Sharing my faith

Serving my family

Serving my church

Encouraging my friends spiritually

Knowing God’s word

God-centered relationships

Other:

Read Psalm 138.

^1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
and say it again: “Thank you!”
Thank you for your love,
thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength.

^4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God,
all earth’s kings will say “Thank you.”
They’ll sing of what you’ve done:
“How great the glory of God!”
And here’s why: God, high above, sees far below;
no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.

^7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble,
keep me alive in the angry turmoil.
With one hand
strike my foes,
With your other hand
save me.
Finish what you started in me, God.
Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.

Write your own prayer of thanksgiving, celebrating everything God has done in your life.

Man’s first step on the moon

Your favorite musician shattering a guitar onstage

Miss America tripping over her own feet as she accepts the crown

The Loch Ness monster peeking his head out of murky water

A giant piece of chocolate cake

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. No one in the Bible understands this quite like Jonah. The man spent 3 days stuffed inside the belly of a “great fish.” I imagine his blog entry might read:
Day 2: Still crammed inside this disgusting fish. With each slimy breath, I feel the scales swish up and down against me. Unfortunately, I’m not the only undigested meal floating around. I can’t see very well, but I definitely smell everything. I will think twice before ordering fish again.

What events led Jonah to this miserable new dwelling?

Read Jonah 1:1-3

What did God tell Jonah to do?

What was Jonah’s response?

Describe a time God asked you to do something and you flat-out refused.

Read Jonah 1:4-5; 12-17

According to verse 17, how long was Jonah in the whale?

Name a time God had to do something drastic to get your attention?

Do you think God caused a fish to swallow Jonah …

a.)   For punishment

b.)   To get Jonah’s attention and take him back where God wanted him to be

c.)    Both

d.)   Something else ______________

We joked earlier about Jonah’s blog entry, but actually the Bible records Jonah’s thoughts from inside the fish, only he wasn’t complaining.

Read Jonah 2:1-6
What surprises you most about his prayer?
Why does Jonah praise God even from a tough place (literally)?

Describe a time you found yourself in a “fishy” situation where you knew God was trying to teach you something.

Read 2:10 – 3:1-3

When the fish vomited Jonah onto land (another great profile pic), what was his immediate reaction?

Jonah learned obedience even when the decision was hard, even when it would cost him something.

What is God calling to you to do when you go home that might be hard?
Think about all that apply or think of your own:

Break up with a girlfriend/boyfriend

Find new friends

Study the Bible every day

Ditch unholy music/ TV/ certain Web sites

Stop drinking

Get a better attitude

Tell my friends about Jesus

Pray for my parents instead of fighting with them

Be a Godly role model for my siblings (older siblings included)

Be more involved with my small group

Start serving at church

Take my walk with him to the next level

God will accomplish these things in your life. Pray a prayer asking God to change you in these areas. Know that as you walk with Him, he will empower you to be like Christ. Be sure to talk to your small group about your decisions.

Pictures look different depending on who’s looking. For instance, what do you see in the picture above? Some see a beautiful young lady with a tiny nose and fancy necklace. Others see an old, wrinkly woman with a wart on her huge nose. What factors might influence our perception?

Think about the “pictures” or scenes from your life. Write a 3-5 word caption that best describes the following experiences:
My favorite childhood memory:
My worst childhood memory:
First day of middle school:
My first dating relationship:
My proudest accomplishment:
My most embarrassing moment:

We choose to frame some memories, but some we’d rather delete. Thankfully God sees life totally different than we see it. We don’t see the big picture, but God always knows what he’s doing. As the following story shows, God uses all our life scenes, good and bad, to accomplish His plan.

Gen. 37: 3-4

How did Israel (Yep, the same “Jacob” we read about yesterday) feel about his son, Joseph?

How did Joseph’s brothers feel about him?

Read 37:17b-24

Did Joseph do anything to make his brother’s hate him?

Describe a time you faced something hard even though you didn’t deserve it:

Read verses 25-28

Joseph had every right to get angry with God. He was beaten up, hated by family, and sold into slavery. I’m sure he was extremely confused. He probably even questioned God. Even when it didn’t make sense, Joseph stayed faithful.

Read Gen. 39:2-5 Things finally got better for Joe. Until….

Read 39:6b-10

Why didn’t Joseph sleep with his boss’s wife? (Verse 9)

Eventually Potiphar’s wife spreads lies about Joseph, and has him thrown in prison for 2 years.

Name a time you got in trouble for doing or saying the RIGHT thing.

When is it hard to trust that God sees the big picture?

Finally once again, God transforms Joseph’s situation.

Read 41:41

Sometimes the pictures in your life are happy and easy. Friends are loyal, relationships are encouraging and your spiritual life is strong. Other times it seems like everything is falling apart.

Read Romans 8:28. How do you know that God sees the big picture of your life?

What does he want to teach you in the tough times?

Are you more likely to be desperate for God when things are easy or when things are hard?

How can studying God’s word encourage you in the tough times?

What do you think God sees when he looks at the big picture of your life? What plans or goals does he have for you?

Closing moment: Read about what happened when Joseph confronts his brothers: Gen. 50:15-21

Jacob knew about embarrassing life pictures.

Read Gen. 25:24-28

Back then Jacob meant liar. (Thanks, mom and Dad). Secondly, according to verse 28, what is Jacob’s relationship with his dad?
Have you ever felt like one of your parents/ step parents loved your siblings more than you? How?

Read Genesis 27:5-25; 41-42

Living up to his name, Jacob put on disgusting goat fur (pretty picture) to steal his brother’s blessing. (In that culture, the father gave a permanent blessing on the firstborn son that could not be revoked.) Name a time you did something you’re not proud of to get what you wanted?

Jacob’s lying didn’t earn his father’s love – only more disappointment. Instead, he had to run for his life. For the next several years, Jacob lived in fear that his brother would kill him. Finally Esau found him. The night before their confrontation, Jacob was terrified and sent his family away so he could be alone with God.

Read Gen. 32: 22-30

When Jacob wrestled with God, he wrestled with who he had been all his life– his whole identity, his whole fake image, living in fear, fighting with his brother, stealing, and lying. God took his past away and transformed his future.

What happened when Jacob encountered God?

Basically, everything about his life was different.

After meeting with God, Jacob was not the same person he was before. What about you? How do you need to change after meeting with God this week?

No matter where you are spiritually, God wants to take you deeper with him. He wants to make you a strong follower of Christ.

Attention former campers: Don’t let this year be a repeat of last year. You can’t depend on a worship band, speaker, small group, or seminar leader to replace your relationship with God. Those are great tools, but it’s up to you and only you to get the most out of this week. No one will meet with God for you.

Prayer a one sentence prayer, declaring that you will seek God with all your heart this week.

Extra, Extra!

If you have time, read Gen 33:1-4 to see what happens when Esau finally catches up to Jacob.

Read John 2:1-5

What was the problem? (vs. 3)

This was one lame party. It would be like going to a school dance with no music.

Read John 2:6-11

How did Jesus fix the problem of no wine?

Jesus’ first miracle happened at a party. He didn’t heal or feed anyone – he just wanted to improve the celebration.

What does this miracle reveal about Jesus’ character?

Jesus wants to give us life. No matter what your family is like or what you’re going through, He can give you joy. The world has no idea what a real party is. Outside Christ, “fun” is hollow, empty, and only lasts for a little while. In Christ we have meaning, identity, love, and freedom from sin.

How has Christ brought joy to your life?

How can you show that joy to your family and friends when you get back from camp?

Read these Psalms and circle any words or phrases that stand out to you.

Ask Him to keep the celebration going all the time!

From Psalm 34 (The Message)

I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—

how good God is.

Blessed are you who run to him.

Worship God if you want the best;

worship opens doors to all his goodness.

From Psalm 63 (The Message)

God—you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you!

I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,

traveling across dry and weary deserts.

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,

drinking in your strength and glory.

In your generous love I am really living at last!

My lips brim praises like fountains.

I bless you every time I take a breath;

My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

What was the scariest part about your first cafeteria experience?

Jesus had a different idea of fitting in.

Read Luke 19: 1-2

If Zacchaeus had a Myspace profile, it would probably look like this:

Name: Zacheus

Profession: Tax collector

Interests: Stealing money from people to make myself richer

Heroes:  The White Witch, Dr. Evil, Darth Vader, Voldemort, and Lord Sauron

Friends: 0

Interesting features: I’m really short

Website: www.ilovecheating.com

Everyone hated Zacchaeus. No one wanted to be his friend because of his dishonest job. He was definitely one of THOSE kids.

Read Luke 19:3-6

Why did Zach need to climb a tree to see Jesus? (vs. 3)

What did Jesus say to Zach?

In front of the whole crowd, Jesus stopped to talk to the most unpopular man in town. He didn’t just say hi, he offered to hang out with Zacchaeus at his house!

Read vs. 7

How did the crowd react?

How would your friends react if you decided to be friends with the most unpopular person at your school?

Did Jesus pay any attention to the crowd?

Read vs. 8-9

How was Zacchaeus a different person because he met Jesus?

He became a completely different person. Jesus cares about the hurting, the lonely, and the outcasts. In fact, he intentionally seeks them out. Before you knew Christ, you were an outcast to God because of your sin. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, God accepts you into his family.

Who in your life needs a friend?

How will you show acceptance to others right now and when you go back to school, especially your cafeteria?

How will you stand up to others who don’t understand?

Ask God to let you see others like He sees them. Ask for courage to love the unlovable.

Thank God for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that saved you from being an outcast.

What I like most about my parents:

The biggest thing that annoys me about my parents is:

Guess what, Jesus understands about parents.

Read Luke 2:41-48

How old was Jesus when his parents lost him? (vs. 42)

What was Jesus doing when his parents couldn’t find him? (46)

Jesus got chewed out by his mom even though he was exactly where he was supposed to be. Parents aren’t perfect, but neither are we. Only Jesus knew exactly how to react to his parents. By looking at His response, we can learn a lot about how to treat the authority in our lives.

Read vs. 49-52

It’s cool to know Jesus had similar experiences with his parents that we have today. How does it make you feel to know that Jesus can relate to your family struggles?

Even though Jesus’ parents didn’t understand him, he still obeyed and honored them.

How can you honor and respect your parents even when you disagree?

Write a one sentence prayer over your family right now. Ask God to help you show Christ to your family.

What about you? What are you most known for by your friends and family?

What do the following parts of your life say about you:

Dress?

Speech?

Friends?

Music?

When we choose to follow Christ, he gives us a completely new identity that changes everything.

Read Ephesians 2: 1-3

It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat.

Before coming to Christ, what identified you?

In other words, how did your friends and family see you?

Read vs. 4-6:

Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, [God] embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Our new identity is in Christ. Before everything else, we are to be known as believers. That means everything! Sports, grades, popularity, friendships, money, and our stuff!

It only matters in Christ.

How do you want to live so that Christ is your main identity?

What needs to change to help you get there?

1. God is an American idol judge: He always tells me what I need to work on.
2. God is Santa Clause: He answers my prayers exactly like I ask.
3. God is a hidden video camera: He sees everything and knows everything
4. God is the President: Watches over me, but not really involved in my daily life
5. God is my best friend: He’s always there for me, but not really in control of my life

Circle the one that sometimes describes how you see God (We know they are all wrong).

Why does it matter what you think about God?

Where do you go to learn about God?

Teachers?

The Bible?

Church?

Friends?

Parents?

Your choice to be here means that you care about knowing Him more.

What is one new thing you have learned about God so far?

Read Jeremiah 32:17-21

Dear God, my Master, you created earth and sky by your great power—by merely stretching out your arm! There is nothing you can’t do. You’re loyal in your steadfast love to thousands upon thousands…Great and powerful God, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies, determined in purpose and relentless in following through, you see everything that men and women do and respond appropriately to the way they live, to the things they do. You performed signs and wonders in the country of Egypt and continue to do so right into the present…You’ve made a reputation for yourself that doesn’t diminish.

What qualities about God stand out to Jeremiah?

Read Psalm 32:5

What qualities about God stand out to the Psalmist?

Read Psalm 119: 52; 58

The “ancient laws” in vs. 52 mean the Word of God, or The Bible.

How is studying God’s word directly related to seeking his face?

How do you want God to redefine Himself for you?

Write a one sentence prayer asking God to give you an encounter with Him that will impact your life when you go home.

1.Franklin D. Roosevelt  (1882-1945)

2. Wallace, William (1270-1305, Scottish Patriot)

3. Queen Elizabeth I (1603)

a. “Freedom!”

b. “I have a terrific headache.”

c. “All my possessions for a moment of time.”

1. b
2. a
3. c

What do you want your last words to be before you die?

Unlike us, Jesus knew exactly when he was going to die. That means he got to carefully construct his last words, thoughts, and prayers before he endured the cross.

What do you think the son of God would choose to pray shortly before he was executed?

He actually prayed for you. Yep. Read John 17:20.

“those who will believe in me”: that’s us. Jesus chose the last moments before His arrest to specifically pray for you. He knew you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and he knew you would be His. He also knew that His excruciating death and glorious resurrection would one day bring you together with Him.

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus prayed for you before His death?

Read John 17:21-23

What specific thing did Jesus pray for us? (vs.22-23)

Why is our unity important to Jesus? (End of vs. 23)

How does the enemy try to disrupt the unity of:

Your family?

Your friendships?

Your small group?

How does our unity display the love of Christ to the world?

Read John 4:24-25

Which verse speaks to you most?

Reread the last part of vs. 25.

Jesus specifically prayed that He would be inside you as His child. How does that change how you see yourself?

Ask God to let you feel His love this week.

Ask him to heal any areas of disunity in your life so you can show your high school, your family, and your world the love of Christ.

Pray Psalm 16:5-11 (The Message).

My choice is you, God, first and only.

And now I find I’m your choice!

You set me up with a house and yard.

And then you made me your heir!

The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake

is confirmed by my sleeping heart.

Day and night I’ll stick with God;

I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

I’m happy from the inside out,

and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.

You canceled my ticket to hell—

that’s not my destination!

Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,

all radiant from the shining of your face.

Ever since you took my hand,

I’m on the right way.