Awana Tonight!

Hope to see yo all out tonight. It is our second night of Awana at Ridgeville Bible Chapel. If there are any children out there who would like to join, and weren't out last week, no problem, come on out and we'll get you registered and joining in on the fun.
Clubbers, please work on you memory verses for tonight.....I have some treats I would love to give out to those who complete their sections.

Awana begins TONIGHT!!!!

It's a beautiful day outside, a little windy, but a great day. All the preparations, phone calls, emails, and getting organized will now be put into play.
Awana begins TONIGHT at Ridgeville Bible Chapel. I'm pumped and excited to see all the clubbers and their families today. It's going to be an awesome year!!!
My lessons and games are ready, and all the other leaders are ready to get going......so here we go....another year of planting God's Word in the hearts of boys and girls, because "Kids matter to God."
See you tonight ar 6:15 pm for registration. Then we will have a regular club night to follow. Parents, as always, you are more than welcome to stick around and see what's going on. And a little preview, Parents night is scheduled for September 26th, so please plan to be in attendance, I'll be putting my Commanders hat aside and will be wearing my Awana Missionary hat that night and talking about Awana both locally, and globally.

Jesus' brothers

John chapter 7 records an encounter Jesus had with his half brothers, of whom were Jude and James. These two, as far as we know from the Biblical record, came to Jesus after His resurrection in faithful repentance and acceptance of His grace. They would go on to write two books of the New Testament. His resurrection proved to be the "event" that would change their minds and convince them of Jesus' authenticity in His claims of Messiah-ship. They would go on to, according to early church tradition, martyrdom for their faith. Dying for their faith and trust in the LORD Jesus. Such a strong testimony of their belief in Jesus as the Son of God, raised from the dead!
However, in chapter 7 they had yet to believe He was who He said He was. "For even His brothers did not believe in Him." (John 7:5)
They challenged Him to show Himself at the Feast of Tabernacles (One of the three mandatory feasts that able bodied Jewish males were to attend in Jerusalem). Jesus was living in Galilee at the time and a trip to Jerusalem would have put Him in danger of being arrested (because of His "controversial teaching about the Sabbath and His claims of deity). However, Jesus would go, according to HisFather's time line, and challenge the externally religious. 
Jesus would radically teach the realities of who He is ("Before Abraham was I AM" John 8:58), about the Kingdom of God, tear down stereotypes, be rejected by His people, save an adulteress from the slanted and zealousness of Pharisitical judgment and display His divine power by healing a man born blind.
No doubt Jesus' brothers were around Jerusalem during this period of His ministry, but they are still numbered among those who did not believe. But the resurrection of Jesus from the dead would change their inward understanding of the Messiah, and radically alter their outward reality and conform it to the truth, that which is in accord with reality itself defined by the creator of reality.
Imagine these brothers, who grew up with Jesus and played the games boys play. Shopped with Him and their common mother at the market. Trained with Him under the tutelage of their father Joseph (who was of course was not Jesus' biological father, but nonetheless was their common earthly father) in the family carpentry business.
Imagine the weight of the truth, as it came washing over them as a tidal wave, that "our Brother who claimed only to be a half brother, who others accused as being a child of adultery, is in fact the long awaited and long desired Messiah of Israel, God's anointed, who Dad said would 'save His people from their sins!'"
Has this truth crashed across you waiting shores, or have you built a levy, attempting to keep the truth out?

Imagine.......what it must have been like for His brothers
Imagine what it can be like for you......

Toothless

I must be getting old. Our 5 year old daughter Emma lost her first baby tooth today. It had been loose for a few weeks and we were waiting for it to fall out. When she told me, I was of course excited and asked where she put it. Her reply, "I threw it in the garbage." I immediately began searching the waste basket full of horrors I would rather forget. It wasn't until Emma found it that I was delivered from the smells that no one should have to endure. Now the tooth proudly sits on our piano, reminding us that time waits for no man and marches on to the return of the LORD.
Of course this incident can be used as an illustration of what mankind does with Jesus and His offer of salvation. To some it is wonderfully valuable, more precious than gold or silver. It means deliverance from evil and death. He grants eternal life, blessing, forgiveness, adoption into His divine family, reconciliation, regeneration and resurrection to name a few. However, there are many who discard Jesus as easily as Emma threw away her tooth. They see Him only as a controversial teacher or a man who may have never existed at all. What are you doing with Jesus? Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior? Do you commune with Him daily as the bread of life, allowing Him to feed you spiritually and sustaining you both here in this life and in the eternal life to come? Do you spend time in His Word, learning from Him and applying His teachings daily by the power of the Holy Spirit? Or have you discarded Him?
Emma's tooth possessed no value to her, but to Laura and I it had tremendous value as being her first baby tooth that fell out. I wonder how valuable it will be to her now, knowing that we'll be giving her a few dollars as a reward for it??????

Hope in Christ

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a typically busy summer, more so with Awana in our lives full time.  We just got back from our trip to Kirkland Lake yesterday where we served for 9 days, ministering to a town in desperate need for hope, and a brief visit to the Awana scholarship camp. We had a great time, but again were reminded that life without Christ is hopeless and desperate. Kirkland Lake is a mining town which has survived the recession quite well because the value of gold has skyrocketed. But the use and dependence on alcohol and drugs has also skyrocketed. Families are broken to the point that children don't even know who their parents are. Children actually wander into Sunday school from the streets without parents, not knowing what to do. The youth seem aimless and spiritually starved. The spiritual disposition of the area is grim. I don't mean to generalize or sound like a "Debbie downer" because we did see the hand of the LORD moving in a number of lives and churches in the area. But it's a town that desperately needs the revitalizing news of Jesus!
Please pray for this area, it's a mission field in our own country, one we plan (LORD willing) to visit again and again.
On a personal note, I had a great time leading the games time at the VBS we minintered at. I also was invited to preach at two of the churches in the area, though I was only available to speak at one. I shared from John 6:22-35, in which Jesus explains that He is the Bread of life and the importance of nourishing ourselves spiritually on Him. A truth this area needs badly. If it's the LORD's will, we hope to get up there again to minister.
We have dear friends in the town pastoring a church who were willing to give up there house so we could have a place to stay. Thanks Carl and Sherri, you have displayed the sacrificial servant's heart of Christ so beautifully and we will not soon forget it. God's blessings to you as you continue to "harvest the fields".
Thanks to everyone praying for us......and as I said, keep Kirkland Lake in your prayers.
On a lighter side, I did get to see a three legged bear at the local hot spot, the town dump.........yes I said the town dump :)

And.....away......we.....go!

It has been said by a wiser man than I that "smooth seas do not make a good sailor." It is in this vein that we now embark on the journey of a lifetime, sailing the seas of missions work. As most of you know, Laura and I have been prayerfully considering a position with Awana International Canada. Yesterday, we were offered that missionary position and after a period of prayerfully seeking the LORD's will, we have realized this is the path He has laid out for us. So begins a new chapter in the life and times of Laura and Bobby.
The LORD has always been gracious to us and He who is unchangeable and unfailing will take us to places of faith that we have yet to experience. We look forward to the ROCK steadying us on the seas of life as we begin to prayerfully raise support, both financial and in prayer partners. We "Cast all our cares upon Him who will not allow us to be moved" (Psalm 55:22) and look forward to glorifying God in His work in reaching children and their families in the name of Jesus.
We "are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving, we are making our requests known to God, and it is He who will give us His peace." (Philippians 4:6-7)
So away we go.....