Recap of Last night's class & Our first "special feature of the week": Amber D!

First let me say to you girls....I am stunned by you're hunger and absorption of the Word last night!  We talked about God vs. self as the source of our joy. We started the night with a question "Do you feel more loved by God when he makes much of you, or when he enables you to make much of Him?" This was the question posed by Mr. John Piper at the last night of Passion 2011 Atlanta. I got to listen to a live simulcast of his sermon and have been dwelling on the message of it ever since. Piper said, "Whatever the bottom of your joy is, is who you are." Who I am I really? Do I truly in my heart of hearts seek glory for myself or for the Father? Great question and you helped me girls, to really unpack that last night. We learned that when we truly seek to lift up His name instead of our own, He lifts us up! We explored 7 ways God makes much of us...(also from Piper's message) and I think we were on the verge of spontaneous combustion! After our pre-lesson lesson on  the source of our joy, we proceeded to our study of Romans. We nearly finished chapter 8, well we actually only got through 3 verses but they were mighty! "And we know that in all things God works  for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined , he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified he also glorified."28-30  Praise the Lord!  We have been predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son! We all agreed that Christ in us is our only hope of glorifying the Father and that we could use some serious conforming to his likeness!    Up next "If God is for us, who can be against us?"! vs.31

And now for our first "special feature of the week" the beautiful and Holy Spirit seeking...Amber D!

 

I made her take this second pic because I thought we needed to get her cute boots in the pic!

So every week one of the youth girls will be featured with either her favorite verse or one that has just really been getting her excited! Amber chose a prophecy from Luke 21:12-19 "But before all of this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in you being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand about how you will defend yourselves . For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. By standing firm you will gain life."        Amber said the reason she picked this passage is because "she thinks it shows God's power and wisdom that he can use through us."

Thanks for being our first to volunteer Amber. I love you dearly and am honored to learn the Word with you every Wednesday night. Keep that passion and here is another verse from Luke that makes me think of you! "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for and egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though, you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"  Keep asking and He'll keep giving and I didn't add that exclamation mark at the end, that is how excited Jesus was to tell us this!