Sunday School in Matthew pictures Jesus preparing his disciples for the future that were there with him. I trust that the Lord is also making disciples out of teenagers as we share His Word!

Week 1: Chapter 10:26-42 I remember applying for a job one time and having the worst details about the job pointed out to me. The reason for this was so that I wouldn’t quit or get dicouraged through the tough weeks and months. Jesus is preparing his servants and witnesses to be faithful during tough seasons of our spiritual lives so we don’t quit. A great lesson to teach us to overcome our fears!

Week 2: Chapter 11 Jesus did what he commanded his disciples to do. John the Baptist successfully accomplished what the Lord commanded him to do. What great examples we have to model our christian life. the secret to our success in the christian life was found in the last three verses where Jesus says : COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

Week 3: Chapter 12:1-21 Jesus answered his persecutors with the Word of God. As we serve the Lord, we will have accusations, criticism, and lies spoken against us. By knowing the bible we can properly respond and continue on in our service to God without being sidetracked just as Christ did.

Week 4: Chapter 12: 22-50 Again, biblical knowledge will give you a bold response to those that would try to detour your devotion to the Lord. Jesus rebuked the pharisees and then reminded them judgment is coming. What a wonderful peace we have in Christ to be in the family of God instead of being a foe of God!

It’s good to have fun activities for the teens every month, but for June their activities were for others. They worked hard in a fundraiser for a very special need and they met the need. Great job. during Vacation Bible School they served as leaders teaching bible verses, helping with game, assisting with crafts, etc.. They put others before themselves and did it willingly. I am blessed to share ministry work with a fantastic group of teenagers!

CAMP TAKULA, HERE WE COME! JULY 30TH – AUGUST 3RD. PLEASE BE REGISTERED WITH PAYMENT MADE IN FULL BY JULY 22ND. FOR ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT ME, KENNETH PRESTON AT 281-813-5410 OR EMAIL [email protected]

Sunday school was full of meditation upon the miracles of Jesus.

Weeks 1,2, & 3  in Matthew ch8-9 overwhelmed us with the healing power of Jesus. He cleansed the leper, he healed the sick of the palsy, his touch cured a fever, he cast out demons, he gave sight to the blind. He continues to help lives today. He forgives you of your sins, he gives spiritual health, he heals broken hearts, gives peace to a troubled mind. How great it would be for young people to embrace the truth now from MARK 5:36 BE NOT AFRAID, ONLY BELIEVE. Teenager, you can trust the Lord!

Week 4: Matthew ch 10v1-25 had us sharing the apostles instructions and even though there are no apostles today, the Lords work is to be carried out through us, his disciples. He hasn’t passed along the power for us to heal, cleanse, raise, or cast out, but we can preach, be careful about importance of poosessions, and be positive in the midst of rejection. I trust that teenage disciples are being molded week by week.

Thank you to Josh for having the church over for the end of school pool party. A devotional on the patio was pretty cool & a priviledge to me.

Witnessing opportunities in the neighborhood have been great. In the midst of rejection there are those such as Paula, who in tears believed the Lord sent us by to see her.

Don’t forget VBS-June 25-29th & Camp July 30-Aug3rd

Sunday school started out quite serious this month:

Week1: ch 5 v21-48 of Matthew concerning the christians conduct. Jesus looks to the heart to judge our conduct. Hatred is murder, lust is adultery, and meaningless, unimportant swearing is despised. If we tie this to the beginning of the chapter we will see the great need to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Week 2: ch6v1-18 points out, not just conduct, but MOTIVE in our conduct. Giving in whatever way you give is not to be advertised for personal praise, prayer is to be sincere supplication, not done to look super spiritual, and if your passion in seeking God causes you to do without, that is to be something you share with God, not your bible study group. Does our christian life have to be seen by others, or just experienced with God?

Week 3: ch6v19-34 Don’t consume your life with trying to hoard up earthly possessions worrying if you’re going to have your needs met. God takes care of the birds and you’re better than the birds, so don’t worry yourself to death. God gives his child in his will the daily bread they need. We don’t have to trust in earthly treasures, we have eternal ones!

Week 4: ch7v1-12 We can’t offer cousel if we’re carnal and critical. We must be in a right relationship with the Lord to help the christian who’s done wrong. This message was right on time. It helped a current issue a few of the teenagers were going through.

Week 5; v13-29 We have evidence produced in our lives after coming to know Christ as Saviour. People will say before God things that they’ve done in his name, but he doesn’t accept the deeds if there’s not first a divine relationship. It was a good time to reflect on whether one is just in church attendance or a personal personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Had another great fundraiser dinner for camp. Young people were cooking, cleaning, and serving and the church was generous in helping camp cost while they enjoyed a good meal. What a wonderful way to bring a church family together.

Sunday school In the Gospel of Matthew is steadily teaching us about the life of Jesus and making stronger disciples out of us.

Week 1: ch4 v 12-25 “fishers of men” Peter, Andrew, James, & John dropped their human habits for a heavenly one. The spiritual condition of the lives of others should cause us to desire to lead others to Christ above any thing else. These men left their jobs for Jesus and today the teens have a desire to work and thats okay, but this lesson clearly lets them know employment shouldn’t come before worship & service to God.

Week 2: ch5v1-12 “the beatitudes” showed them the right APPETITE to mhave : hunger and thirst after righteousness.. which gives them the right ATTITUDE: poor in spirit, mourning, and meekness… which will result in these APPLICATIONS in our lives: being merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. A great lesson to examine ourselves with.

Week 3: v13-16 We are the SALT OF THE EARTH & THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. These scriptures helped us to see it’s a sin to be silent about our salvation. Young people are actually understanding their responsibility to share their faith and I’m happy to say many of them are!

Week 4: v17-20 The law is not to be forgotten just because Jesus fulfilled it. There is no burden from it bringing guilt, but by leadership of the Holy Spirit we can now obey it & be pleasing to God.

Had a great movie night. “Seven days in Utopia” pictured an awesome example of our ability in Christ to forgive others.

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

LESSON 1: MATTHEW 1:1-17, CAN YOU IMAGINE TAKING TEENAGERS THROUGH THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST? WELL, IT’S ACTUALLY IMPORTANT AND PROVED TO BE A GOOD HELP FOR THE TEENS TO UNDERSTAND WHY JESUS WAS BORN OF THE SEED OF A WOMAN. (BECAUSE THE (SIN) NATURE IS INHERITED FROM THE MAN)

LESSON 2: MATTHEW 1:18-23 THE BIRTH OF THE SINLESS SON OF GOD BY WAY OF THE SEED OF A WOMAN AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS A PROPHECY FULFILLED AND HIS PUPOSE WAS REVEALED. HE SHALLSAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.

LESSON 3: MATTHEW 3, THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO JOHN THE BAPTIST THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD. IT WAS HARD FOR ANYONE TO MISS THE STEPS NECESSARY BEFORE BAPTISM. 1)REPENT, 2)BELIEVE (ACTS 19:4), 3) THEN BE BAPTIZED.

LESSON 4: MATTHEW 4:1-11, THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS. THE TEENS FOUND OUT THAT JESUS CAN HELP THEM THROUGH TEMPTATION NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE’S LORD, BUT BECAUSE HE EXPERIENCED IT, YET HE DIDN’T SIN. HE DID DEPEND ON THE WORD OF GOD THOUGH. I BELIEVE THEY REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING A SPECIFIC SCRIPTURE FOR A SPECIFIC TEMPTATION. 

 WITNESSING WEDNESDAYS GOT BACK ON TRACK! AYOUNG MAN NAMED JOSH ADMITTED THAT HE WAS IN A BAD POSITION WITHOUT CHRIST. WE WILL PRAY FOR HIS SALVATION. ANOTHER WITNESSING EVENT BROUGHT THE TEENS TO AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMEONE CAN SAY THEY BELIEVE IN CHRIST BUT NOT BE TRULY SAVED BECAUSE THEY SPEAK OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN.

AFTER A GREAT DAY OF WORSHIP ON THE 19TH: SUNDAY SCHOOL, MORNING WORSHIP, & EVENING WORSHIP, MONDAY THE 20TH WAS A SCHOOL HOLIDAY SO WE TOOK A TRIP TO BLUE BELL IN BRENHAM FOR A LITTLE FUN. SOMEHOW THOSE TEENS HAD MORE FUN AT CICI’S PIZZA THAN ON THE TOUR OF THE ICE CREAM PLANT.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS ALWAYS INCLUDE SOME FUN AND GAMES, BUT I’M GLAD TO SEE TEENAGERS INTERESTED IN THE WORD OF GOD AND ENTERING INTO DISCUSSION DURING AND AFTER THE LESSONS THIS MONTH ON HUMILITY, OUR ATTITUDE ABOUT A FELLOW CHRISTIAN THAT TRIPS INTO SIN (THEY NEED OUR HELP, NOT OUR CRITICISM), AND THEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT GAVE US THE EXAMPLE OF EVERYTHING WE “DON’T” WANT TO BE.

I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST, KATY PERRY TRUSTED JESUS CHRIST AS HER LORD AND SAVIOUR  THIS MONTH. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THAT, KINDLE BYER WAS SAVED AND BAPTIZED, AND LAST SUMMER JORDAN YOUNGUE FOUND CHRIST AT CAMP. IT’S AWESOME TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING SAVED AT A YOUNG AGE TODAY.