Tomorrow is our second annual Fall Festival! I am excited about the cotton candy, caramel apples, games, friends, the lesson I will teach, the message I will hear.

We will not have the dunking booth we had last year because of the water ban. However, we will have a cool shower tank you can see in the picture. 20 gallons of water will get dumped on the person sitting in the booth.

I look forward to seeing you guys and hope to see you with your friends tomoorow!

He is a great preacher and will be preaching on a very important issue tonight. He will be speaking about the need to share the Gospel with our friends and family.

Tonight we will be meeting in the churches kitchen/break room. Last week since there was 21 one of you guys! We will not be able to fit in to our youth room until it is expanded. I hope you guys will be on the phones this afternoon and bring you friends again.

We will meet together and have announcements, small groups, prayer requests, singing, and then we will slip into the adult service to hear Bro. Wayne Cofield!

You guys are becoming great listeners. Our Pastor makes it very easy for teenagers to pay attention to the message. His dynamic way of delivering the Bible, the occassionaly joke, and some of the funniest stories I have ever heard.

Here is my challenge for you guys today…
You listen to God speak through the preacher. Now let God speak through reading His Word. Below you will find the Pastor’s sermon outline from Sunday. I want you to read through it and look up the verses. Print this off and go find a quiet place and see how God can speak to you from reading as well as listening.

Trials, Troubles, Tribulations, Pressures, Afflictions, Burdens, Anguish

Acts 14:22

I. We are promised tribulations
A. The word tribulation here means all of the above and more!
B. In the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33)
C. Paul warned them that they would suffer tribulation (I Thessalonians 3:3-4)
D. We are not to think it strange that we have fiery trials I Peter 4:12-16
E. The same thing is happening to other brethren in the Lord I Peter 5:9
F. Temptations are common to man I Corinthians 10:13
G. Those who live godly will suffer persecution II Timothy 3:12

II. Several Biblical Patterns of testings and trials
A. The entire Bible is the story of how God’s people dealt with great problems
B. The popular prosperity gospel is hard to find in the Bible–health, wealth, happiness
C. Persecution for witnessing for Jesus Christ
1. Stephen and James have already died
2. Peter has been in jail
3. Many have been threatened
4. Even Paul has been run out of town and stoned at another time 14:19
D. Severe reversals in position
1. Joseph from favored son to abused slave
2. Moses from Pharaoh’s house to the most insulting job for an Egyptian Genesis 46:34
3. Daniel from Prime Minister to Lion’s Den
E. Difficult children
1. David and his son Absalom
2. The prodigal son
F. Difficulties in the marriage relationship
1. Unfaithful marriage partner–Gomer
2. Marriage partner that is not saved and does not love God I Corinthians 7
G. Temptations to sin
1. Sin that does so easily beset us Hebrews 12:1
2. Jesus faced 3 times in one of his weakest moments
H. Health issues
1. Paul had a thorn in the flesh and God refused to remove it
2. Timothy needed medicine for his stomach
I. Loss of loved ones
1. Ezekiel the prophet Ezekiel 24:18
2. George Muller
J. Financial testings
1. Woman, the creditors and the oil II Kings 4:1-7
2. The widow of Zarephath I Kings 17
K. False accusations and character assassination
1. Joseph and Potiphar’s wife
2. Naboth I Kings 21:13
2.
III. The purpose of the tribulations
A. Will produce patience, strength, and endurance in our lives Romans 5:3
B. God is using it to produce eternal good II Corinthians 4:17
C. Our troubles and afflictions drive us to God and cause us to learn His word Psalm 119:67, 71
D. He uses the troubles to mature us, establish us, strengthen us, and to settle us I Peter 5:10
E. To refine and purify us Job 23:10, I Peter 1:7
F. Prepares us to be better able to serve others II Corinthians 1:3-5
G. Prepare me to bring forth more fruit John 15:2
H. Help me learn to measure what is truly important
H.
IV. Steps to take to have victory even in the trouble
A. Basic things to work through
1. Be sure of your relationship with God
a) Are you saved
b) Are you living in obedience
2. Realize that you are not being unjustly picked out and mistreated
3. Realize that you are not the only one that this happens to
4. Realize that God does not always deliver us from our troubles
B. Submit to God and His will for your life though you do not understand Romans 8:28-29
1. Draw nigh to God James 4:6-10
2. Focus on the Lord Isaiah 26:3
3. Seek the Lord and His kingdom and let Him add to you whatever He wants Matthew 6:33
C. Take your needs to God in prayer Philippians 4:6-7
1. Learn to control your thought life Philippians 4:8
2. Never allow Satan to steal your peace and give you a bad attitude–lesson from Joseph
3. Forgive and do not hold bitterness in your heart
4. Do not blame others or circumstances for your actions or reactions
D. In all of your ways acknowledge Him Proverbs 3:5-6
1. Stay where you are until you learn the lesson God has for you in this
2. Trust that He would never be doing anything that would harm you
a) He is still Lord
b) He has a purpose in allowing this to happen
b)

If you are getting this blog then that means you missed out. However, tomorrow is going to be a great day at change. When we invite people to church we invite them to “Discover the Difference” . Tomorrow in the Student Bible Study we will be talking about this.

I think we have the most amazing young people in our youth department. I wanted you to get a chance to learn more about them. Here is abio on one of the guys in our jr high department!

Name: Santiago Arenas

Age: 12

School: Northwestern Middle School

Hobbies: PSP, sports, talking

Favorite Sport: soccer

Favorite Sports Team: Brazil Soccer
(As you can tell Santiago is the guy in the left. lol)

City born in: Cali, Colombia

Story in the Bible: Anthing in the book of Santiago (that is James in spanish)

Favorite Food: bandega paiza

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go: Brazil

Do you have siblings: yes, 3 broters and a sister

How did you hear about Vision: Pastor Ronald and Pastor Gardner came to my house!

Favorite childhood memory: Playing with my cousins and being with my whole family.

An article in the NYTimes today showcases some research about family dinner time; apparently, eating together is one of the most powerful influences on kids’ diet (and has an impact on other behaviors) and things like TV don’t distract from that as much as we’ve thought.

“Obviously, we want people eating family meals, and we want them to turn the TV off,” said Shira Feldman, public health specialist at the university’s School of Public Health and lead author of the research. “But just the act of eating together is on some level very beneficial, even if the TV is on.”The research, published this month in The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, is the latest testament to the power of the family meal. While many parents worry about what their kids are eating — vegetables versus junk — a voluminous body of research suggests that the best strategy for improving a child’s diet is simply putting food on the table and sitting down together to eat it.”

So here is an update..

My close friends Tyler and Gretchen Masters are now proud parents of Norah Ruth Masters. Norah means light in Arabic. Isn’t that so cool! Go see pictures at www.cfme.wordpress.com

There were over 700 students in missions prayer band at PCC. We had 25 students fill out applications to be interns over seas.

The Girls of Vision Bible study had 11 girls for Tuesday’s Bible study! You girls are doing a great job at growing this ministry. Steph. says you girls are really getting involved in the discussions. I am so proud of you guys.

I had the opportunity to preach in chapel at Lighthouse Christian School today. I love preaching to teenagers.

I can not wait to see you guys tomorrow! Thursday nights are a highlight in my week. I love to read my Bible everyday and I love for God to tell me when I am reading that this is a lesson I need to teach to you guys!

Please, pray that we will be put in contact with the right students.

We will be back on Tuesday night.

Don’t forget the Girls of Vision Bible Study @ Starbucks will be held tomorrow from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm.

Please, help my wife and Mrs. Kathy as they work to get all the girls there. I will not be able to pick up people becuase we will be getting back late. So please come and pick up your friends on the way!

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE
At Vision we believe that reaching the world with the gospel is our responsibility as a church. So the fact our missionaries need some help means it is our responsibility to do everything possible to make that happen.