MONDAY, June 9th, 2008

Well, so I hear that half the youth group is going to the movies today? I wish that I could crash the party and come along, but I am going to Orlando with pastor Chip for a "Pastors Meeting". It will be lots of fun, but I would rather come and spend time at the movies with you guys! That would be lots of fun... we need to plan to go again soon!

A Few Thoughts From The Weekend:

Jeff: Great job on the devos man... I am glad that you decided to finally "listen" in church.
McCue: We miss you too man! I am excited that your show is so incredible this year... I hope you guys win first at the National Championship thing!!!
Amy: well well well, good to see that you did not fall off the face of the earth! I know your in Arizona or something, but I was pretty sure they had internet over there!! :) WE CANNOT WAIT UNTIL YOU COME BACK HOME! (When is that by the way?)
Lucy: you are silly! URL is not someones name!! Earl is how you spell the name... URL is where you put the address for pictures... You just say the letters... U... R... L... :)
BETHANY: IT IS SO COOL TO SEE YOU ON HERE! Thanks for joining us! Stay on here all the time! It is lots of fun!! ( I really wish we could get you back in Youth Group... do you think that I could beg your mom?)

John 6:15-21
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.
19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.
20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

This passage teaches us some things about Jesus Christ that are quite shocking. I think that they are very important and they teach us important things about how we can be more like Christ.
VERSE 15 is incredible... the first time I read it I assumed that Jesus was hiding from the people because they were coming to take Him "by force" to kill Him or something...
When I read it the second time I noticed that they were taking Him by force to make Him the King!!! How great is that! These people saw a few miracles and then they wanted Him to be king.

So why didn't Jesus just stay there, and become their king? Jesus had not come to earth to reign, He came to earth to be sacrificed for our sins. If you are like me, then you probably would think, Hey I will just go ahead and be king for a while and then do what I have to do later on...

Jesus was not about Himself, He was focused on us! How incredible, the son of God, who deserves all glory was not conerned with Himself but concerned with you and me.

If God is not selfish, and He has every right to be... then maybe we should stop being selfish!

VERSES 16-21 are great! I can really unerstand a little bit of what these guys were seing in the boat at night time. Remember I have gone out at Midnight two different times in the last 3 weeks. It is dark and it is scary!!

The disciples are in the middle of this storm, in the dark sea, being tossed around, when they see something coming towards them... is it a ghost? Is it a monster? AHHHH! oh wait... It is Jesus.
Jesus came to them, and when they received Him into the boat, they were immediately on track with where they were supposed to go next!

If our life seems to be getting tossed around, back and forth, and things are scary, and we dont know what to do... Dont focus on the scary things: Just ask Jesus to get involved! Pray about the situations you are facing! Let Him get you on your destination to a God glorifying life!!

Love you guys! Be Faithful this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!