Livia - 2 Corinthians 5 : 17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

Livia shared this from a lesson at the NAZ with Pastor Jamie:

Disrespect is attitude toward your parents.

Disobedience is not doing what your parents tell you to do.

If we are in Christ and a new creation we should care about being respectful and obedient to our parents.

Livia had 6 scripture marked in her Bible to share with us. We heard quite a sermon this morning. You go girl! And thank you Pastor Jamie for pouring into our kids!

Tim - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18 NIV)

Momentary troubles? Uggh.
It's hard to embrace that these troubles achieve eternal glory for us.

We can experience All kinds of trouble ...so the advice today is to fix our eyes on not what we see but rather what we can't see. Let's not focus on our struggles because this life is a blink and eternity is forever.

Devin - Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

What does meek mean?
Quiet, gentle, humble, enduring injury with patience and without resentment.

Sir Thomas says ...."meekness allows a person to forgive or overlook perceived insults or offenses."

Proverbs says it is a wise man who overlooks an offense. He who overlooks an offense promotes love.
He who covers an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Wow! Devin - you nailed us all today!!!' Good word son!

Psalm 95:6-8

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice, "Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, (Psalm 95:6-8 NIV)

What does it mean to harden our heart?

Dev - to do it without God, thinking you can do it yourself.

Liv - ditto!

Tim - saying no to God and turning from his ways.

Kadin - what Dad said!

I agree, when we harden our hearts towards God our pride increases and we lean into our own strength. As the scripture points out LISTEN to his voice! Let that be our lesson today - to never close our ears, turn our head, close our eyes to our God.

Gina - Matthew 15:7-11

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.'" Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them." (Matthew 15:7-11 NIV)

What does it mean to honor Him with your lips? Liv and Dev said you say one thing but do another. Hypocrites! Ouch. We are all guilty of saying we believe one thing and living totally different but as we grow that should become less and less of who we are.

This message is powerful! What goes in comes out!!! Let it be all HIM!!!

Tim - Matthew 5

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3-12 NIV)

This sermon is one of the most known that Jesus ever preached. What does poor in Spirit mean? Liv said it's to know that being humble is best. I don't feel like I am better than anyone so , I am better to be poor in spirit than to think I am "all that!" I am not good enough on my own - I can't earn salvation! Lets embrace being poor in spirit everyday. Full of me or full of thee? Your choice!!

Kadin - 1 Cor 2:9

However, as it is written:
"What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived"—
the things God has prepared for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV)

Kadin said Go has big plans for us. Livia said it's beyond what we can think of. Daddy said we cat even fathom. On a beautiful fall day he remembers thinking what could heave be??? Wow. It gives us chills. Dev quoted the reference before kadin could finish because this is one of his favorite verses and it's printed I his blanket he got for Easter.

Lets remember even now our lives have been prepared for us. Daddy could have never dreamed his life is what it is today!!

Amazing touch of God's hand on all of our lives. He has prepared all of this for us.

Gina - Hebrews 5:7

During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)

I read once that when we deny our pain we transform slowly into empty shells, with smiley faces written on them. Truthfully I get this. I have a tendency to push things down till I can't feel anymore. Days, months years go by .....

We must bring to God what is in us not what ought to be in us.

God hears.

Devin - Psalm 100:4,5

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4, 5 NIV)

This reminds me that throughout our family this is the way it's been. Our grandparents have praised God in the midst of life's toughest battles. They've taught us to be strong and that no matter what our God endures, and He is good and has proven faithful to our family from generation to generation.


Good word Ddubbs!!

Gina - Mark 8:34-36

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:34-36 NIV)


Twist : I'm chewing on this one for a while because I want to understand it. I think God wants me to have an abundant life with joy , peace and laughter and so today I look for balance. I've turned "taking up my cross" into a burden that takes away everything good and fun for me and my family. Enough! I will give ALL still because I love Jesus with my whole heart , but I will sacrifice with a glad heart.   I will embrace a full life in Christ and let Him use me, fill me up and then use me again. I'm looking forward to this new season of our lives.     God is so good to us.  

Livia - John 4:11-14

"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:11-14 NIV)

Livia says God gives us life and we will never want again. He satisfies every need. Material things work for a minute and we always want more. Jesus leaves us wanting no more !

Amen!!

Tim - Be Holy as I am Holy!

for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16 NIV)

Holy = perfect.

God says over and over again in His word to go and sin no more, be holy as I am holy , carry your cross and turn from your wicked ways. So how is that possible? Can we do it?

It's a dangerous place to be to say "no one is perfect , we all make mistakes" because it gives you a reason to do it anyway! This call to be holy convicts us to make Jesus Lord of our lives entirely. That we would live so devoted to God that we would not choose to sin anymore.

Choosing to be like Christ in every area of our lives is our choice to be holy as he is holy.

If more people lived wit this heart our world would be so much different.

Come on! let's do this Wessel family!

Livia - 1 Kings 19:11-16,18

The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13 NIV)

Have you ever felt alone? Like you don't even feel God? Or maybe like you are the only one who is making the "right" decisions. This can be a hard time but God is there.

Liv told an example of her friend at school who said something pretty mean, but instead of getting mean back she decided to be quiet and just let it go. That's tough but it's right.

Devin - Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13 NIV)

Kadin said God gives us trillions compared to what daddy and mommy do! Hum!? Lol!

Daddy shared verse 9 which helped us understand the heart of God - if we ask for what we need , he will provide. How much more will God care for you than your earthly parents.

God answers prayers like "God I want to know you, I need you to guide me, open my eyes to see your wonder all around me....." God is near.

God loves to care for his children , and we are his sons and daughters. What a blessing to be His.

What do you ask for today ?

Devin said I ask for the Holy Spirit to help keep my thinking pure and right.

Liv said she ask for help to not fight with her brothers and obey her parents! ( yippee)

Mom said for him to be near to me.

Kadin said for him to help him with math.

Daddy said he wants His peace and love to give to someone in the hospital today who is hurting terribly.