We Must Be Strong (Red Coat Series, Part 4)

What does it take to earn the Red Coat?

The same thing it takes to follow Christ, give it your all!

Reciting the Gettysburg Address at
Bethany Village Nursing Home
during a Mother's Day Luncheon

It takes Courage! 

I developed courage as I learned new skills in L2L in my 7 years of participating.  

Courage is sometimes feeling fear and doing the thing anyway. 

 In a little while, it becomes easier!   

At first, I did not enjoy speaking in public.  

Now I love it!  Practice makes perfect.  

Although I rarely do it perfectly.  

This was the first time I led the 
Communion Service

It takes Strength

What else does it take to earn the Red Coat?

A tremendous amount of Strength. God will give you the strength, so don't worry.

Giving it your all

What does it take to follow Christ, to give him our "ALL?"

It takes courage, and it takes daily strength.

The word of God says that we will be transformed when we meditate on the words in the Bible

as often as we can!

Convention 2021

What is the benefit of this?

More joy.

More adventure.

More purpose.

More is something we all want. 

Giving to Get

What if the only way to find more is to give Jesus all that you have?

You can discover the Treasure worth everything. 

Jesus has everything you need.

Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

How about you, do you know Jesus?

What Is L2L?

 

Lads to Leaders is the oldest and largest training program associated with the churches of Christ. 

 Founded in 1968 by Dr. Jack Zorn, this program allows participants of all ages 

to train to be better leaders for the glory of God.  A year-round, bible-based program to train people to be better leader/servants of Christ, L2L vows to leave no child or person behind.  

My 5th Grade Puppet Team won 2nd Place 
at the Convention

You can read all about L2L here, in an editorial article written by Greg Tidwell in the Gospel Advocate. Click on this link:  GOSPEL+ADVOCATE+ARTICLE+-+APRIL+2018.pdf (squarespace.com)

My buddies and me at Convention, age 11

Our group grew in numbers the next year, age 12

We have monthly meetings at our home congregation
to learn and prepare for the events

We do service projects  times a year to 
help those in need.

Contact L2L

5280 West Alabama Christian Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36109

Office
Office: (334) 215-0251
Fax: (334) 215-0856
Email: l2l@lads2leaders.com

Change for Good

  Do you want to change your world for good?  Change yourself for God!

But how, you ask? I know that in the morning, I start out wanting to be good, obedient, strong, and faithful. But as the day goes on, I get lazy, tired, and distracted.

My friends at Convention in 2016

How to stay to my goal of obedience? How to change and walk the straight and narrow for good?

I just read a story about a girl who decided to do some tough things, and it changed her whole life.  The story of Ruth in the Bible helped me realize that I can be a part of something much bigger and better than myself, like Ruth.

She was a humble servant of God, and she chose to obey and serve, rather than take the easy way out.

She said to her mother-in-law in Ruth 3:5, “All that you say to me, I will do.”  Naomi was telling her to do some pretty strange things, like lay at a stranger's feet at night and put his coat over her. Ruth was strong, and she courageously did as she was asked.

My best friends pose as I snap a photo for Competion
Ruth, Boaz, and Baby Obed

And Ruth was used by God to be the grandmother of the King of Israel!

Like Ruth, we can change the world by being selfless workers for the Lord.  

Jesus told us in John 12 verse 26, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow me, where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him.” 

In our activities this year, my youth group set a goal to serve others while we had fun together.  We did things like make a garden for the Alzheimer's Unit in our local nursing home, serve children at Christmastime in Toys for Tots, and have a special dinner for the elders at our church. 

The girls at L2L Meeting practicing speech

Through serving, we learned how God can use us for His good, and actually changed a few people’s worlds for the better?

What can you do to change your world for Jesus?

Too Noble for a Priesthood?

 Have you ever thought about what it would be like

 to sit down in Heaven on the side of God?  

What kind of seat would that be?  Would it be plush, comfortable, and overcoated with gold?  How big would it be?  Would there be large rests for the weary arms?  What color would that seat be?   Hebrews 10:13 says that Jesus Christ is sitting there in a chair right now, waiting until the time when our enemies are made his footstool.  

Would we feel comfortable standing before this chair?  Would we even stand, or would we kneel?   I love reading the book of Hebrews.  Studying the text makes me wonder, why is it important that we know that Jesus sits there in that most Holy of places?  

The answer lies in the L2L theme for 2021, "Better Than."  

Source:  The Children's Bible Illustrate

The Hebrew scriptures encourage me to keep on trying, no matter how badly I fail.  It also, and more importantly,  proves to me that Jesus was too noble for the priesthood of Israel. He was BETTER THAN any of the most noble, honest, good, and/or sincere priests that ever walked this earth.

Source:  Ryrie Illustrated Bible

 I love being a leader in the youth group of our church.  But there are so many guys that are better equipped, better in motive, better in leadership, etc., etc., etc. than I am.  And I am so flawed...    

One thing I do know, though, is that there was not, is not, and never will be anyone BETTER THAN the Lord and Savior, Jesus.  He was the perfect lamb.  He was the only Way.  The Bible says in Hebrews that the Israelite priests stood day by day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, and yet these same sacrifices could never take away the sins of man. NEVER!!! 

Source:  Illustrated Theological Writings, Zondervan

I heard a speaker tell the audience that there were NO CHAIRS in the Holiest of Holy area in the Tabernacle.  Think of that; no chairs. 

The High Priests had to go in there, do their work, but they could not sit down.  Why?  Keith English (my youth director) said it was because "their work was never done."  

I think God was kind of sending us an encrypted message when he put that in the Bible.  The preparation for the annual sacrifice was unbelievably time consuming.  And once they entered the sacred place of the Tabernacle, there was no resting.  No breaks.  It must have been tough!  And when it was over, they had to start getting ready for the next time.

In contrast, Jesus now sits beside his Father, God - the creator of this Universe.  That is such a great contrast!  Christ FINISHED his work on the Cross.  That is why he is the perfect answer to our problem... Sin.  He completed the destruction of sin by suffering on the cross, dying, and then rising up on the third day.  And now the Son of God sits... SITS in the holy area of heaven with his Father, the Almighty God.  

The bible teaches that God wanted everyone of us to be in his presence. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" -- II Peter 3:9.  

My Grandma reads the Word to my cousin

 Almighty God is so pure that he cannot be in the presence of imperfection.  Habakkuk 1;13 indicates that he is of "purer eyes than to see evil, and cannot look at wrong." 

 

But we cannot be perfect.  I wish we could.  In order for us to be in God's presence, an intercessor had to be available on the people's behalf not only to take our place, but to stand up for us against the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10 - 13).  

In summary, the solution for transgression in the Old Testament times was a temporary, imperfect sacrifice of a lamb, prepared and given by the Hebrew priests.  It did not last, though.  It only was good for a certain amount of time, and then the grace expired.  But after the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection, we no longer have to offer sacrifices over and over and over (Hebrews 9:12).  Jesus made the perfect sacrifice, once and for all.  

Isn't that BETTER?  I sure think so.  

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