Buzzing with life, the EI campus is bursting with the enthusiasm of over 100 excited young people. Yep, the annual "Totally His" Youth Conference is finally underway. "Totally His" is an unique opportunity for Young People to be encouraged together through challenging sessions, competitive sports, fellowship, fun, and mutual pursuit of Christ.
New faces. Reuniting. Forging Friendships. The loud whir of many voices catching up from the past year. Community. Excitement. Smiles. Laughs. Anticipation. All of this, and so much more, is present as the Campers gather from all over the world to set aside a week of their summer to learn more of what it means to be "totally HIS".
Wasting no time, the key speaker "Barrett Marshall" (EI graduate) opened the week with a session on the Beauty of Grace. In a culture defined by legalism, rules, nominal Christianity, and an externalistic Gospel; this topic holds a critical message for the life of every young person in the room. Using the story of the extraordinary kindness David gave to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's crippled son; Barrett depicted the Grace with which Jesus has pursued each one of us. In spite of our rebellious nature and our crippled state, He wants us. It cost Him greatly. Yet, He sent His Son to bring us near to Him by His blood, applied to our lives. Not our works or goodness, but His. And, He didnt stop there. Just like in the story of David and Mephibosheth; God didnt only pursue us, He also gave us provision. He has invited us to eat at His table, where we can experience the pleasure of His grace-- which is fellowship with Him. Mephibosheth did nothing to attempt gaining David's approval or to be worthy of his gift, he was broken and crippled. All he did, and all he could do, was respond. His response was to fall on his face and say "Here is your Servant".
Every single person faces the same dilemna. There is nothing we can ever do to earn God's favor, to warrant His outpouring of Kindness, or to cause Him to love us any more than He does at this present moment. Instead, we are left only with our response. Will we fall on our face before Him, surrendering to Him? Will we choose to apply the sacrifice of His blood to our lives? Without accepting the covering of His blood, we will never have peace with God and our relationship with Him will never be restored. Yet when this Grace is accepted, He gives us all Spiritual blessings and fellowship with Him as His adopted sons. He does not see our brokenness, but rather the righteousness of His Son. And in this realization comes freedom. Freedom from externalism and the pursuit of rules and good things...to simply fill our hearts with love for Him. To respond to His Kindness-not with a list of outward actions, but with an awestruck adoration of the Beauty of this marvelous Grace.
''
New faces. Reuniting. Forging Friendships. The loud whir of many voices catching up from the past year. Community. Excitement. Smiles. Laughs. Anticipation. All of this, and so much more, is present as the Campers gather from all over the world to set aside a week of their summer to learn more of what it means to be "totally HIS".
Wasting no time, the key speaker "Barrett Marshall" (EI graduate) opened the week with a session on the Beauty of Grace. In a culture defined by legalism, rules, nominal Christianity, and an externalistic Gospel; this topic holds a critical message for the life of every young person in the room. Using the story of the extraordinary kindness David gave to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's crippled son; Barrett depicted the Grace with which Jesus has pursued each one of us. In spite of our rebellious nature and our crippled state, He wants us. It cost Him greatly. Yet, He sent His Son to bring us near to Him by His blood, applied to our lives. Not our works or goodness, but His. And, He didnt stop there. Just like in the story of David and Mephibosheth; God didnt only pursue us, He also gave us provision. He has invited us to eat at His table, where we can experience the pleasure of His grace-- which is fellowship with Him. Mephibosheth did nothing to attempt gaining David's approval or to be worthy of his gift, he was broken and crippled. All he did, and all he could do, was respond. His response was to fall on his face and say "Here is your Servant".
Every single person faces the same dilemna. There is nothing we can ever do to earn God's favor, to warrant His outpouring of Kindness, or to cause Him to love us any more than He does at this present moment. Instead, we are left only with our response. Will we fall on our face before Him, surrendering to Him? Will we choose to apply the sacrifice of His blood to our lives? Without accepting the covering of His blood, we will never have peace with God and our relationship with Him will never be restored. Yet when this Grace is accepted, He gives us all Spiritual blessings and fellowship with Him as His adopted sons. He does not see our brokenness, but rather the righteousness of His Son. And in this realization comes freedom. Freedom from externalism and the pursuit of rules and good things...to simply fill our hearts with love for Him. To respond to His Kindness-not with a list of outward actions, but with an awestruck adoration of the Beauty of this marvelous Grace.
''
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