How to Be Happy

The lives of some are without peace or gladness because they never get out of the range of self. VSS 137

Forgiveness

How can you seek mercy from One who is above you if you can't show mercy to one who is below you?

The story of the unforgiving servant comes to mind. Perhaps someone has owed us that way - hurt us, used us, treated us wrong, lied to us, betrayed us, cheated us out of something. Perhaps it's the boyfriend who had another girl, or the father who abandoned you, or the jeep driver who insisted on one more passenger, or the teacher who hated your guts, or the stranger who carelessly stepped on your toe. Have you forgiven him?

If not, then how can you ask God to forgive you in the name of Jesus Christ who died for your sins? When you really think about it, Jesus didn't really have to die for you and me. They could have gone on and created another pair of humans.

But He did die a humiliating death for us. He walked the earth, taught us to make the most of this life, and gave us the way to the better life. Jesus loves us. He loves me, He loves you, and He loves the "moron" who stepped on your toe.

So now you think how you've failed Jesus time and again, and how each time,  He opens His arms to you. Think of all the wrong you've done in your life and multiply that by the number of people on this earth. His love covered all of those. How much has your love covered so far?

Maybe you've forgiven but haven't really forgotten, all the while not knowing that forgiving IS forgetting.

So free up some space on your memory, and make room for more of Jesus in your heart.

 Forgive.

Adventist Youth Program Ideas

Idea # 3

Music is a huge part of any worship service. It is a gift that God wants us to use and enjoy to His glory. These days, the gray area between good church music and otherwise has widened along with the musical generation gap. It probably also happens in your church: the older members complaining that church music now just isn't as good as in the old days. But God has bestowed musical talents just as wisely on this generation as in previous ones. So this is what today's AY program idea is about: bridging the musical generation gap.

MUSIC: OLD AND YOUNG

Materials: writing board and chalk or papers and pens (for copying song lyrics)

Mechanics: Group the congregation into two or more (depending on the size of the congregation). Make sure that each group has enough young members as well as older ones. Instruct the older members of the group to teach their younger members a song from the old days - one that the youth are not familiar with. Also, ask the youth to teach their older members a song that is from their generation. Allow practice time. Now, each group will be given time to perform both songs - the older ones singing the new song, and the younger ones singing the old song.

Now you have young people learning and singing old songs and older people learning and actually singing new songs! This may just start everyone on a road to appreciating music from different generations. Plus, you   just gave them an avenue to interact and work with each other toward a common goal.

At my church, everyone enjoyed the activity, especially the older ones as they sang their newly-learned song while their young teachers looked proudly on.

The important thing to emphasize here is that the sacredness of the musical gift cuts across generations. God designed for music to be as much a part of worship as is prayer. In the words of the Apostle Paul:

I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 1 Corinthians 14:15

What do you do to bring out the good music at your church?


Check out other AY Program Ideas in this blog by clicking here.