This Week # 2-31

This Week in OFF ROAD we looked at biblical ways of handling Peer Pressure. Last week was a time of small group discussion of what our Junior Highers are going through, what pressures they face so that this week I could address their specific needs. We looked at a number of verses, and broke it down to 3 main ideas, with the hope that whenever they are facing bad peer pressure they can remember the weird acronym, “SLR”

-Surround yourself with good character -1 Corinthians 15:33-34/ Galatians 2:11 PARENT QUESTIONS= (Are your most important friend’s people who positively influence you? People who keep you accountable to what is right? Will call you out when doing something wrong? Where can you find those friends?)

-Look to the future – Luke 12:35-40 PARENT QUESTIONS= (Are you putting yourself in situations that you know aren’t good? What can you do to avoid those situations ahead of time? What people/situations do you need to avoid?)

-Run – Genesis 39:7-12 PARENT QUESTIONS=(When you get in a situation with peer pressure do you stick around and try not to participate, or do you tend to leave? When have you run from a peer pressure situation? Is it easy or hard for you to get out of a situation? Are you ready to run?)

Parents- not just this week, but continually ask your children about the peer pressure situations they face. Talk to them about how to handle it, and pray with them for strength to do what is right.

This Week # 2-30

This Week we broke the students up into grade and gender and asked them these questions (I would encourage you to look through these questions and spend time talking with your child about them as well):

What is peer pressure?

Can there be good peer pressure?

What kind of negative pressure do you see around you?

What are a few pressures that you see actually influencing people around you?

Why do you think those pressures are so influential?

What kind of negative pressures do you face? (really challenge them beyond the big stuff i.e. drugs and stealing are good to talk about, but most kids face cheating, making fun of others, not sharing their faith, lying, not telling all the truth, not loving others, talking behind others backs etc. on a daily basis)

Which pressures are easy to ignore? Why?

Which pressures are hard to ignore? Why?

How do you respond to those pressures?

Do you know how to handle negative peer pressure? How?

This Week # 2-29

This Week we started a new series, “Under Pressure.” In this series we will be looking at how we need to react to the pressures of this world, and the precedence that Jesus set. This week I spoke on our mandate from Christ to love and welcome others. We read through the story of the woman who cam and washed Jesus’ feet and how she was on the outside looking in, and Jesus welcomed her, accepted her and loved her (Luke: 36-48). We want to make OFF ROAD a place where people feel that loved and it is up to everyone to help make people feel loved.

Here are a few suggestions I gave to your kids while interacting with newcomers at church, school and their neighborhood.

Don’t be clique-e- Accepting and welcoming others isn’t about leaving your friends behind, it is about bringing them along to welcome others.

Say, “Hello,” and ask questions- “What school do you go to?” “What is your favorite class?” “Least Favorite?” “Why?” and talk back to them.

Remember Jesus say we are the light of the world. Let’s let our light shine with how welcoming and loving we are.

Questions to ask your child:

Do you find it easy or hard to talk to newcomers? Why?

Tell me a story about a time in your life when you felt like you were on the outside looking in.

How did that make you feel?

How do you think people who come to OFF ROAD for the first time or on the “outside “at school feel?

What can you do to help them feel welcomed and loved?

Make a list with your child of people they would like to bring to church and start praying for them.

This Week # 2- 28

This week in OFF ROAD I spoke on forgiveness, and one of our 8^th graders, Laurel, shared her story, of how forgiveness has allowed her to become a new person!!!

The main verse we read was Matthew 18:21-35

-Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. After Jesus responds to Peter with a number much larger than Peter expected, Jesus tell a parable. What Jesus does in the parable is he changes Peter’s perspective. To just give him a number would not change Peters heart, but with the new perspective he can realize the forgiveness he has received and forgive others.

-In the same way our perspective should change. If we believe in Christ we are a new creation, and a new creation equals a new perspective.

- The new perspective is 2 fold, summed up in Colossians 3:31- “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must for give others.”

First, forgiveness is you’re responsibility. We must choose to forgive others because Christ forgave us. Even when people don’t want forgiveness we must offer it to them as Christ did the same for us.

Second, when we are in conflict with others we must keep in mind the forgiveness that God has granted us, and with that knowledge, realize that any forgiveness we give anyone else is nothing compared to the forgiveness givens us. When we realize that, it changes our perspective and allows us to more quickly and fully forgive others.

QUESTIONS:

What can you do, when you don’t want to forgive others, to remind yourself how God has forgiven you?

Who in your life do you find hard to forgive?

Do you think it is easy for you to forgive others or hard?

What has God done in your life to allow you to forgive?

What does it mean to you that God has forgiven you?