My Faith in COLLEGE
Your Faith
One of the biggest challenges in student ministry is the fall-back sin. Many students are active in the faith; they pray a lot, fast many times, read and re-read the bible, hear God speak and much more in the faith. All in all, after college education, most testimonies go down the drain. Prayer becomes a burden, Keshas a thing of the past, meals are never missed… just to mention a few. What is the problem? In two words: ENVIROMENTAL CHRISTIANITY.
Genesis 25: 27-34
Esau Sells His Birthright
27 As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home.
28 Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.
30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)
31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
Esau is a respected man in the field of hunting. For us, we are known for our faith. Some of us are even called;
Some statements such as;
trail your movements.
But observation shows that many college guys sell of their faith immediately after college. Why?
Esau comes back home, exhausted and hungry. A sweet aroma welcomes him from the distance of the homestead entrance. He is attracted to run to it and does so. A conversation ensues between him and his bro.
30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)
31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
Jacob has worked hard the whole day to get a hunt for the family only to come back home with nothing. This never feels good.
Some of us work hard and actively in ministries while in College only to live school and it takes a while to get a job. Your family is in ruins, you get a job and they are paying peanuts(stipend). Maybe our results are not as good as we hoped among many other mis-comings. We feel starved (Vs 32).
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
After all we’ve done for Christ, is this what he does for us? We feel left alone, rejected, ignored and at times not loved. The bible however says in Romans 8:35, 36 and 37,
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Don’t think that way. God still loves you. Do not fear all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. You are more than a conqueror. Do not loose faith. Do not fear do not be dismayed when the dark seasons come. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel and Jesus is the Light. He is the Light of the world and soon, God will say let there be light.
But how do you avoid failing your faith in life after college? When that job is offered to you and you have to give up your faith to work there?
Esau was offered some stew (Vs 29, 34).
29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
How do you avoid loosing your faith (prayer, scripture reading and fellowship) after college? Avoid Environmental Christianity.
Prayer
Why do you pray? Why do you go for morning devotion? Why do you fast? Don’t do it because you are required by the cu leaders. No! Do it because God requires it. Scripture exhorts us to pray without ceasing. To pray for one another and pray for our leaders. David said in Psalm 116: 1, 2,
1 I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Let us pray as long as we have breath. God loves talking. He is a talkative God. Let us go to Him in prayer. He not only calls us to pray, but He also bends down to listen. He is interested in hearing us out and meeting with our needs.
It has been said; No prayer, No power. Some prayer, Some power. MUCH PRAYER, MUCH POWER.
I pray that we will fall in love with God so much that we cannot spend a day without taking time to talk with Him. Conversation with God is so special that it is called PRAYER. Who else do you pray to?
Fellowship
Why do we go for fellowships? Why are we in the ministry we are in? don’t be there because of someone. No! Be there because the Lord requires that we fellowship. Hebrews 10: 23-25 says,
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Be a part of the Church of Christ not just a part of a Congregation in the Church of Christ.
Scripture
May we be continually active in reading the scriptures. It is common to think of the book of Romans as a letter to the Romanian church alone, or Philemon as a letter to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and the Church from Paul and Timothy. But may I present it to you that it is a letter from God to you. Written with you in mind. All Genesis to Revelation was written with Japheth in mind. It was written with you in mind. Read your letters.
A story is told of a family that had a bible in the house that was never rear by anyone of them. Their 2yr old child took not that nobody ever read the book, and one day asked to whom it belonged (hi kitabu ni ya nani?). One of the older family members responded and said it belongs to God, only for the 2yr to suggest – si basi arudishiwe?
Timothy was exhorted by Paul to study the word to show himself approved unto God, a work man who needeth not to be put to shame. 2 Timothy 2:15
15 Work hard (study) so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Galatians 6:11 notes,
11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.
This is not Paul’s handwriting but rather the handwriting of … GOD. (you get it?)
Let us encourage ourselves to read and study the scriptures not because we are in BS or because we need to give a testimony. NO! Study to show yourself approved unto God not man.
If we pray, fellowship and read the word according to the will of God, the fall-back sin will not be our portion.
One of the biggest challenges in student ministry is the fall-back sin. Many students are active in the faith; they pray a lot, fast many times, read and re-read the bible, hear God speak and much more in the faith. All in all, after college education, most testimonies go down the drain. Prayer becomes a burden, Keshas a thing of the past, meals are never missed… just to mention a few. What is the problem? In two words: ENVIROMENTAL CHRISTIANITY.
Genesis 25: 27-34
Esau Sells His Birthright
27 As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home.
28 Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.
30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)
31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
Esau is a respected man in the field of hunting. For us, we are known for our faith. Some of us are even called;
ule boi ameokoka,
kale kamanzi ka savedy,
ule jama wa church,
ule manzi wa cu
Some statements such as;
ule boi uombanga!
ule manzi ni msee word.
usichezee ule m-shee, utaombewa.
wewe ni roommate wa jane? Lazima utaokoka
trail your movements.
But observation shows that many college guys sell of their faith immediately after college. Why?
Esau comes back home, exhausted and hungry. A sweet aroma welcomes him from the distance of the homestead entrance. He is attracted to run to it and does so. A conversation ensues between him and his bro.
30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)
31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
Jacob has worked hard the whole day to get a hunt for the family only to come back home with nothing. This never feels good.
Some of us work hard and actively in ministries while in College only to live school and it takes a while to get a job. Your family is in ruins, you get a job and they are paying peanuts(stipend). Maybe our results are not as good as we hoped among many other mis-comings. We feel starved (Vs 32).
32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
After all we’ve done for Christ, is this what he does for us? We feel left alone, rejected, ignored and at times not loved. The bible however says in Romans 8:35, 36 and 37,
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Don’t think that way. God still loves you. Do not fear all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. You are more than a conqueror. Do not loose faith. Do not fear do not be dismayed when the dark seasons come. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel and Jesus is the Light. He is the Light of the world and soon, God will say let there be light.
But how do you avoid failing your faith in life after college? When that job is offered to you and you have to give up your faith to work there?
Esau was offered some stew (Vs 29, 34).
29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt (dislike, hate) for his rights as the firstborn.
How do you avoid loosing your faith (prayer, scripture reading and fellowship) after college? Avoid Environmental Christianity.
Prayer
Why do you pray? Why do you go for morning devotion? Why do you fast? Don’t do it because you are required by the cu leaders. No! Do it because God requires it. Scripture exhorts us to pray without ceasing. To pray for one another and pray for our leaders. David said in Psalm 116: 1, 2,
1 I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Let us pray as long as we have breath. God loves talking. He is a talkative God. Let us go to Him in prayer. He not only calls us to pray, but He also bends down to listen. He is interested in hearing us out and meeting with our needs.
It has been said; No prayer, No power. Some prayer, Some power. MUCH PRAYER, MUCH POWER.
I pray that we will fall in love with God so much that we cannot spend a day without taking time to talk with Him. Conversation with God is so special that it is called PRAYER. Who else do you pray to?
Fellowship
Why do we go for fellowships? Why are we in the ministry we are in? don’t be there because of someone. No! Be there because the Lord requires that we fellowship. Hebrews 10: 23-25 says,
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Be a part of the Church of Christ not just a part of a Congregation in the Church of Christ.
Scripture
May we be continually active in reading the scriptures. It is common to think of the book of Romans as a letter to the Romanian church alone, or Philemon as a letter to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and the Church from Paul and Timothy. But may I present it to you that it is a letter from God to you. Written with you in mind. All Genesis to Revelation was written with Japheth in mind. It was written with you in mind. Read your letters.
A story is told of a family that had a bible in the house that was never rear by anyone of them. Their 2yr old child took not that nobody ever read the book, and one day asked to whom it belonged (hi kitabu ni ya nani?). One of the older family members responded and said it belongs to God, only for the 2yr to suggest – si basi arudishiwe?
Timothy was exhorted by Paul to study the word to show himself approved unto God, a work man who needeth not to be put to shame. 2 Timothy 2:15
15 Work hard (study) so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Galatians 6:11 notes,
11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.
This is not Paul’s handwriting but rather the handwriting of … GOD. (you get it?)
Let us encourage ourselves to read and study the scriptures not because we are in BS or because we need to give a testimony. NO! Study to show yourself approved unto God not man.
If we pray, fellowship and read the word according to the will of God, the fall-back sin will not be our portion.
Amen?
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