Hope Youth Affirmation Project Revolution

HYAPR (pronounced "hyper") may be better known to you as confirmation, affirmation of baptism or catechism.  This three-year exploration is open to anyone in 7th grade and above.  Here the youth affirm their faith in Jesus Christ and further their education in the purposes God has for their lives.

The overall mission of HYAPR is to enable students to have the courage and knowledge to publicly proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and that is where the "revolution" comes from.  It becomes necessary to revolt against our pride, our fears and the world’s ways in order for us to give ourselves completely to Christ.  To be a Christ follower is to not be a world follower which is the revolutionary idea that got Jesus killed.

For the 2011-2012 year we will be exploring the Apostles Creed and doing an overview of the Bible.

MINI RETREATS: These Sunday afternoon gatherings will begin after church is over and will start with lunch together before launching into an exploration of the roots of our faith. 

There are all kinds of habits in this world; good habits, bad habits and downright weird habits.  None of these habits happen overnight but the more you desire the habit the easier it is to form.  Our challenge is to develop the habit of spending some time every day in reading the Bible and prayer.  Check this page out every week for readings to help you do that.

Why do we want to read the Bible daily?  When you join a team you want to study the playbook and listen to the coach so you know the plays and can truly be a part of the team. In the same way, as members of God’s team we want to study his playbook, the Bible!

Do you have a hard time talking to God?  Sometimes there is nothing better than hanging out and talking with your friends. Think of talking to God in the same way.  God looks forward to conversations with you and He is there to listen to you day and night.

Eugene H. Peterson’s “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language" is available free to everyone in Hope Student Ministries.

     “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation

     through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one

     way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes,

     training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up

     for the tasks God has for us.” 2 Timothy 3:15-17 The Message

This Week's Devotions 

February 6 to 12, 2012

MONDAY:  Mark 1:40-45.  Do you WANT to help people?  Do you look for opportunities to help others?  Are you known as such a helpful person that others seek you out when they have problems?  We watch how Jesus lived so we can figure out how we are supposed to live but it is also is instructive to see how others treated Jesus because that also gives us a hint about what he was like.  Maybe people sought Christ out for help because he had an attitude that told them he WANTED to help.  Pray that your attitude would be the same as Jesus'.

TUESDAY:  2 Kings 5:1-14.  Have you ever found it hard to accept that God sacrificed himself to save you not because you are such a wonderful person but because he is a God of love?  Don't you want some credit for trying hard to be good?  We have to be like Naaman and give up our selfish desire to earn our salvation and humbly trust in what Jesus has already done for us.  Only then will we be able to do great things in God's name.

WEDNESDAY:  1 Corinthians 9:24-27.  Have you ever thought of yourself as being "in training" for heaven?  If heaven is all about worshipping God, being happy for the people around you, obeying every word of God with gladness and wanting to be as near to God as possible then I think we ALL need to get "in practice" for heaven!  If we are happy with our selfish ways then I think heaven won't seem all that heavenly to us.  To get "in shape" dig into the Bible, lift those prayers, run to help others, and don't give up on your team: the church.

THURSDAY:  Matthew 7:7-12.  Are you skeptical of Jesus' words here because you have been "direct" with God and haven't received what you wanted?  Turn what Jesus said around; suppose you asked your parents for a rattlesnake or begged them to let you eat sawdust and they, knowing these things would hurt you, refused your request.  You might be silly enough to get angry but your parents would be right to say no.  It is the same with God; many of the things we want and pray for are the equivalent of wanting to hug a rattlesnake; God is right to say no.  Pray that you can live out verse 12; that's not something God will refuse you!

FRIDAY:  Colossians 3:12-17.  T.G.I.F!  What and who are you thankful for?  It is Friday, make it a Thankful Friday!  Close your eyes and make a mental list of everything you can be thankful for.  Now smile, God has been good to you!

SATURDAY:  Proverbs 6:16-19.  This just shows how amazing and loving our God is!  He hates sin, He can't let sinners into heaven so He sacrifices His only Son Jesus so we can have eternal life.  Shouldn't we treat the people we "hate" with the same grace God has treated us hateful sinners?

SUNDAY:  Psalm 30.  Do a whirling dance right now to thank God for all he has done for you!