September 26- October 2

Welcome to Confident in This!  Scroll to today's date for a daily worship song, guided study of God's Word, and prayer.  This week's topic is very important.  Please talk to your small group leader if you have questions.  We would all 4 be happy to have an open and honest conversation about this difficult topic!


Scripture:

Ephesians 5:15-17

Be careful then, how you live—not as unwise as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

1 Thessalonians 4:7

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Thursday, September 26

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Read all three scriptures above.  This week is based on Andy Stanley’s sermon series called “Guardrails.” Guardrails are the things on the side of the road that keep you from going off the side of a bridge or into on coming traffic.  When driving, we rarely think, “I wish those guardrails weren’t there because I think I could get away with driving a little closer to the edge without getting falling off.”  But in life, we do tend to do this. “I wonder what all is okay to do with a boy without actually having sex.”  “The Bible doesn’t say anything about doing this, does it?” 

Think-

When in your life have you wondered how far you could go without something actually being “wrong?”  (Write down your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray that God would show you areas of your life where you haven’t set up guardrails to keep you from steering too close to risky behavior.
Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Friday, September 27

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Read the Thessalonians verse.  Two week’s ago, this blog talked about the plan and purpose God has for our lives  (Jeremiah 29:11.)  Last week, we looked in detail at how God created us especially for that purpose (Psalm 139.)  Matthew 7:11 says that He is like a loving dad who wants to give us good things. God is constantly working all things together for our good (see Romans 8:28) and what some people view as legalistic rules are actually for the purpose of keeping us right in the middle of God’s best for us.  When it comes to sex, God’s best is for us to be married for many reasons—he wants you to have something special with your husband that you’ve never shared with anyone else; he doesn’t want you to have to associate sex with guilt; he doesn’t want you to compromise your dreams to deal with consequences; he doesn’t want you to have to experience the excruciating pain of ending a relationship that has been that intimate. 

Think-

What are some things that you hope for in your future?  How could sex affect those things?  (Write down your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray that God would make his best for you your greatest desire.

Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Saturday, September 28

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Read the Proverbs verse.  At this point in your life, there are probably some things that you have decided you will not do because you know that they could lead to disastrous consequences.  But have you set up guardrails to “guard your heart” from getting too close to those things?  Guardrails are “a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of conscience” (Andy Stanley).  This means you make additional decisions for yourself not to do certain things, because those things could eventually lead you dangerously close to that “big deal thing” you’ve committed not to do.  If you have decided that sex before marriage is one of the “big deal things” that you plan not to do because you want to wait for God’s best, you also have to set some other personal guardrails for your dating relationships to make sure that you don’t get too dangerously close to driving off the edge.

Think-

Do you plan to have sex before marriage?  What is your reasoning one way or the other?  (Write your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray that God would help you establish guardrails to keep you from compromising your plans for dating relationships.

Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Sunday, September 29

Worship-

Click hereto listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Guardrails are personal.  They aren’t a list of rules that should be the same for everybody.  They should, however, be made with lots of careful consideration.  Pray about them.  Talk to a Christian adult about it.  If you don’t feel like you can talk to your mom, come find one of your small group leaders.  All four of us are willing to openly and honestly give advice from our experience.  No one plans to mess up her life of purpose.  But lots of people never plan not to.  And when you don’t put guardrails in place to keep you from danger, you slowly, over time, drift over into the danger zone.

Think-

Do you have personal standards for your dating relationships besides just a decision about sex?  If so, what are they?  If not, what are some that you think you might need to pray about or talk to someone about? (Write your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray that God would reveal to you exactly what guard rails you personally need to commit to.

Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Monday, September 30

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Let’s dig into the Ephesians verse this morning.  Read verses 15 and 16.  In verse 16, we are encouraged to “make the most of every opportunity.”  Contrary to what some people might want this to mean, this is not the Bible’s way of saying “YOLO!”  This means that you must BE INTENTIONAL in the decisions that you make.  Don’t wait until you’re in a situation to decide what you will and won’t do.  When you’re in the situation, hormones have this crazy way of filling your head with excuses—We’re in love; I’m mature enough; we won’t let it go too far; if I don’t, he’ll think I’m a tease; we’re going to get married eventually anyway.  That’s exactly what verse 16 means by “the days are evil.”  If we’re already in the middle of it, temptation is too strong.  You have to make intentional decisions now that will keep you from those situations.

Think-

Continue to focus on the list of guardrails you started yesterday.  Think about each one.  Is it enough to protect me?  If you haven’t yet, plan a conversation with your small group leader or another Christian lady to honestly and openly discuss your guardrails. (Write your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray over each other the guardrails you wrote down.  Make each one a heartfelt commitment to God.

Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Tuesday, October 1

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Read Ephesians  5:17.  Understand what the Lord’s will is?  What kind of crazy command is that?  It’s like if you were in math class and you told the teacher you needed help with #17 and he just says, “Understand!”  So helpful!  :-) But a better translation of this verb is “to face up to,” “to embrace,” “to accept.”  Basically, Paul is saying, “Stop deceiving yourselves.”  You know what God wants from you… Just do it.  God wants us to set guardrails for our relationships.  He wants us to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23).  It may seem unnecessary right now.  Maybe sex isn’t a temptation for you yet.  Maybe you don’t have a boyfriend.  But “the days are evil” (Eph. 5:17).  By the time you realize need your guardrails, you may already have one tire off the edge of the bridge.  So decide now.

Think-

Have you deceived yourself by saying that this doesn’t apply to you?  What will you do about it? (Write your answers in a journal this week.)

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Pray that God would reveal any area of your life where you aren’t embracing God’s will for you.

Review-
This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.

Wednesday, October 2

Worship-

Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Study-

Undoubtedly, there is someone reading this who thinks, it’s already too late.  I’ve already got one tire off the edge of the bridge or maybe the whole dang car is already sinking.  That’s where grace comes in.  2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God’s grace is big enough to cover anything.  And his power is strong enough to keep you from doing it again.  It’s so tempting to say, “Well, I’ve already screwed this up.  There’s no point in quitting now.”  But 2 Corinthians 5:12 says that we are a new creation.  If you’ve asked forgiveness, that person who did that is gone now.  You’re free.  Let yourself off the hook.  Start setting up some guardrails just like everyone else.

Think-

Is there something you regret that you haven’t forgiven yourself for?  Do you believe that God is strong enough to cover that?

Pray-

Praise God for who he is.  Thank him for your blessings.  Turn over any regrets you have to God.  Pray that his grace would be sufficient and that you would continue to beat yourself up over it or continue in the same decision.

Review-

This week in FpStudents, Zac talked about Philippians 1:21-26.  Reread this scripture and review your notes.  Throughout the day, focus on what's motivating you.