LCC WEEKLY YOUTH BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY- REMOVING STUFF TO FINISH STRONG

2009-05-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

If I were to tell you that you were going to have to run a long race, what would you take with you? Would you take a suitcase? A cooler? A huge queen sized bed? Probably not. When runners run a race, they take with them the bare essentials.

According to the writer of Hebrews, endurance is just as vital when it comes to our spiritual journey. And just how do we manage such stamina? Listen to his words: “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” (Hebrews 12:1–2 NLT)

Briefly put, we’re to remove all of the excess stuff that distracts us and slows our pace. As runners in the race of life, our focus needs to be on Christ alone.

Our human tendency is to believe we possess the ability to unclog our lives without God having to plunge his hands into the thick of it all. The truth is, however, that the greatest obstacle to God fulfilling his purpose for our lives is not other people but ourselves – our own goals, ambition, pride, and self will. Although it’s difficult to comprehend, God, in his amazing grace, actually yearns for his children to hand off this deadweight. Yet we so often insist on carrying it with our own limited strength.
So what is slowing your down and distracting you from living a totally surrendered life? As you look into your soul and take an honest inventory of your life, make sure you give God all of it by giving him your:

Worries – The things that are causing you anxiety in life.
Wounds – Your past hurts and pain that may still be robbing you of the life God has for you.
Wrongs – The times you hurt others and may still need to seek forgiveness.
Weaknesses –The things in your life that you don’t think God can use, but he wants to use.
Wishes – Your dreams and desires for God’s Kingdom.

TODAY: I want you to think about what might be holding you back. Write them down. What baggage are you carrying around?

TOMORROW (Friday): I want you to spend some time making a plan on getting rid of the "Things that are hindering" your life with God. Make steps to streamline. Let me know how it goes!

WEDNESDAY- Training to Finish Strong

2009-05-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

Eighty years ago, Eric Liddell electrified the world by capturing an Olympic gold medal in the 400 meters—a race he was not expected to win. Liddell was the favorite at 100 meters, but he had withdrawn from that race after learning the qualifying heats would be on Sunday, a day he observed as one of worship and rest. Instead of lamenting his lost chance in the 100, he spent the next 6 months training for the 400—and set a new Olympic record.

Paul used a sports metaphor to emphasize the Christian's need for spiritual discipline. "Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things" (1 Corinthians 9:25), that is, goes into strict training. "Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown." Paul longed to remain faithful to Christ because he wanted to bring the message of salvation to others (vv.19,27).

Throughout Liddell's life, he disciplined himself spiritually each day by spending time in God's Word and in prayer. He remained faithful until he died of a brain tumor in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

Strengthened by the grace and power of God, Eric Liddell ran well and finished strong in the race of life. And so can we.

To win the race of life in Christ,
This must become our daily goal:
To trust in God for grace and strength,
For discipline and self-control.

TUESDAY: FINISH STRONG- RECAP OF JOSEPH

2009-05-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I want to recap a little about Joseph. We learned on Sunday morning that Joseph finished strong when he had every opportunity to simply quit. Here are a few of the highlights of the life of Joseph:

* Born eleventh of the twelve sons of Jacob, the first son of Jacob’s favored wife Rachael, who had been barren for many, many years.
* As Rachael’s son, Joseph became the favorite son. This disparity created a great sibling rivalry between Joseph and his brothers.
* One day Joseph was sold into slavery to foreigners by his ten older brothers who hated him with a jealous hatred.
* Joseph spent years in slavery and prison in a foreign land.
* But Joseph never forgot his loyalty and his commitment to Jehovah, the covenant God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
* Although his hardships increased and lasted near twenty years, Joseph won the battles within himself and kept his faith.
* In the end Joseph became second ruler over all of the land of Egypt and saved his family from starvation and became a key player in the plan of God for the whole world.
* We remember Joseph best of all from his life scripture when he faced his brothers and had power over them to punish them for what they had done to him. He could have taken revenge but …
* Joseph saw a bigger picture than his painful past.

Genesis 45:5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Joseph realized that he had been chosen by God and that the things which had happened to him were for a greater purpose. Joseph realized that he had been chosen by God and that the things which had happened to him were for a greater purpose.
We too have been chosen … Jesus said it this way:

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

What do you think that you have been chosen for?
Do you think that the way you "Finish” has an impact on you being able to complete the task that you have been chosen for? Why?

Think about this today and talk to God about it. Have a great day!!!

MONDAY- Finish Strong

2009-05-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Monday. I have had some of you ask about Nick Vujicic. If you remember, Nick was the young man in the video from the gathering. If you were not able to be at the gathering, I have attached the video below. This month is about finishing strong. So far in this series we have looked at some example of people in the Bible who started off great, but didn't finish strong. Sometimes it has terrible results. This week, we are going to go deeper into the question; "Will you finish strong?"

David said to his son Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:20 "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

Today, watch the video about Nick again. Ask yourself the question, will I finish strong? After you do that, spend some time talking to God about it.

FRIDAY- WISDOM FROM PROVERBS

2009-04-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

Good day! Welcome to Friday. Today we are going to do something a little different. First of all, find a Bible. Go ahead, look around for it and come right back. I'll wait for you to return.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Back? Good! OK, here is what we are going to do. Open your Bible to Proverbs chapter 8. Hold your place there. Now log out and go to a quiet place. If it is nice outside, go outside, if not, fine too. Just go somewhere you can be alone and where it is quiet. When you get there. Spend some time with God in prayer. Ask Him to be with you and to speak wisdom to you. After you have prayed, read Proverbs chapter eight. Yes, the whole thing. If any questions come to mind, write them down and bring them with you next Thursday. Enjoy this time! Now go!! Spend some time alone with God.

See you Sunday!!!

Dan

THURSDAY: "Don't Waste Your Life-Wisdom From Proverbs"

2009-04-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today, I want you to slowly read the following chapter in Proverbs. After every couple of verses, think about what this means to you. What is God trying to tell you in your own life?

Proverbs 13 (New International Version)

Proverbs 13
1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction,
but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

3 He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

5 The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

8 A man's riches may ransom his life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

10 Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,
but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.

15 Good understanding wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful is hard. [a]

16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,
but a fool exposes his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.

19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.

20 He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm.

21 Misfortune pursues the sinner,
but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children,
but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

23 A poor man's field may produce abundant food,
but injustice sweeps it away.

24 He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

25 The righteous eat to their hearts' content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

WEDNESDAY: "Wisdom From Proverbs"

2009-04-15T06:26:00.000-07:00

Do you feel wise today? Here is some inspiration to get us started:

Knowledge is horizontal. Wisdom is vertical; it comes down from above
Billy Graham

Don't expect wisdom to come into your life like great chunks of rock on a conveyor belt. Wisdom comes privately from God as a byproduct of right decisions, godly reactions, and the application of spiritual principles to daily circumstances.
Charles Swindall

Isaiah 50:4-5 (ncv)
"Every morning He wakes me. He teaches me to listen like a student. The Lord God helps me learn..."

James 3:13 (ncv)
"Are there those among you who are truly wise and understanding? Then they should show it by living right and doing good things with a gentleness that comes from wisdom."

Matthew 7:24 (niv)
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Today, pray this prayer at least three times today and every day for the rest of the week. Write it down on a piece of paper and keep it with you:

"I seek wisdom, Lord, not as the world gives, but as you give. Lead me in Your ways and teach me from Your Word so that, in time, my wisdom might glorify Your kingdom and Your Son. Amen"

TUESDAY: "WISDOM FROM PROVERBS"

2009-04-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 1 (New Living Translation)

Proverbs 1
The Purpose of Proverbs
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Read the previous verses again. This time, pause after each verse and ask yourself these two questions: 1) What does this mean to me? 2) What is God trying to tell me as I read this.

Go ahead, read it.

Spend the next few minutes talking to God in prayer. Here are some thoughts to talk to Him about:
*Ask God to give you wisdom.
*Ask Him for wisdom to handle a particular situation in your life right now (be specific).
*Thank Him for His word.

See you tomorrow!!

Monday- "Don't Waste Your Life"

2009-04-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

A few months back, my wife (Julie) and I were waiting for a paticular movie to come out on DVD that we had been wanting to see for quite a while. I will spare you the name of the movie but we really wanted to see it. We missed it in the theatre so we were very excited when we heard that it would soon be coming out. The days leading up to the DVD release were crazy. We talked about it all the time and we even changed our whole family schedule so that we could watch it on "The DAY" that it came out. For that few weeks, it basically took over our lives. To make a long story short, the day finally came. I had the movie in my hand as I was heading home for the big event. As we sat down on the couch to start the show, I felt so happy. We had snacks, drinks, and most importantly, the movie. I was stoked!!! I felt my heart beating faster and faster as the opening titles started and then... reality. Not ten minutes into the movie we realized that this was going to be the.......dumbest movie that we had ever seen. In fact, after about 15 minutes into the movie, we turned it off.
As I sat there staring at a blank tv screen and with the faint smell of popcorn in the air, I realized something. I had just wasted a portion of my life that I would never get back. Why did I do that? What could I have used that time for instead? I had...wasted part my life.
So what about you? Have you spent time on things that turned out to be a waste?
The Bible warns us about wasting our life on things that don't matter. Today, read the following section of Proverbs. Listen to the advice given. What does it mean to you?

Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth,

3 then do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands:
Go and humble yourself;
press your plea with your neighbor!

4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.

5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-

11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man. [a]

12 A scoundrel and villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

13 who winks with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,

14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up dissension.

15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Have a good day, talk to you tomorrow!

THURSDAY--"MARKED- Calling and Response"

2009-03-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Luke 19:1-9 (New International Version)
Luke 19
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
Familiar story? I must say that every time I read this story, I break into song. "Zacchaeus was a wee little man....". I know that you probably feel the urge to finish it so feel free.....ok, let's move on. This episode in scripture is much more than a kids story. It is a lesson that can be used by all of us. It is the lesson of calling and response. Jesus called Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus said..."maybe later Lord, I'm enjoying this tree". Did he? Of course not. Jesus called Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus CAME DOWN! Not only did he come down but he responded even further by inviting Jesus to his house. Not only did he come down, invite Jesus to his , but Zacchaeus transformed his whole life. No longer did he live the way he was. Zacchaeus was different after being "marked" by Jesus. How about you? Are your different after being "marked" by Jesus?

WEDNESDAY--"Marked-Ten Lepers"

2009-03-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

Today, we look at another example in scripture of someone being "Marked" by Jesus.

Luke 17:11-19 (New International Version)
Ten Healed of Leprosy 11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
This passage gives shows us some different responses to being "marked" by Jesus. If this section, we see ten men that had leprosy. It is a terrible disease. Basically, think about all of your skin erupting into scabs and sores over. Every inch...covered. What I want you to think about today is their response to their encounter with Jesus. Jesus healed all ten men. All of them would forever be free from the terrible condition of leprosy. No longer would they have to deal with the embarrassment, sores, and shame associated with their condition. They were free from the single biggest tragedy in their life. FREE! But what was the response? Nine went on their way without giving Jesus His due thanks. Only one came back. What does that mean to us? We have the opportunity to be healed from a far worse disease than leprosy. Jesus has given us a the opportunity to live life eternally with Him in Heaven? He has "marked" us. What is your response? Do you give God praise and thanks on a regular basis? Do you understand the great thing that He has done for you? Sometimes we don't. We tend to act like "the other nine lepers." Healed by Jesus without another though.
Talk to God about it.

TUESDAY: MARKED- "Marked by Jesus"

2009-03-10T19:24:00.001-07:00

Matthew 9
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7And the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Today we start to look at how Jesus left His mark on the people He came into contact with. You have just read the account of Jesus healing a man paralyzed from birth. Read this account again from the top.
Here are a few questions for you to think about.
Who did Jesus leave His "Mark"on? (think about more than just the paralyzed man)
What effect did it have on those involved?
Has Jesus left a similar mark on you? How?

Pray today that God will help you see the mark that He has left on you.

MONDAY- "MARKED"

2009-03-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY!!! Today, we continue our March theme of "Marked". At THE GATHERING earlier this month, we looked at the movies, books, songs, and people that have left a "mark" on us. It was really neat to hear how so many things have really left an impresson on all of us.

So many things really leave a mark on us. But what we are going to be diving into for the rest of the month is how Jesus leaves His mark on us and what we do with that.

Question number one for the week: Has Jesus left His mark on you? How? If not, why?

I want you to spend some time today really answering that question. How we answer that question is key for the rest of the week.

READ THIS VERSE:

Galatians 6:17 (New International Version)
17Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

What does this mean to you?

Think about that today. Talk to you tomorrow!!!

FRIDAY: SERVING-The Least of These- Field Trip Day

2009-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

Today (and tomorrow, and Sunday, and the next day....you get the picture) is serve day. At the beginning of the week, I asked you, "How is your serve?". I hope that you are beginning to find that answer. Today....you start. Start with your family.
Find a way to serve your family. Do the dishes without being asked, do the laundry, pick up sticks in the yard, or do the one chore that no one likes to do. Don't do it for money, yourself, or for a pat on the back from your parents. Don't even let anyone know that you are doing it. Simply do it because of the example of Jesus' service to us. After that, keep looking, doing, and serving. Maybe it's helping a friend in need, offering a helping hand to someone at the grocery store, or doing an act of service at church. When you see a need, forget about yourself and.....
DO IT.
It's Your Serve!

THURSDAY: "SERVING-The Least of These"-Random Acts?

2009-02-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hopefully so far this week, you have began to understand this whole idea of serving others. So where do you start?

First of all, you need to remember your motivation.
1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version)
10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Mark 10:44-46 (New International Version)
44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

1 Peter 4:11 (New International Version)
11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Now that you are motivated, it's time for the next step.

You need to: Look for opportunities. These are around us all the time. The biggest part of doing this is that you have to look with "different eyes". Let me explain. Instead of: looking out for opportunities to get out of doing something, hiding in your room and watching your favorite show, running directly from the school bus into your house, and looking down at the ground when you walk.....LOOK AROUND. Look for things that need done. Look for those who need help. Basically, look for opportunities to SERVE. If you look beyond your ordinary, everyday, "same old" life for opportunities to serve, YOU WILL FIND THEM.

Today.....LOOK AROUND.

WEDNESDAY: SERVING -THE LEAST OF THESE- "Is Serving Contagious?"

2009-02-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Today is Wednesday. I want to open with a question: Is serving other contagious? If it is, how can you "spread" it?
Watch this:

Pastor Rick Warren says:
"The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you’ve arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you.This is so contrary to the world’s idea of greatness that we have a hard time understanding it, much less practicing it."

Jesus says in :

Mark 10:45 (New International Version)
45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

For service to be contagious, you need to "catch it" from someone. The scripture above gives us a good picture of how Jesus set the example. We should see how He was a servant. We should "catch" it and spread it to people around us. Are you currently here to serve or be served? Is your example of how you live your life one of serving or being served? How can you be a "contagious server" in your life, right now, where you live?

TUESDAY- "Serving...The least of these"

2009-02-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

Malachi 3:8-18 (NIV)
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
13 "You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?'
14 "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' "
16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
17 "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. [a] I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not".

Happy Tuesday! Today we are going to continue our look at our month's theme of "Serving-The Least of These". As we said yesterday, today we are going to dive right into the subject of service, serving God, and serving others. I want you to re-read the section of scripture in a different version:

MALACHI 3:6-17 (New Living Translation)
6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.[a] Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
13 “You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord.
“But you say, ‘What do you mean? What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 15 From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”
The Lord’s Promise of Mercy 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
17 “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. 18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

In this section of scripture, we get a stern warning from God. He warns us against "robbing" Him but what does that mean to you? Today, ask yourself these questions:
*Does what is said in verse 7-8 apply to you? Why or why not?
*Do you feel like you are currently serving God? If not, what can you doe to change?
*In verse 16-18, what promise is given to us? What does that mean to you?
*What do you need to change in your life to receive that promise?

MONDAY- "How's Your Serve"?

2009-02-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

So how is your serve? Do you have a good one? Before your mind goes into sports mode, I'm not talking about your tennis serve, your volleyball serve, or even your ping pong serve. For the rest of this month, we are going to be looking at (and working on) another type of "serve". Basically, I'm asking how is your "serve" for God? When I ask you about serving, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For some, you might think of someone serving our country. Others may think of someone who serves you food at a restaurant. For some of you, you might even be thinking of being served as in "You just got served"! We, as human beings, tend to lean towards self service or expecting others to serve us. If nothing else this month, I hope that we can begin to see that we are called NOT to serve ourselves or to be served by other but that we are called to serve. This is probably not a part of your culture. As we Begin this week of daily devotions, I want you to think about that question: " How is your serve'? Last month, many of you agreed to serve others by participating in a 30 Hour Famine to raise money for 'The least of these", how is that going for you? Did you say you would participate just because everyone else was going to? Did you forget? Did you decide that other things are more important to you? Please think about it. Tomorrow, we are going to see what the Bible says about serving others and the pitfalls of serving ourselves. For the next five minutes, think about how you are currently serving others. After that, talk to God about it. Maybe you need to ask Him to forgive you for being self serving. Maybe you need to thank Him for all the opportunities that He gives you to serve. Take the time, talk to Him, thank Him for all the things that He has done (served) for you.

See you tomorrow,
Dan

THURSDAY- January 15th "The Least of These" Hunger and Thirst

2009-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

A huge part of these two months of our theme "The Least of These" is our 30 Hour Famine. We have set a goal to raise $10,174.00 to help people around the world that are hungry, thirsty, and need of care. What would $10,174.00 do? It would basically give 30 children 12 months of water, food, and care. I want you all to know that this month is NOT just about raising money. It is not just about us going without food for 30 hours at the end of February. While those things will be really neat, our main purpose of this month is to "Put on" Jesus Christ. To love others like he loves us. To understand "spiritual hunger".
Jesus says in Matthew 5:5-7 (New International Version)
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Where do you fit in to that scripture? What promise does it carry for you? Today, I want you to think about that. I want you to think about if you are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. What change in your life can you make to do so? What does our 30 hour famine mean to you? Is is just another event, or could it change your outlook? Talk to God right now about it.

Until Tomorrow,

Dan

WEDENSDAY-January 14th "The Least of These"

2009-01-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

Wednesday is here. Today, I want us to spend some time in prayer. Now I know that you may not be into a "prayer life" right now but the Bible reminds us to pray for all things.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New International Version) says:
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Right now, I want you to pray. Prayer is simply talking to God. Telling Him things. Asking Him things. It's just talking to Him. An important thing to remember before you begin is to give Him your full attention. Turn off your ipod. No TV. Maybe close you bedroom door. Get in a comfortable position. If you are not sure what to pray about, here are a few ideas.

Prayer thoughts for Wednesday:
*Thank God for everything that He provides for you
*Thank Him for your family. Mention each one by name and tell Him why you are thankful for them.
*Pray for our youth group at LCC. Pray for as many you know by name.
*Pray for our 30 Hour Famine. Ask God to bless our famine and to do a miracle. Ask him to motivate all of us to participate.
*Pray for our church. Pray for the ministers, elders, teachers, and attenders.
*Pray for your school. Ask God to bless your school, teachers, and students.
*Pray for anyone that you know who is sick.
*Pray for our country. Ask God to be with our leaders and our incoming President.

AMEN

TUESDAY-January 13th- The Least Of These "HUNGER"

2009-01-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

Today we continue our months theme of "The Least of These" with a look at hunger. I hope that you all have had a chance to begin getting your sponsors for the 30 hour Famine and that you are really getting excited about what God is going to do through us. I am really expecting a miracle. One person in our youth group already has $210.00 in sponsorship. That is just about what it takes to feed one child for seven months! Seven months? I'm not sure you realize what that means. That's four thousand, seven hundred and four hours that a child somewhere in the world will not be worried about food. That's really cool but today I want to look at another aspect of hunger.

Hunger is not always about food.

That's right, hunger is not always about food. What else can you be hungry for?
Maybe it's money....or fame.....a cell phone.....friendship......or love?
I think that we all "hunger" for those things on occasion but there is something even deeper that we need to "hunger" for that we not always do. That is to "hunger" for Jesus. We were all created to "hunger" for a spiritual relationship with God. The problem is, at the times that we feel those "hunger pains", we try to satisfy it with something else. Al lot of times it's the things that I have listed above.

In John 6:32 Jesus Says:

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

We need to realize that Jesus provides every thing we need to "feed" us. To fill that empty space inside of us with what really goes there.....Jesus.

Right now, pray to God that you will "hunger" for Him. Ask Him to help you "fill up" with His Word (The Bible). Ask Him to help you to realize that you can't fill it up with anything else but Him.
Amen.

Monday, January 12th 2009 -The Least Of These

2009-01-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday,
Today we begin our look at "The Least Of These". This week we are going to go deeper to look at what our responsibility to "the least of these" really is. In order to do that, we need to understand who of the least of these are. The reference "the least of these" comes directly from Jesus.
In Matthew 25, Jesus says:
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' ".

Get the idea? Watch this:

FRIDAY DECEMBER 19th: THE GIFT

2008-12-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

You made it to Friday!!! I hope that you have been thinking all this week about the Gift that God has given us in Jesus. So what now? I realize that for many of you, it's time to relax. School is out for the year and the next week or two will be filled with friends, family, food, fun, and probably a lot of sleep. My only challenge for you today is to keep in mind over the next few weeks that the gift of Jesus is not for you alone. No doubt that you will see many people over the coming days. My challenge to you is to......talk to one person about it. Tell them of how Jesus is a gift. Tell them about the hope that He gives. Tell them what that means to you. I'm only asking you to tell one person. Please take this seriously. Don't just walk up to you parents and say "Jesus us God's gift to us". Tell they why he came. Tell them what that means to you. Tell them what that means.....to them.

Right now, spend a few moments praying to God that He would lead you to the right person to talk to. Then....do it.

See you Sunday,
Dan

THURSDAY DECEMBER 18th: GIFTS UNDER THE TREE

2008-12-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Thursday!!
No doubt that the Christmas tree at your house is beginning to fill up with gifts. There is nothing better that a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with gifts scattered all around. Today, as we continue our theme of "The Gift" , I want us to look at the "first Christmas Tree" and how the gift it held, was the greatest of theme all.

Adapted From: The True Christmas Tree By Chuck Sprayberry

"And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, ..." John 19:17,18
Each year, in December, families all across our nation gather together to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of the most visible symbols of this holiday season is the Christmas tree. This evergreen tree is placed in a position of prominence in our homes and decorated with lights and ornaments as a part of the festive nature of the Christmas season.
However, this tree is a far cry from the original "Christmas Tree." For you see, the first Christmas tree was not a beautiful evergreen found in some quiet spot in the woods. Rather, it was a piece of rough-hewn wood with no natural beauty whatsoever. Its sole purpose was to bring misery and pain and eventually death, and its only beauty was in the purpose for which God was using it.
Instead of being decorated with lights and ornaments, upon the two limbs of this tree hung the Light of the World, Jesus, out greatest Christmas gift. His body beaten and bruised by the Roman soldiers responsible for his punishment. Beneath this tree there was no skirt of soft white cloth representing snow. No, the ground beneath this tree was stained crimson red by the blood being shed for the remission of the sins of the world.
Whereas we stand around the tree and sing Christmas carols, those standing around this tree were hurling insults and blasphemies. The bible says the mocked him, and said "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross" (Matt 27:40) Even those who were being crucified with him showed him no mercy.
Today we place gifts under our Christmas tree, but tradition has it that in the past small gifts were tied to the branches of the tree for children to search for and find. This is the only similarity between our Christmas tree and the true Christmas tree. The greatest gift of all time was "tied" to the branches of the tree on Golgotha. There, Jesus died for our sins that we might be able to be reunited with him for all eternity. This gift was freely given, and unlike the gifts we give one another, this gift is still active and available today.
As you look at your Christmas tree this year, don't let your gaze stop at the lights and decorations, look "through" it to the true Christmas tree.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for our final study this week!!!
Don't forget, FA-LA-LAPALOOZA is this Sunday!!!
Dan

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17th: GREATEST GIFT (cont)

2008-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Greatest Christmas Gift
"This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ." - Frank McKibben

"And what a difference between our sin and God's generous gift of forgiveness. For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this other man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's bountiful gift. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins. The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:15-17 (NLT)

So far this week, we have been looking at Jesus being the greatest gift of all. We have looked at the hope that He provides and the truth that we all need this hope in an often hopeless world. Today, I want you to think about some of your reaction to that. What do you do with it? What have you done? A couple of months ago, I was cleaning out my garage. I noticed a small bag with a Christmas scene on it. It was a gift bag. As I was getting ready to throw the bag away, I noticed that something shifted in the bag. I looked in and noticed a gift card to Home Depot. Crazy!!! What a waste. I could have used this card many times over the past year but what good did it do sitting in a bag in my garage?
What good is a gift if you don't even open it? Even worse, what good is a gift that you don't even use? Not much. Even if the gift is valuable and you could use it every day, it doesn't do any good if your just leave it in the bag.
So what about this "gift" that God has given you? The gift of Jesus. Have you opened it? Have you accepted it? Have you used it? If you haven't yet, I want to talk to you about it. If you are not sure how to accept it, let's talk.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16th: "What The Gift Means to You

2008-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we looked at the one thing that the Gift of Jesus at Christmas means to you. Today, we continue our theme by thinking about THE HOPE that Jesus gives.

Jesus Our Hope"We have lasting hope through the salvation we have in Christ ... Hope means that even when it looks like it's all over, it's not all over yet. That's why the Bible says we can rejoice even in our tribulations (problems). God is working in our hard times to produce proven character and hope in us." -Dr. Tony Evans, Totally Saved

Psalm 33-22"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you." (NIV)

Jesus Our Hope
For millions of people, the Christmas season means nothing more than parties, gifts, decorations, and time off of school. For many of us, however, this time of year is a happy reminder of the hope we have because of Jesus Christ.
Before Jesus came, God seemed distant to the people. Kind of hidden in a temple, accessible only to the high priest. Worshippers wondered whether their sacrifices were acceptable. They often doubted if God was really there. They had seen Him do some amazing things but even then, they doubted.
Christ means hope—to the person made fun of, to someone struggling with an addiction, to someone who feels distant from their parents. Even if you're just slogging your way through the problems in our life, if you have Jesus, you have hope. And he is not a false hope, a childish fairy tale that we wish will have a happy ending. When Jesus was born, lived a perfect life, was crucified, and then rose again; that ended the argument. Period. Our hope in him is solid and it is real.
Christmas is a renewal of that hope. It reconfirms for us that God has given us that gift of hope in Jesus where ever we are in life. But what does that mean to you? Today, think about the fact that even when times are hard, when your friends desert you, when you have done something that you feel is not forgivable, there is still hope. That hope is found in a baby born in Bethlehem that went on to pay the ultimate price....to give hope to the hopeless. Take some time today thanking God for that gift of Hope.
More tomorrow,
Dan

MONDAY DECEMBER 15th: "The One Thing"

2008-12-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid(200 years ago), Christmas morning was my favorite day of the year. Mostly because it meant...gifts. Every year it was the same thing. We would open up the small items first, then move on to the larger gifts. We would go through the clothes, underwear, notebooks, and all the other "practical" gifts that all children just love...not. Anyway, there always seemed to one gift that had somehow been "misplaced". Most of the time, it was usually the big one. The big surprise. The one's that I remember even today. What about you? I'm sure that you may have had similar experiences in your life. What is your "one thing" at Christmas that makes it special for you? As usual, I'm not just talking about gifts.
So far this month, we have been talking about the fact that God's gift of Jesus is the greatest gift that we have ever been (or ever will be) given. But what does that gift mean to you....personally. You have probably seen the bumper stickers that say "Jesus, The reason for the season". Even so it seems to get harder and harder to find the real meaning of what the gift of Jesus means to us.
So today, as we start our week of study, I want you to answer the following questions:
*What does the celebration of Jesus' birth mean to you?
*Is it the sacrifice He made for you?
*Is it the life that He gives?
*Is it the miraculous way He came into this world?
*Is it the reason that He came into the world?
What one thing about "The Gift" brings significance to you in your understanding of Christmas. Please spend some time answering these questions. Be honest with yourself. Don't just answer with a "Yes that's it" or a "No that's not it".
This week, we will try to find the significance of what the gift of Jesus means to us. See you tomorrow.

Dan

FRIDAY: "Thanks...for everything": Radical Thanks

2008-11-14T11:15:00.001-08:00

IT'S FRIDAY!!!! So how's it going with yesterday's assignment? Hopefully you are on your way. Today we are just simply going to spend our time not listening to me go on and on about living a life of gratitude (I can year you cheering from here even though this is being written weeks before you are reading this). Anyway, what have you learned this week/month? I think that now it's time to put it all into practice. Today, try this:
1) Spend some time thanking God for all that he has done (and continues to do)
2) Ask Him to help you show your gratitude to Him by helping you be thankful to others
3) Contact 5 people (it can be a phone call, text, letter, IM, or best yet, face to face), tell them thanks for....(whatever you are thankful to them for).
4) Have a great Day and see you Sunday (Don't forget about our D.I.P. group at Kidd Coffee on Monday and Tuesday, Sr High Monday at 6:45pm and Jr High Tuesday, 6:45)

Have a great weekend!!!!
dan

THURSDAY: "Thanks...for everything"-Thanks....

2008-11-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

Today, we continue what we started yesterday. As you remember, yesterday we spent some time in gratitude to God for everything that He provides. Hopefully, you will make that a part of your activities every day. So now, a question. How can you show gratitude to God in other ways besides telling Him? There are many answers. One way is to be obediant to God and that shows our gratitude. In other words, we show our thanks to God by doing what He says. Another way (and this is what we are going to work on today) is to show out thanks to God by showing our thanks to others. This is a very simple, but not always easy task.

Here's the deal:
Over the next day or so, I want you to think about all the people that do things for you on a regular basis. The list might be fairly large, so I want you to kind of narrow down to those that do the most. My guess is that it boils down to people that we commonly refer to as "our parents or "guardians". I'm sure that occasionally may say thank you for something they do for you on a special occasion, but what about the things they do on a daily basis that you don't think about. Food, heat, clothing, electric, shelter, laundy, transportation, and all kinds of other help and support. What about those things? After you think about this, I want you to spend some time organizing your thoughts on the subject. Basically, over the next day or two, I want you to write and deliver a personal letter of thanks to your parents/guardians thanking them for all that they provide. Be sure to include your thoughts about how you thank God for them. That you know that God provided them for you and that you are thankful to Him for it. Please have your letter written and delivered before we meet next Monday (Sr High at Kidd Coffee), or Tuesday (Jr High at Kidd Coffee). I know this is not easy but it is a step in the right direction in living life with an attitude of gratitude. Talk to you tomorrow!!!!

dan

WEDNESDAY: "Thanks...for everything" - Living with an attitude of gratitude

2008-11-12T06:58:00.000-08:00

Wednesday is here. Today we dive head first into some ways to live our lives with an attitude of gratitude. So let's start at the beginning. We need to start is to give thanks to the provider of all....God.

James 1:16-18 (New International Version)

16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

We need to understand that everything that we have, comes from God. We need to give Him thanks for all that He provides. The first way we need to live a life of gratitude is to simply acknowledge that God is the ultimate provider. A common prayer around our house is our dinner time prayer. It really doesn't matter who says it, or the exact words, but it kind of comes out like this: "Dear God, thank you for this day, thank you for our food, ect, ect....". While that is really good to do, it is a very generic way to honor God and thank God for ALL that He provides. To finish out devotion today, I have provided some scripture to guide you in some thoughts to God about all that He has given you. Please take a moment to turn off any music and remove any distractions. Please read the following out loud. Make this a prayer to God. When you are finished reading, spend a few extra moments thanking God for some other things that He has given you. Be very specific. If it takes an hour, it's all good. The point is to acknowledge God for all he has given you. Try to make this a daily practice. Don't worry if there are some hard words to pronounce. Just do your best and concentrate on the passage as a whole.

Psalm 136 (New International Version)

Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.

5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.

6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.

7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.

11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.

12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

13 to him who divided the Red Sea [a] asunder
His love endures forever.

14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.

15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

16 to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.

17 who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.

18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.

19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.

20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.

21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.

22 an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.

23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.

24 and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.

25 and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Amen

TUESDAY-"Thanks...for everything":

2008-11-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

Today we continue our months theme of "Thanks....for everything". As you may already have guessed, one of our key scriptures this month is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Today, as a nation, we honor those we call veterans. The people who served in our armed forces in order to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. We honor and give our thanks to these people through parades, programs, and days off school.
Unfortunatly, often times this is the only day that we do it. In fact, today, I want us to see the bigger picture. Even though we honor our veterans for fighting for the freedom that we enjoy, it is important to understand where our freedom really comes from.

Psalm 119:44-46 (New International Version)

44 I will always obey your law,
for ever and ever.

45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

46 I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,

John 8:35-37 (New International Version)

35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

I hope you understand what this is saying. Our true freedom comes from Jesus Christ, the Son of God. His sacrifice is what frees us. It is good to honor our veterans. They have fought and continue to fight for everything that we enjoy today. The fact that we can even discuss this in this format is because of their sacrifice and the continued sacrifice of those serving our country today. But today, I want you to remember that God gives us our ultimate freedom. He alone provides what we need, when we need it. As we close today, I have posted below a prayer given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 6th, 1944.

MONDAY-"Thanks...for everything": LIFE OF GRATITUDE

2008-11-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Today we begin our week of daily devotions on the theme of: "Thanks...for everything". One of the things that we are going to look at this week is living life with an attitude of gratitude. A couple of weeks ago at The Gathering, we read an interesting scripture that was easy to read, but hard to live. The scripture was 1st Thessalonians 5:16-17. "16Be joyful always; pray continually; 17give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". Wow! That can be a tough one. The bottom line, live a life of thankfulness and gratitude. But how can we do that? Where do we start? Today, I think that a good place to start is to look an example that Jesus gives us in scripture. Open your Bible to Matthew 8:2-4. Read about this interaction between Jesus and a man with leprosy. If you don't have a Bible handy, you can click HERE to read it. Question, what does this have to do with living a life of thanks? The answer is found in verse four when Jesus says "But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." Still Confused? Let's read it again in The Message translation:
Matthew 8:2-4
Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done."

What Jesus is telling this man is that he shouldn't just go tell everyone around town about this miracle but for him to kind of play "life pictionary" and let them see his life of expressions of thanks to God in it.
So what does this mean to us? To me, it can almost be put into three words: TALK IS CHEAP.
You see, when you think of all the God has given you, everything that you have, it's not enough to just say thank you. Remember what we just read: "Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done". So today, think about how you can start living your life of gratitude. Living a thankful life is done not only by saying a few words of thanks when you sit down to eat (that is good) but by living it out every day. Try to make an effort this week to show everyone that you come in contact with your gratitude and thanks to God by your actions.
Talk to you tomorrow!!
Dan

ONE MONTH TO LIVE - FRIDAY "LEGACY"

2008-10-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

In our final daily devotion of the week, I want to ask you a few questions: If you only had one month to live, what would be your legacy? What would you be remembered for? What would you have done in this life?

Today, we are going to try to grasp the concept of: The kind of mark we are leaving on this earth by using a couple biblical principles to build our legacy on. The first is this…

1)There are actions of the wise and actions of the fool, the Bible says. And it’s wise to obey.
In Matthew 7, Jesus is speaking and says this, “Anyone who listens to My teaching and obeys Me is wise like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against the house it won’t collapse." Why? Because it’s built on rock. Makes sense. But He goes on to say this: "anyone who hears My teaching and ignores it is foolish like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and the floods come and the winds beat against the house it will fall with a mighty crash.” A solid rock is Jesus’ visual image of something that we know will last. Jesus is saying it’s not just about listening to My teaching. That’s nothing. Fools can do that. It’s about obeying My teaching. You obey My teaching and you are building your life on a solid foundation.

What comes to my mind is something unmovable? Maybe you have been to the mountains for a vacation. Think about the biggest mountain you have ever seen. It’s just unmovable. That’s the picture of obedience and wisdom.

Then He gives the flip side. There’s a picture of a fool and that’s the person who builds his house directly on the beach in southern California. You might think, “What a great view!” as you slide into the ocean. He’s saying obedience, if you choose obedience, you are wise. Let’s move on to the next one.

2)Obedience to God’s ways will produce fruitfulness.
Another principle I want you to grab onto in John 15. Jesus says “Remain in Me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine. And you cannot be fruitful apart from Me.” Jesus makes it very clear that if you’re going to obey you’ve got to be connected to Me. And if you’re connected to Me, that obedience is going to produce fruit.

You might be thinking “Fruit! Fruit’s a sissy word. Fruit is my return on investment if I’m obedient?” Some of you might be thinking, I don’t even like fruit. I’m more of a cheeseburger or Taco Bell kind of person. But fruit in the Bible, fruit is a biblical metaphor for richness of life. When you hear you’re going to produce fruit, you’re going to produce something that is amazing. That’s unheard of. That’s awesome. That’s rich. That is everything you dream your life to be. Fruit. It’s a good thing. Obedience to God’s way will produce fruitfulness.

Matthew 7 Jesus said “Yes the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.” Fruit is the result of obedience. You can tell the good tree because it’s producing good fruit.

You can tell a good person who’s producing good fruit. If you want to know what good fruit is Galatians 5. Study that on your own. Galatians 5 says, “The fruit of God’s Spirit will be revealed this way. [Listen to this list and tell me you don’t want this:] Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control.” That’s the fruit of God’s Spirit. Obedience will produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. That’s fruitfulness.

This idea of a fruit tree, I love the spiritual parallel to this. Because a fruit tree, if a fruit tree is healthy it will continue to produce fruit. If it’s healthy.

Think of the spiritual parallel to your life. If you’re healthy, if you remain in Him, if you walk in the way of obedience you will continue to produce fruit.

I have read a story of a fig tree that is in Jerusalem that has been in Jerusalem since the time of Jesus Christ that is still producing figs. For those of you who are the cheeseburger/Taco Bell type people, here’s where it breaks down. To get a steak you’ve got to kill the cow. The cow’s dead. You have your steak but it doesn’t produce anymore. That’s why the Bible is smarter than us. It’s not about a cow, it’s about fruit. A fruit tree is a great image for legacy.

3)Obedience and fruitfulness will leave a legacy.

This is the winning combination. This is it. If you choose obedience God’s way, remain in Him, connected to Jesus, if you choose obedience – key word choose – you will produce fruitfulness. And that fruitfulness will leave a legacy. That fruitfulness will last.

Watch what Jesus said in John 15 “I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last.” So what are we talking about? Obedience is the action, fruitfulness is the result now – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control – that’s the result now; Legacy is what will last.
The apostle Paul who wrote over half the books in the New Testament, he uses these same terms really to summarize his life. He uses the terms of death and fruitful living. Philippians 1 Paul says, “For to me living is for Christ and dying is even better. Yet if I live that means fruitful service for Christ.”
Why would he say, “dying is even better”? Because you’re in heaven! You’d be in the presence of God. He had this confident assurance that eternal life for him was not going to be eternal life separated from God. That’s hell. But he was going to have eternal life with God, in God’s presence. So of course, nothing compares to the presence of God. So to live is Christ, but to die that would even be better. To die would be gain. But it’s ok if I have to live, it will include fruitful service. Not just living, not just existing, not just taking up space. If I’ve got to live it’s going to be fruitful living.

So what now? What legacy are you leaving? If you are not producing "fruit" in your life, why not? This is where your life's values and priorities need to change. For the rest of the weekend, think about your life and what you need to change. Right now, spend some time asking God to help you.

See you Sunday!!!

Dan

THURSDAY: One Month To Live - "Forgiveness"

2008-10-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Thursday. Today, we are looking at forgiveness. This can be a very tough subject. A while back, in preparing the week of daily devotions for "One Month To Live", it struck me that this subject would be one of the toughest to deal with. This month, we have looked at how to live with passion and how to value the things that mean most to us (God, family, friends, ect). A key component to all of this however, would be to forgive the people that we feel has wronged us in some way and asking for forgiveness from people that we have wronged (even if they don't know it).

Read the following scriptures:

Matthew 6:13-15 (New International Version)

13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:20-22 (New International Version)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]

Mark 11:24-26 (New International Version)

24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."[a]

Colossians 3:12-14 (New International Version)

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

These are just a few of the scriptures in the Bible that deal with forgiveness. One thing I would like to point out is that I have not read anywhere in the Bible that we are to forgive only if the other person asks for it. We should live a lifestyle of forgiveness just as God forgives us.

Today, spend some time thinking about the people in your life that you know you need to forgive. If it helps, write it down. After that, reread the above scriptures and...forgive. I know this can be tough. Remember it's not about you telling them that you forgive them, especially if they didn't ask for it. It's about you living your life the way God intends. Pray to God and ask him to help you.
Finally, think about the people that you may have wronged in some way. Again, write it down and...ask them to forgive you.

Please leave a comment here when you have read this devontional.

Have a great day!!! I'm praying for you all!

Dan

ONE MONTH TO LIVE: WEDNESDAY- "Routines"

2008-10-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday is here!! Today we continue our months theme of "One Month To Live" with a look at something near and dear to all of our hearts, out routine. A routine may be referred to as a course of normal, standardized actions or procedures that are followed regularly and often repetitiously. In other words, your routine is something that you do day in, day out. Kind of like a habit, but a habit that involves your entire life. I think you understand what I'm talking about. Having a routine is not all bad. It is good to have a young child on a routine, especially when sleeping. All of my kids went through a phase when they got out of their normal sleeping routine. Instead of sleeping at night, they decided that they liked the night life and would stay up all night and sleep most of the day. Besides sleeping in the right time of the day, other good routines might be brushing your teeth every morning, doing your homework right after school, positive things like that. The problem comes when your whole life becomes like one huge routine. A few years back, I saw a movie called "Groundhog Day". It starred Bill Murray as a dude that got caught in a kind of time warp where he lived the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over. The first few days, he did the same things that he did the days before. After a few days of doing the same thing over and over, he started to realize that he could do more. To live his life with a little more passion. Now I'm not going to tell you to live like he did in the movie but I do think a lesson can be learned here. Often times, we live our lives on "auto pilot". We, in effect, stop living our lives and start letting our lives live us. If you only had one month to live, would you continue just letting life drag you along?

Romans 12:1-2 gives us some words of encouragement on how we should live our lives.
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
Place Your Life Before God
1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Today, ask yourself these questions:
Are you placing your daily life as a daily offering to God?
Do you recognize the kind of life that God wants for you?
What do you need to change in your daily routine to address these issues?

Take some time to write down your answers to these questions.
Re-read the scripture above. Talk to God about it.
Talk to you tomorrow!

Dan aka P.H.

ONE MONTH TO LIVE: TUESDAY "We Need Relationships"

2008-10-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday!!! We are continuing our daily devotions on our theme: One Month To Live.
Today, I want you to read this statement out loud:
I need relationships even though they are messy.
Now that your whole family thinks you are crazy, let's continue.

God wired us for relationships. We need other people. God created humanity and said, it’s not good to be alone. In your genetic DNA code is the desire for relationships. That’s why we always feel that we need to feel loved and connected and interact with people in a genuine way. We are wired for that. That’s why if we had one month to live it wouldn’t be spent counting money, cleaning your room, spending more time at school. It would be with people.

I admit, I need other people in my life to be fully alive. I need people. My guess is you’d admit it too. I need others. You do! Everybody needs it.

But what about the messy part? What’s the deal with that?

I once heard a well seasoned minister after 30 years in ministry make this observation:
"Nobody’s normal. Everybody is whacked out to some degree. Flawed, weird, odd, strange. Some of them are down right creepy. There are no exceptions to that. If you think you are an exception to that rule it just means that you lack the self-awareness to know that you’re a total nut job. Nobody is normal. You might look normal on the outside but in the inside you have an inner weirdo".

Are you brave enough to admit that’s true about you? I am. So sometimes I’m messy.
What can we do? The first thing we can do is admit and list our own faults.

We should do this because I think this is an important factor in building healthy relationships. It’s having a realistic awareness of your own faults. If you don’t do this, here’s what you go through life doing. You go around picking on others. You go around criticizing and nagging and critiquing and accusing and piling on. But when you have an awareness of your own faults, you tend to lower the bar and be more compassionate and forgiving to other people.

Jesus said in Matthew 7 “Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own. How can you think of saying, Let me help you get rid of that speck in your own eye when you can’t see past the log in your own eye.” I love this image. I see a guy with a big ol' telephone pole out of his face. He’s got this log. The humor is he’s trying to get the speck in the other person’s eye and he’s killing people trying to do that. Jesus is saying, Don’t, look at yourself first.

I want to challenge you to do that. I challenge myself to do it on a daily basis. When you see fault in others (friends, parents, siblings, your youth minister), take a look at yourself first. Try to make an effort that when you find yourself getting ready to blast someone for something they do, think about yourself first. Ask yourself these questions:
*Do I have the same fault?
*Do I cause the fault in the other person by my actions? (example-you hear your younger brother using fould language...but he heard it from you first)
*Did I cause the fault in the other person because of my non-action?
In other words, think about how your influence, or lack of influence on others has an effect on them. Remember, sometimes it's not what you did but what you didn't do. Relationships are messy. But sometimes, we are the biggest part of the mess.

Spend a few moments right now talking to God about it.

ONE MONTH TO LIVE: MONDAY-"GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS"

2008-10-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

I hope this Monday finds you well. Today we begin our week of daily Bible study in order for us to go deeper into this months theme: One Month to live. This whole month we are focusing on the question: If you only had one month to live, what would you value most and how can you live your life to support that. So far this month, we have looked at:

Living life with passion
Defining What We Value Most
Depending on God to live out these values
Valuing Our Relationship With God
Looking at what we need to change to live a life that values God

TODAY:
Good News ~ Bad News
To begin, please read Luke 6:17-26 (if you don't have a Bible handy, click HERE)

The teachings of Jesus in Luke 6 contain blessings and warnings. Jesus gives
us this list of good and bad news because our priorities in life so often do not
match His. Jesus turns many of our conceptions of life upside down.

Try to imagine yourself in the scene described in verses 17-19. Picture the
place, the feel of the crowd around you, all the people pressing in on Jesus. Why
had the people come? What was happening? What was Jesus doing?
In verses 20-26, Jesus was addressing first his apostles (He had just chosen
them) and the great crowd of disciples around him, as well as a mass of others.
(See also Matthew 5:3-12.) Who did Jesus say are the “blessed” ones and what is
in store for them? Do these blessings and “rewards” appeal to you?
For the next few minutes, think about some of the priorities in your life. Is it school (ha), work, friends, TV, your computer? Whatever it is, think about what you need to change in order to make your relationship with God #1. As you finish today, talk to God about it, ask Him to help you prioritize your life to the things that He wants you to put first.

FRIDAY-BIBLE 411- Warning Labels

2008-09-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY- Warning Label
If the Bible had a warning label, what would it say? Not only is the Bible full of the things that make our life complete, but it also provides us with warnings of what happens to someone who does not obey God's word. Many people think that the Bible is just one big love letter from God, and that is mostly true. What they fail to see is that the Bible also contains stern warnings from God about what will become of us, should we not follow his guidlines.
The Bible warns that:
We are not to add to, or subtract from God's Word
(Revelations 22:18-19) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city.
Do Not Substitute Human Ideas
(Mark 7:7-8) They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.
Preach and Teach Only God's Word
(2 Timothy 4:2) Preach the Word; be prepared to in season and out of season ; correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

His Word will Judge Us
Jesus is speaking here. He says clearly that if you don't obey the words he has spoken, you are in trouble in the last day. That day he is referring to is the day of judgment. (John 12:48) There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.
Those are all pretty scary warning labels.
Prayer time: Spend some time talking to God about His “warning labels”. Ask Him to help you follow them.

THURSDAY-Bible 411-THE INSIDE SCOOP

2008-09-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

What the Bible Contains:

The Bible is the greatest book every written. It contains all that mankind needs to know that pertains to life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The Bible contains
• The Mind of God - We can know what God thinks on various subjects.
• Where we are at - Are we lost or do we have hope of eternal life?
• The Way of Salvation - God wants us all to come to him. (2 Peter 3:9)
• The Happiness of followers - God knows what is best for
us and that followers of Him are truly happy.
• The Doom of Sinners - Sin cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
There are many questions that seem to have plagued mankind for centuries. Yet, the Bible contains the answers to them! The Bible also contains the answers to the following three questions (as well as many others):
• The Origin of Life (Where did I come from?) (Genesis 2:7)
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)
• The Purpose or Meaning of Life (Why am I here?) (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Eccl. 12:13)
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The Bible is truly a great book and full of far more knowledge than many people realize. The question now becomes. Will you let the Bible guide your life? Will you follow it’s instruction? Will you apply what you learn on a daily basis?
Prayer time: Take some time to talk to God about those questions.

WEDNESDAY-BIBLE 411-"Super Bible"

2008-09-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Wednesday: “Super Bible”-The Indestructible Word

I remember back in the old days (Yes, I sound like your grandpa), that the number one way to send documents back and forth was by a modern marvel called the fax machine. The first time I used one, I thought that it was the coolest thing. Sending paper over the phone line! Who would have thought! The only problem that I had was that the first fax machine I ever used thermal paper technology. That may not mean much to you, so I’ll explain. A thermal fax used this special thermal paper that reacted to heat in order to print your document. That was fine and dandy except for one little (it turned out to be huge for me) problem. After a week or so, the document printed on the thermal paper would start to fade, or more accurately, it would turn totally black. It’s kind of hard to read an important document when the print and the paper are black.
In Matthew 24:35 Jesus says “Heaven and earth will pass but my words will never pass away”

The Bible has stood the test of time. In fact, as Jesus says, it’s words will never pass away. 1 Peter 1:25 says “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. It’s good to know that in this day in age where songs, catchy phrases, and clothes go in at out of style, the Bible is indestructible. It will last forever. There are not a lot of (if any) things around that can say that. Especially thermal faxes.

Prayer Time: Spend a few moments thanking God for His indestructible word.

Crazy WeeK!

2008-09-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay but with the tropical storm hitting us, no power at Church and no internet at home. Do what you can. Try to catch up. I'll talk to you all soon.

Dan aka P.H.

TUESDAY-BIBLE 411- "Purpose of the Pages"

2008-09-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY: The Purpose of the Pages
"What is the Purpose of the Bible?" What is it that God wanted to tell us? After all, no book has even been written that the author did not want to convey some message to the reader. Here are six things the Bible does for us.
Keeps us from Sin
The Word of God shows us what sin is and tells us to stay away from it. Psalms 119:11 I have hidden your word In my heart that I might not sin against You.
Lights our way
It is very difficult to get around in the dark! When you walk in a darkened room, you hit your feet on different things and can injure yourself. The same concept is true spiritually. If we fumble around without knowing the truth the Bible gives, we can stumble. Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Enlightens Us
The Bible shows how to have eternal life with God. 2 Timothy 3:15 and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ
Instructs Us
The Bible instructs us on how to live every area of our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Purifies us
Obedience to God's Word (the scriptures) allows us to see the sin in our lives and get rid of it. 1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
Frees us
True freedom is freedom from the bad things in our lives that keep us down. If we follow the truth of the Bible we can be free from all the tangles of this world. John 8:31-32 Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

For a few moments today, think about how these six things apply to you personally. Are you letting the Bible:
Keep you from Sin? Light your way? Enlighten You? Instruct You? Purify You? Free you?

Only you know the answers to those questions. If you have some areas that you need to work on, talk to God about them. Spend some time talking to God about it now.

MONDAY- BIBLE 411-"Where The Bible Came From"

2008-09-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

Monday: Bible 411-Beginnigs
To begin our weeks study of “Bible 411”, it is necessary to say a few fundamental things about it's origins and composition. The Bible consists of 66 books arranged in two testaments. The Old Testament contains books that deal with the beginning of the universe and man, the life of many of the Patriarchs (Noah, Abraham, etc.), the giving of the Mosaic (Jewish) law, and all of the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also contains letters written by the Apostles to the early church. These letters outline many things including how a Christian is supposed to live.
The Bible was written by around 40 different men over a period of 1,500 years. The last book, Revelations, written by the Apostle John, was completed in 96 A.D. Even though it was written by a wide variety of people and in 3 different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), the Bible is clear in purpose, thought, and its message never contradicts itself. No other document available to man can boast this and this attribute speaks to the Divine Inspiration of the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” The Bible is God’s word, spoken to you. It can teach you, discipline you, correct you, and train you to live the way God wants you to.
James 4:8a- ‘Come near to God and He will come near to you. Sometimes you might not feel very close to God. He sometimes seems so far away. You may sometimes wonder where He is and why he doesn’t just speak to you. The reality is that He is near. You just need to make a move towards Him.
2 Peter 1:21-“For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit A fundamental truth for you to realize is that although the Bible was written down by human hands, the content is solely God’s thoughts for you.

So what does this mean to you? Have you changed your view on what the Bible is all about? It is not just a bunch of ancient stories, long outdated. It is not fiction. It is not some old guys guess about how God wants people to live. It is God’s voice, speaking to you. Try to remember that in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.
Prayer Time:
Spend a few moments thanking God for His word, the Bible. Ask Him to help you understand it. Ask Him to help you apply what it says to your own life.

September Theme:BIBLE 411

2008-09-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

DAILY BIBLE STUDY STARTS ON:SEPTEMBER 15th

2008-08-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Beginning on September 15th, this site will provide daily devotional thoughts based on the current months theme in the LCC Student Ministry. Please save this site as a favorite on your navagation bar. More Later!!!!

Dan Ponchot