The “Body” of Christ

iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U, Tessa Hall

You have legs to walk; eyes to see; ears to hear, and a nose to smell. If it weren’t for these body parts, which contain a specific assignment, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish certain jobs.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NCV) says:

“If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them… Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are really necessary. And the parts of the body we think are less deserving are the parts to which we give the most honor… Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body.”

God has given each of us a gift to help build his kingdom. You have talented hands to write, but those same hands may not be skilled to paint. These talents were chosen by our Creator for each of us specifically!

We are called to glorify God and help others by using the talents he has given us. It doesn’t work well to go outside of your calling. Why would you want to use a body part for something other than the function it was given?

Think of how much stronger the body of Christ would be if each of us did the assignment that God has given us. Let’s all work together by using our gifts as we allow God to teach, heal, and reach others—one gift at a time.

TESSA HALL

Tessa Hall is a writing and coffee obsessed seventeen-year-old. She lives for Christ only and believes that it’s not just a religion, but a relationship. Her Young Adult, Christian fiction contemporary novel, Purple Moon, is currently under contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She also writes a blog called “Christ is Write” where she posts teen devotions, writing tips, book reviews, author interviews, and coffee recipes.

Tessa has always enjoyed writing and has a passion to spread God’s healing, love, and comfort to her peers through the written word. Some of her other passions include acting, film, music, photography, and dance. She has big dreams and high hopes for her future, but believes that God can grant the desires of her heart as long as she puts Him first. Her favorite scripture is Ecclesiastes 11:9 (MSG): “You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.”
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God Has His Own Eraser

Aimee Lynch, iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U

It was the second hour of history class and my brain was functioning on power saver. I nodded occasionally to let the teacher know I was still cognizant, but beyond that I was there only in body. Gradually I came up for air, and was struck by what I heard.

The unit we were studying was on Abraham’s life. The teacher was talking about the many terrible ways that he sinned against God. He lied about his wife being his sister … twice, he tried to force God’s promise of a son to come true on his own, and he didn’t act as the leader of his house to end the disputes between Sarah and her servant, Hagar.

Yet, even though Abraham made countless mistakes, God was still faithful to bring about his promise for his life. He did not hold Abraham’s deeds against him. God has his own eraser, and he uses it all the time with the sins of his chosen people.

It is so freeing to know that God will bring about his plan even when I mess up. He has a goal at the end of this, and I can be sure that he will accomplish it. My part is only to follow his direction for my life as best as I can.

Like Abraham, God called you when He drew you to himself. Follow his direction even in the smallest things. Don’t despair when something seems to go wrong because God is powerful enough to use it to his glory.

I’m sure glad I came up for air.

AIMEE LYNCH

Aimee Lynch is a homeschooled high-school student in Gaithersburg MD. She has a heart for children whose parents are divorced because she grew up in a single-parent home after her own parents divorced when she was five. Her blog, allfilledup.wordpress.com, is a place where she seeks to encourage other kids in difficult situations. In what little free time she has, she enjoys gardening, reading, getting involved in various youth projects, taking walks on the beach, and writing articles. (read more…)

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real devo: good out of bad

iBegat the Begotten, IBegat Trouble, iBegat U

I’ve never been a huge fan of change.

Maybe because when I was little, it seemed that change only brought bad things. Change brought stressful jobs to my dad. Change moved me away from my best friends. Change was a little bit scary. And change hurt.

Then I grew up (not necessarily matured, just sayin’,) and realized that change could also bring good things. Change brought a better job to dad. Change moved me to new friends. Change wasn’t so scary anymore, and sometimes it could even be fun!

Then I grew some more and realized that God always has a plan or my life, and He uses the change to bring good things from it.

Always. Every time. Maybe not instantly, maybe not anything that we can see, but we can be assured that He will bring… Read the rest of this article at Real Teen Faith!

By RTF Staff Writer Shannon Meiers

SHANNON MEIERS

Shannon Meiers is a 16 year old home-schooled sophomore in high-school. Shes an aspiring writer, and is currently working with the special needs ministries at her church. Shannon, or Shan as her friends know her, is constantly learning new things about God’s grace, forgiveness, and unmeasurable love. Shannon came to know Christ at the age of 5, and has been striving to live for him ever since!

Relish Your Youth

iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U, Tessa Hall

“You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But also know that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.” (Ecclesiastes 11:9 MSG)

Your cell phone explodes with text messages on the latest gossip. The girl in math class got in trouble with the cops last weekend. Your ex-best friend’s boyfriend dumps her the day before prom. Sound familiar? You’ve probably found it pretty difficult to stay true to Christ through all of this drama, peer pressure, and insecurities.

However, this is a valuable time our lives. Ecclesiastes 11:9 (MSG) says to “make the most of your youth” and pursue your dreams—not get so caught up in the teenage lifestyle that we forget who we belong to and the reason that we were put on this earth. Think about it, what we do now influences who we will become the rest of our lives!

I challenge you to be different from other teenagers. Use the desires that God has placed on your heart. Don’t wait until after college to go after your dreams. But make sure that you don’t ignore the last sentence of this scripture: “You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.”

The teenage life will fade away; what we do for Christ will last forever.

TESSA HALL

Love Never Gives Up

iBe SHEgat, iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U

“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first”, doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.” (1 Corinthian 13: 4-8 The Message)

Sara Bareilles, a popular singer, describes being controlled by a guy in her song Gravity: “You hold me without touch, You keep me without chains.”

When I was a senior in high school, I met a charming and funny guy who I fell head over heels in “love” with. Looking back, I have realized how unhealthy that relationship was for me. I was verbally abused, called names, and controlled for a year of my life by someone who never deserved me in the first place.

When I moved away for college, I was enlightened by 1 Corinthian 13, where God describes to us a love that is so amazing that it never fails, never gets angry, always trusts, and always perseveres. I realized that the relationship I was in wasn’t any of those things and it definitely wasn’t a Godly relationship. I broke the relationship off and by doing so I regained my self-confidence and became a girl who wasn’t going to let people push her around, especially silly boys.

It can be hard to get out of abusive and unhealthy relationships, but you must always remember that you are the most important person in the situation. If you are in a relationship that is bad for you, think about yourself and your future. Never let a guy hold you back from being everything you can be. Search for the type of love that God describes in 1 Corinthian 13 and never settle for less than you deserve.

McKenna Watts is originally from Hueytown, Alabama, but currently resides in Livingston, Alabama where she attends the University of West Alabama. McKenna works for a daycare at a Methodist church where she teaches a three-year-old daycare class. McKenna is majoring in elementary education and wants to teach kindergarten after she graduates. McKenna began writing at an early age and is now a staff member with the Southern Christian Writers Conference based out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama that her family has run and operated for the past 20 years.

Follow Me

iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U

“And He said to them, ‘Follow Me , and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:19-20 NASB)

Have you ever gone fishing? It’s a simple sport and it doesn’t take long to learn. If you’ve never been fishing, what you do is bait the hook, put it in the water, wait for a tug, and pull the fish in. For Peter and Andrew, they knew this well, since this was something they did every day. I find that’s the way Jesus spoke; He used phrases and parables that His listeners understood. For Peter and Andrew, it was fishing.

Jesus says “Follow Me.” He doesn’t say “Follow Me if you want.” No, Jesus’ command is to follow Him. If we obey Him, He “will make us fishers of men.” When we follow Him, we get to take part in the awesome ministry of telling others about Him. Jesus doesn’t NEED us to help Him, but He gives us this special privilege.

I know what you’re thinking. “I’m just a kid, no one will take me seriously. Witnessing is hard, and when I do witness, no one responds well.” 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Don’t be afraid because of your age.

Go all out for God!

Kaylie Hathaway is a fourteen year old ninth grader with a passion for writing. She writes novels, poems, and devotionals of all types. One of her favorite quotes on writing is, “If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don’t write, because our culture has no use for it.” by Anais Nin. This quote explains exactly how Kaylie writes, pouring out her soul into everything, hoping that the readers grasp this passion.

Kaylie completed her first book when she was ten years old. She’s pursued her passion by taking writing classes in her home-school co-op group, going to the Colorado Christian Writer’s Conference, entering the Poem-A-Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, and writing speeches for competitions she’s participated in in 4-H.

In addition to writing, Kaylie enjoys acting, dancing, reading, karate, baking, sports, and just hanging out with her friends. She one day hopes to be a published author and to be able to give others a joy for writing by becoming an English teacher for high-schoolers.

Kaylie is loving life in Texas with her parents and three siblings, aspiring her dreams, and looking forward to the future.

A New Vision

iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U

They may not actually have mouths that speak, but we can still hear their voice. They may not say audible words, but they shout a message loud and clear. Everywhere we look, we are surrounded by advertisements, televisions, billboards, songs, and magazines that announce their message saying, “You have to look a certain way, dress a certain way, act a certain way.”

These messages are loud, but their not true. Our culture shouts lies that cloud our view of ourselves and God. Because of this, we look in the mirror with blurry, unfocused vision. My skin is too pale. My hair is too flat. My waist is too big. My face is too plain.

No matter how loudly these voices speak, God’s voice is more powerful. No matter how blurry our vision may be when we look at ourselves in the mirror, the Lord is able to restore our sight. All we need is a new pair of lenses, which are the words of truth from the Bible.

“The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He takes great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV1984 )

God delights in you! He rejoices over who He made you to be. When you look in the mirror, see yourself the way God sees you: beautiful, valued, treasured, and full of purpose. God is ready to give you a new vision, a vision not skewed by our culture. With this clear vision, you will be able to see how precious you really are.

Thought for the day: As you notice the messages around you that our culture shouts, remember God’s voice is true and He says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

ASHLI ROUSSEL

Ashli Roussel, a nineteen-year-old sophomore at Harding University, is passionate about sharing the truth and love of the Lord through writing. She loves camping, running, playing the piano, and participating in missions. Most of all, she is passionate about knowing, following, and serving her Lord and Savior. Without Him, her stories would mean nothing.

Ashli has battled and overcome an eating disorder, which God used to teach her great truths about who He is and how He is involved in our struggles. Now she desires to comfort others with the comfort that she has received from God. Keep an eye out for Ashli’s regular articles on iBegat.com! (read more…)

A Lesson from Cheerio

Aimee Lynch, iBegat the Begotten, iBegat U

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” (John 10:4 ESV)

A couple months ago my family did something unlikely–we got a dog. Yes, the Lynch family, a self-declared no-dog family for 16 years, acquired a dappled dachshund puppy named Cheerio.

God has actually been teaching me a lot about myself through our new puppy. For instance, Cheerio follows me everywhere. Today I went to get the mail and he stood at the door and barked until I came back inside. He doesn’t let me out of his sight for a minute Sometimes I sit down to do homework on the couch and he goes to sleep nearby. But the second I stand up, he is ready to come with me to wherever I might be going.

Just like that, I am supposed to keep my attention always on Jesus so that I can follow him. John 10:4 says, “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

Notice that verse says that the sheep follow him because they know his voice. We have to know who we are following if we are going to walk in his steps. Have you ever had to meet up with someone you have never seen before? It can be difficult if you don’t have a description of what the person looks like. We have to get to know Jesus better so we can see his footprints.

In the near future I will have to start making some big decisions such as which college to attend and what job I should prepare for. Through it all I need to be like my little puppy, keeping my eyes on God so I can find out his plan for me.

I want to be someone who is willing to follow God wherever he goes. Who’s with me?

AIMEE LYNCH

The God Who Bears Our Burdens

iBegat the Begotten, IBegat Trouble, iBegat U

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation.” (Psalm 68:19 NIV1984)

A skit was performed at my grandmother’s church on Good Friday that deeply impacted me.

After the pastor’s message, two well known ladies In the church seated themselves next to the pulpit, at a small table with coffee mugs in their hands, and packs on their backs.

Their talk went something like this:

“Oh, I was so hoping that my husband and I would be able to go up to Canada for our vacation this year, but with the economy the way it is, I just don’t think it’s possible.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Yeah, and I really need it this year. Everything is just so stressful.”

“Yeah, I mean, look at the world, it’s so unbelievably messed up! There’s so much wrong with our world!”

As the ladies continued their conversation, a large rock was being added to the packs on their backs every time they worried about the stuff in their lives. When they tried to stand up, they couldn’t because they were being weighed down.

Toss Your Burdens Aside

They had to do something, so they prayed. Lo and behold, as they prayed, their burdens were removed and they once more felt alive, light and refreshed.

As I watched, I felt like a bullet had just hit me between the eyes. I had what could be described as an epiphany. I felt like I finally got it.

God doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy or painless, however, they will be easier and less painful if we allow him to take our burdens.

And when we do so, we will feel lighter and be better equipped to follow Him, unburdened by the unnecessary things of this world.

SHANNON MEIERS

The “Body” of Christ

God Has His Own Eraser

real devo: good out of bad

Relish Your Youth

Love Never Gives Up

Follow Me

A New Vision

A Lesson from Cheerio

The God Who Bears Our Burdens

PLACES TO GO

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