Help me name this knight.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Bravery Every Day
I can tell you personally about being dared to do something stupid and then doing it. Perhaps you can share personally too, but did you know that Jesus was dared. It is true, Satan dared Him to change rocks into bread just to prove who He was. I was dared to show that I wasn't chicken, Jesus was dared to show that He was indeed the Son of God. Satan then tries to dare Jesus using the word of God and still Jesus is having none of it. Then Satan says that he will give Jesus everything if He will bow down and worship him.
Satan shows that all along he was trying to trick Jesus into doing what he wanted him to do. Isn't that what most dares are all about?
Every day bravery is being brave all the time and being able to stand up against those who try to trick us with a dare. We show more bravery when we actually stand up to a dare than when we give in to a dare.
Psalm 31:24 tells us that we should not give up in our bravery, be strong, because God will be here soon. Stand firm and God will back you up when you need Him.
I believe this verse and I believe that God will be here to back me up. Don;t take a dare to show how brave you are, refuse a dare to show how brave you are.
Satan shows that all along he was trying to trick Jesus into doing what he wanted him to do. Isn't that what most dares are all about?
Every day bravery is being brave all the time and being able to stand up against those who try to trick us with a dare. We show more bravery when we actually stand up to a dare than when we give in to a dare.
Psalm 31:24 tells us that we should not give up in our bravery, be strong, because God will be here soon. Stand firm and God will back you up when you need Him.
I believe this verse and I believe that God will be here to back me up. Don;t take a dare to show how brave you are, refuse a dare to show how brave you are.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Jesus was walking on by....
The scene in Mark Chapter 6 is really on the weird side. Jesus feeds 5,000 men, who knows how many women and children, and then he tells the disciples to get in a boat and go on ahead.
They do and they run into a storm, they row and row and row. They row all night long and are still in the middle of the lake. Some of these men knew how to handle a boat in a storm but not what was going to happen next. The Bible tells us that Jesus came walking by them on the fourth watch, between 3 and 6 am. Verse 48b says, "When he was about to pass by them..." which is funny isn't it? Jesus wasn't out there to save the disciples from their hard work and fear, He was out for a walk on the lake.
Maybe He was going where He told His disciples to go, but it is clear that He wasn't out there to join them. The men start screaming, they were terrified.
I can't remember the last time I screamed because I was afraid... but think about this, Mark wrote this in his letter about Jesus. He looked back at that time and probably smiled. Maybe he felt a little embarrassed to have others read this.
Every time someone read this that knew one of the 12 in the boat that night, probably smiled at how silly it would be to see those men, some of who were professional fishermen, screaming and actually being afraid of Jesus.
I think Jesus might have expected them to be brave because He sent them ahead of Him. I think that we can take a clear lesson from this...we can be especially brave when God prompts us to do something and then we do it. Jesus may never walk on the water to me, but He might walk by me in the midst of my struggles and meet where He told me to go.
They do and they run into a storm, they row and row and row. They row all night long and are still in the middle of the lake. Some of these men knew how to handle a boat in a storm but not what was going to happen next. The Bible tells us that Jesus came walking by them on the fourth watch, between 3 and 6 am. Verse 48b says, "When he was about to pass by them..." which is funny isn't it? Jesus wasn't out there to save the disciples from their hard work and fear, He was out for a walk on the lake.
Maybe He was going where He told His disciples to go, but it is clear that He wasn't out there to join them. The men start screaming, they were terrified.
I can't remember the last time I screamed because I was afraid... but think about this, Mark wrote this in his letter about Jesus. He looked back at that time and probably smiled. Maybe he felt a little embarrassed to have others read this.
Every time someone read this that knew one of the 12 in the boat that night, probably smiled at how silly it would be to see those men, some of who were professional fishermen, screaming and actually being afraid of Jesus.
I think Jesus might have expected them to be brave because He sent them ahead of Him. I think that we can take a clear lesson from this...we can be especially brave when God prompts us to do something and then we do it. Jesus may never walk on the water to me, but He might walk by me in the midst of my struggles and meet where He told me to go.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
T-R-Y
It is easy to just decide not to do something because it is a little scary. For instance, a friend is doing something you know they shouldn't do and you have a decision to make..."Do I tell them to stop or go along with them and possibly get in trouble?"
Isaiah 35:4 helps us understand what to do. Do not fear, so don't worry about what your friend might say. Be brave, God will come. God will be by your side when you stand up for what is right.
(Mark 10:46-52) Blind Bartimaeus understood what none of the other beggars understood when Jesus came near. He understood that Jesus was near. His understanding that God had COME caused him to make a big racket until Jesus stopped and healed him. We don't hear about any other beggars being healed at this time. I think they did not understand that God had come.
We can also be this way... if we focus on our fears, we will not understand that God has come. God promises to come, so, be brave and do not fear, do the right thing.
Isaiah 35:4 helps us understand what to do. Do not fear, so don't worry about what your friend might say. Be brave, God will come. God will be by your side when you stand up for what is right.
(Mark 10:46-52) Blind Bartimaeus understood what none of the other beggars understood when Jesus came near. He understood that Jesus was near. His understanding that God had COME caused him to make a big racket until Jesus stopped and healed him. We don't hear about any other beggars being healed at this time. I think they did not understand that God had come.
We can also be this way... if we focus on our fears, we will not understand that God has come. God promises to come, so, be brave and do not fear, do the right thing.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Cartoon Thursday
This is a fish I drew for the upcoming CD packet for the kids. Find 10 differences between the two.
Scuba-Duba!
Monday, January 5, 2009
January Virtue is Bravery
Wow, we have started a whole new year and 12 more virtues ahead for our kids!
This first week we focused on the fact that God expects us to be afraid sometimes or He wouldn't have needed to teach us about bravery. The verse we memorized tells us that God will always be at our side and that we can choose to be brave or not.
Easy to say but hard to do. I always find it hard to be brave when I am scared. It is true. However, we can continue to act and finish our work if we follow what God says and believe Him that He is at our side. Once again, easy to talk about but in the midst of a struggle hard to do.
Hopefully, teaching our kids about bravery will help them know how to act when they need to be brave.
Be looking for the beginning of Teambuctu soon as well as the new parent packs and Guide packs. We will also be starting a puppet guild for anyone who is interested...
Pastor Russ
This first week we focused on the fact that God expects us to be afraid sometimes or He wouldn't have needed to teach us about bravery. The verse we memorized tells us that God will always be at our side and that we can choose to be brave or not.
Easy to say but hard to do. I always find it hard to be brave when I am scared. It is true. However, we can continue to act and finish our work if we follow what God says and believe Him that He is at our side. Once again, easy to talk about but in the midst of a struggle hard to do.
Hopefully, teaching our kids about bravery will help them know how to act when they need to be brave.
Be looking for the beginning of Teambuctu soon as well as the new parent packs and Guide packs. We will also be starting a puppet guild for anyone who is interested...
Pastor Russ
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Years
2009 the year of the adventure.
This year Adventure World will take our kids many places of adventure.
This will also be the year of connections. Every children's program out there says, "We partner with the parents...", this year we have a real strategy to actually accomplish this.
The hope is that all parents will support AW for the benefit of all kids in AW. It all begins with connecting to us at this blog, the facebook group, and Sunday morning.
Talk to you soon,
Russ
p.s. Look here soon for Dandy Diver Dave and his Underwater Adventure Charter Service.
This year Adventure World will take our kids many places of adventure.
This will also be the year of connections. Every children's program out there says, "We partner with the parents...", this year we have a real strategy to actually accomplish this.
The hope is that all parents will support AW for the benefit of all kids in AW. It all begins with connecting to us at this blog, the facebook group, and Sunday morning.
Talk to you soon,
Russ
p.s. Look here soon for Dandy Diver Dave and his Underwater Adventure Charter Service.
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