23 Feb, 2009

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Actor: Sean Penn

Actress: Kate Winslet

Effects: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Director: Danny Boyle

Best Score: Slumdog Millionaire

Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger

Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz

Makeup: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

For a complete list of winners go to www.oscars.com, photo courtesy images.google.com 2/23/09

And the Oscar Goes to...

2008 Oscar Award Winners

What does today's God's Story Scripture teach us about honor?

Our culture gets excited about movie stars. While they are talented, hard workers who bring stories to life for our own enjoyment, people tend to place great importance on them for being beautiful and famous.

God has a different standard for beauty and those who deserve honor. Check out these verses:

How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news. Romans 10:15

Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:7-9

Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

1 Peter 3:4

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

I Samuel 16:7

How can we connect today's God's Story Scripture to our lives?

It can be fun to watch the Oscars and see the glamorous dresses and hear the speeches, but it is easy to get caught up in the emphasis placed on Hollywood stars. We can get envious of their looks, their money, their fame. While there is nothing wrong with admiring famous people, when we start to measure our life by Hollywood standards, we are forgetting what God sees as a life of honor.

  • Look around you, who do you know that exemplifies the traits talked about in today's verses? Thank them for living lives that honor God.
  • Examine your own heart, are you trying to look or act the way the world says is beautiful instead of the way God calls you to live? Ask God to forgive you and then consider what you need to do to change your thinking.
  • Copy today's verses onto note cards and hang them in places you will see them everyday and be reminded of your beauty and worth in the eyes of God.

How can we connect today's story, God's Story Scripture and our story to others?

  • Discuss the Oscar winners with a friend. Ask them who they admire and why. Share which stars you are a fan of but also talk about the joy of knowing God looks at the heart. He loves you because he created you not based on your beauty or money.
  • Tell your friend about the people in your life that you admire and why.
  • Share with your friend why you are glad God looks at the heart and not outward appearances.
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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