He Gone

Andrew Stevens

November 3, 2019 • Heather Risher • 1 John 4:10, Exodus 26:31–33, Matthew 27:35–37, Romans 8:39

We are all human and we all sin, so, until we see Jesus face-to-face, there will be times when we mess up (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

When we stumble, slip, and fall, sometimes it seems impossible to find our way back. We let our failures keep us from going back to our forgiving, loving God, giving them far too much influence in our lives.

Have you ever thought any of the following?

• God could never love me after everything I’ve done.

• He’ll never take me back now.

• He’s probably looking down on me now, thinking, “Well, he gone.”

• What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just get it right?

My friend, let me tell you some truth: you are never too far gone. There is nothing you can do to separate yourself from God’s love in Christ.

We have sinned and will continue to sin; there is no avoiding it. But the good news is that Jesus Christ, who is God, came to live here as a human and die for our sins. When He died on the cross, He took all our sin with Him. He paid the price for our sins so we don’t have to.

Jesus loves us so much that He died for us and will never leave us. Because of what He did, we find our new identity in Him, not in our sinfulness. He will go to the ends of the earth to find us and love us with all His being.

Jesus tore the veil (our sin) that separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2). He rose from the grave and gave us a way to live with Him eternally.

Think about it. We can look at our sin and at that empty tomb and gladly say, “He gone.” • Heather Risher

• What has made you feel like you are too far gone?

• When have you felt this way? Is there anything connecting these times?

• What can you do to remember how loved you are in Christ?

Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 (CSB)

Throne of God

November 30, 2019 • Melissa Yeagle • Psalm 32:1–7, Hebrews 4:14–16, 1 John 1:9

Kalie walked down a long, dark hall that seemed to be going uphill, carrying a load so heavy that it made her back ache. She was out of breath and thinking about giving up when she finally reached the end of the hall. There, she found a room bathed in warm, bright light. It was almost like someone took the sun and stuffed it in a room. . She looked at the far end of the room and saw the Source of the light. The Source was so bright that she could not look directly into it, but with squinted eyes, she could make out a giant throne there. She felt tiny and unimportant in the room. . “Welcome, Kalie. I have been waiting for you,” a Voice boomed from the throne. . “You know my name?” Kalie asked shyly. . “Of course I do. I also know you were born March 19, 2005 and you have 104,506 hairs on your head,” the Voice answered. . Kalie suddenly felt uncomfortable. If He knew all of that, He surely knew all the things she had done wrong. . “Yes, Kalie. I know what you are thinking, and I know what you have done wrong. I also know you have asked for forgiveness. I love you so much, and I forgive you of your sins,” the Voice declared. . When she heard that, the heavy load Kalie had been carrying on her back suddenly disappeared and tears of joy streamed down her face. • Melissa Yeagle . • How can sin be a burden that weighs us down? How can Jesus relieve us of that burden? . • How does Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection make it possible for us to be forgiven? (Learn more on our "Know Jesus" page) . • The throne of God seems intimidating, but through Jesus, we can approach it boldly. What do you need to bring before the throne in prayer today? . If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Waiting Actively

November 29, 2019 • Sarah Rexford • Acts 17:16–20, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Waiting is the worst. Or maybe I’m just the worst at waiting. Especially in the high school years, “real” life seems far away and dreams look distant. It’s easy to think about what we want to do for God in the future; it’s way harder to live that out now. . A few years ago, I saw a need at my school and decided that no matter how small my platform, I’d let God work through me to meet that need. It was amazing to see God work as I stood on a literal stage (the smallest stage on campus!) and used the talents He had given me to point my peers to Jesus. I’d never felt more humbled to be used by the Creator. . Paul found himself in a similar situation in Acts 17. He’d reached Athens and was waiting for his friends (Acts 17:16). In other words, even Paul, one of the most famous men of the New Testament, knew what it was like to wait! . But, rather than just sit around, the chapter says Paul used the marketplace to tell people about Jesus. He was waiting actively. . Yeah, sometimes waiting is hard. But even in the waiting, God is working. Waiting actively means living for Jesus no matter where we are or what season we’re in—trusting that He is working even when we don’t see it. . No matter what you’re waiting on, you can serve Jesus right where you are. You can use the crumbly floor of your cafeteria, the gravely road as you wait for the bus, and even the carpet of your living room. . Whatever season God has you in, wait actively. Know that you can serve God right now. In Jesus’ kingdom, you never know what He’ll do through you! • Sarah Rexford . • What are you waiting on in this season? How is your view of God shown in how you wait? . • How would this season change if you actually lived like you believed Jesus is working during the waiting? . • It’s easy for anxiety to creep up as we wait. Read Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:4-7, and 1 Peter 5:7. What do these verses show about Jesus and His faithfulness? . For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

Thankful

November 28, 2019 • Cara Campbell • 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

For as long as I can remember, my grandma has had a little hand-stitched sign in her home that reads: “There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.” As a child, I loved that sign, and, as I grew into adulthood, I began to understand just how meaningful it was. . My grandparents lived out true gratitude. Their lives were not easy, and yet, in the middle of trials and times of having little, they were so thankful. Why? Because they knew whatever happened—no matter how difficult or uncertain things were—they had it all... because they had Jesus. . They knew that no matter what, they were loved, forgiven, rescued, saved. They knew that no matter what, Jesus was there to walk beside them. They knew that no matter what, their identity in Him could never be touched. Their life with Him, both now and forever, was sure. And because they knew they belonged to Him, they could view life differently from the way the world does. They could be thankful in all circumstances... the hard ones, the good ones, the uncertain ones, the joy-filled ones. . A thankful heart radiates deep-rooted contentment and joy that are only found in Jesus. What if we viewed life in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when He died on the cross and in light of the gift He gave us when He rose back to life? What if we recognized that what He’s given us is more than we could ever deserve and better than we could even imagine? . So rather than looking at what we don’t have, we can remember that we have life and unshakable hope in Jesus. We can give thanks in the hard things because we know He is faithful and He is near. And we can give thanks in the good because we see how incredibly blessed beyond measure we are and how every gift comes from Him (James 1:17). In Christ, there is always something to be thankful for. • Cara Campbell . • Reread today’s verses. What are some of the hope-filled promises we have in Jesus? How does remembering these promises help us thank God no matter what? . • What are other things you are thankful for? . Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)