Yesterday in youth group we looked at the story of Jesus at that wedding in Cana. The main event wasn't when the vows were exchanged, but when Jesus turned the water into wine. Can you picture the scene? How would you like to have Jesus at your wedding? One of the main points that I was trying to bring out in church yesterday was this: Jesus can take your watered down life and transform it into a joyous one. In the Bible, wine was synonymous with joy. Water is sort of blah, you know, boring. But wine meant joy, a good time. Jesus can take that normal boring life of yours and turn it into a fascinating pursuit of Him. The Newsboys sing, "to have found You and still be searching for you, is the soul's paradise of love." What a joy filled life you can have when you find Jesus Christ and still search for His will for your life everyday.
For those who say that being a Christian is boring, I say "what you talking about Willis?" People think that because they are told not to "drink, chew, or go out with girls who do", that they are going to be missing out on the fun things in life. That's dumb. Following the Lord is the greatest life that we can have. Christians have abundant life. The world does not have this. We have a Savior that is closer to us than a brother. The world does not have this. Christians have hope. The world does not have this.
You know, the Bible says that Jesus was anointed with gladness above all his fellows. That is another way to say that Jesus was a generally happy, joyful guy. We have been given so much, we should be overjoyed in life, no matter what happens to us.
Now go out there and be happy about it!
Jeremy -Ephesians 4:11-13
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
E-quip post - Freedom from guilt
No one likes to feel guilty. Like an unwelcomed guest, guilt shows up at the worst possible time and does not go away no matter how much you wish it would.
But the truth is, we need guilt. It is the only proper response to an offense. You know that horrible feeling when you know that you did something wrong? Yeah, you need that or else you would continue to do things without regard of others or the common good. Guilt is good for you. it exposes the truth that we try to avoid.
See, guilt leads us to God. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Guilt leads us to confession, and if we confess our sins and junk to God, then He is there to cleanse and forgive. How great is that?
It is sorta like when you get called to the Principal's office when you are in Jr. high. I remember the principal calling my teacher while I was in class and asking that I go to the office. As I made my way, very slowly I might add, I was thinking of everything that I did wrong that week that could make the principal call me up. I thought of a whole list and I was terrified of what might happen! Guilt from all those things that I had done was flooding over me. I was sweating, okay almost crying. By the time I made my way to the office, my heart was almost pounding out of my chest, my mom would kill me if I got in trouble! I had confessed everything to the Lord by this point, even though I didn't really know a whole lot about God, but hey, I was desperate. The principal called me in and he asked me to confirm a report about one of my friends. He wanted me to rat out my friend. Did I do it? Of course, I sang like a bird! From that point on I was going to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God. Guilt is a horrible feeling and I wanted to get rid of it fast.
So, there's my story. I want to here some stories of guilt from you guys. Post a comment and let me know about your crisis in guilt.
you've been equipped.
Eph. 4:11-13
Jeremy
But the truth is, we need guilt. It is the only proper response to an offense. You know that horrible feeling when you know that you did something wrong? Yeah, you need that or else you would continue to do things without regard of others or the common good. Guilt is good for you. it exposes the truth that we try to avoid.
See, guilt leads us to God. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Guilt leads us to confession, and if we confess our sins and junk to God, then He is there to cleanse and forgive. How great is that?
It is sorta like when you get called to the Principal's office when you are in Jr. high. I remember the principal calling my teacher while I was in class and asking that I go to the office. As I made my way, very slowly I might add, I was thinking of everything that I did wrong that week that could make the principal call me up. I thought of a whole list and I was terrified of what might happen! Guilt from all those things that I had done was flooding over me. I was sweating, okay almost crying. By the time I made my way to the office, my heart was almost pounding out of my chest, my mom would kill me if I got in trouble! I had confessed everything to the Lord by this point, even though I didn't really know a whole lot about God, but hey, I was desperate. The principal called me in and he asked me to confirm a report about one of my friends. He wanted me to rat out my friend. Did I do it? Of course, I sang like a bird! From that point on I was going to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God. Guilt is a horrible feeling and I wanted to get rid of it fast.
So, there's my story. I want to here some stories of guilt from you guys. Post a comment and let me know about your crisis in guilt.
you've been equipped.
Eph. 4:11-13
Jeremy
Monday, October 20, 2008
Announcement: Friday, Oct. 24
Yo Party people! This is your announcement for this coming Friday night. As I told you on Sunday, we are getting together this Friday night in the sanctuary from 6:00p - 8:00p to go over and plan for Halloween night. Please make it if you can. If you would like to be involved with music ministry during Halloween night, then you should really try to make it and practice with everyone. For all of you who do not have musical skills, then we can be planning games, etc.
You have been informed, don't miss it.
If you need a ride, give me a call @ 951.710.0354
See you Friday. Jeremy
You have been informed, don't miss it.
If you need a ride, give me a call @ 951.710.0354
See you Friday. Jeremy
Equip announcement: WiNtEr CaMp '08
It is a big endorsement when Dave and Roy give the two thumbs up!WINTER CAMP 2008
For the past couple of years, youth groups throughout So. Cal have been joining together for a weekend in the mountains full of fun and fellowship. Well, it's that time of year again, and we are ready to go! As your fearless youth group leader, I would like to formally invite you to this year's youth group retreat up at Calvary Chapel Green Valley Christian Camp from December 5th-7th.
This year's theme is "HIS OWN" which is taken from Titus 2:11-15. My heart and prayer for this year's retreat is that those who attend would be encouraged in their relationship with the Lord because of the amazing grace that He has toward us. I also pray that those who attend will be equipped to "deny ungodliness...live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:12). Finally, I have been praying about those kids that would be evangelized over the weekend, so that "He might redeem...for Himself HIS OWN". (Titus 2:14)
This year's worship leaders will include Joseph Tata and others. The Saturday night concert will be performed by Shachah.
If you have never been to winter camp, then please try to make every effort you can to make it to this one this year. It is so awesome. Games, rec room, lotsa food, snow (pray baby pray), camp cabins, wrestlemania, make-overs (my wife told me to put that), and of course of it is surrounded by Christ. Seriously, you don't know what you are missing. For those of you players who have been up before, I would love to see you come back again. There is something special about getting away from the everyday grind of school, sports, work... and getting back on track with our Lord.
The music, games, food, and fellowship are just a part of the camp experience. The "main events" are the 5 main Bible study sessions going on throughout the weekend. All the focus will be on the theme "HIS OWN". To ensure that everyone age group and individual gets spoken to personally, we break up a couple of the main sessions into Jr. high class and high school class, and a girls class and a guys class.
Cost: $100 per person. This includes camp shirt, food, lodging, games, prizes, a concert, and all the extras that go along with putting a camp together.
Some Important Dates:
Sunday, November 2nd: Sign-up, confirm shirt size, and first $30 deposit due.
Sunday, November 23rd: Final $70 due along with permission slips.
Friday, December 5th: Leave for winter camp
Sunday, December 7th: Arrive back home.
More info to come. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Post #4 - to the girls
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised"
I now have definitive proof that people are psychotic about their looks. Check out this craziness!
I just read a story wear women at this upscale beauty salon in New York are applying nightingale poo for a facial cream mix. Nightingale Poo! You know, bird dung! This other guy puts his face in an aquarium full of tiny fish which suck on his face for a bizarre skin treatment. There is a day spa in northern Virginia that gives fish pedicures. These tiny fish (Garra Rufa) are being employed to eat and consume dead skin cells from brave customers.
What on Earth?! Are you kidding me? Demi Moore was quoted as saying that she uses leeches to suck on her face to achieve better circulation. Leeches...on your face? SICK!
As evidenced above, people are psycho about their looks. We are always looking for a new lotion or potion to make us more marketable on the singles market. The rush to keep up can be overwhelming.
But hold on. Let not your heart be troubled. The Word of God has keen insight into this touchy subject. If the idea of keeping up and beautifying our outer person is to be praised, then consider this. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." God knows how important your looks are to you, but He at the same time wants to stress the inner person of the heart. To your Heavenly Father, you are beautiful all the time. It's true. You are His masterpiece. But above all this is the working of God's Spirit inside you making you beautiful on the inside.
Your looks will generally decline from the day you are born to the die you die. You are all cute when you come out, but when you are old, well let's just say that's another story. On the other hand, your inner person gets continually renewed and beautified. Hey, if you don't believe me you can go home and apply some bird dung to your face or soak your feet into your aquarium! Your call.
Blessings.
I now have definitive proof that people are psychotic about their looks. Check out this craziness!
I just read a story wear women at this upscale beauty salon in New York are applying nightingale poo for a facial cream mix. Nightingale Poo! You know, bird dung! This other guy puts his face in an aquarium full of tiny fish which suck on his face for a bizarre skin treatment. There is a day spa in northern Virginia that gives fish pedicures. These tiny fish (Garra Rufa) are being employed to eat and consume dead skin cells from brave customers.
What on Earth?! Are you kidding me? Demi Moore was quoted as saying that she uses leeches to suck on her face to achieve better circulation. Leeches...on your face? SICK!
As evidenced above, people are psycho about their looks. We are always looking for a new lotion or potion to make us more marketable on the singles market. The rush to keep up can be overwhelming.
But hold on. Let not your heart be troubled. The Word of God has keen insight into this touchy subject. If the idea of keeping up and beautifying our outer person is to be praised, then consider this. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." God knows how important your looks are to you, but He at the same time wants to stress the inner person of the heart. To your Heavenly Father, you are beautiful all the time. It's true. You are His masterpiece. But above all this is the working of God's Spirit inside you making you beautiful on the inside.
Your looks will generally decline from the day you are born to the die you die. You are all cute when you come out, but when you are old, well let's just say that's another story. On the other hand, your inner person gets continually renewed and beautified. Hey, if you don't believe me you can go home and apply some bird dung to your face or soak your feet into your aquarium! Your call.
Blessings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
