Love RiotSample

  

Day 1

Diagnosing the Problem

Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11, Luke 14:25-35, Matthew 5:13-16

Meet Trevor. He’s sixteen years old. He’s been in church his entire life, but he recently told me, “I feel like something’s missing. I know God is real. I’ve seen Him work in other people’s lives, but I can’t seem to find the strength to change, so I’ve just kind of put God on the back burner.” 

Trevor isn’t the only one who feels this way. I’ve battled apathy and complacency in my walk with God. I’m sure you have as well. There are thousands of teenagers who have given in to low expectations and fallen into the trap of believing that our teen years don’t matter and that a relationship with God doesn’t matter. We’re just ordinary teenagers, hanging out in church buildings and at youth groups. We might think we’re doing enough, but deep in our souls we know we have so much more we could give. 

I know it. You know it. 

We’re passionate teens with a passionless faith, who claim to serve a passionate God in a passionless church. But God is calling us to something greater. 

Instead of a life of complacency, God is calling us to live sold-out for His glory. Instead of pushing Him to the back-burner, God desires to be first and foremost in our lives.

We’ve tolerated our own indifference long enough. We’ve made excuses long enough. The time for change is now. The moment to arise and reject apathy and pursue Christ has come. 

The low expectations may not change. Our external circumstances may not change. But we can. Our friends may not understand and our peers may not agree, but we can take a stand for Christ, rip off the cloak of complacency, and learn to live wholeheartedly for Jesus in spite of it all. 

Today, I invite you to join me on a journey away from the world and toward Christ. 

I can’t promise it’ll be easy. In fact, it might be incredibly painful. It’ll stretch you and challenge you, but I can guarantee it’ll change you. 

It’s time to lay down your pursuit of everything else and run after the One who has everything you need. It’s time to stop pushing God to the back burner and instead choose to live wholeheartedly for Him.

What kind of passion do you need to transform your life? How radical are you willing to get? What kind of love will it take to make you give your all? 

Let’s start this love riot.