This Week # 2-33

We continued our “Bling” series in OFF ROAD this week as Alan spoke to us on tithing. He shared with us a few awesome stories about his decisions to give what he felt God called him to, leaving his wants and desires behind, and in that, how God has blessed those decisions. He read the verse 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Here is the thing, tithing is not giving God %10 it is getting to keep and steward %90. All of it is God’s and he asks us to give %10 back to him. With the other %90 we are responsible to us it for his glory “Whoever sows sparingly will rep sparingly.” We should give out of love and devotion to God and when we do that God will bless it and we will be storing up our treasures in heaven, treasures so much greater than any money can buy here on earth.

Parents sit down with your kids and make a list of all the things that they have bought in the last 3 months. Ask them how much money have they given back to God, and how much of the stuff that they have bought has been used for God’s glory.

OFF ROAD will be doing a used clothes drive for needy kids in our community. During May please bring in any clothes that your family no longer wears that is still in decent to good condition.(Please no used socks or underwear). You could also go shopping for new clothes for needy kids and donate that too. Let’s start helping our kids have a heart of compassion not consumerism.

ANNOUNCMENTS

1.This Wednesday= Small groups

2.This Thursday 7-9= Parent Recharge $5

3. This Friday= Girls scavenger hunt @ valley Fair Mall. 7-9. Meet in front of Cinnabon in the food court no later than 7:00

4. LMTO (Laugh my tookish off) Comedy sports night= Sat May 16^th After the service. FRIENDS AND FAMILY WELCOME. Only $10. Our goal is to get 200 students + family members. Tickets available now. Please invite friends and be there.

5. 8^th Grade girls getaway= Friday, May 15-16. $30 Last day to sign up is MAY 3^rd. Contact Marilyn Doyle (marilyn@westgatechurch.org )

6. 8^th Grade guys hike= Friday May 22-24. $25 email drew@westgatechurch.org

7. Summer camp spots still available, only $100 sign up today (June 20-23

This Week # 2-33

This Week in OFF ROAD we started a new series called “Bling.” We will be looking at how to use money the way God asks us. This week we started the series by looking at whether we are consumers or compassionate. We looked at the parable of the rich fool found in Luke 12, where Jesus tells the man that storing up earthly possessions is foolishness. The charge here is that we should be eternal minded in everything we do, especially our use of money. Are we spend money for eternal purposes or just to satisfy our next craving? But what does that really mean. We then looked at 1 John 3:16-18. These verses stat that we should love others the way Jesus loved us (he gave us everything, his all) so giving our money to the needy, and to God is nothing compared to what Christ did for us. Verse 17 is the most convicting part for me, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother in need but shows no compassion, how can God’s love be in that person?” I would encourage you to go through your possession with your child and:

-Evaluate what you have- Look at your stuff and ask, “Is this being used for God’s glory/ to further His kingdom?”
-Pray and ask God what he wants you to sell to give those in need the money
-Listen- when he answers don’t plug your ears, but listen.
-Act- Before the draw of more stuff entangles you act on the promptings of God.

Have a heart of compassion to those in need and not a heart of consumerism of what you want.

This Week # 2-32

This Week in OFF ROAD we finished our series “Under Pressure,” by looking at what the bible says about our self image. We used 1 Samuel 16:7 and 1 Peter 3:3-5 to help us realize that the most important thing about who we are is not what we look like, but about our love for Christ and others. The three steps I encouraged students to take in improving their thoughts about themselves are:

1. Stop judging others. Just as God looks on the inside we need to do the same. We need to stop judging other’s appearance because that is not Godly and the more we judge others the more we care about what others think of us.

2. Surround yourself with good character- with people who care more about you than what you wear, how good you are at sports, what music you listen to etc. I asked students to think of people they know that care about them and people they know that care about these superficial things, and suggested that they spend most of their time with people who really care about them.

3. Most importantly- find your identity in God. God is crazy about each one of us, but we quickly forget about his love for us as we focus on what others think.

At the end of the lesson I had students open up to psalm 139 and write a personal ad about themselves the way God views them. I asked students to put this by their bed so that whenever they would be continually reminded of God’s view of them so they could find their self image in Him.

Questions:

Who do you know that cares more about you than what you wear, how you look etc?

Do you find yourself judging others at school for what they look like? Why?

Who is someone in your life that might not look cool, but is very cool (according to God’s standard)? What makes them cool?

What do you think God thinks of you?

Announcements

Hunt- We need Jr. high volunteers for our HUNT craft table at Bower’s park in Santa Clara THIS SATURDAY. Please be there at 12:30 and stay until 3:00. Let me know if you can make it.

No OFF ROAD next weekend (EASTER)- Jr. high is trying to get a big crew to sit together during the 6:00 service on Saturday try to make it to this service if you can.

Guys Night Out- April 17^th @ the gym ($2), 7-10

Girls chick flick night- April 17 @ the Tomasello’s (Free) 8:30-10:30 (406 Union Ave Unit E Campbell)