ypjsermons2: Recent Episodes
Jeremy Mueller
ypj is a youth pastor in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. His passion is inspiring young people to rise above the norms of society and live a life marked by purpose and passion. The only place to find that lasting sense of purpose and the passion to fulfill it is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Take a listen. Be inspired!
We often talk about Heaven and Hell as "places" people go when they die based on the life they lived. Ypj challenges our thinking about heaven and hell to view them as present realities that we play a part in bringing into our world. Every day we can choose to bring heaven into our homes, school and lives of our friends...or we can choose to bring them hell. The choice, and the responsibility to choose right, is ours.
Today's Christian youth look and act almost the same as the rest of the world...why is that? Because their spiritual foundation is weak - consisting of mostly fun, friends, and feelings. ypj begins talking about what a solid foundation that will last a lifetime is built on. The first thing - Truth.
ypj continues talking about trust using the story of Peter walking on water as an example. Peter trusted Jesus, but he also doubted. Jesus, however, didn't give up on Peter even when he fell short.
ypj talks about a problem many of us have...we like to give God little sacrifices instead of giving him what he truly wants - us - our total commitment to him.
ypj discusses Proverbs 3 and explains that there are many things that God wants us to seek after...because the result of seeking those things leads to a blessed life. Under God's umbrella are all the good things we are seeking.
Trusting doesn't come easy for most of us because we have all been hurt at some point or another. ypj discusses the life of Peter and tells us something that was really special about him...he trusted Jesus. And as a result of his trust he did something that no other disciple did...he walked on water.
God has already written your whole life story, and He wants you to come to Him so He can lead you into it. But you can't come to God on your own terms...you need to "lose yourself" in pursuit of Him. Find out what pleases God, then do it, and let Him bring into your life the things that please you.
In this final discussion on depression ypj talks about being like velcro or teflon. You can either hold onto all the negative in life (like velcro) or you can hold onto what God says about you and let the negative things slip off you (like teflon). The choice is yours. (But I'm goin' teflon.)
ypj continues his discussion on depression and talks about habits to develop in your life that will keep you from being depressed. Depression is a battle for your mind and there are ways to fight against the lies and overcome them. (I never actually ended up finishing the list I started in this episode. I will eventually do another series on depression in the future and plan to revisit this list and finish it. - ypj)
ypj exposes depression for what it is...a lie. There is a battle going on in your mind, and it is Satan's goal to bring you down so that, ultimately, he can keep you from accomplishing your purpose. The answer to depression is found in Psalm 73...getting a new perspective on your life...God's perspective.
ypj introduces the "Easy Button" God - "A laid-back, non-judgmental gentleman who is waiting around to jump in and save the day whenever you get desperate enough to cry out to him. He has very low, if any, expectations of man. If anything needs to be done, he'll take care of it, so don't you worry about it. And he is extremely concerned about your happiness." ypj points out that this is the view of God that most of society embraces and explains why this is a very dangerous view to take.
ypj continues his talk on the "Easy Button" approach to God and man's tendency to create his own idea of God. A true follower of God will live a lifestyle of seeking, surrendering, obeying, disciplining and sacrificing.
ypj begins his series about men and women passionately seeking God and becoming all the He desires them to be. We have been "set apart" by God for a specific purpose. In light of that we, as followers of Christ, cannot "copy the behaviors of this world" and fulfill our calling. The ways of this world don't work for us because you "can't fit purpose into purposelessness."
ypj continues to discuss the "Easy Button" approach to God and how that isn't reality. God has standards and expectations of us, but He is also a God that cares about us and has a destiny for each of us to fulfill.
In the final session of the "Boys and Girls" Seminar ypj gives us his ideal "step by step" process of how a relationship that is blessed by God progresses. There is no perfect formula for a relationship, but there are principles that we can apply to our lives that help us guard our hearts and bodies until the time is right.
In session 4 of the "Boys and Girls" Seminar ypj explains 10 points from the story of Adam and Eve that describe how God desires to bring a man and a woman together for a lifetime.
In session 3 of the "Boys and Girls" Seminar ypj talks about two important topics...sex and friendship. He discusses why sex is so fun and can be so dangerous. He also talks about how to set up boundaries in order to have good, pure guy/girl relationships, and gives guys and girls tips on how to relate maturely to the opposite sex.
ypj begins the "Boys and Girls" Seminar with the theme verse "Avove all else guard your heart." There are three types of promiscuity: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual - however, most teaching usually only focuses on the first: physical. God desires much more from his followers...and He also has an amazing life awaiting those who are willing to pay the price of living by his standards.
In session 2 of the "Boys and Girls" Seminar ypj discusses the downfalls of "mutual emotional attachment" (or typical dating) and describes a better way to pursue marriage that brings lasting fulfillment and glorifies God at the same time.