Flight Report 05.28.2014
I'm sure you've heard that question many times over the past few weeks. And I hope you have some plans as the days get longer and the temperature warms up. Whether you've got your entire summer filled up or not, here are five suggestions for your consideration (excerpted from the TGC Blog):
- Make a plan. The old saying really does hold true: “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Just like you’ve spent time lining up work and planning out vacations and trips with friends, take some time to plan out your spiritual priorities for the summer. Schedule a time when you'll be able to be consistent each day in reading the Word and prayer. Look for a daily devotional (my personal favorites here and here) and use it to guide the Scripture you read each day.
- Anticipate temptation. You'll be stepping back into situations that likely remind you how much you've failed in the past. Know your temptations and seek accountability. Sin always wants to convince us that we are strong enough to resist it. Don’t call your old boyfriend just to hang out thinking it won’t end up where it always has in the past. Ask yourself, What will likely tempt me to have my attention and heart drawn away from Christ this summer? Think about why this particular sin is alluring and apply Romans 13:14: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.” Figure out what's distracting you from following Christ and take intentional time to pursue Christ each day by fighting sin.
- Meet regularly with a brother or sister in Christ. Make a point of intentionally meeting with another believer for accountability and prayer. If you don’t know a lot of Christians in your hometown, talk with a fellow believer before you leave about some areas where you will face temptation and brainstorm some specific questions you can ask one another over the phone. Some examples: Are you making a priority out of spending unhurried time in God’s Word and prayer, or is it an afterthought in your daily life? How are you responding to your parent’s authority and instruction? Part of fellowship is recognizing you have a responsibility to your brothers and sisters in Christ to help them grow, and they have a responsibility to you. God is calling us to be involved in each other’s lives, and one way we can do so is by picking up the Bible when you're together or on the phone and reading verses that have been encouraging during the past week.
- Set a goal to read. Remember when you said a few weeks ago how you looked forward to not having required textbook reading so that you could pick up that book you actually wanted to read? Make a list of two or three books you think will be helpful and then set aside time to read them. Maybe start by picking out a biography, a work of fiction, and a classic book about how to follow Jesus more closely. If you haven’t read Knowing God by J. I. Packer or the Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul, start there.
- Seek to be as bold with the gospel as you have been at college. You’re going to be around friends you haven’t seen since high school, and it's going to be obvious to them you've changed. Instead of mumbling some excuse about how you don’t feel like going out to party like you used to, tell them the real reason. Tell them about how your desires have changed and take the time to explain the plain but powerful truth of the gospel and how they can follow Jesus as well. Invite them to meet for coffee and read through the Gospel of Mark with you. By God’s grace he has put you in their lives, so point them to Jesus just as others have done for you.
10 DAYS, 10 REQUESTS, 10 MINUTES
Lift Off! is a brand new aspect of Flight Ministry that encourages participants to pray. Over 10 days, we will be presenting 10 prayer requests that we ask you to pray over for 10 (solid) minutes. Lift Off! presents 10 areas of prayer that may include specific people, ministries, or aspects of growth. It is meant to be a blast of encouragement and intercession by a committed group of people over the course of 10 days. Keep an eye out, the countdown begins soon...
Join us for the last Hub of the school year! Sunday, June 1, 11:45am, Life Center 305-306. Open to all collegians, but please RSVP here!
Come support your fellow collegiate baptismal candidates: Bryant Lew, Kristy Leung, Noel Wong, Thomas Yee, and Tammy Soohoo, are getting baptized this Sunday, June 1, 3:00pm, Worship Center.
As you consider your summer plans, please prayerfully think about serving at our Children & Youth Summer Camp this year. Camp is from July 28 - Aug 1 (Mon - Fri) and our first all staff meeting is Monday, June 16, 7:00pm, Life Center 2nd Floor. If you have even a slight desire to serve in this area, come join our first meeting. More info, requirements, and forms can be downloaded here.
On Sunday, June 15, we will have a special Fathers' Day Passage class time. Please make plans to join us. Also, here's the synopsis from last week's lesson.
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