Sunday Service Follow Up

I was blown away this morning by the student testimonies about Youth Camp. David McTier is a stud 8th grader. At lunch, I told Joelan, my 11 year old son, that I would love for David to disciple him next year when he hits middle school.

I broke down in the 9:30 service during "Beautiful Jesus" as I was thinking about Tiffany's testimony. I can relate to her so much. It reminded me of my own story. I was one of the "cool kids" in high school, and when I became a Christian at Youth Camp the Summer before my Senior Year (1986), I found out who my real friends were. As Tiffany mentioned, when I took a stand for Jesus Christ, some of my best friends did not want to hang out with my anyone, but I gained some friends for a lifetime...actually for an eternity.

The week following the Youth Camp that I became a Christian, I went out of town for a tennis tournament. Before I left for the trip, one of the adult youth workers/volunteers gave me 7 envelopes (one for each day) and told me to open one a day. Each day, when I opened the envelope, it was filled with encouraging letters and Bible verses that each kid in my youth group had written to me. I still remember some of the verses that were written on those powerful letters.

I hope and pray that the Youth Group at Graystone Church can love and support Tiffany and the other youth as the youth group kids, Youth Pastor (Jimmmy Stewart...not the actor), and adult volunteers supported me.

On another note, someone after the service asked me to post the short list of God's commands that I shared this morning during my sermon. So, here they are:

God’s word says:
- be joyful always
- pray continually
- be content
- consider others better than yourself
- share your faith
- give your tithe (10% of your income to God)
- tame your tongue
- do not worry
- do not overeat
- to look after widows and orphans
- give to the poor and needy
- observe the Sabbath (a day of rest)
- do not look lustfully at a woman
- be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry
- humble yourself
- train yourself to be godly
- do not get drunk
- flee from sexual immorality
- be holy because God is holy.
- obey your parents
- do not show favoritism or prejudice
- be patient
- meditate on God’s word day and night
- love your enemies
- forgive others
- do not boast or brag
- confess your sins to one another
- fast and pray
- love your neighbor as yourself
- do not judge others
- do not serve two masters…you cannot serve both God and money

What area of your life are you not being obedient to God?
What area do you need to Just Do It?


BTW, the band rocked today. The song, Least of These, fit perfectly with the DR Mission Trip pics. We really need to step it up and meet more "least of these" needs in our own community. We don't have to go to the Dominican Republic to share the love of Jesus.

I'm out until tomorrow.