2 Timothy 3:2-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Why is self-control so important?
1 Cor 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (self-control). They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.A self-controlled life demands focus. They have a heavenly prize.
There must be purpose in every step. No distraction… No detours.
Self-control is using our freedom for Gods purposes. Using our freedom to bring blessing and impact others.
In proportion as a man habitually yields to intemperance or some other vice, his freedom diminishes and he does in a true sense sink into slavery.
Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control
“I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.”
Pietro Aretino
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
Seneca
“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
About Me
- New Generation
- New Zealand
- New Generation is the youth ministry of the Assemblies Of God in New Zealand. Braden and Andrea Matson are the facilitators and are working with Youth Pastors around the country to equip young people to reach a nation.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Becoming 100% YOU - Part 5
4. To busy to fit ‘you’ in
Sometimes life can get so busy that we are rushing through days and weeks trying to get through a list of tasks without stopping to re-evaluate our lives. It is important to stop sometimes and think about why you are doing what you do. You may be doing some great things with your time but are they stretching you growing your life and taking you closer to being 100% you and accomplishing what you were put on this planet to do.
Everything we do should be leading us closer to who we are and if it doesn’t then we need to re-evaluate our lives. Don’t let yourself get so stuck in a routine of life that you don’t hear God whispering to your heart and nudging you in a particular direction in life. There are many things you can be too busy for but the Holy Spirit should never be one of them.
5. Can’t get up
One of the devils ways of hijacking your journey is comfort. He wants you to be so comfortable that you curl up in the armchair of life with a big duvet in front of the fire and refuse to move. An armchair is one of the hardest places to move from, especially if it’s raining and miserable outside. We can be like this in our spiritual life but being in a comfortable place is not good for us.
It can lead to spiritual laziness and it will take a hold of your life. You will lose interest in going any further on your journey. An armchair lifestyle will prevent you from discovering anything more about yourself. Often we can get so comfortable in our roles as a leader, mother employer, that we have no desire to go any further. Leaving your comfort zone will help you grow and stretch you and help you discover so much more about what God has put in your life.
In 2005 I went to Europe with Braden and at the end of the trip we went with a team to Thailand. I was looking forward to it all but Thailand. But I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t let me sit long in my comfy chair and he really encouraged me that it would be ok. Once I was there I was so touched by the people and I had to trust God that he would come through so much. It really got me out of my comfort zone. And whenever I am in my comfy chair I am often reminded of my time in Thailand.
Are you sitting in your armchair or in the safety of your comfort zone? Maybe you were once on this journey but when it became painful and uncomfortable and you grazed your knee did you retreated back into the comfort of the chair. Please make a stand today to not do it again to get out of the chair as your armchair will become your prison and stop from becoming all you are called to be.
2 Timothy 1:6 ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.'
The responsibility for kick-starting and maintaining your spiritual momentum lies with you, you need to chose to live differently to start listening to the holy spirit. You may feel like you have two left feet you may think you are out of practice and that you will never be able to keep in step with him again. Remove the excuses get up and live your life not someone else’s.
What’s stopping you? Identify it, address it and if necessary separate from it.
Do whatever it takes to become the real you. Once we truly understand just who we are, our job is to influence our world with it.
You have a responsibility to be the most amazing 100% YOU that only you can be.
Posted by: Andrea
Sometimes life can get so busy that we are rushing through days and weeks trying to get through a list of tasks without stopping to re-evaluate our lives. It is important to stop sometimes and think about why you are doing what you do. You may be doing some great things with your time but are they stretching you growing your life and taking you closer to being 100% you and accomplishing what you were put on this planet to do.
Everything we do should be leading us closer to who we are and if it doesn’t then we need to re-evaluate our lives. Don’t let yourself get so stuck in a routine of life that you don’t hear God whispering to your heart and nudging you in a particular direction in life. There are many things you can be too busy for but the Holy Spirit should never be one of them.
5. Can’t get up
One of the devils ways of hijacking your journey is comfort. He wants you to be so comfortable that you curl up in the armchair of life with a big duvet in front of the fire and refuse to move. An armchair is one of the hardest places to move from, especially if it’s raining and miserable outside. We can be like this in our spiritual life but being in a comfortable place is not good for us.
It can lead to spiritual laziness and it will take a hold of your life. You will lose interest in going any further on your journey. An armchair lifestyle will prevent you from discovering anything more about yourself. Often we can get so comfortable in our roles as a leader, mother employer, that we have no desire to go any further. Leaving your comfort zone will help you grow and stretch you and help you discover so much more about what God has put in your life.
In 2005 I went to Europe with Braden and at the end of the trip we went with a team to Thailand. I was looking forward to it all but Thailand. But I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t let me sit long in my comfy chair and he really encouraged me that it would be ok. Once I was there I was so touched by the people and I had to trust God that he would come through so much. It really got me out of my comfort zone. And whenever I am in my comfy chair I am often reminded of my time in Thailand.
Are you sitting in your armchair or in the safety of your comfort zone? Maybe you were once on this journey but when it became painful and uncomfortable and you grazed your knee did you retreated back into the comfort of the chair. Please make a stand today to not do it again to get out of the chair as your armchair will become your prison and stop from becoming all you are called to be.
2 Timothy 1:6 ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.'
The responsibility for kick-starting and maintaining your spiritual momentum lies with you, you need to chose to live differently to start listening to the holy spirit. You may feel like you have two left feet you may think you are out of practice and that you will never be able to keep in step with him again. Remove the excuses get up and live your life not someone else’s.
What’s stopping you? Identify it, address it and if necessary separate from it.
Do whatever it takes to become the real you. Once we truly understand just who we are, our job is to influence our world with it.
You have a responsibility to be the most amazing 100% YOU that only you can be.
Posted by: Andrea
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Becoming 100% YOU - Part 4
3. Only an excuse away
How many times has an excuse stopped you from following your instinct? Are you the sort of person who says ‘I can’t do that because…’ I can’t is the language of excuses. And you will always be able to find plenty of reasons to stop you from journeying along. I am a culprit of this, I always used to say I can’t… I need to constantly remind myself to say that I actually can.
If you are constantly giving what you think are valid reasons for your lack of progress on your journey then be careful, because eventually your life will grind to a halt. You will end up spending years of your life in a dead end called excuses and the only person responsible for putting you there is you!
Your excuses will never change God’s mind about who you are. He sees past your excuses to the real you. All they will do is make your journey far longer than necessary and you will waste time taking pointless detours and delay finding out what God has for your life.
Posted by: Andrea
How many times has an excuse stopped you from following your instinct? Are you the sort of person who says ‘I can’t do that because…’ I can’t is the language of excuses. And you will always be able to find plenty of reasons to stop you from journeying along. I am a culprit of this, I always used to say I can’t… I need to constantly remind myself to say that I actually can.
If you are constantly giving what you think are valid reasons for your lack of progress on your journey then be careful, because eventually your life will grind to a halt. You will end up spending years of your life in a dead end called excuses and the only person responsible for putting you there is you!
Your excuses will never change God’s mind about who you are. He sees past your excuses to the real you. All they will do is make your journey far longer than necessary and you will waste time taking pointless detours and delay finding out what God has for your life.
Posted by: Andrea
Self-Control Part 1
2 Peter 1:3-9
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
The text tells Christians to diligently add to there faith several things. Why? So you can be fruitful and functional.
He wants us to be fruitful. Not fruity!
You and I already know too many dysfunctional Christians! There are people who will not come to Christ because they know too many dysfunctional Christians.
Too often the church is like muesli – lots of nuts, flakes and fruits!
Salvation is a free gift! However we then become involved in the process of sanctification. We grow in Christ and reach New levels of living. It begins with faith ends with love.
From faith will grow virtue or holy living. We want to please God; he is our number one motivation for all we do.Out of virtue we add knowledge. From knowledge we will grow in self-control.
DEFINITION: Self Control =Temperance is the KJV word from 2 Greek words. “en” = fixed position, in place and “kratos” = power or strength. “The strength to stay in place.”
Gal 5But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Fruit is cultivated. Cultivation requires our involvement.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
The text tells Christians to diligently add to there faith several things. Why? So you can be fruitful and functional.
He wants us to be fruitful. Not fruity!
You and I already know too many dysfunctional Christians! There are people who will not come to Christ because they know too many dysfunctional Christians.
Too often the church is like muesli – lots of nuts, flakes and fruits!
Salvation is a free gift! However we then become involved in the process of sanctification. We grow in Christ and reach New levels of living. It begins with faith ends with love.
From faith will grow virtue or holy living. We want to please God; he is our number one motivation for all we do.Out of virtue we add knowledge. From knowledge we will grow in self-control.
DEFINITION: Self Control =Temperance is the KJV word from 2 Greek words. “en” = fixed position, in place and “kratos” = power or strength. “The strength to stay in place.”
Gal 5But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Fruit is cultivated. Cultivation requires our involvement.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Becoming 100% YOU - Part 3
2. God’s master production
There are different people God wants to connect into your life at particular points on your journey other than the ones you currently see around you. The key for us is to realise who they are and not dismiss them.
Right now you may only be able to see lines on a refil pad, but God has the full script in front of him. He knows who is going to be in your life for a short time and a long time. There are going to be other people that he will bring across your path that you need to interact with to get along side and learn from. He puts them there by design not coincidence. We need to learn to follow his prompting.
John 6:5-9 ‘When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Challenging situations like this often uncover who we are and where we are at. In this situation, Philip had doubts and he spoke from his insecurity and negativity, Andrew however was a different character. He had enough confidence to make a suggestion. Yet God didn’t write Philip off as he knew he was on a journey and the negativity would not be the thing that would define him. Later on in Acts 8 we see that Philip was prompted by the spirit and had the courage to trust and step out and touch someone else’s life.
He was on a journey when he hit doubt but he didn’t let that stop him he kept journeying. God new ahead of time that doubt and negativity would not be a part of Philip’s life forever.
It’s the same with you and God. He already knows the things that do not define who you are and he already sees what you are going to become as you journey through finding out who you are. We just need to trust him and when things come up in our life its just God prompting us to work through them as he knows that they are not what will define us forever.
Posted by: Andrea
There are different people God wants to connect into your life at particular points on your journey other than the ones you currently see around you. The key for us is to realise who they are and not dismiss them.
Right now you may only be able to see lines on a refil pad, but God has the full script in front of him. He knows who is going to be in your life for a short time and a long time. There are going to be other people that he will bring across your path that you need to interact with to get along side and learn from. He puts them there by design not coincidence. We need to learn to follow his prompting.
John 6:5-9 ‘When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Challenging situations like this often uncover who we are and where we are at. In this situation, Philip had doubts and he spoke from his insecurity and negativity, Andrew however was a different character. He had enough confidence to make a suggestion. Yet God didn’t write Philip off as he knew he was on a journey and the negativity would not be the thing that would define him. Later on in Acts 8 we see that Philip was prompted by the spirit and had the courage to trust and step out and touch someone else’s life.
He was on a journey when he hit doubt but he didn’t let that stop him he kept journeying. God new ahead of time that doubt and negativity would not be a part of Philip’s life forever.
It’s the same with you and God. He already knows the things that do not define who you are and he already sees what you are going to become as you journey through finding out who you are. We just need to trust him and when things come up in our life its just God prompting us to work through them as he knows that they are not what will define us forever.
Posted by: Andrea
Fresh It Up Camp
Over Queen's Birthday weekend, the West Coast Region got together for their annual Easter Camp
(due to camp site being booked it was moved to Queen's Birthday for this year). The youth ministries from New Plymouth, Levin, Palmerston North & Wanganui converged on sunny Inglewood in Taranaki at Vertical Horizons Camp. The West Coast camps have been running for 9 years and have all had different flavours. Over the years speakers have included, Luka Robertson, Natalie Joyce, John Cameron, Paul Saunders, John Cairns & Andy Kubala.
2008 was an amazing time. Guest speakers Craig & Nadia Clark ministered in season with where we were at and the results were fantastic. 17 first time commitments on the first night was such great launching pad. The weekend got stronger and stronger as we felt the Anointing build. It was great to see the local youth pastors and leadership working together so strongly with what Craig & Nadia were leading us into. Many received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, healings were testified of, and many experienced a moving and manifest encounter with Jesus. It was just so wonderful experiencing God in such favour.
Ps Paul White from Levin challenged everyone to remember the events of the weekend, quoting Jacob building an alter in Genesis 28.
It was a hugely successful weekend and a huge thank-you must go out to Ps Julia Kuriger and her crew from New Plymouth for hosting the event so well. The food was out-standing (best camp food ever). I personally cannot wait for next years Camp.
Posted by Ben Hoyle
(due to camp site being booked it was moved to Queen's Birthday for this year). The youth ministries from New Plymouth, Levin, Palmerston North & Wanganui converged on sunny Inglewood in Taranaki at Vertical Horizons Camp. The West Coast camps have been running for 9 years and have all had different flavours. Over the years speakers have included, Luka Robertson, Natalie Joyce, John Cameron, Paul Saunders, John Cairns & Andy Kubala.
2008 was an amazing time. Guest speakers Craig & Nadia Clark ministered in season with where we were at and the results were fantastic. 17 first time commitments on the first night was such great launching pad. The weekend got stronger and stronger as we felt the Anointing build. It was great to see the local youth pastors and leadership working together so strongly with what Craig & Nadia were leading us into. Many received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, healings were testified of, and many experienced a moving and manifest encounter with Jesus. It was just so wonderful experiencing God in such favour.
Ps Paul White from Levin challenged everyone to remember the events of the weekend, quoting Jacob building an alter in Genesis 28.
It was a hugely successful weekend and a huge thank-you must go out to Ps Julia Kuriger and her crew from New Plymouth for hosting the event so well. The food was out-standing (best camp food ever). I personally cannot wait for next years Camp.
Posted by Ben Hoyle
Monday, May 26, 2008
Catalyst
We had a great weekend at Catalyst. Held at Harvest Christian Church in Papakura, Friday night was a Youth Event involving about 10 Youth Ministries from around Auckland. Saturday was a Leaders Training Day.
Friday night we had a great move of God with many people recieving agreat touch from God and many people making decisions to follow Jesus.
Friday Night
Saturday Training:
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