Kids English Summer Festival Pics
Here’s a gallery of photos from our kids event on the 15th. Enjoy!
John 14:25-31
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)
Jesus didn’t promise His followers an easy life, free from pain. He didn’t promises riches or comfort. But He did promise something better, something that this world can’t give: peace of mind and heart.
There are a lot of things I don’t have. But really, I know I don’t need them as long as I have Jesus. To be honest, I don’t always feel that way. But I’m thankful for this reminder, and that it’s true.
Lord, please give me a real sense of Your peace today, and let that determine how I think, how I talk and how I live.
John 11:28-44
Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:40 NLT)
Like Martha, sometimes I doubt. Sometimes Jesus needs to remind me that His grace is enough. That if I believe, trust and obey Him I’ll see prayers answered, lives changed, His Kingdom come. And through it all, He’s my constant companion.
Jesus, help me to believe.
Ezekiel 29
Again the phrase “Then they will know that I am the Lord” is repeated here. Today this reminded me of the New Testament promise that someday everyone will see and acknowledge Jesus; that “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” I want to be among those who willingly choose to bow. I choose to worship Jesus now.
Ezekiel 28:11-26
In this passage God promises judgement for some and blessings for others. These kind of passages can be hard to understand, and even harder to apply to our own lives. But the key message in this chapter is, I think, found in the repeated use of phrases like “Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
God cares about His glory. He wants credit. This would be prideful for one if us, but the difference here is that He’s God and we’re not. He actually does deserve credit, praise, attention, and loyalty. He deserves our worship. He deserves the glory. He wants people to know Him and acknowledge who He is.
In this passage God promises to show His glory through the judgement of some and by blessing others. The question for us today is, how will God reveal His glory in our lives?
We have the choice to follow Him or not. My prayer is that He will be glorified through me in response to my faith and obedience, not in spite of me.
I want His blessing. I want His best. What about you?
Isaiah 29:1-14
‘The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’ (Isaiah 29:13 NIV)
What an easy mistake to make! How often do we find ourselves going through the motions of church attendance, devotions, rituals and rules, without actually connecting with God through these things? How often do we follow man-made rules and do at the expense of following Jesus’ teaching and example of love? Thus is another great reminder if what true worship looks like. It’s not about rules or rituals; it’s about love. It’s not about ourselves; it’s about Jesus.