YEC is Here!

Here are a few pics of some of the gang getting ready to leave for day two of the Youth Evangelism Conference in Nashville.

Worship has been awsesome so far! This year it's being led by Kristian Stanfill of BigStuf camps fame. 33 Miles is also going to be there today.

In speaking to the Youth (and adults who went) after day one, all agreed that it was an awesome experience that is reinforcing their relationships with Jesus. I pray that the Lord uses this to fan the fires of faith in our great young people.

Spahetti Luncheon - Good Times... Great Cause

Hey everyone,

Here are some pictures from our spaghetti luncheon fundraiser. Thank you for all of the hard work in selling tickets, cooking (delicious) food, serving and cleaning up!

We had a great turnout and raised enough money to pay for the youth conference with some extra leftover for future events.

Great Job!

YEC '08 Reminder

Just a reminder that the Youth Evangelism Conference is February 29-March 1, 2008.

We need to know who is going to YEC '08 by this Sunday. Tickets are $20.00, but the event is FREE if you sold 5 tickets to the spaghetti luncheon.

Lessons on Prayer

This past Sunday night, we wrapped up our three week lesson on prayer. For those of you who were unable to make it, over the past three weeks, we covered.

What is prayer?
Prayer is simply talking with God, and responding and saying the things that are on your heart.

Prayer is not repetition or fancy words, it’s a conversation. The Pharisees were known for their repetition.

When we read the Bible, God talks to us. When we pray, we talk to Him You have to have both sides or you don't have conversation.


Why pray?
Jesus told us to. Luke 18:1 – “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,”

Prayer brings glory to God in that, you pray, God answers, you praise Him. God always gets the credit! - John 14:13 – “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

How do we pray?
We looked at the the Lord's prayer as the model for our prayer life in coming to God with reverence and praise and adoration, making our requests, confessing our sins, thanking God for His mercy and asking for His protection.


How often should we pray?
A lot. We need to pray all of the time. We looked at it from this way...

Think of a best friend and imagine your best friend was with you today all day by your side for the whole day. Think of if you talked to that person today just as many times as you talked to Christ today. How would your friend feel if he spent the whole day with you and you never said a word and he was there the whole time? You would at least acknowledge that they were there and you would begin to see things in the light of the presence of your friend. You'd say, "Hey, isn't that terrific? Did you see that? Isn't that too bad, you know, we ought to do something about that." You're relating everything to the presence of your friend. That's how it is in prayer. All you're doing is relating everything to the presence of God and that's a God-conscious attitude and that's praying without ceasing.


Who should we pray for?
Yourself
The other Youth at GCBC
Brother Terry and the church
Leaders of the city, state and country
Missionaries around the world.
That people would be bold and faithful to the calling of sharing Jesus (laborers in the fields)


Conditions and in closing

Asking in Jesus' name is not a magic formula. God is not a cosmic bellhop.

We ask according to God's will trusting that we would've make the same decision that God made if we knew what He knows.

God's will is perfect. This is true if God says "Yes", "No" or "not right now"




Here are some of the verses that we looked at this past Sunday, in review...

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'” - Jeremiah 33:3

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,”
- Ephesians 3:20

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” - John 14:13

“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
- Matthew 21:22

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” - Thessalonians 5:16-18

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” - Ephesians 6:18

“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
- James 5:16b

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,” - Luke 18:1

This coming week we will celebrate January's birthdays and have some creative fun.

Spaghetti Luncheon Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser, a Spaghetti Luncheon will be held on February 10, 2008 right after the second service from 12:00PM until 3:00PM.

Tickets go on sale this Sunday and are only $5.00, so pick yours up ASAP.

Remember, if you sell 5 tickets, your trip to the Youth Evangelism Conference is FREE. This is a great upcoming event that you could bring your friends to to hear the Word of God.

Hiatus

hiatus (hī-ā'təs): A gap or interruption in space, time, or continuity; a break

Hello!

We are currently on hiatus over the Christmas break. We hope that you are having a great break and look forward to seeing everyone back on January 6, 2008!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

We hope that you all have a great and Christ-centered Christmas.

For those who weren't there Sunday Night, we covered Jesus' birth from Luke Chapter 2. It's one of the most familiar Biblical accounts of that glorious night a long time ago...

From the NASB...

Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem

1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

16So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

17When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

18And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.