Who is at the center of our Who is at the center of our lives????lives????

Upstate NY Youth DayUpstate NY Youth DaySt. Mark Church, Rochester, NYSt. Mark Church, Rochester, NY

August 23, 2014August 23, 2014

Who is my God ?Who is my God ?

• For some …For some …– Business is GodBusiness is God– Money is GodMoney is God– Power is GodPower is God– Pleasure is GodPleasure is God

• For true Christians, God is their God and For true Christians, God is their God and the center of their being !!!the center of their being !!!

Three important questionsThree important questions

• Why should God be at the center ?Why should God be at the center ?

• How do we know who is at the How do we know who is at the center?center?

• How do we make God at the center?How do we make God at the center?

Why ?Why ?

• God is our creator, our father, our savior, God is our creator, our father, our savior, our belovedour beloved

• Without God, we live in fear, anxiety, Without God, we live in fear, anxiety, worry, hatred, divisiveness, …etc.worry, hatred, divisiveness, …etc.

• In God, we have peace, joy, love,…etc.In God, we have peace, joy, love,…etc.

• We were created for God, and we will find We were created for God, and we will find no rest until we rest in Himno rest until we rest in Him

Man’s LifeMan’s Life

• Say you are now in high school or Say you are now in high school or college, what is next ?college, what is next ?

IndicatorsIndicators• What consumes your thoughts, your day-What consumes your thoughts, your day-

dreaming?dreaming?

• Look at the 24 hours you have in a given day, Look at the 24 hours you have in a given day, and think about how it is allocatedand think about how it is allocated

• Look at how you spend your resourcesLook at how you spend your resources

• Look at your conversations and their focusLook at your conversations and their focus

IndicatorsIndicators

• Look at the motivation behind your Look at the motivation behind your actions?actions?

• Study your feelings when you are Study your feelings when you are honored or cursedhonored or cursed

• Look at your goals and objectivesLook at your goals and objectives

How ?How ?

• Establish a personal relationship with Establish a personal relationship with ChristChrist

• Establish a relationship with His WordEstablish a relationship with His Word

• Experience His LoveExperience His Love

A relationship with ChristA relationship with Christ

• Talk to Him throughout the Talk to Him throughout the day in the spirit of sonship day in the spirit of sonship and loveand love

• Meditate on His love and what Meditate on His love and what He did for youHe did for you

• Practice the Jesus PrayerPractice the Jesus Prayer

A relationship with His WordA relationship with His Word

• The Bible as a personal message to The Bible as a personal message to youyou

• The story of St. AnthonyThe story of St. Anthony

• Quiet TimeQuiet Time

Experience His LoveExperience His Love

• Meditate on the CrossMeditate on the Cross

• Taste how sweet it is to live with the Taste how sweet it is to live with the LordLord