Ryan Dunn Edited by Jarred & Elizabeth Dunn
What can you do to prepare for the times you will be tested in your faith?
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What can you do to prepare for the times you will be tested in your faith? Day 11: Sif Super Hero Snapshot: Real Name: Sif Home: Asgard Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Special Powers/Abilities: Like most Asgardians, Sif possesses god-like powers. She has super human strength, agility, and durability. She is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and an expert with weapons such as swords. She also has been known to possess an enchanted sword that can open gateways to other worlds. Story: An Asgardian warrior, Sif has had a relationship with Thor, and frequently fights alongside him in combat. Sif shows exceptional prowess in battle, and is considered the best female warrior in all of Asgard. As a well-respected soldier, she is considered a leader among women and men. She seeks to use her strength and influence to uphold Asgard’s integrity, and to protect the human race. Judges 4:9 NCV “Of course I will go with you,” Deborah answered, “but you will not get credit for the victory. The Lord will let a woman defeat Sisera.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. In Bible times, women were treated as second-class citizens. They were regarded more as slaves than free people, and they did not have many rights. Despite the way women were viewed in their culture, God still used them in mighty ways. God called an awesome woman named Deborah to be a judge and a leader. Deborah was so well respected that she had men coming to her when they needed help with their enemies. Deborah had amazing courage. She trusted God completely, and He used her to accomplish great things! God is always waiting for us to step up so he can use us in a mighty way. God doesn’t judge our worth like the world does. He is our creator and knows we can achieve awesome things in His name! How would it have felt to be a woman during Bible times? Do you trust God completely for guidance when you are facing Big challenges in your life? Day 12: Deadman Super Hero Snapshot: Real Name: Boston Brand Home: Mobile Created by: Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino Special Powers/Abilities: Deadman’s spirit can possess anyone he chooses. Once he has inhabited their body, he controls all of their powers and abilities. Deadman is the wielder of the White Lantern Ring of Life, a powerful artifact that can resurrect the dead. Before his death, he was a trained fighter and skilled acrobat. Story: Boston Brand was a circus acrobat who was killed by a mysterious assassin. Brand’s spirit returned to the living world, where he walks among us as the ghostly superhero Deadman. Deadman is fated to wander the Earth as a restless ghost. Despite his tormented existence, he chooses to fight for the forces of good. He yearns for peace, but is destined to never find it. Unlike Deadman, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is not a ghost or spirit. He is our living God! 1 Corinthians 15:14,17 NIV And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. If we deny the resurrection of Jesus, then we deny the heart of Christianity itself. The resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the central element of our Christian faith. Jesus promised us that on the third day after His death, He would return from the dead to walk again on Earth. That's exactly what He did! Because Jesus did rise from the dead, we know and have faith that all His claims are true. We can know for sure that there is life after death. We serve and follow a risen Savior, and because of that, we have hope in Jesus Christ! Do you truly believe that Jesus died and rose again? If yes, then how can you share this truth with others? Day 13: Mister Freeze Super Villain Snapshot: Real Name: Victor Fries Home: Gotham City Created by: Bob Kane Special Powers/Abilities: Mister Freeze is a brilliant scientist and inventor with a genius level intellect. He has always been fascinated by cryogenics, and even liked to freeze animals as a child. The ice villain wields a freeze gun, and wears a special suit that preserves his body at below freezing temperatures. The costume also gives him super human strength and durability. Story: Victor Fries was an accomplished and respected scientist, whose wife Nora contracted an awful, life-threatening disease. Consumed with saving her life, Victor sought a job at GothCorp, where he had his wife cryogenically frozen while he desperately searched for a cure. One fateful night at Gothcorp, his boss intervened in one of Victor’s experiments, causing a terrible accident. Nora is tragically killed when her cryogenic capsule is destroyed in the explosion. Seeking revenge for his wife’s death, Victor became the super villain known as Mister Freeze. Revelation 3:15-16 NCV I know what you do, that you are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold—I am ready to spit you out of my mouth. You can be on fire for your faith, or as cold and dead as Mister Freeze. God doesn’t want us to be lukewarm or cold. He wants us to be hot. What does a lukewarm Christian look like? A lukewarm Christian is like a partially derailed train, blocking the tracks so no one else can get by. As Christians, when we are lukewarm, we are doing nothing for God’s kingdom. We aren’t serving Him, and we aren’t sharing the Gospel. The gift of Salvation is the greatest gift we will ever receive! We should be fired up about sharing that gift with others and living our lives for Christ! Are you experiencing a lukewarm period in your faith? How can you ignite your faith? Day 14: Rocket Raccoon Super hero Snapshot: Real Name: Rocket Raccoon Home: Halfworld; Keystone Quadrant Created by: Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen Special Powers/Abilities: Rocket possesses most of the abilities of a normal, everyday raccoon. These include an amazing sense of smell, excellent eyesight, and dense fur that naturally insulates him from the cold. His senses are much more acute than any human. An expert marksman, Rocket is well versed on weapons from all over the galaxy. He is also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, with knowledge of several fighting styles. He is a natural leader, a skillful strategist with a very tactical mind. On top of these numerous talents, he is an amazing pilot! Story: Rocket Raccoon is not your average raccoon. Do not let his fur, cute features, or small stature fool you. His bravery and loyalty far surpass most heroes in the comic book universe. He hails from a bizarre planet called Halfworld, home to other animals with human-like qualities and increased intelligence. He uses his abilities and brilliant knowledge of military strategy to protect the innocent and fight galactic villains. A member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, he and his teammates defend many endangered worlds. Talking animals protecting the universe? Check out this story of an unlikely talking animal protecting a man in the Bible. Read the story of Balaam and the donkey in Numbers 22:21-39. Numbers 22:28 NLT Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. Balaam was so stubborn and prideful; it took a talking donkey to get his attention! Many times, like Balaam, our own pride and our own agenda can distract us when God is trying to get our attention. When we are caught up in our own daily lives, we miss out on the opportunities God is setting before us. Even as life gets challenging or just plain busy, we need to be looking and listening when God is trying to remind us that He loves us and wants to protect us. When was the last time you let pride or your own agenda get in the way, and you missed the voice of God in your life? Day 15: Invisible Woman Super Villain Snapshot: Real Name: Susan “Sue” Storm Richards Home: Manhattan, New York Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Special Powers/Abilities: By mentally controlling wavelengths of light, Sue Storm can turn herself and other objects invisible. She can generate protective force fields, or create invisible objects that take their shape due to psionic force. She can also fly by producing force fields below herself in the air. Story: Susan Storm and scientist Reed Richards were romantically involved, which led to her volunteering to join him on an experimental space mission. Sue’s brother Johnny Storm and pilot Ben Grimm also joined the crew. While in space, Sue and the team were all exposed to cosmic radiation, which gave Sue the ability to turn invisible at will. With their new found powers, Sue and her friends created the superhero team the Fantastic Four. From that day on, she was known as the Invisible Girl. Sue has the choice to become invisible whenever she wants. We do not have that choice. Some of you may feel that no one even notices you are alive. You feel like you don’t matter, that your life is insignificant. You just feel invisible. Read John 20:11-16. Jesus saw Mary. He knew her, and he said her name. Mary was witnessing the resurrection of Jesus Christ with her own eyes. She had a relationship with Jesus Christ; he knew her personally. No one is invisible to God. Matthew 10:30 tells us that “God even knows how many hairs are on our head.” Just like Mary, we are all important to God, and he wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. The world can let you down, people can turn their back on you, and you can be made to feel invisible and unimportant. But you are important to God. He created you and your life has purpose through Jesus Christ! You are never alone! 1 Chronicles 16:11 NLT Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him. Is God calling you to do something that you feel is completely out of your reach, where you feel uncomfortable, weak, poorly equipped (in the world’s eyes)? Day 16: Deadpool Super Hero Snapshot: Real Name: Wade Wilson Home: Canada Created by: Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza Special Powers/Abilities: Deadpool can regenerate and heal his body, even when grievously injured. He has superhuman stamina, reflexes, and agility. He is immune to telepathy, a master of the martial arts, and an expert swordsman and marksman. He possesses many high tech devices, including ones that enable him to teleport. Story: After being diagnosed with cancer, Wade Wilson was determined to find a cure. He allowed scientists to attempt to cure him by using the same “Weapon X” trials that gave Wolverine his healing abilities. The experiments succeeded, but at a terrible price: Wade was left horribly disfigured. The agency then threw him in prison, labelling him as simply another failed experiment. But Wade led a daring escape, and soon became a mercenary who (occasionally) uses his abilities for good. Deadpool is often referred to as the “Merc with a Mouth.” He acquired this nickname from the way he talks to people. He is rude, sarcastic, mocking and tears people down. He generally is condescending, and can come across as hateful. He has a very smart mouth! Ephesians 4:29 GWT Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. When I was growing up, I was told on more than one occasion to watch my smart mouth. It was usually because I was disrespecting someone in authority, or I was coming across as a "know-it-all." I can remember seeing classmates talk to teachers with that kind of attitude and could not believe they could get away with it. Hurtful words are a window into what’s in your heart, and they can corrupt the minds and manners of the people who hear them. As Christians, we are supposed to encourage and be kind to each other. In doing so, we will show the love of Christ to all those we come in contact with. Not having control of our mouth can damage our witness as Christians. The next time you want to say something hateful, disrespectful, or even just to make fun of someone, be reminded of how we are to conduct ourselves as followers of Christ. As a follower of Jesus Christ, how can you use your words today to show the love of Christ? Is there someone in your life that you need to apologize to for the way you have spoken to them? Day 17: Marrow Super hero Snapshot: Real Name: Sarah Home: Morlock Tunnels Created by: Jeph Loeb and David Brewer Special Powers/Abilities: Marrow’s mutant powers allow her to control the growth and regeneration of bones in her skeleton. She uses these bones protruding through her skin as deadly weapons. Marrow also has two hearts and enhanced durability, which make her extremely difficult to kill. Sarah's real name is unknown, and her personal history (parents, birthplace) has not been revealed. From a young age, she began to sprout bones out of her face. As she grew, the bone spikes would grow wildly throughout her body, disfiguring her and causing her intense pain. A group of mutants known as the Morlocks took her to their underground home. The Morlocks were later killed, leaving Marrow as one of the few survivors. She later joined the X-Men, but has always struggled with protecting humans due to her own insecurities. Proverbs 3:7-8 NLT Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. When I was growing up, my mom always told me to drink milk because it would make my bones strong. The superhero Marrow’s bones are her weapons; they are what give her strength. As Christians, we should seek wisdom through the Bible, not through ourselves. The wisdom that we gain through God’s Word will help us stand against temptation and turn away from evil. It will give us strength to tackle problems, and also the wisdom and knowledge we need to live our lives for Christ. It is our milk to strengthen the bones of our faith! God’s Word is there to offer us strength. When you feel lost, when your earthly wisdom is failing you - go to God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit guide you. Do you rely on yourself for wisdom? In what areas of your life do you have “weak bones” that need to be strengthened by seeking God’s wisdom? Day 18: Storm Super hero Snapshot: Real Name: Ororo Munroe Home: Wakanda Created by: Len Wein and Dave Cockrum Special Powers/Abilities: A powerful mutant, Storm can command the weather itself. With this innate ability, she can summon rain, snow, sleet, fog, hail, and lightning. She can also create hurricane-force winds, or even sink the temperature around her to below-freezing levels. Story: Ororo is descended from a long line of African priestesses. Professor Charles Xavier recruited her into his newly assembled X-Men team, where she was given the code name “Storm.” Except for brief periods, Storm has remained an integral part of the X-Men and shares leadership of the team with Cyclops. She is also the Headmistress of the Jean Grey School (the newly re-opened “X-Mansion.”) Storm’s ability to control the weather makes her one of the most formidable mutants on the planet. Read Mark 4:35-41 and learn about when “Jesus calms the sea”. It was evening and Jesus and His disciples climbed into a boat. A big storm came in with strong winds, and high waves began hitting the boat. The disciples were afraid, and they didn’t want to drown. Jesus wasn’t afraid at all; He was calm. He was so tranquil that he was actually taking a nap! The disciples woke Jesus up; they wanted Him to save them. Jesus spoke, and the winds became calm and quiet. The storm obeyed and instantly subsided. Jesus protected His disciples from the storm. We encounter many different types of storms in our life today. We may face actual storms like tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. Other storms could be problems at school, health issues, losing a loved one, or even struggles with friends. What are some storms you have encountered in your life, and how did you handle them? Whatever storms you meet in your life, you have to trust God to help you handle them. God will support you with His love, comfort, strength, and wisdom. God will always be there to help you calm the storms in your life. Day 19: Black Hand Super Villain Snapshot: Real Name: William Hand Home: Coast City Created by: John Broome and Gil Kane Special Powers/Abilities: Black Hand has a death touch which allows him to drain the life force from human, animals, and plants. He uses an energy wand that gives him the power to disrupt and absorb the powers of a Green Lantern’s ring. He possesses a Black Lantern ring that he can use to raise the dead. Hand has a genius level intelligence and photographic memory that make him a master problem solver and criminal mastermind. Story: Before William Hand became a super villain and enemy of the Green Lantern, he grew up obsessed with death due in large part to his family being in the funeral business. He hated his family and distanced himself from them as much as possible. He grew more and more intrigued with the darker side of things, which led him into crime. He encountered the Green Lantern while committing crime in his hometown of Coast City and immediately became his enemy. The Black Hand was eventually consumed by death and darkness and joined the Black Lantern Corps, where he gained his abilities to raise the dead. He eventually took his own life only to be resurrected, which completed his obsession with the dead. Read the story of Rizpah in 2 Samuel 21. 2 Samuel 21:10 NCV Aiah’s daughter Rizpah took the rough cloth that was worn to show sadness and spread it out on a rock for herself. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell on her sons’ bodies. During the day she did not let the birds of the sky touch her sons’ bodies, and during the night she did not let the wild animals touch them. Rizpah may have seemed obsessed with the dead, not unlike Black Hand. She sat over her sons’ bodies making sure no wild animals drug them away. Her sons were killed in battle and no one would bury them. So deeply saddened by the loss of her sons, she sat for weeks with the bodies and refused to give up. King David finally stepped in to help Rizpah. He made sure the bodies received the proper burial they deserved, giving their mother the peace she so desperately needed. We can learn much from Rizpah. Despite the horrible job she had to do, she showed great patience and persistence. Whenever you encounter something difficult in your life, don’t give up! Be patient and trust in God. Have you ever been in a difficult situation that required you to be patient and/or persistent? Were you able to learn something as a result of your experience? How can you use your experience to help others? Day 20: Parasite Super Villain Snapshot: Real Name: Raymond Maxwell Jensen Home: Metropolis Created by: Jim Shooter Special Powers/Abilities: Parasite has the ability to absorb the life energy of anyone he comes in contact with including super heroes. When he absorbs their life force, he can gain that person’s intelligence, strength, stamina, and even the powers associated with super heroes. He also has the ability to see and sense life energy. He has to remain in contact with the person for several seconds in order to drain their power. Story: Raymond Maxwell Jensen was a petty criminal who got a job at a scientific research center. Jensen was tricked into opening a toxic waste container, which exposed him to hazardous radioactive waste. This exposure transformed him into the Parasite; a purple skinned, parasitic super villain. He has battled Superman, and on occasion, temporarily absorbed his super powers. In essence, absorbing other’s characteristics, temporarily transforms him into someone else. Genesis 1:27 GWT So God created humans in His image. In the image of God He created them. He created them male and female. Psalm 139:14 NLT Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. God made us all in His image, and He also made us all complex and different. As teenagers, you sometimes struggle with trying to fit in, to be a part of a group or a crowd. We can go to great lengths to accomplish this. We dress like other people, talk like other people, and sometimes, we even put ourselves in situations we shouldn’t be in just to fit in and be accepted by a certain group. It’s almost like we are trying to “absorb” other’s characteristics or qualities. God made each one of us different so we could be individuals. Being a part of a group and having friends is important, but don’t give up who God made you to be to do it. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We should use the gifts and talents He has given us to be who we need to be in Christ. When we do that, the sky is the limit! Are you trying to be someone you are not just so you can fit in with the crowd? What can you do to start trusting God to be the person He created you to be? Day 21: Groot Super Hero Snapshot: Real Name: Groot Home: Planet X Created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers Directory: 2016 2016 -> Senate, No. 627 State of new jersey 217th legislature 2016 -> 2017 afoCo Landmark Scholarship Program 2016 -> Instructions for the Preparation of Camera-Ready Contributions to the Conference Proceedings 2016 -> Strategic Plan South Sudan Country Office Context 2016 -> Original: English 2016 -> Step student Scholarships for Year 10-13 2016 -> Resolution 2016 -> American bar association adopted by the house of delegates Download 151.39 Kb. Share with your friends:
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