SATURDAY, June 28th, 2008

WE ARE BACK!!!



Hey everyone it is good to be home! We arrived home from our great time together today at 4:20pm. We are all very tired, because we were "going" and "doing things" non-stop!!! Wow! We cannot wait to tell each of you about it! I hope that all of you will be in Sunday School tomorrow orning and DONT FORGET about the REALLY COOL Dinner on the grounds "BBQ" Tomorrow Evening!! It is going to be great! See you in the morning!

John 10:1-6

1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Alright! Do you get what Christ is talking about? If you don't, well, don't worry, neither did they, but if you do understand, GREAT! You are ahead of the ball game! Let me explain what this is talking about and then you let me know some great applications!

Sheep are DUMB! Do some research, it is amazing how DUMB sheep are! and we often times act just like them! It is so wonderful that we have such a wonderful shepherd!!!

Let me explain: These verses tell us that we cannot get to heaven any other way other than following the shepherd. You see, the sheep follow their shepherd, so that they will be protected from the evils of life... How do they follow the shepherd? They know his voice!!!!

We also should follow our shepherd to protect us from the evils of our life, and to keep us from Hell! How do we follow our shepherd, by learning His voice, and knowing His voice... Then when He speaks to us, we will listen!! How does He speak to us? Through His Word!!!!!

I am so glad that you are getting to know the voice of your shepherd right now! Keep up the good work!

FIRDAY, June 27th, 2008

CONGRATULATIONS!! Faithful Devotioners! I am so excited about the day we will be having today... It will start out with Blizzard Beach, then Dinner, then Downtown Disney in the evening and dont forget, we are going to go catch the late night showing of "WALL*E". That is just proof that we Reward our faithful teenagers!!

If you are not on the trip today, dont fear! We will be doing other stuff like this in the near future! So get involved and stay faithful!!

Just a Thought From Yesterday:

KERVIN AND MARVIN!!! HOW WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU GUYS ON HERE!! THANKS FOR JOINING US!!!! :)

On to the devotions: (By the way, we will be doing the devotions on the trip today, so don't think that we are skipping out!)

John 9:35-41

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

This is a great passage that explains that when we trust in our selves, we are blinded by our lifestyle!! I think of the wonderful song: Amazing Grace. I once was blind but now I see... If someone fails to acknowledge that they are blind then they will never see who Christ is and what He has done for them.

The Pharisees were blinded by their sin of unbelief. Do you believe God, or are you often times blinded by sin just like the pharisees?

THURSDAY, June 26th, 2008

Good Day To You All!
I enjoyed last nights service with you guys very much! It is amazing how much attention I have when I talk about a subject like that... I think that I am going to look for some creative way to fit that subject into every message. Thanks for coming, and thanks for listening so well!

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Brooke: You Got It! If the man did not believe in Christ then he would not have obeyed Christ! But he did obey which proved his belief. The same goes for us: Our actions prove whether or not we truely believe in Christ! Great Job!
Lucy: You are hilarious as you *shake brookes hand*! You goof ball!
Josh L: I was not scared of the Summit Plummit at all until I realized that it is more than 25% higher than the giant swing at the wilds! That is pretty scary! But I think I will try it! Dont let me forget to bring sunglasses!
Gaby: Thanks for holding Will for me! It was funny that he wouldnt take his eyes off you, sorry that He threw up on you! :)
DAVID: Great to see you on here man! Good Job winning the tournament last night! Hey, we werent telling you not to bend you wrist, we were telling the other guy: His write was bending backwards!
Phil: I will miss you as you go sit... bored... at the "shell" factory. Personally, I would rather go to the "real" shell factory: (the ocean/ the beach). But you do whatever floats your little air mattress!

As I was reading this great passage I could find a better place to stop: sorry it is so long, but I think it will keep you attention.

John 9:13-34

To help you understand what is going on: I colored the Pharisees in brown, the healed man green and the healed mans parents purple!

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”
22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.
29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

This is a big passage but I really needed to put the whole passage up today to help you understand the application! Let me give you a quick summary of the passage: Remember the blind man from yesterday? Well, he is walking around and the pharisees see him and want to know How he can see??? (remember they have it out to get Jesus)
So the man tells them exactly what happens and then they sit there and ask him 20 more questions about what happened. THEN when the healed man did not tell them what they wanted to hear, they said we dont believe you, go and get your "mommy and daddy" and they will tell us if what you are saying is true. I love whata his parents say when they get there...
They tell the pharisees: He is old enough to speak for himself! So this has nothing to do with us!
Then guess what the pharisees do? They start asking the same questions all over again!

This reminds me of when we want to do something that is wrong, we try to ask many different ways, or we try to justify it, and remind ourselves that "we are doing the right thing"

What a joke! These guys were hypocrites and it is obvious!! Especially when you read the last verse! These guys told the healed man WITH ARROGANCE " you are a sinner, you cannot teach us!!!" Then they literally kicked him out of the church!! Which was a huge deal!

May I remind you, this guy did not come to teach them, He was simply answering all of their questions! I mean what were these people thinking!

I will tell you what they were thinking: They wanted their way, not Jesus Christs and they were willing to do whatever they had to, to get their way: And if anyone stood in their way, they would kick them out of the church (the blind man) or they would crucify Him (Jesus Christ).

Wow! I am just glad that Christ did not give up on man, based on the hypocrisy of these guys! (for that matter, I am glad that He doesnt give up on man, because of our hypocrisy) BE REAL!

STAY FAITHFUL!!! (if you have read to this point you are really faithful!! I know this was long today, but it was some GOOD STUFF)

WEDNESDAY, June 25th, 2008

Goodmorning Everyone! I hope that you are making plans to attend church tonight! We are going to have a great service! We will also be giving out all of the information about our rewards trip, so make sure that you are there! I am so excited about this weekend! We are going to have so much fun!

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Drum Roll: My Verdict: ... Brooke Started her devotions first, Jon finished his devotions first! There you go.
Great Job to the both of you!
Phil: I talked to your mom, and she said that you are aloud to do your devotions only! So, why didnt you do them? Unbelievable! :)
Jeff: I like your solution to the blog today :) Am I picking you up today?
Brooke: Thank you for your compliments and your encouragements! I appreciate you and I must say: "I Love My Job"!!!!!
Amy: I am so excited too!! I am glad you will be here tonight!
Gaby: Yay!! For the Laptop! Did you go to starbucks or Panera or something?
Rob: Hey man! Thanks again for last night! And thanks for "the other thing - for this weekend"
Lucy: WHAT?? "Attitude" are you kidding? Lucy would never have an attitude... NOT! Sorry you were in trouble! :)

John 9:1-12
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

What a great story of another miracle. This story teaches an incredibly important truth! There are many people that believe that any kind of sickness or handicap at birth is some kind of punishment. That is what the people in this passage believed. That is simply not the truth, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that if someone is born with a handicap, it is NOT a defect, but it is Gods perfect plan for their life.

This story explains to us that this man was born blind, and Christ walked up to him, put some mud in his eyes, told him to walk down into the water to rinse it off and then the man could see. Think about this: God says " This man is blind so that the works of God may be revealed in Him." How cool is that! You see, God wanted to do something great in the life of this man and everyone that he knew, so God allowed him to be blind, so that this man could "see" something far greater: "The miracles of God"

We must understand that we have a soverign God! That means that God knows everything, and he reigns in everything, and he has a plan to make it all fit together! That is so wonderful! God allowed this blind man, to live for many years without sight, so that one day, This man could see greater things that most other men would ever see in their lifetime.

God has a plan, and when we see a shortcoming, or a handicap in our life, WE MUST understand by faith that God wants to use us in spite of our handicap, God wants to use us BECAUSE OF our handicap, to do great things for Him and for His Glory!!

Wow! That is amazing! That really makes one verse we have studied even more meaningful:

II Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I am weak, so ue me greatly for your glory Lord!

TUESDAY, June 24th, 2008

Het teens! Thanks for staying faithful to the small group of you guys that are left right now! I know that there are several people out of town, so thankyou for staying persistent Keep it up!

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Brooke: Your Devotions Yessterday were incredible! That is what this is all about! It was amazing how you said: "I got a problem I need to fix right now". Did everything go okay with that? You are so cool! I am excited about the trip this weekend!
Rob: Are we still getting together tonight? Call me and let me know!
Amy: I can't wait until you get back from the wilds! That will be great! Good job on the devos yesterday! That is why this is called: Do you devotions with Suncoast youth group! :) Very Smart!

John 8:48-59

48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

This dialogue between Jesus and the Jews is just like many conversations that Jesus had with them. Jesus tries to explain who He is and they try to kill Him. What a life, think about that... what if every where you went whenever you introduce yourself, people just try to kill you!! And yet, Jesus Christ still paid the penalty for all of our sin with His life! Thank you Lord!

So this seems just like any other conversation that Jesus had, but I can think of a few outstanding moments in this conversation.

Verse 48: Can you believe they ask this: "So woud we be right if we said that you have a demon" In other words, they thought Jesus Crazy, and they even asked Him if He was possessed by a demon! (49-51 Jesus explains why He is not possessed)

Verse 52: Then they take it a step farther, by saying: "Now we know you are possessed"
Verse 53: The Jews literally say to Jesus: "Who do you think you are??"

Verse 54-56: Jesus explains what He is doing, and what Abraham thought of Him.

Verse 57: These guys are freaked out, they wonder... how can He know Abraham??? He is not even 50 years old yet!! (They really had no clue)

Then in verse 58 we see this thought provoking statement: "Before Abraham was, I am"

You dont have to be an english professor to know there is something going on with the verb tenses there. Why did He say that before abraham was, (Past tense) I am (present tense)?!?! Do you have any thoughts...

You kind of have to get a picture in your mind to understand it the best way possible! Here is the way I like to visualize it: You see the time line of life... All the way back from creation to that present moment in time... all the way to eternity.

Imagine that timeline of our existence on a paper, laying on a table, and Christ is standing up beside the table and He says: Before Abraham was... (as He points to the spot on the timeline) ... I Am! (As He looks up at you!)

Do you get it! He is outside of time, we are constrained by time, as if we are locked onto a sheet of paper, but Christ stands above that paper (outside of time) to show us that He is God in the flesh, He always has been, and He always will be!! How cool is that!

Well, the Jews did not like the truth, so they (once again) picked up stoned to kill Jesus. How do you respond when someone tells you the truth about something, even when you do not want to hear it??

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

MONDAY, June 23rd, 2008

Hey everyone... we missed you in church last night. Where in the world were you all? There were four teens there last night? Did we all forget that 2.39% thing? Make time in Gods house a priority! If you cant get a ride: THEN CALL ME!! We have got to change this pattern of skipping church that is going on all across America. Sunday is the Lords Day! So, lets hang out in His house, with His people, on His Day!

A Thought From Yesterday:
Phil and Jeff: Thanks guys for talking about what you got out of Sunday School. You were the only two that posted anything about what God spoke to you about at all. I appreciate you!

John 8:37-47
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Ok, so there is a lot of "of God" and "of your father" here, but dont let that bog you down. There is some great stuff in this passage! The idea that is going on here is that these people claim to be the Children of Abraham. Any songs come to mind? Well, If Jessica massey were not at volley ball camp then we would be singing "Father Abraham had many sons...". The guys in this passage thought that they qualified as "the sons of Abraham" which technically they were but spiritually they were not.

You see, Christ explains to them, if you are really the children of Abraham then you would love me like Abraham did, but instead you are trying to kill me! Although we are not trying to kill Jesus in our lives, I think there are many days that our actions would put us in the same boat with these guys. These guys were not living in obedience to God, they were living in obedience to Satan! How do we know that? Verse 44 tells these men, that they are of their father the devil... they murder, they lie, they hate just like Satan.

Now let me be clear with this: If we have accepted Christ as our savior, then we are definitely a "Child of God" BUT sometimes even though we are Gods children we still go and act like "children of the devil" by living in sin.

Verse 37, 43 and 47 jumped out at me as well... Jesus said, you people do not understand what I am saying (in my word) because "My word has no place in you" and "you are not able to listen to my word" and "He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Are you in Gods word daily? God says if you are His child then you should seek to understand His Word! Stay faitfhul in Gods word, because you are GODS CHILDREN!

SUNDAY, June 22nd, 2008

Well hello everyone! I know that several of you will be out of town this week for basketball camps and what not, so we will need the rest of you to pick up the slack and be faithful!! Deal?

Well post your comments about what you got out of the messages today: both in sunday school and in the main worship service. Thanks!