Jon Nungester-Living from the Inside Out

This weekend I wrapped up our series on the big LOVE.  It was a great time to share what true love really is.  We discussed the three Hebrew words that the Song of Solomon uses.

Raya- This term defines a friendship, a companion, someone who care for another.  We discussed how this is the love that God wants for junior highers to experience.  he desire for students to create friendships and that it is ok to have  friends of the opposite gender.

Ahava- This word describes a deep connection among two people.  It is this emotion that leads to a deep commitment between two people.  This type of love comes from finding someone that you would spend the rest of your life with.  It is an emotion that you would say, “I would rather be here with this person than any other place on earth.”

Dode- This is the third type of love and means to caress or to touch.  I think you know what I mean here.  This is the physical side of love and God has specific instructions in Song of Solomon 2:7, 3:5, and 8:4 to not awaken this love until it so desires.  Not until we want it or feel like having it, but when it is appropriate between a husband and a wife. 

Now many students will come up to me and ask me “How far is too far?” I really hate this question!  If you are asking this question to me or yourself then it is too far!  It is like dirty underwear.  For most of us, if you question its cleanliness then you aren’t going to wear it!  Stay away from it because the closer you get to the flame the closer you are to getting burned!  Think about it. 

If you need prayer in this area please email me at jonn@calvarycc.org

This weekend I spoke about 1 John 4:20 which says,

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

I think so often in our world today people wear this mask called “Christianity” that changes as quickly as the fashion trends today.  If it looks cool to read a certain book or pray a certain way or worship a certain way then that becomes the mask that they wear.  For students in general the mask gets shaped by those people around us, our parents, our teachers, and, most importantly, our friends.  Our friends have such an amazing impact on our lives.  If they don’t think that following Christ and doing things that would please Him are cool then they tease us and we take the mask off or we change it to fit what they think is cool.  Why do we feel we need to change?  Why can’t they change to fit our standard of cool?  It seems so basic, but so hard to actually acheive.  The biggest reason why people don’t want to follow Christ are Christians.  People that say they follow Christ but act completely opposite of his ideals.  We, as followers of Christ, need to do something about this.  We need to stop wearing a mask and BE a Christian! 

This verse is amazingly powerful.  Basically, if you say you are a Christian and don’t act like it then God calls you a LIAR.  Do you want God thinking of you that way?  Just stop and think about what you have done today.  Were you loving others today?  What would God call you?  Liar or Good and Faithful Servant?