FCA This Week!

FCA, or Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is one of the largest Christian campus ministries around the world, and they are meeting in your campuses during lunchtime several times a month.  This week at FCA we have two of our very own speaking at HBHS and EHS. Jeremy Moss is speaking at HBHS TODAY during lunch, and Ryan Schneider is speaking tomorrow at EHS during lunch. Make sure you come out to support our Edge volunteers and represent the Edge.  This is a good chance to bring some of your friends who might not necessarily want to come to the Edge Thursday nights, but they’ll come during lunchtime for free pizza and snacks at school. They will get the chance to meet more Edge volunteers and see what we’re all about!

The Kingdom Life

NIKOLE SPARKS, Graphics Director

• BIBLE VERSE

  Romans 14:17-19 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

• INTERPRETATION

  Paul is writing in this sections of Romans specifically about abstaining from certain things that we are not forbidden from any longer so that another brother might not be stumbled by our actions, because he may believe it is wrong. Paul is specifically using the example of eating laws, and food being unclean. He pretty much states in these verses that the Kingdom of God is much bigger than the simplicity of eating laws and sacrificing little things for another brother. Paul is pointing out that the Kingdom of God is about Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit, and urges us to pursue these things.

• BREAKTHROUGH

  Don’t worry about the sacrificing of little things for one another, be excited, because this represents the entire heart of the Kingdom!

• LIFE APPLICATION

  Again I see Paul pointing through an outward issue right into the heart of the matter, and my heart in things. Paul is stating that my little sacrifice for the Kingdom and my brother isn’t really about food, or whatever the compromise I’m making seems to be about on the surface, but it is a matter of living righteously and peacefully and joyfully in the Holy Spirit. Paul is trying to tell me that these little things, have huge implications into my heart for God and His Kingdom. God desires that we will live at peace with one another and pursue righteousness with one another and find tremendous joy in that through the Holy Spirit. If I’m not willing to give unnecessary things up for the building up of my brother, there is something bigger going on in my heart. I need to focus on my heart in all the different opportunities that I have to be a window into the Kingdom by being willing to lay down my rights for the bettering of someone else. Once again, everything comes back to my heart, and if I’m willing to let it be a window into what’s coming.

• ENTREATY

  Lord Jesus, thank you for laying your rights as King and creator, all powerful God, to pave the way for me to have a relationship with you. I pray that you will continue to work in my heart so that I might follow you in giving myself up for the good of others. Your love for me is overwhelming, and I am humbled and convicted at my lack of willingness to sacrifice my way for the good of others. Stretch me and give me your grace Lord. Fill me with your love and your life. Thank You for loving me. I love you. Amen.

An Heir

Adalyn Roberts, Co-Director of Children’s Ministry

• BIBLE VERSE

  1 Peter 1:4 “To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”

• INTERPRETATION

  Our inheritance is being a child of God, an heir to the kingdom in heaven, an everlasting life with Jesus in heaven.

• BREAKTHROUGH

  God’s kingdom – No work required.

• LIFE APPLICATION

  In the last year I have worked my tail off being the executor of a probate estate. I am one of 11 heirs and what we have to go through just to close the estate and receive what my uncle has left for us seems like a part time job!! How exciting to think that I am an heir to the Kingdom of God!! I don’t have to sign any papers, go to court, get approvals from anyone or hire any lawyers. I was just welcomed with the most loving arms that I will ever know, accepting, forgiving, and unchanging. Being a heir is simply a gift that I don’t need to earn, its value will never change and its worth will always be priceless.

• ENTREATY

  Lord Jesus. Thank you for creating me and giving me a chance to give back to you. Thank you for all that you are to me and for allowing me to see lives be change for you!! Most of all thank you for uncovering my eyes to see who the one and only true God is. Amen

Using My Gifts

MARISSA SCHNEIDER, Communications Coordinator

• BIBLE VERSE

  1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

• INTERPRETATION

  Every Christian experiences God’s grace, and part of God’s graciousness is to give each of us a special gift. If we want to be good stewards of God’s grace, then we have to actually use those gifts, and not just for personal gain. Peter is specific that we are supposed to use our gifts to serve each other within the body.

• BREAKTHROUGH

  God specifically gives us our gifts so that we can use them to serve other Christians. If we are not serving other people with our gifts, then we are wasting what God has given us.

• LIFE APPLICATION

  This verse specifically reminds me of Jesus’ parable of the talents. In the story, the master rebukes the servant who buries his talents instead of using them or multiplying them. In the same way, we are squandering our gifts, which are manifestations of God’s grace, when we choose to horde our gifts. Hording our gifts can look like a number of different things: It can be pretending not to have any gifts and refusing to acknowledge them. It can be a refusal to use the gifts because of fear or even laziness. Or I might have a sin issue that is causing me not to want to use my gifts for a period of time. The bottom line is that God didn’t give us special gifts so that we would waste them, he intended for us to use them to serve one another and to build one another up in love. I know that God has given me special gifts and talents, but I choose not to utilize them because “I just don’t feel like it.” The Bible says that when you know what you’re supposed to do, but you don’t do it, then you are committing sin. In the same way, God has given us all gifts, and he intends for us to use them. So, when we don’t, then we are in sin.

• ENTREATY

  Lord, thank you for giving me a special gift, a gift that you intend for me to use to serve you and your children. I confess that I’m not always a good steward of your grace in this way. I pray that you would give me more and more opportunities to use my gifts and that you would give me the courage to use them when those times come. Amen

Daughters of the King: Redeemed

Ladies! Daughters of the King is just around the corner! Invite all of your friends to come for a nice dinner, Christmas carols and a great message from the one and only Megan Fate Marshman! Redeemed is Sunday, December 18th from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Tickets will be for sale at the Edge every Thursday and Sunday up until the event. Presale tickets are $5.00, tickets at the door are $10.00. See you there!