God Really Protected Me Yesterday

I went on a bike ride with Justin Pilisdorf and Michael Lumb yesterday, and well, that was pretty dumb because it was like 96 degrees! I didn't bring water, nor did I drink any that day. We got to the other side of Spring Lake, and almost Blacked-Out! Total Heat Exastion!!!

I really felt like God gave me the strength to stand up. I can't explain that well, but I know on my own strength, I could not have stood up. My sister-in-law drove over and picked the three of us up and I spent the next two hours getting cooled down. It was an aweful experience, but I really see God's hand in it!

Thank you God!

"Not dealing with God now, then when?"

I went to the mall with pastor Rick today with the purpose to ask the question, "What is your perseption of God (Positive or Negative)?"

We got a lot of responses, most of them being nuetral, but one stuck out, and it was my last interview. I asked this woman this same question and her response to me was, "I'm not going to get into religion today!!!" I told her ok and walked away. How would you deal with a response like that, she clearly did not want to talk about God.

As I was walking back to the car, it struck me, we all have to deal with that question. We can either choose to deal with it now or in eternity! If it was up to me (and it is) I want to deal with it now. I choose to belive by faith that:

1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

5. The third day he rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

1l. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

I want to deal with knowing that I am saved by a God in Jesus Christ that loves me so much that we would die for me and that I can place my whole trust in him!

I know which side of the cross I am on, do you? If you need to talk to someone about this concept, email me at srncyouth@pacbell.net

Great Words To A Song That We Are Singing On Thursday Night

There is a song called "Fire Fall Down" thats words are so good that I wanted to post them on my blog. Get used to these words, because we will sing them here a lot.


Fire Fall Down

You bought my life with the blood
That You shed on the cross
When You died for the sins of men
And You let out a cry crucified
Now alive in me

These hands are Yours
Teach them to serve
As You please and I'll reach out
Desperate to see all the greatness of God
May my soul rest assured in You

You've changed it all
You broke down the wall
When I spoke and confessed
In You I'm blessed
Now I walk in the light
In victorious sight of You

I'll never be the same
No I'll never be the same

'Cause I know that You're alive
You came to fix my broken life
And I sing to glorify
Your holy name Jesus Christ

Your fire fall down
Fire fall down
On us we pray
As we seek
Your fire fall down
Fire fall down
On us we pray
As we seek

I am sour today

I along with helping my friend Ryan at his farm out last night also played in my first and last softball game of the year. We got crushed, but that is not the point...

I had not used a lot of the muscles that I used last night in a long time, therefore waking up this morning very sour. When I have played in the past, I remember that the first day is always the hardest, because of this reason. But we all know, that each time after, it gets less and less sour.

Same with our spiritual walk. Some of us start this journey with God thinking that when I start to follow him, I will have a "bubble of protection" around me. So with all their hearts in the beginning run after God. They wake up the next day, and wammmo... something happens where they experience this pain that they "thought they were now immune to". If that is you, and someone told you that following after God was going to be easy and that you will not have no pain or problems, I am sorry they told you that because that is a lie! Following after Jesus, yes is an amazing experience, but we have to realize that it is "Counter Culture" (Jesus was, and if we follow Him, we should be too). Jesus did say, "If you want to be my disciple (follower), you must pick up your cross daily and follow me. That is no pretty picture, and it sure sounds like at least some of my days in following Jesus might involve some pain or hardship.

Here is the cool thing though about having Christ. The Bible also says, "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that lives, but Christ who lives in me."(Gal. 2:20) It is Christ who gives us the power to daily pick up that heavy cross and move into our circles of influence and impact a lost culture for Jesus Christ. The Bible also says in Philippians, "For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" Not some things, but all things.

So if you are on this Journey, and you have woken up today sour because of following after Jesus, keep going. Let Jesus be your strength! In my experience (and we can only talk from what we ourselves have experienced), when we continue to follow, even when we are sour, it just gets a little easier every day. Maybe because we trust more, I don't know, but keep going. If you fall down because you are following Christ (persecuted), get back up and keep walking forward.

God has been rocking my world this week, and he has amazed me in ways I never knew possible!

Who's Got Your Back?

I was over at my friend Ryan's house tonight helping him feed his sheep (yes, I am turning redneck, and I am proud of it!). Ryan asked me to go on the other side of the fence and get a bucket to fill up with water, but to watch out for the RAM. I answered ok to him without really thinking too much of what he said. When I went in, I bent over to pick up the bucket and walked back to the fense. Ryan yelled, "Tippitt, watch it!!!" It hit me what he said 2 min prior at that split second! If I just had paid attention to the begining instructions, my neck probabl would not be sour as I write tonight! Then I think about God and how all the time he is trying to get our backs. The enemy (Satain) is trying at all costs to blindside us, and God has thoughout histroy tried to help us see what might hurt us. How many times, do we hear God speaking (Holy Spirit, Bible, Christian friends, etc...), but just blank out when he is speaking just like with me today. Some of us even go as far as to blame God that... He didn't warn me... But all the time, He had our backs! So we end up getting hurt, when all the time, if we would have just taken God's advice we could be doing so much better. When we hear God speak, there should be more valitity to what He says than anyone/anything in our lives. Obey the warning signs from a God who loves you so much!!!

God has our backs, and he only has good intentions for you. Trusting is sometimes hard, but he is trustworthy!

District All Nighter

If you want to go to our District All Nighter, I need to know by September 2nd.

Date: September 7-8
Cost: $35
Time: 6:30pm-8am
What are we doing?
~Broomball Hocky
~70's Theam Rollerskating
~Movie on Big Screens
~Bungie/bounce house/ sumo wresteling competition
~Pizza, food, giveaways

~I Pod Giveaway

Being filled with God's Spirit does what...?

One thing that I am really starting to understand about being filled with God's Spirit is that it impowers you to have small victories over sin. In some cases, it gives you total victory over sin. The point about being filled with the Spitit is that we should live in it. Some people choose to try to jump in and out of the spirit, but the intention is that we LIVE IN IT! To let the spirit control us. I want to live in the Spirit because I know that is where I have found "True" joy (The real thing!). Apart from living in step with God, life to me seams fragmented and empty. He has also given me hope.

Want to live in the Spirit? You must ask for it. If you have questions, call me at the church 707.542.2650

Who are you going to please? God or Man?

That is a serrious question for students going back to school and some who in the past wanted to strive to be popular at all costs! It is imprtant to strive for good relationships, it is even more important to have a steadfast obediant relationship with Christ. I pray that this year that you would choose to please God over man at all costs, even when you would look totally different than your friends.

COme to youth group tonight, this is what I am talking about.

Some things just please the heart

You ever have something so amazing happen in your life that you don't even have words to express? Did that experience happen when you least expected it? Well, last night that happened to me. I had a very stressful night and found myself tired and frustrated about how the night went. My wife was gone at Bible Study and it was about 10:00pm when I got her call as she was coming home. There was something inside of me that was saying, "Joel, just listen to her night!". There was so much that I wanted to tell her about my night though (how rough it was...), but I said to her, "Tell me about your night". She spent the next 15 min expressing to me about how she was touched by God in a new way and that she was filled with so much emotion that night and all she wants in life is more of God! There is nothing better in life, let me tell you than to hear your spouse say something like that! I told Amy last night that her hugs mean so much to me, but the hugs she gives God are so much better to me. There is nothing better than to see the one you love get intimately in love with Jesus Christ. I saw my wife last night the most beautiful I have ever seen her!

Praise God for the way he surprises us and fills us with His Spirit! AMEN!!!

I'm On Vacation

Amy and I are on vacation right now and we are in Beautiful San Diego. We are having a blast and get back on saturday night late.

Hope to see you at church on Sunday morning and at our "back to school pool party" at ridgeway pool at 6:30-8:30pm on Sunday Aug. 12th

Hope you all come!

Joel