The Biological Hand Grenade Ladder is the best illustration I have seen that describes the natural progression in a guy/girl relationship.  God has designed humans to have an attraction towards the opposite sex. The key is to keep these desires in check and obey God’s Word.  This is much easier said then done. We are saturated in our culture with sex, movies and music that is sending the message that it is ok to enjoy someone of the opposite sex and to experiment as long as you protect yourself. This is contrary to God’s Will for humanity. God created sex for the purpose of reproducing and for our enjoyment.  Sex in the right context of marriage is a wonderful experience, however outside of the right context it can produce feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment and insecurity.

I want to list for you the stages that occur in a physical relationship. Picture each of these stages as a step up this ladder.

• Holding hands
• Arm Around
• Light Kissing
• Lingering Kissing
• Heavy Kissing
• Light Touching
• Heavy Touching
• Intercourse

Tips to remember:

1. Once you go up the ladder it is difficult to take steps down.

2. If you begin to date someone and they have gone to a step higher than you have,  the person who has experienced more will want you to jump to the step they are on at that time. This is one of the huge obstacles that exists in a new relationship.

3. Once you begin to take steps up the ladder, The Law of Diminishing returns comes into play. Watch this video I did to illustrate the point.

Song of Solomon 8:4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:  Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

Simply put what Solomon is saying is do not begin to awaken love or take steps onto the ladder until you are in a place in life where you can fulfill your natural desires that place is marriage. God’s perfect will for each of us is One Man, One Woman for a lifetime! God is not trying to rain on your parade, He is trying to protect you and reveal to you His plan. God created sex and wants you to experience it in the right CONTEXT—-Marriage! What happens is we tend to base our security in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex instead of God’s love for us.  No relationship can substitute God’s perfect love for you.

My advice to you be careful when you begin to take steps up the Biological Hand Grenade Ladder. Once you take steps up it is difficult to come back down.

Here are some passages for you to Memorize.

1 Thes 4:3

1 Cor 6:18

Pro 6:27-28

Eph 5:3

2 Tim 2:22

Col 3:5

For further Reading: Check out:

The Dating Dilemma by Bob Stone

I have been in church since the very beginning of my life.  My parents didn’t give us the “option” to attend, as I look back I am so thankful! So what are some reasons why church is important? I’m glad you asked!

1. Connection-There is something amazing about meeting new people and seeing people every week that you love deeply and care about.  As Christians we should do our best to connect with others and build relationships with people who are like minded and diverse. The friendships I have with people from church surpass any of my other relationships.  Be real with people and remember we are seeking the same thing–to conform to the image of Jesus Christ.  Don’t forget we are all on different levels of conformity, some brand new babies in the faith some mature disciples. Be patient!

2. Corporate Worship-Singing to God as a body of believer’s, studying God’s Word together, celebrating baptism, experiencing the Lord’s Supper, watching and listening to the Pastor give a challenge from the Word of God—-my favorite, seeing someone give their life to Jesus Christ! These experiences you can not watch on TV or on a webcast.

3. Community-It is not enough to just show up at church, leave and forget what you have been taught. If there is one thing the local church needs to strive for it is the idea of  “doing life together.”  If you are involved in your church you have brothers and sisters who love and care about you. There will be times when those people in your church come alongside of you and help you through the tough times that will inevitably come.  Doing life together and experiencing biblical community takes your “church experience” to a whole new level.  God’s desire for each of us is to have a family of people who love us and genuinely care.  Spend time with God’s people and be at church every time you are able. God will not only teach you from His Word, He will also teach you from the relationships you develop with others.

Closing thought

Go to a bible believing church and begin using your gifts and passions to make your church better.

Don’t forget it’s ok to laugh and have fun at church Jesus made that pretty clear!!!

See ya Sunday!

1. Getting out of your comfort zone. We as Americans are so spoiled to the “extras” in life, most of the world is not as developed as the U.S.A. and lacks some things we think are necessities and take for granted. Here are some examples: clean water, good sewer systems, ice, air conditioners…etc.

2. All men are created equal, “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” –sound familiar? We often can have the attitude that we are somehow superior to other people from other countries and nations. We may have more “stuff” but we can learn a lot about work, family and dedication to God from our brothers and sisters from other parts of our planet.

3. Exposure. We live in a visual world and it can be very difficult to imagine what another place or country is like until you actual see it for yourself. Read the words of Christ in Matthew 9:35-37 sometimes we simply need to go and see.

4. Heavenly perspective. When we worship alongside christian brothers and sisters from another language, tribe, or nation we get a glimpse of how we will gather around the Throne room of God as all nations will worship God for who He Is!!!  On my most recent trip to Puerto Rico worshiping with the Puertoricans was the highlight for my group.

5. Experience & Unity. Each opportunity I have had to travel with friends and kids in previous youth groups I form a bond with them that will always be. The unity of a group of people formed on a mission trip is powerful. The experience will always be a memory that you share together with your team! One thing that comes to mind as I shared with my group before we left is to be FLEXIBLE, anything can happen and each day is a new adventure!

God gives us the command to GO, pray this prayer as you GO,

“Lord I want to see as you see and understand as You understand”

Now trust God to be with you and GO!!!

]]> http://jodyshelton.org/2009/07/02/736/feed/ 1 Jody brazil crewchief grouppr http://jodyshelton.org/2009/06/16/where-did-man-come-from/ http://jodyshelton.org/2009/06/16/where-did-man-come-from/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:28:50 +0000 Jody Shelton http://jodyshelton.org/?p=719 ]]> Last week I was with Dawson at the Jacksonville Zoo and had an amazing time. Seeing so many different animals reminds me of God’s wonderful imagination on the day of creation. There was a particular zoo keeper that decided to enlighten me about what he called “our closest relative” the Bonobo (pic at the bottom). After I let him tell me his perspective on where we came from I made sure that he knew I was a Creationist. He was not very happy about the fact that I disagreed that the Bonobo was my closest relative. I didn’t get a chance to converse with him and explain to him why I believe what I believe so I will do so now.

1. Genesis 1:24-27, states very clearly that God made animals according to their kind and then He made man in His image. This shows two separate events in creation. God also made it clear that we have dominion over animals, showing we are not equal, and even though we may have some similarities we are not ancestors of any animal. See 1 Corinthians 15:39. God also tells us that Adam was made from “the dust of the ground” (Gen 2:7) not from an ape.

To be clear I believe in the Creation account 100% based upon God’s Word, Here are a few more reasons.

2. Approximately 95% of all known fossils are marine invertebrates and only about 0.1% are vertebrates (animals with bones). Scientists and their imaginations have been used to the full extent with no more evidence than a tooth, see Nebraska man and also “Lucy“.  Listen to the words of Dr. David Pilbeam, “He said it was not due to the discovery of only one particular specimen, but the recovery of various materials made him realize that his previous statements, which had been made so adamantly, were really based on very little evidence. Because they were based on so little evidence, he began to wonder why he had held them so strongly. It made him think about the nature of scientific thinking, and this precipitated a very profound change in his approach to analyzing data. He said that many of the statements made in the field of human origins had ‘very little to do with the real data and a great deal to do with unstated assumptions’. He thought this was true not only of his field but, ‘Much of what is said in other areas, I think, is also highly speculative”.

3. The question may come up about the similarities in the DNA of chimps and Humans. Similarity is not evidence for common ancestry but is due to a common Designer! The unity of all creation is a testimony of The One True God who made it all. Rom 1:20 Col 1:15-16 Is a cloud which is made up of  100% water—somehow related to a watermelon, which is 98% water. It is not the similarities, but the significant DIFFERENCES between humans and chimps that make us unique.

The real missing link in our world is not the ape-man but the link that is broken between Creator and creation. God wants us to know Him and to become like His Son Jesus Christ. We were made to worship and obey Him! Put your faith and trust in Christ not in the shifting sand of the science world. The answers are found in Genesis.

For further reading & sources used:

• Did Eve Really have an Extra Rib? Ken Ham
• Answers Book, Don Batten
• The New Answers Book 2, Ken Ham
• For further research, answersingenesis

]]> http://jodyshelton.org/2009/06/16/where-did-man-come-from/feed/ 6 Jody me and gorilla bonobo http://jodyshelton.org/2009/05/05/you-cannot-do-life-alone/ http://jodyshelton.org/2009/05/05/you-cannot-do-life-alone/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 03:14:07 +0000 Jody Shelton http://jodyshelton.org/?p=606 ]]> I have a burning desire to see men rise up and seek strong biblical relationships with other men. The church is in desperate need of authentic relationships and transparency within the community of believer’s. A few days ago I reconnected with an old friend from my home church in Amarillo. We have known each other 25+ years and I have not spoke to him in about 7 years. He informed me that he is a recovering alcoholic. The one thing he said that really impacted me was that the church needs to become the comfort and refuge for people to turn to when they are experiencing deep despair. Clearly people are turning to everything but the church to deal with unresolved issues in their life. According to a recent Gallup poll 62 % of the American population drinks regularly. According to some studies 50% of men have viewed pornography in the last month. What we need in the church is Men who will rise up and not be afraid to admit they need help in the darkest hidden places of their soul.

God wants us to go beyond superficial conversations and begin sharpening one another as we deal with real life needs and struggles. The church needs to be a hospital for the sick so the sick will NOT look for temporary relief elsewhere. The world is looking for answers, if we do not share with them the love and restoration of the cross of Jesus Christ, they will search for it in a bottle, computer screen, extramarital relationship, pleasure or pursuit of material possessions…. The church needs to step up and become what God intended it to be, a place of restoration, hope, instruction, encouragement, worship of the ONE true GOD and helping people deal with tough issues of life.

• Accept anyone who is searching & seeking (no matter what they look like, or what they have done)
• Do not be afraid to confront in love a brother or sister who is drifting away from God—we are brothers & sisters in Christ
• If you are in ministry don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty—real ministry takes place in the trenches.
• Make sure you have a support system (people who love you and will stand beside you)
• Admit when you fail and blow it—Get back up and press on!

The one person who is consistent and stays with you if you are a believer is Jesus Christ. He promised to never leave you or forsake you. He is with you every step of the way, walk in His ways and trust HIM!