http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com Discipling youth to IMPACT their world with the love of Christ Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:16:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.png http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/joshua-revolution-preparation/ http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/joshua-revolution-preparation/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:52:47 +0000 Nicki http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/joshua-revolution-preparation/ ]]> With each tick of the clock, the Joshua Revolution is quickly approaching. It seems like moments ago we were hosting the Youth IMPACT Slow-pitch Softball Tournament, doing Bake Sales, selling Little Caesar’s Pizza Kits, cutting hair, stacking wood… the list goes on with the many fundraisers that we have been involved in to raise money for this moment. Can you believe it, the moment is almost here!! Only days away!! The only thing left to do is figure out how to get all those clothes in 1 suitcase and how many cases of Mountain Dew to bring along, which leads to a greater question, do I share my Mountain Dew or keep it for myself? (1 rule of the trip – always share Mountain Dew with the Youth Pastor!) Registration money and forms have been turned in (for the most part), the list of things to do is getting smaller. To this moment great thought, effort ,and time have been invested in preparing for the details of this trip. There’s one detail, however, that we want to be sure not to overlook! “What detail is that?”, you may ask.  Have you prepared yourself? That’s right…Have you prepared yourself? What do I mean by “prepare yourself”? We’ve placed great emphasis on preparing for the physical details of this trip. I’m encouraging you to prepare yourself spiritually for this trip. Many of us are excitedly awaiting all the fun times that we are going to have being away with our friends for four days straight. And you know what? We are going to have fun! Memories will be made that will last a lifetime! However, having fun isn’t the only reason that we are going on this trip. In fact, believe it or not, having fun isn’t the goal for going on this trip. Much time, effort, and money have been invested in our going on this trip and if all that we walked away with was “a good time”, we will have been ripped off! You may be thinking, “well what could be more important than having a good time?” To me it would be that each one who goes on this trip would have a one-on-one encounter with the living God, that He would speak individually to each one of us, and that we would leave the Conference transformed and on fire for Him! For this to occur I believe it will take some preparation on our part. Are you expecting God to speak? Are you expecting God to speak to you individually and personally? Will you hear Him when He does speak to you? If you go to the Conference only looking for a good time, not expecting God to speak, and not listening for Him to speak, it’s possible that you could miss Him altogether and ultimately walk away getting ripped off. Not because He wasn’t there and not because He wasn’t speaking, because I can promise you that He will be! I know that many of you have things that you are wrestling with at this stage in your life. I encourage you to take some time and think about those things that you are wrestling with, whether it be decisions you need to make in the future, temptations you are struggling with, relational issues you may be facing.  Whatever is on your heart , write it down and then commit it to the Lord in prayer daily, asking Him to speak to you about what you have asked. A verse that I read a few days ago in my devotions keeps coming back to me as I think about the upcoming trip. I challenge you to think deeply about this verse and then apply it. Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” It’s interesting to note that this verse says that when we call , He will answer! It takes effort on our part. How does He answer? He shows us great and mighty things which we do not know. An interesting side note – the word “mighty” can also be translated “inaccessible”. In other words the things He will show you, you can never find out on your own! They are off limits to us naturally. Only by seeking Him can we be shown these “great and mighty things”. I will be the first to admit that there are many things I do not know! (No “amen’s” allowed!) The thought that God will hear me, answer me and show me inaccessible things which I do not know, excites me! How about you? What is required? You ask, you listen and then you act on what He reveals. Aren’t you thankful that we don’t serve a silent God, a God who does not speak?  He is life and He speaks life! My challenge for each of us is that we would prepare our hearts to receive from Him, that we would go anticipating and expecting Him to speak to us individually, that we would spend time in prayer calling out to Him not only for ourselves but for all who will be attending this Conference. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to walk away feeling “ripped off”, I want to walk away having had a life changing encounter with the living God! I want that for you also! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all before 7:30 am Saturday morning. Be praying and if you haven’t begun already, begin preparing spiritually so that you can receive all that He longs to reveal to you! If anyone has any thoughts or anything they want to add, please comment to this!

]]> http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/joshua-revolution-preparation/feed/ 10 Curly http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/under-construction/ http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/under-construction/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:17:24 +0000 Nicki http://rhemayouth.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/under-construction/ ]]> We are currently undergoing a major overhaul with the Youth Blog. Please check back soon to view the changes.

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