Rescuers // Week 4

We are back and still kicking after vacation. Thank you, Caleb, for holding down the fort last week while we were gone!

As we continue in this series, we are rounding third base by talking about the one thing that the enemy wants to steal from us during the summer - our intimacy with Jesus. During the summer we are (and least WE are) busy. Why are we, as a student ministry, busy in the summer? Because most kids are bored. Where there is boredom, there is more trouble to get into. Boredom is the enemies playground (which you heard about if you were at Alive last week). Summer too consists of very litte routine. I know for me, my routines are off and therefore my time with Jesus is a little off.

Our heavenly Father is eager for us to communicate with Him. He's already communicated to us through His Word and awaits our response. Through His Word & prayer, we have intimacy with Him.

Want to combat satan's lies? Open God's truth!

If you want to be effective in the world, get in God's Word!

You are as close to God as YOU choose to be!

Consistency in God's Word leads to intimacy with Him.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:5-6

The more we pray privately, the more confidence we will have to pray publicly!

Don't pray to people, pray to God!

The Word wasn't written for your INFORMATION but your TRANSFORMATION

The more sacred something is, the more the enemy wants to invade it or interrupt it! ("GO TO YOUR ROOM")

Do whatever you have to do every day to get your attention away from yourself (your phone ;) & others and on God and Him alone!

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

True prayer is always intimate! Prayer is not meant to be DISTANT but INTIMATE!

We always want a word FROM God but never want to read the Word OF God!

A closer relationship with God is always the reward of spending time with Him.

Your biggest incentive for reading the Word should be Jesus!

Jesus DIED to spend time with YOU!