28 Apr, 2009

Now where'd I put those top secret documents?

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration recently postponed its crucial program to rejuvenate quarter-century-old Trident missile warheads because no one can remember how to make a key component of the weapons (codenamed "Fogbank"), according to a March 2 report of the Government Accountability Office. The GAO found that, despite concern over the bombs' safety and reliability, NNSA could not replicate the manufacturing process because all knowledgeable personnel have left the agency and no written records were kept. Said one commentator, "This is like James Bond destroying his instructions as soon as he's read them."

Story courtesy of newsoftheweird.com 4/24/09

Ephesians 3:4-6 The Message

     As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.
 

1 John 1:1-4 The Message

     From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. 
     We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!

How can we connect today's story to God's story? 

Okay, I admit to misplacing the owner's manual on my chainsaw before...but a nuclear missile!?! Woops! Aren't you glad that the apostles didn't mistakenly forget to write down the instructions that Jesus gave us regarding the mysteries of life? These Biblical authors tell us that they personally spent time with the Son of God. They heard it, saw it and experienced it all for themselves and then they were led to write it all down for us!

So what does that mean for us? It means that we have a document...the Bible...that contains the answers to the mysteries of life! It isn't hidden away in some (apparently not-so-secure) National Security Office where we can't get to it. It's not truth that has been lost forever after Jesus left the earth. It is here! It is in our hands! What was hidden for thousands of years is now clearly outlined in His Word and, as John tells us, he wants us to enjoy it too.  

How can we connect today's story and God's Story with my story?

  • Read the Word daily so that you can be refreshed and encouraged every day as you follow Jesus.
  • Read the Word daily so that you can refresh and encourage others with the answers to life's questions. Your friends will ask you at some point and we are to be prepared to share those answers (I Peter 3:15) in love.

How can we connect today's story, God's Story and my story with my friend's story?

  • Share today's story with someone and then ask them if they have ever lost anything important.
  • Ask them to share with you the one moment in history they would go back and be a part of if they could. (And then discuss why that is so important to them.) Remind them that the only reason they know about it is because someone recorded it. Then share with them that this is how we know about what God did for us. There were actual people who walked with Jesus, wrote it all down for us and eventually died for what they knew to be true about Him.
  • Don't keep this formerly top-secret information to yourself. Ephesians 3 lets us know that anyone can have the same offer, the same help and the same promises from Jesus. Be sure to let them know!
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.