This year instead of a Halloween Party we hosted a Pirate Party. The idea for themed youth group nights came from our summer planning team meetings. The youth were very excited about doing a pirate night at some time and we figured this would be a good way to incorporate that idea into our Halloween party night.
Now, you may wonder how pirates, pirate ships, skulls and crossbones could fit with a church youth group night. Well, it was fairly easy actually. Let me share with you the devotion we had for that evening. We always have a time of worship or devotions for our large group nights.
1 Timothy 1:18-19 says, “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.”
Pirates had many dangers and shipwrecks were one of those dangers. A shipwreck meant the loss of their transportation, their means of gaining income, loss of property and life. If they shipwrecked it meant damage to their ship, loss of that ship. Someone may have caused the shipwreck by not following the map or by reading the compass or stars incorrectly.
Paul is writing to Timothy about the possibility of shipwrecks in our faith. He gives us some guidelines to help us keep on the true course and keep our ship secure. We are first told to follow instructions, follow our treasure map, our guide. That is God. We can read the Bible, be in prayer, attend church and Sunday School. Our faith grows when we read and obey God’s word. We have a better chance of staying on course and not shipwrecking when we follow God.
We are told to hold onto faith. We are not to be like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6-8). We have to keep working on growing in faith. The pirates had to keep working on their ship-cleaning the decks, checking their sails, watching for storms. We also need to keep looking to our guide, being in prayer, being attentive to keeping our ship in top form.
A good conscience means to act in the right way, do what we know is right. If the pirates didn’t keep the ship ready or strong it would fail. They had to do what they knew was right for their ship. Not that their behavior was right, we know that. But, we have many ways to work on having a good conscience. And we need to always be working on that in our lives. Learning from our parents and teachers, applying what we learn from our Bible reading and instruction.
We must obey God (follow our map). We need to hold onto faith (follow the compass, don’t be tossed around). We have to listen and follow what is right.
We work hard not to shipwreck. But, sometimes we do. That may happen. But, if we do have a shipwreck we know we can turn to God to once again point us in the right direction and we can get our ship on course once again.
Now, you may wonder how pirates, pirate ships, skulls and crossbones could fit with a church youth group night. Well, it was fairly easy actually. Let me share with you the devotion we had for that evening. We always have a time of worship or devotions for our large group nights.
1 Timothy 1:18-19 says, “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.”
Pirates had many dangers and shipwrecks were one of those dangers. A shipwreck meant the loss of their transportation, their means of gaining income, loss of property and life. If they shipwrecked it meant damage to their ship, loss of that ship. Someone may have caused the shipwreck by not following the map or by reading the compass or stars incorrectly.
Paul is writing to Timothy about the possibility of shipwrecks in our faith. He gives us some guidelines to help us keep on the true course and keep our ship secure. We are first told to follow instructions, follow our treasure map, our guide. That is God. We can read the Bible, be in prayer, attend church and Sunday School. Our faith grows when we read and obey God’s word. We have a better chance of staying on course and not shipwrecking when we follow God.
We are told to hold onto faith. We are not to be like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6-8). We have to keep working on growing in faith. The pirates had to keep working on their ship-cleaning the decks, checking their sails, watching for storms. We also need to keep looking to our guide, being in prayer, being attentive to keeping our ship in top form.
A good conscience means to act in the right way, do what we know is right. If the pirates didn’t keep the ship ready or strong it would fail. They had to do what they knew was right for their ship. Not that their behavior was right, we know that. But, we have many ways to work on having a good conscience. And we need to always be working on that in our lives. Learning from our parents and teachers, applying what we learn from our Bible reading and instruction.
We must obey God (follow our map). We need to hold onto faith (follow the compass, don’t be tossed around). We have to listen and follow what is right.
We work hard not to shipwreck. But, sometimes we do. That may happen. But, if we do have a shipwreck we know we can turn to God to once again point us in the right direction and we can get our ship on course once again.
posted by Leslie | 7:49 AM
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