MONDAY, July 7th, 2008

Hey everyone! This week is very busy! Don't Forget that we are getting together tonight at 6:30p for a fun get together, pizza, and someone will spend a little bit of time talking to each of you guys about a Christian College! Make sure you are here!

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Kacey: Thanks for coming last night! It meant a lot! Also, thank you for listeneing so well yesterday! Your explanation of the message yesterday is outstanding!
Josh L: I am glad that you have read som of that book, you MUST finish it! It is some REALLY GOOD STUFF! (I reccommend that any teenager that wants to do something great with their life, and not just WASTE their life, should read a book I have called DO HARD THINGS!)
Jon: Sorry for putting a downer on your life!
Jessica M: I must say, your song was INCREDIBLY INSPIRATIONAL!! :) Did you write that yourself????
Jeff: I love you man! Great Job! Stay with it!

John 12:1-8
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.
2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,
5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

So Jesus has now come back to Bethany where He had just raised Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus got there, Mary and Martha had a "dinner party" for Jesus. Can you imagine sitting there eating dinner with Mary, Martha, Jesus, The Disciples and Lazarus, who had just been raised from the dead. What a cool party that would have been!
Next we see Mary take her precious and expensive oil and begin to pour it upon Jesus' feet and wash His feet with her hair... Why did she use her hair? There could have been several reasons, but the one I believe is this: A womans hair is her glory... Have you seen how many HOURS and HOURS some of these girls spend fixing their hair... A womans hair is part of what makes her so beautiful! So Mary took the BEST THAT SHE HAD and used it to wash the feet of Jesus.

Now I know that some of you have problems with peoples feet... I think feet are cool, but for some weird reason I know there are many of you that get "grossed out" by feet... So think about this, Mary takes her beautiful hair, and her most expensive oil and uses them to wash the dirty, dusty feet of Jesus... She gave her absolute best to serve Christ! What have you given to serve Christ? Mary is a great example of giving her glory to God so that it could be used for His Glory!

Well, there is always a critic. Everyone is enjoying this beautiful moment of love and service until you hear Judas jump out there being critical... It you are critical of EVERYTHING... Don't Be! We See Judas ask this rediculous and SELFISH question... "Why are you wasting that oil, why don't you go and sell it and give it to the poor..."

I think it is interesting how we see Judas, try to look compassionate on the poor, but the fact is that He did not care about the poor, He wanted to take the money for himself... So literally He was thinking, DONT WASTE THAT OIL ON JESUS, SELL THE OIL AND I WILL TAKE THE MONEY!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Does anyone else see how rediculous that is?

WE DO THE SAME THING, when God has given us riches, talent, and abilities and we use them for OURSELVES instead of using them for God.

Jesus made it clear that it was good what Mary was doing... Giving her all to serve her Lord... Do you love Jesus like Mary did? Would you give your greatest glory, your greatest treasures to Jesus Christ?

If not... don't stress, As you get to know Jesus more, then you will love Him as much as mary did and THEN you will WANT to give Him everything you have. Stick with these devotions so that you can know HIM better!

Good Day To You All! :)