Memory Challenge

God told Joshua not to let the Book of the Law be out of his mouth, that he should meditate on it day and night. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You." A great way to do that is by memorizing scripture. Memorizing can be hard. Not everybody can do it word for word just by reading it over and over to yourself (though that's a great way to go if you can). Often you can remember better if you learn it as a song. Here's a site with some good memory songs. However you memorize, remember that if you don't seek to do what the word says then memorization won't be anymore beneficial than memorizing all the songs of your favorite band or a bunch of baseball stats. (Trust me, I know just how worthless both of those things have proved in my own life.) I know how hard it is to memorize even when doing it is easy. Here's my pledge to you. I will memorize a new passage of scripture each week. Put me to the test on Wednesday nights.

Here's my challenge to you. If anybody memorizes Deuteronomy 30:11-20 or Joshua 1:1-9 and recites it to me on Wednesday night (May 26 or June 2) I will buy them $1 worth of stuff from the Underground Cafe. If nine verses is too much then memorize one or two verses from anywhere else in scripture and I'll at least give you an airhead. The only catch is that they've got to be new ones. No airheads for something you already know.

Eat the word. It's good. (Psalm 19:10)

PADS night

Dianne had the priviledge to be on the team who went to set up beds and make juice at the shelter. We made up 43 beds for a definite 37. It just boggles my mind that there would be that many in this area. Apparently, after this month those 37 people have to find the outdoor places to live until October when the shelter is reopened. I wish I would have thought of it then to pray for the people that would visit the shelter tonight. I'm gonna do it now.

Dear God,
I thank you that you are a God who cares about the people that have to live in a shelter tonight. I pray that you would reveal yourself to these people that you do care. Open their eyes to see you. I pray that you would bless their sleep tonight and bring people or resources in their lives to help get them to where you want them to be.
Amen

Leviticus

Tonight we talked about the book of leviticus. Yes I know for most of you this book in the bible could put you to sleep [emi lol] but we talked on some pretty interesting points. For those of you who haven't read it yet, read up on chapter 19 in leviticus. I read through some of it with my small group but we were kinda running short on time, however when you have the opportunity, read it through and check out all the laws that were set in order to keep the people from sinning.

Could you keep all the commandments?? I know I couldn't and I haven't, which is why offerings were in order. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, he was perfect and instead of having to use a scape goat to send off and that would come back "symbolizing our sins" with Jesus having given his own life for us, he washed our sins away completely!! what good news!!

That Hebrew Song from Prince of Egypt

I almost cried tonight when the Jews were going out of Egypt and the children started singing the Hebrew bit in the middle of the song "When you believe". I got curious what they were actually singing so I looked it up. Here are the lyrics in Hebrew and English.

"Ashira l'adonai ki ga'oh ga'ah
Ashira l'adonai ki ga'oh ga'ah
Michamocha, ba-elim adonai
Michamocha nedar-bakodesh
Nachitah v'chasd'cha, am zu ga'alta
Nachitah v'chasd'cha, am zu gaalta
Ashira, Ashira, Ashira..."


Translation:
"I will sing unto Adonai for He has triumphed gloriously.
I will sing unto Adonai for He has triumphed gloriously.
Who is like You, O Adondai, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness?
In Your mercy, you lead the people You redeemed.
In Your mercy, you lead the people You redeemed.
I will sing, I will sing, I will sing..."

"Adonai" means Lord and is a substitute for God's personal name Yahweh. Whenever you're reading in the Old Testament and it says "LORD" in the English that's where a Jew would say "Adonai" instead of pronouncing God's name. Anyway, the song in the movie is based on the song Moses sings in Exodus 15:1-18, specifically verses 1, 11 and 13. I thought it was awesome seeing the joy of people as they came out of slavery into freedom.

Choosing Not to Be a Prince of Egypt

A couple more thoughts about the movie we're watching. Last night we watched the first part of Prince of Egypt, about the life of Moses and the Exodus. We talked about the different ways the movie changes the story from what's in the Bible. One thing I think it really missed, and I wish I'd thought of this last night, is that Moses chose to leave the palace and join his people before he ever left Egypt or killed an overseer. This isn't in Exodus so I don't really blame the movie guys for leaving it out but the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament says Moses chose to be mistreated with the people of God rather than be considered a prince of Egypt. Hebrews 11:24-26 says,

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward."

Moses thought it was more important to be approved by God than to live with all the pleasures and treasures of Pharaoh's palaces. Sometime when he was grown up he remembered or learned who he was and chose to leave all the royal life behind him. He didn't blunder into it by accidently killing an Egyptian. He chose the life of a slave and then went into the wilderness where he spent 40 years tending sheep before God called him. I like the movie, but I think that's a big difference. Read more about it in Exodus 2-4 and Hebrews 11:23-28.

The other thing we didn't talk about last night that I think is "awesomemazing" is Jethro's song about how we have to look at our lives through Heaven's eyes. I know that way too often I try to judge how good my life is by comparing it to other people around me. That's stupid. I don't know what they think and I don't know how their story or my story is going to end. I just see snapshots and memories without seeing the whole picture or where it's going. God knows that whole picture because He's been drawing and painting it since before the beginning of time. He knows how my experiences and problems combine to make me who I am and how that affects other people. He knows way better than I do all that I am and all that I can be. I know enough about the end of my story to know that I will live in the house of the Lord forever, but I don't know much about how I'm going to get there. So I've got to judge my life not based on what I know but what God knows and what I know about God. He loves me and He will work all things to my good even if I don't see it now. If you know Him that's true for you too. If you don't know Him, ask Him. He will answer.

!!!DUN DUN DUN!!!

Here they are, videos from winter retreat!!!! Sit, Laugh, and Enjoy!! ^_^

Finger Fencing: Gio vs. Everett

Giant Swing: John and Gio

Party in the U.S.A.

Egyptian Rat!!

Extreme Pens!! [aka pigpens] Gio vs. Everett

Round 2 [pigpens] Gio vs. Everett

Toe Jam...

Eating Candy Necklaces

Pop in a Sock...

*!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANNE!!*

First off I'd like to wish dianne an offical "happy birthday" from myself and all of our awesome 3D students and leaders. For those of you who didn't know, dianne's birthday is on the 12th of march!! [that would be this month ;] ]

We celebrated after 3D at Bakers Square for some.... FREE PIE!!!! and it was yummay!! So once again, happy birthday and may yer day be awesomely blessed dianne. ^_^

JOB

Now, onto other news. Everett expanded on our study of Job tonight and the main idea was, how job, being in as much pain as he was and cursing the day of his birth, [which you can all read in chapter 3, so do so when you have time. And if you are still captivated, read on in chapter 4 where job's friends begin to give their reasons for why he was going through all that he did]

There's a point in the story where the Lord presents himself in a storm and asks Job questions. Like everett suggested, read through it and ask yerself if you know any of the answers to them. See what you find interesting and if you'd like to share what you've discovered, feel free to share here by adding comments or sharing it with us next week.

Everett reminded us what the reason was for all of the tragic things that were happening to Job and it was because he LOVED GOD. Serving the Lord isn't for the faint of heart. There will be lots of trials and tribulations that come as part of the price for follwing Jesus. However... when you truly put ALL of yer faith in him, whatever yer facing doesn't always seem so terrible because you know that God is bigger than it all and in the end, he will be glorified and bring you through whatever hard times yer having. So it will be worth it. Hang in there.

RUMANDUNG FRANSIKA TAMPUBOLON

This is the name of our new compassion child in indonesia. Some of you may've forgotten what her name was since mike introduced her to us, and if you did, welp.. here it is ^_^ We will be supporting her and our same Tuukuo Merin. Fadia Haya from indonesia has left the compassion program. We don't know the reason why, but just because she has, doesn't mean that we should forget about her. Feel free to shoot up a prayer to God for her whenever she comes to mind.

MISSIONS TRIP TO CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINA

If you haven't decided whether or not you'll be going on this amazing God-filled, serving, missions trip in july, there are a few spots still open but you'll have to talk to mike soon!! I'm not sure how much longer he's leaving this open so if you feel like God is calling you to do some hard missions work and share Jesus, don't hesitate, just sign up!! I know that the Lord is gonna do an awesome thing this summer with it.

VIDEOS

Just a side note. I have some videos that I took from the winter retreat REVOLUTION MISSION POSSIBLE of some of the boys going on the GIANT SWING and others of us playing X-TREME PENS!! [dangerous?? o_O] perhaps gio would have an idea of how that game went down with everett ;] I'll try to get those posted up as soon as I can so that you all can enjoy the rest of our great moments during that weekend.


TODAY I WENT TO HELL

If you click on that link above "today i went to hell" you'll be able to see more about what mike was talking to us about in kenya. For natalie, the woman who wrote this story is Kristen Welch.

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Welp, I think I've covered just about everything. Write any of us if you any questions or just wanna say, "hey!! what's up??" otherwise...

God bless~

Oh yes and one more thing. Gio you are sooo on for egyptian rat next wednesday. I am making it my personal goal to beat you =P