Connected! Strengths, Purpose, Destiny...

Connect last night was insane. God gave a lot of revelation. I don't like coming on here and talking about what I talked about. So, I need your help. Help me recap what came out of the discussion on Strengths last night. It's your turn to talk - share the insights!

Strategies for Purity

This is our second session on purity this month. Wow, we really added to our strategies for purity! We received a purity checklist which we encouraged the youth to post somewhere where they could see it everyday. The checklist came from a program by Christine St. George. You can find it online. To paraphrase a few strategies:

• We will stay pure today & pray for our future husbands/wives. We learned to focus on inward qualities when praying for our future mates, not just physical characteristics :-)
• We will avoid putting ourselves in situations where we can be tempted. We learned to be in groups and/or have a chaperon.
  
• If we date, we will only date those who share a commitment to purity. The students decided that you should be friends first and discuss your commitment to purity. They decided if your friend couldn't honor your commitment that you show them the door to the relationship :-) These are some feisty students!
• We will be an example. We will be a light to other youth regarding purity. We will show the world what we stand for by our stand on purity. This may give other young people the courage to be pure!
• We will dress appropriately so that others won't lust. We decided that we didn't want to wear shirts that were too low cut, pants/skirts that showed our backside or bellies, or clothes that were too tight or short. We talked about how young men are sexually excited by what they see and young women are excited by feeling close to others.
  
• We will take impure thought and temptations to God in prayer. We talked about the images, lyrics that we may see/hear/read about on television, movies, songs, magazines, books and the internet.

It was a great session! Our youth are great leaders who are learning God's plan for their lives. Encourage them! We'd love to hear more from you!

Single's Strategy

We had a phenomenal time with the single people at Single's Strategy on Saturday. Prophetess Kelly Crews blessed us and we had a great discussion in the session led by Lady Camille and myself. So many topics were covered; so much was said. Now, I want to hear from you - what were your takeaways? What did you get out of the day? What would you like to continue to discuss?

Blessings,

Pastor Razel

Purity

Youth discussed purity this week. What a relevant issue for the pressures that our youth are faced with, including pressures to have sex before marriage, pornography and sexting to name a few. We talked about three Bible truths:

• God wants us to attain purity as a mark of his presence in us. 1 Thessalonians 4: 3, 7, 8
• Gaining purity is not a one-time event, but a process. 1 Thessalonians 4: 1, 2
• Purity keeps us from abusing one another. 1 Thessalonians 4: 4-6

We talked about strategies that help us in this process including:

• Avoiding being alone with members of the opposite sex.
  
• Surround yourself with other young people who value purity.
  
• Wait until you are old enough to date.
  
• Listen to your parents advice regarding your relationships.
  

Any other advice for our youth? Post so we can share with them!

Connect - In His Image, In His Strength

We had a great discussion at Connect last night. This month I'm talking about our strengths. We entered the month last night discussing the fact that we were created in the image of an omnipotent God. Each of us reflects God in some way. We have some traits, characteristics, mannerisms, abilities and strengths that reflect God and identify our connection to Him.

We learned that a strength is:

• a developed talent
• a recognized and appreciated gift
• an opportunity capitalized upon
• actualized potential

God gave us some great insight and revelation into Romans 8:28-37 (King James Version). Below I've listed 3 of the verses; tell me what you get out of these and how this relates to our Strengths!

²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Beauty For Ashes: A Night Of Healing Featuring Bishop Alfred Knight Jr.

Saturday night (March 26), as part of Victory 4U's Recovery 2011 conference, the very special guest at Victory Life Christian Ministries was Bishop Alfred Knight Jr., a Ferris State University alumnus, who returned to Big Rapids.

"Beauty for Ashes: A Night of Healing" was the title of the program featuring Bishop Knight.

Here are some photographic images shot during the powerful Word he delivered on Saturday night at the church.

Bishop Alfred Knight Jr. offers blessings at Victory 4U's Beauty for Ashes: A Night of Healing.

Bishop Knight offers blessings to Sister Vedra Saturday night.

Here is Bishop Knight prior to his introduction from Pastor Razel.

Bishop Knight and Minister Darius are shown here in this photo.

Brothers Darius, Cedric and Terrance assist Bishop Knight during Beauty for Ashes.

Pastor Razel introduced Bishop Knight to those in attendance at Beauty for Ashes.

Here is Bishop Knight near the end of the word he delivered on Saturday (March 27) evening at Victory Life Christian Ministries.

It was a powerful Knight at Victory Life Christian Ministries.

Hats Off To Victory 4U For Pulling Off A Great Conference

Saturday night (March 26) was the culmination of Victory 4U's Recovery 2011 conference. The event, sponsored by the Ferris State University student organization (an extension of Victory Life Christian Ministries), featured Bishop Alfred Knight Jr., a Ferris alumnus, who returned to Big Rapids.

Here are some members of the group of dedicated young people from Victory 4U.

Check out this powerful clip of Pastor Razel Jones delivering a word at Lighthouse Battle Creek entitled "From Ex to nEXt." This powerful life changing message will help you prepare for your promise for tomorrow, while you are in the process in your now.

Victorious Revolution Reflections

Sunday was an amazing day! What do you get when you put Victory Life together with Revolution Christian Ministries? Answer: A Victorious Revolution! Combined music departments, shadowing opportunities for many of the Overcomers, an intense worship experience, like-minded believers, a round stage and impressive sanctuary, great fellowship, Pastor Jermone and Lady Erica Glenn, Pastor Razel and Lady Camille Jones, topped off with an amazing Word presented by Pastor Tim Dilena of Highland Park, Michigan.

Share your take-aways! What did you get from the Victorious Revolution?

Missed the Victorious Revolution? For immediate viewing, everyone can log into the Revolution website at www.revolutioncm.com and go to Cyber Church. From there you can select the On Demand portal and view Sunday's Victorious Revolution Worship Experience (this week only). For actual CD/DVD purchases of the Victorious Revolution, email Revolution's media team at media360@revolutioncm.com.

Want to know what we talked about during Mission Marriage?

So, several of you have shown curiosity to know more about what we talked about during Mission Marriage. I'm not about to spill the beans, but I'll give you a small peak into the day.

Married and engaged couples came together to talk about marriage - some of the topics covered were:

• What does it really mean to submit?
• How do we effectively submit to one another?
• Customizable roles in marriage.
• What do your intentions have to do with it?
• Keeping the passion alive.
• How to recover from a breach of trust.
• What makes her a good thing?
• Having a vision for the home and for the family.
• To be the head means you need to be heading somewhere!
• God must be first and He gives the vision!
• How do 2 become 1?
• Removing walls.
• Being a healer to your spouse in 3 dimensions.
• Sacrifice - what am I willing to give up?
• and more...