For the second week, we were blessed to have Marty and Betty Proctor come and talk with us about their lives, and their wisdom for us as young people.  We are grateful to have leaders in our church who care as much as Marty and Betty.  They had so much to say... it will be impossible to put all the good thoughts in one single post.  (I may have to split it up.)

I don't think they meant it as a common theme... but something that Betty Said early on that resonated in my mind:

“We are Spiritual Beings on a Human Path – Not Humans on a spiritual Path.  God made us to last forever”

I LOVE to think about the lessons and wisdom she has learned from her life experiences..... unless we BELIEVE AND TRUST that we are spiritual beings... it makes it so much harder to trust in God when bad things happen.  From what I can tell, that’s not just a comment, that is their living testimony.  They opened up their lives to us... I'm sure they would do the same for you if you ask them.

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I want to make sure I cover the Challenges that Marty and Betty gave us though the evening. 

• Challenge:  Don't forget about Friendship Evangelism.
• What a privilege it is to get to know people.  It's a privilege to get to know people even if you don't "Bring them to Christ."  Pass on scripture to others, take them out to lunch, invite them over, etc.  Show the love of God in everything you do.
   
• Challenge: Find your "Go"
• In Matthew 26.  God gives us a challenge to:
  "19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
  God specifically tells us to "Go." And the question that Marty wanted to raise is "Where is your Go?"  What are you doing to "Go" and be out there.  We don't need all the answers, we can let the holy spirit do the work.  Our Go might be around the corner.  Our Go might be in the workplace.... We just need to GO!!
• Challenge:  Be careful to say "I'll Pray for You"
• In our daily lives, It is so easy for us to say… "I’ll pray for you" and then walk away.  But it is so hard for us to just stop and pray? There is nothing that is stopping us from saying a quick prayer, whether outside, in public or wherever.  Just stop and do it.   
• Even if we are over email/Facebook/text.  Say it.... Let them know you are praying for them. Actively.

When the Proctors left us, they ended it on something very profound... and something we should always gauge our life by.  "The Ultimate Test of Maturity"

Hebrews 5:11-14
 11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In this passage, there is a description between what the mature need, and what the infants need.  However, the key to what a maturity is in the very last sentence.  "Have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
The ultimate test of maturity is the ability to discern “the difference between Good and Evil.”  And in turn, this can become such a key indicator of when someone is or isn’t ready to be a leader.  In our lives, in our study, in our relationships, and friendships.... we should always remember that.  We are to train ourselves to be mature leaders.... to do so.  We need to be trained to distinguish between good and evil.

I love it when God's word gives us clear advice.

Thank you to our leaders for pointing this out.