REMEMBER?!

-Connect- This is bowling night was one of the first places we went when we began the youth group under the name OUTPOST. Joradan’s parents were there. Tommy’s brother and a friend, and only about 3 other people. It was a small group, but we had a lot of fun. And I loved it because it was the first youth group outing! Then my eyes are drawn to the picture on the top. This was the recent SUMMER LUAU on the beach. A few more people are around now…and everyone looks a little more grown up. I am amazed by the difference in our group. Not just the size, but the friendships that have developed. The two pictures represent God’s faithfulness to us as more and more teens come around and join us! These are 2 that I love and cherish because it continues the memories of God at work in and around us.

-Reflect- Read Luke chapter 1
Key Verses: 1-4

“Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.”

Luke begins his book with an explanation of what drove him to writing. He is aware that others have attempted to write down what they had seen in Jesus, but he feels that he has seen and observed a remembered enough to write yet another version of the stories to be passed on to Theophilus. He does this so that he might really understand all about the things he had been taught.

Luke is drawing from the great depth of the memories he holds about Jesus and the stories he has heard himself…and he wants to share those memories so that Theophilus can know the full power of Christ.
-CONNECT- Memories are a powerful thing…they drive us to continually tell our stories to other people. To remind them about how we have grown, what we have changed, who we are or the things we did. Memories cause us to be grateful for the wonderful moments we have been blessed with and they push us to keep searching to make new ones. Just take a moment to remember the picture in your mind where you first saw Jesus…was it in a church service? Was it when you felt like an idiot at school and someone was finally nice to you? Was it in the acceptance you found with your teammates? Is it in the first time someone told you they loved you? Or when an impossible situation became possible? Don’t ever forget that picture of Jesus because if you have REALLy een him and REALLY remember, then you will have to tell the story to someone else. The memory is too good to keep to yourself!

DINNER DATE

Connect:

I once heard this story about a young lady who was frantically getting ready for a blind date. This date was not like any other date it wasn't just dinner and a movie; her date included plans to go to an exclusive downtown restaurant with live music and dancing. Of course she wanted to make a good first impression, so she took the day off to get ready. She stayed at home, and put on her makeup and did her hair. She put on her best dress and then waited for the arrival of her knight in shining armor to appear. His expected arrival came and went, and still she waited. Finally, after waiting for over an hour she took off her dress, put her pajamas back on, and assumed that she had been stood up. Later that evening, she heard a knock at her front door, and to her surprise it was her date. She quickly opened the door, and her date look back at her in sheer shock and amazement. Then he glibly said, "What I gave you an extra two hours and you're still not ready to go!"

Reflect: Read Mark 13.1-37

In the 13th chapter of Mark, Jesus and his disciples are having a discussion about the end times. They like the girl in our story are curiously waiting for this fantastic event. They like the girl are prone to give up to quickly, and so Jesus has to speak to them and to us sternly about this dreadful period of time. It is not an easy time to live in. There are trials and temptations. Many will fall away from the faith. Many will desert God. In verse 32, Jesus says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Therefore we must all be on our guard. We must always be watching. We must always wait. We can not give up or slack up. We can't have Christ return to his church and say, "What I gave you an extra two hours and you're still not ready to go!"

Direct:

How are you mimicing an attitude of readiness this week? How are you living with an attitude of watchfulness? Are you working towards the day in which you will be reunited with God or are you getting into you PJs and watching late night TV, thinking that he will never come? The reality is that one day we will be reunited with God the Father. One day we will stand before his throne and will be held accountable for all that we have done and left undone. What will our response be when the knock comes on our front door. Will you be dressed and ready, or not?

DESIGN YOUR OWN T-SHIRT!

-REFLECT-
Read Mark Chapter 12
Key Verses: 28-31
After long debates about what is the most important thing in life, the religious leaders ask Jesus. They want know of all the million bazillion laws they have to keep and probably feeling kind of tired of it all, what does their faith really boil down to? Jesus casually tells them (paraphrase) “Oh, well that’s an easy one! Just love God with every single piece and part of you, and love your neighbors just as much as you like yourself.”
No biggie right? Who wouldn’t want to go from sacrifices and rituals and all the routines the people endured down to 2 simply stated commands. But even these guys knew that is was easier said than done. In fact, the commands that Jesus claims as most important just happen to be the ones that really encompass all the others.

-DIRECT-
Your momma (and dad too) probably taught you a few rules to live by. By this time, many of you are deciding what you think about those rules and priorities and deciding some of your own. You’ve seen the bumper stickers, you wear the T-shirts…. all around us we wear and bear things that express our philosophies in this life. Some are raw, honest commands, while others are more subtle. We tend to live by a select few guidelines, more often than not they are less important than the ones Jesus set. Just look at the T-shirt designs posted above...and then take a minute to think about yours this week.
-Based on your actions, what vibe do people get from you?
-Does loving God mean not loving other things? How?
-What is your “rule to live by” ?
Together we can find a way to put the priorities back in place and do more than wear a "Jesus is my homeboy t-shirt"...we can truly love God and love the people around us.

CLEAN HOUSE

~Reflect~
Read Mark 11
Key Verses Mark 11:15-17

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Here we see Jesus upset. He has come to Jerusalem and immediately sets out to the temple. He probably was going to go to the temple as usual to pray some; maybe teach a little something and maybe on the way heal a few sick souls, but when he gets there he is angered at the scene before him. He saw some buying and selling, he saw moneychangers or bankers and he was outraged. I mean the purpose for the temple was prayer and not for personal business! So what does Jesus do? He kicks them all out, in other words he cleans house. He went in there and turned over some tables and told them that this is to be a house of prayer for all nations.


~Direct~
The bible teaches us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and we all know that the Holy Spirit and Jesus are one, along with God the Father right? Right! So imagine what Jesus is saying about our temple. All the junk in our lives that fill our minds, our hearts and our very souls, do you honestly think that it pleases Him? He must be in outrage but God in his love and mercy doesn’t want us to stay that way. He wants to come into our life and CLEAN HOUSE. He wants to come and kick everything unholy and impure from our life and restore us to himself and create in us a temple of prayer. A pure and holy place for His Holy Spirit to dwell in and abide in, all we have to do is let Him. Let him make all the wrong in your life right, let Him clear all of the filth and dirt that fill us and with all of Him. Don’t you want His Holy Spirit to live in you? I know I do. I need His Spirit everyday. Without him I can’t do anything but with him I can conquer all. So what do you say?? CLEAN HOUSE!!!!

EAT UP

Connect
"Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends." George Muller.

Reflect
Read: Mark 8
Key Verse: Mark 8:2-4

2 "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance." 4 His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

Here we find Jesus with a multitude of people that had come to hear Jesus speak. For three days they had sat and listened to Jesus speak, not caring about anything around them or caring for their own personal needs. They had not eaten in days and Jesus, seeing this, felt compassion towards and wanted to help them...He wanted to provide for them. So Jesus shared his concern for the people with his disciples and told them that he basically wanted to feed them before sending them on their long journey back home. The disciples after hearing this basically told Jesus "we hear what you are saying, but what can we do? We are in the middle of nowhere and we only have seven loafs of bread!" But Jesus saw past what the disciples saw. He saw plenty of food, enough to fill all who where in need. He told the disciples to bring the bread and after Jesus blessed it, he gave it back to the disciples and had them give it to the people. Guess what? All who where there received bread and were filled --and not only that, but after all had taken to eat the disciples collected seven baskets of bread that were left over. That day 4,000 were fed.

Direct
You see when we think about our different situations big or small, when we are confronted with obstacles and circumstances that we see no way out, no solution to the problem, Jesus always sees a way out. He is always there willing and able to come to our rescue. It doesn't matter how big or how small our situation might be there is nothing impossible for God... all it takes is a little faith. Faith in the one and only one that can deliver us from situations that humanly we have no control over. God wants to glorify himself in your situation and he wants to show you that all things are possible through and by him.