’t need us, but you work through us for our good and your glory. Lord, use us as you want.

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)

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Written by Alex Harris from The Rebelution

A Letter for You[th] (Or to Whoever It May Be Applicable)

I wanted to write a blog to address the youth of this nation. I wanted to tell you something. It might seem harsh, it might seem critical; take from this blog what you wish but understand that what I say is written to encourage you, to motivate you, and it’s to help you grow.

So here it is…

You are not stupid.

I know, it’s not what you thought it would be. I know it’s simple and you might even agree with it…but it’s true. You are not stupid.

Here is another truth…

There are lots of older people in this country who really believe that you are dumb. They believe that you cannot understand complex theology. Really. I am not joking.

These people make a lot of money selling your youth pastors this stuff called curriculum that “dumbs down” the scriptures because the writers believe you are not smart enough to understand it.

These people actually believe that in order to understand the Bible you have to be some sort of genius. They believe that when God wrote the Bible, He wrote it with the intention of solely using them to dumb down the scriptures and spoon feed you nutrition-less masses of junk food.

But you’re smarter than that.

Have you looked at how old the youth were when God used them in the Bible? David, Mary, Jeremiah, Samuel and Joseph were used by God in many advanced ways as teenagers.

God did not make you stupid.

So here is my request to you.

Demand from your youth pastor that he teach you big words like sanctification, regeneration, and justification.

Demand it from him! It’s your right!

Demand to your Youth Pastor that he end the silly little games.

Demand that your youth pastor grows up and acts like he has a leadership role in the Christ’s Church.

Demand that your youth pastor teach you what rebuke means, and then rebuke him for not teaching you earlier!

You’re an intelligent human being, created in the image and likeness of God, created specifically with a brain built to study all the depths and knowledge of God for all your earthly existence and eternity.

So do so.

Open up your Bible. Open up a commentary and educate yourself. Dig deep into the rich and vast knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Start a ministry. Start preaching the Gospel. Do something. Don’t waste your youth. You could die tomorrow and you’re going to be guilty of doing nothing for God all your life because you thought you could wait till you graduated from college.

Other youth your age in other parts of the world are being slaughtered, persecuted all because of their love of Christ. Meanwhile you go to church to meet friends, and play games.

Stop it. You’re not stupid.

Don’t waste your youth and don’t let your youth pastor waste it for you.

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The post was written by a Marcus Pittman of Teens Set Apart. This post may not necessarily reflect all the views by SIBFK-AAFC.

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