TUESDAY, June 3rd, 2008

It is Summer Time!! How Cool is that! (Well for almost everyone)

I think it was so neat how so many of you were able to do your devotions before 3 o'clock yesterday. I went on around 3, and there were already 8 comments! Great Job!

Summer time provides a great opportunity to be faithful in your devotions.
Many of you have lots of extra time, so make your devotions a priority and be faithful! Stay in the word!

A Few Thought From Yesterday:
Lucy and Jessica: Great Job! I am so thankful that you both are in the youth group now! FINALLY!!! Thanks for staying faithful in your devotions! Keep up the Great work!
Jeff: What are you doing today? Call me! (Who's computer are you using for devo's?)
Gaby: WHAT!! You were sick all night Sunday night? What dessert did you get? Do you really think it was the dessert! How terrible! Hope you feel better now! :)
Rachel: Katie told me that the storm yesterday was pretty serious. It was not bad up at the church, but when I got home there was about six inches of water in my whole front yard!! Pretty Crazy!
Jonathan: Thanks for being faithful! Keep it up!

John 4:39-54

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”
40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
41 And many more believed because of His own word.
42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ,[a] the Savior of the world.”

Welcome at Galilee
43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

A Nobleman’s Son Healed
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.


This is a great story: It begins in verses 39-42 talking about the impact that the woman at the well had on her city. Because of her witness, everyone in the city was seeking after the messiah, Jesus Christ! I think it is neat that it shows Jesus changed his plans because the people asked Him to. Do you remember? Jesus was headed to Gallilee, he simply stopped here to get some water. Well, the people asked Him to stay for two days, and He did. Jesus will answer all of our requests as well, if they are asked with pure motives. What an amazing thing to know that The God of the universe is willing to change His plans for me, if I simply pray and ask Him to!

Next we see in verses 46-54 a neat story about the faith of a nobleman. This man walks up to Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. The man tells Jesus that his son is sick. Jesus then tells him: Go back home, your son is alive!! Think about how cool that moment would be.

The passage makes it clear that Jesus only saved the son, because the father had faith!! Think about what GREAT things God wants to do in your life, but you must have faith and you must talk to him about it! (Prayer)

I know in my personal life, it is very easy to trust in my own actions, my own goals and accomplishments. But I must understand that when I try to live by my own means, I am robbing myself of the blessings God wants to pour out on my jsut for living by faith and in Prayer!

What did you pray about yesterday? ... Ouch. Well, what WILL you pray about today?

Pray with faith believing that Godwill answer your request!