Good Afternoon,
Here is the message from this last Sunday. Your sons and daughters never cease to amaze me! It is an honor to be able to sow into young men and women that have been raised in greatness thanks to you! 
THE MESSAGE
I began the message with defining the word polarization. Polarization is the possession of 2 opposing attributes, tendencies, or principles. In order to explain what this means in Jr. High terms I used magnets as a demonstration. I had one magnet in my left hand and one in my right hand. I then asked when are these magnets polarized? When I bring them close to each other and the magnetic force pulls them together or when I flip one around and as I bring them closer together they push away/repel from each other? The class answered when they repel each other, which is correct. I then said, “These magnets cannot go together can they? They are polarized. But the truth is they can go together. I simply have to flip them around.”
This magnet demonstration is a great example of what often happens in our lives as Christians. To explain this point I began by asking, “What are some worldly/secular responsibilities that you have each day, such as eating and brushing teeth?” People responded with, “going to school, taking out trash, going to football, dance, soccer, doing homework, chores…” I then said, “Now tell me some Godly/holy responsibilities you have.” They replied 
with, “reading Bible, praying, going to church, being a witness…” I then asked, “Have you ever wondered how these 2 responsibilities can work together?” (With magnets polarized I brought them close to each other and they repelled). “This is what I mean by polarized. You possess both. In right hand you have worldly responsibilities, while in left hand, Godly responsibilities. BUT each is separated from each other because of polarization. They repel each other. It’s almost like they are not supposed to be with each other. If you think about it, soccer practice is just for your fun. How can God be in soccer, or school work, or dance? These are not religious holy acts like praying and reading Bible, and therefore are meaningless and a waste of time, right?” WRONG! THIS IS POLARIZED CHRISTIANITY! 
I then had everyone turn to I Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever you do, do it to glorify God.” We tell ourselves, “It is a waste of time to go to school and study, because it is not a spiritual holy thing. Working hard in P.E., or soccer—how is that holy? How is this summer reading project getting me closer to God? AND what we tend to do is separate our worldly responsibilities from our spiritual responsibilities and WE BECOME POLARIZED. Polarized Christians that believe worldly responsibilities, such as school work, dance practice, soccer, football, algebra, taking out trash ARE UNIMPORTANT BECAUSE “GOD IS NOT IN THEM” We tell ourselves, “God, who is holy cannot be in a worldly duty such as soccer practice or summer reading.
THIS IS WRONG! When this happens we are robbed of our joy! Deep down inside we “think” that we should be doing holy things that God is actually in. AND THEN WE THINK THAT CHRISTIANITY IS BORING BECAUSE GOD IS SEPARATE FROM THE FUN THINGS WE DO SUCH AS SOCCER AND DANCE.
I then explained what is supposed to happen. We are not supposed to separate our worldly responsibilities from our Godly responsibilities. In I Cor. Paul tells us in everything you do, do it to glorify God. In other words, Playing football can be just as holy as praying. GOD WANTS YOU TO FIND HIM IN ALL THE SIMPLE THINGS YOU DO. HE WANTS YOU TO INCLUDE HIM IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. God wants you to experience Him as you walk down the halls of your school, in dance practice, in algebra, science, when you sleep, when you eat, when you take out the trash…GOD IS THERE AND BECAUSE HE IS THERE HE WANTS YOU TO FIND HIM THERE!
The polarized Christian fails to do this. He separates God from these secular responsibilities. This is why it is so important to give your best in all you do and ask God to help you see and hear what he is trying to teach you. This does not mean that everything is of equal importance. Reading the Bible is more important than soccer practice or hanging out with your friends. THIS IS SIMPLY SAYING YOU MUST PLACE GOD FIRST IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
RIGHT NOW WITH SCHOOL STARTED UP AND SOCCER PRACTICE, DANCE PRACTICE, HOMEWORK, PARENT TEACHER MEETINGS AND ALL THE OTHER AFTER AND BEFORE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES PACKED INTO YOUR AND YOUR CHILDREN’S SCHEDULE IT IS VERY EASY TO BECOME A POLARIZED CHRISTIAN. IN ORDER TO STOP THE ENEMY FROM WINNING THIS BATTLE IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE. RATHER THAN JUST ASKING YOUR CHILD HOW THEIR QUIET TIME WENT TODAY YOU CAN ASK THEM HOW SCHOOL WENT, OR HOW SOCCER WENT. THEN YOU COULD ASK THEM WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD IS TRYING TO SHOW YOU THROUGH SUCH A HARD PRACTICE WHEN YOU WANTED TO QUIT? EXPLAIN TO YOUR CHILD THAT GOD IS WALKING RIGHT BESIDE THEM EVERY STEP AS THEY WALK DOWN THE HALLS OF THEIR SCHOOL. ENCOURAGE THEM AND EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT GOD GOES WITH US TO OUR CLASS ROOMS, TO DANCE PRACTICE. GOD DOESN’T DISAPPEAR WHEN WE START FOOTBALL. HE WANTS US TO HEAR HIM TALKING TO US AT OUR LOCKERS. PRAY FOR AND WITH YOUR CHILD THAT THEY WILL FIND GOD IN EVERY AREA OF THEIR LIVES.
