Questions? Are you even asking?

I have one of those weird and almost scary 20Q games. If you haven't seen one of these toys go to any major store and play one there. If you still can't find one come to my office and play mine. 20Q is an electronic game of 20 questions where you think of something, it asks you yes/no questions in order to guess what you are thinking about.

The scary thing is that it guesses right... a lot! I mean how does it know what I'm thinking is what everyone who plays eventually says. Can it really read my mind? Well, no, but it is pretty clever.

The Bible says, "For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." This verse from 1 John should be a reminder that God knows not just some things, EVERYTHING. So as you start school this year you will be forced to make a lot of decisions about a great many things. Questions of friendship, family, money, time, activities, fear, anger, greed, jealousy, guilt, alcohol, pornography, sex, drugs, media choices and on and on.

In all of this remember to ask God questions. Questions like should I do THIS or should I do THAT? Am I right or wrong? What do YOU want me to do God (instead of what I want to do)? Remember unlike the 20Q game, God ALWAYS knows the answer. Talk to God, listen to God, sometimes wait for God, but always know God loves you and wants what is best for you.

Now if I could only find where I put the batteries.

Festival of Faith Sunday

You don't want to miss the annual Festival of Faith celebration this Sunday, August 20.

Featuring:

• Outdoor service under a tent starting at 10:00am
• Fantastic cookout with burgers, brats, hotdogs and even veggie-burgers
• Games and other great activities
• See your Thrive small group members, friends from camp, friends from school, etc.
• Have some fun!

Hope to see you this Sunday, bring a friend!!! (and hope for sunny skies)

Seen or Unseen?

We went caving again this summer with church. All the thrills that a dark, wet, clay-filled, rocky, dirty place can give you. In a cave there is normally no natural light when you get far enough back into the cave. In pitch black, you cannot see your fingers if you place them in front of your face. You can't see them but you know they are there, why?

The Bible says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

We know our fingers are still there because we can feel them and we have no other reason to doubt that they are still attached to our hand. Weird! How is your relationship with God? Where are my (and your) eyes fixed today?

God of course is right, everything we see around us is temporary and won't last. Only in faith can we believe in God and that God is for us, not against us. By God's grace (that perfect gift) we can believe in something "unseen." So where are your eyes fixed? New school? New clothes for school? The right cell phone, music player, right team, right group at school? Whatever it is (because all of us set our eyes on these things sometimes) don't forget to close your eyes and quiet your heart. See what God wants for you and where God wants to lead you.

Start seeing the unseen. Start looking less at the world and more of the WORD (that's God if you don't know.)

-Rob

Genesis Returns This Fall!

I know you're not ready for fall yet (I'm not) but you need to be ready for our Sunday morning program called GENESIS.

GENESIS is being held this year during the 10:15am hour only. So, if you are available at 10:15am consider attending this great Sunday morning program. Each Sunday is something different with great thoughts about God and how we fit in as Christians in this crazy world.

Explore God's awesome glory with great videos, games, weird objects, sometimes food, sometimes play, always pray! We always have a great time and you can come anytime. No signups, just show-up. Show-up sleepy, show-up awake, show-up with your friend who slept over the night before, show-up, just show-up.

We do take a freewill offering (meaning we hope you bring something but it's between you and God) that will go this semester to a great place called Love Packages (www.lovepackages.org).

GENESIS starts back up on Sunday, September 10, 2006 in Room 200 which is at the end of the hallway under the Sanctuary. Hope to see you soon!