Scripture text for Friday, March 19th, 2010: Matthew 3:13-4:17

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Our passage today ends with “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” Jesus began his preaching career by calling the world to repentance. Too often we forget this important first step in our spiritual journeys.

When I was a kid growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, I would regularly sit before a priest and confess all of the ways that I had sinned against God, or at least all of the ways that I could remember. There were a lot. Still are.

Exciting things are happening at Greater Lafayette Young Life & WyldLife!  Plans are underway for our summer camps coming up in June.  We plan on taking 25 middle school teens to Timber Wolf Lake in Michigan and 50 High school teens to Castaway Club in Minnesota.  

Due to increases in costs and the downturn in the economy we have more teens than ever needing financial assistance.  We are providing several opportunities for teens and adult leaders to raise some funds towards their camp fees and that’s where you come in!  

RENT-A-KID

Do you have any jobs around your home or office that you have been putting off?  Here is your chance to help send a kid to camp and get your work completed at the same time!  For $100, you can RENT-A-KID and receive 6 man hours (one adult leader and one kid for three hours together) of work (more kids and leaders available for larger jobs).  Please notify the Young Life Office with any of your job needs. We will gather the specifics of your job and connect the right individuals to your job. 

 All jobs are to be completed between now and May 22, 2010.  

Download Flyer here.

Scripture text for Thursday, March 18th, 2010: Luke 3:1-3:20

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These passages tell the story of John the Baptist and how he was called to prepare the way for Jesus. “The word of God came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” Until now, the people were still living under the “old” law and John was called to prepare them for the message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

Our February Family Fun Night at Great Skates was truly fun!  Approximately 60 to 70 RCC people enjoyed skating and dining on Arni’s pizza.  We’ve decided to make it an annual February event to help us beat the winter blues.

Scripture text for Wednesday, March 17th, 2010: Luke 2:1-2:40

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How often do you think what you do is insignificant because it doesn’t seem to catch anyone’s attention? You work at your job or at home with your children, often with little appreciation or recognition. While we hope our roles in God’s kingdom are important, they aren’t usually high-profile and often seem somewhat inconsequential in the world’s eyes. Luke’s portrayal of Jesus’ birth makes it clear that what may seem to be the most insignificant events can actually be incredibly significant. Luke 2:6 says “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son”. If this was all that you were to read, you would have no idea this was the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world! Jesus wasn’t born in a hospital or even a home, but a stable--a dark and dirty hovel, possibly even a cave. He wasn’t placed in a warm crib with a fancy quilt, but in a manger (a feeding trough for the animals in the stable). The cloths he was wrapped in weren’t royal robes made of silk, but were likely dirty scraps left in the stable. Despite his humble beginnings, Jesus was born as the only hope for mankind’s salvation.

Scripture text for Tuesday, March 16th, 2010: Luke 1:1-1:80

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When I was young, I was very curious about angels. What did they look like? Had I ever seen one without realizing it? Did I have a guardian angel watching over me?

When I was in high school, on a youth group road trip we got a flat tire and got stranded on the roadside in the middle of nowhere. Our leaders got out of the van to look at the tire and everyone stated to fret; however, within 10 minutes a pick-up truck stopped, a handyman jumped out and our tire was fixed in no time. The other kids in the van were certain that he must have been an angel sent by God to help us out—how else can you explain the divine timing?

Scripture text for Monday, March 15th, 2010: John 1:1-1:18

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Genesis 1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.’ And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds...’ And it was so. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image.”