My Epic Journey

INTRODUCTION

There’s more to life than just getting our physical needs met. There’s a God factor. There’s a faith factor.

Every temptation is an issue of whether or not you think God can and will intervene and show up in your world.

TENSION

The second temptation is to assume that, despite how big and powerful God is, you think you know how He works and you know how to work Him.

TRUTH

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple (Matthew 4:5 NIV).

“If you are the Son of God . . . throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:6 NIV).

It’s the temptation to presume and assume on God.

So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:2-3 NIV).

“Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16 NIV).

Jesus answered him, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7 NIV).

APPLICATION

As Christians, we’ve been called to cooperate with God, not manipulate God.

Four Signs You May be a God-Manipulator

1.  You talk more than you listen.  Your spiritual life consists of more praying than listening for an answer.

2.  Your conversations (prayers) are more about what God can do for you than praising God for who He is.

3.  You bargain with God.  “God, if you do this for me, than I will do that for you.”

4.  You are angry when God doesn’t come through.

CONCLUSION

Are you a cooperator or a manipulator?

Are your prayers centered around His will being done?

Noah had his first baseball game of the season tonight.  It is his first year in Coach-Pitch.  He was pretty excited because he was playing his best friend, Luke’s team. 

Noah did great!!!  He had great hits all three innings (that is all they play).  He not only got on base all three times but also scored all three times as well.

Here are pic Luke’s mom, Brooke, took (Luke is the boy in the blue jersey behind Noah when he is on base):

Thanks Brooke for the pictures!!!

Isaac hopefully plays his first game tomorrow since Tuesday’s game was rained out.  We will hopefully post pics of his game tomorrow.

After responding to a question from one of my AMAZING youth leaders, I thought I would post this:

I believe that most all, with the exception of Peter, were disciples or young men.  Here is my reasoning:

1.  Only Peter is mentioned as being married (which the average Jewish man was given a wife at around 18 years of age).

2.  Peter we assume was older since he often took leadership roles among the 12.

3.  The other disciples, when called, said they had to go tell their parents what they were doing.

4.  Most Jewish men didn’t have a “real” job until they were 21.  In the meantime, they were in apprentice positions.

5. Exodus 30.14-15 states that every male over 20 years old is to pay a temple tax when visiting.  In Matthew 17.24-27 Peter “fishes” for the temply tax–enough for two, he and Jesus.  I believe this points to the others age as being too young to pay.

6.  Jesus also uses the term “little ones” in referring to His disciples. (Matthew 11.25, Luke 10.21 and John 13.33)

7.  And the last reason I believe they were teens was their constant asking of questions, bickering and having to have things explained over and over again.

To me, this is why I am in youth ministry.  If Jesus can use 11 teenagers to change the world then most certainly He can us 100 students to change Delaware County!!!