The Heat Is On...

Hey Kids! The summer is here again. But what does that mean for you? Maybe your just happy that there is no school? Or you are excited because your family will be going on some awesome vacations? I don’t know what your summer has in store for you but I do know that it is great time for rest, fun, and getting hotter for JESUS!

   The summer time is probably the best opportunity that kids have to get closer to GOD than they have ever been. You are not at school so you have more free time on your hands. So you have more time to pray, worship, and read the Bible. Also, you are away from your friends at school that may not be the best influence in your lives as you are trying to be more like JESUS. Remember, JESUS said that “there is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” - Who can be a better friend than JESUS? NOBODY!!

   You all have great opportunity to grow with GOD like never before over the next few months. But it is all up to up you. We will have an awesome VBS this summer as well as kids camp. These events can certainly help you, but at the end of the day it is still up to you to love GOD with all of your heart! Remember that    JESUS said that the most important thing to GOD is that you love HIM with all of your heart, mind, and strength (Matt 22:37-40).

What will you do this summer?

Hard to Forgive

Why is forgiveness so hard? Have you ever thought about that? We know that God forgave us, and we know that HE says that we must forgive others. But why is it so hard? Remember when Jesus was on the cross? What were people doing and saying? Not only did they beat HIM and torture HIM but they also said horrible things to HIM... “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” (Luke 23:35) But what did Jesus do? He said, "FATHER forgive them" - Forgiveness is hard! It is very hard... Do you ever think that it was easier for JESUS? It wasn't... The Bible says that everything we feel, everything that is hard for us... it was hard for JESUS too!


So, we have to learn to forgive anyways. Even though its hard we still must forgive! But why? Because JESUS (who is sinless and perfect) forgave us and even paid for our sin! 


What is going to happen if don't forgive? Then we are hurting ourselves and hurting God's heart... “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15) When we forgive we are being like JESUS... When we don't forgive we are separating ourselves from God's presence.

Be like JESUS. FORGIVE. Stay close to GOD. FORGIVE. Have peace. FORGIVE.

Why do you love JESUS?

John 6:26

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not  because you   understood the miraculous signs.

In John 6:26-30, Jesus had just fed the 5,000 the day before and now the same people followed HIM across the lake. Sounds good right? Well, not really. They came demanding that HE do more miracles and fill their bellies. They didn't understand the purpose of the wonders that Jesus did for them. HE fed them to show God’s love for them but they still did not believe. They even wanted some of the power HE had so that they could do the same things but Jesus said, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”  (John 6:29)

They did not want to believe in Jesus, they did not love HIM, they did not come to worship HIM. The attitude of their hearts were completely self-serving! We need to make sure that we are not like the people who followed Jesus that day. God loves us and is looking for love from us! Love does not look for ways to please itself, real love is giving to someone else, serving someone else, and it is putting ourselves last. That is what Jesus did on the cross and when HE died HE showed us what love really is!!!!

Loving God - Loving People

Hey Kids! What is the most important thing to God? Jesus was asked this question in Matthew 22… The religious leaders were trying their very best to trick JESUS and make Him look bad but it didn't work… (it never worked!!)… So, they asked Jesus what is the most important thing to God (greatest commandment)? Jesus did not hesitate to answer the question, here is what HE said in verses 37-39…

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The most important thing to God is that we love HIM and that we love people. But remember that when we love someone, it has to be shown in our actions. We need to pray, read our Bibles, and worship God because we love Him. We also need to do nice things for others and be kind because we love people. If its important to God, then it should be important to us!