Prayer List(s) and Announcements

Following are the lists from 7/10 and 7/3 that didn't cross paths with my scanner until today (my bad). Be sure to also check out the Announcements Sheet at the bottom of the post.

[The above lists are posted in order that you may pray for the matters on the hearts of the Liberty Youth. Never use any information contained on such lists in any potentially hurtful or negative manner. If you feel that something should be edited off of a list, please contact Paul directly.]

The John in July Challenge

John in July
For the next four Wednesday nights (July 10, 17, 24, & 31), we'll be studying some major themes from the writings of the Apostle John. The topics we'll be looking at and major Scripture focus for each week are as follows:

• The Light Has Come - John 1:1-18, 8:12; 1 John 1:5-10
• You Must Be Born Again - John 3; 1 John 2:28-3:10, 5:1-5
• God's Children Love Him - John 10:1-18, 15:1-11; 1 John 2:15-17, 4:13-21; 2 John; Revelation 19:6-16
• God's Children Love Each Other - John 13, 15:12-27, 21:15-19; 1 John 3-4; 3 John

The Challenge
You are hereby challenged to read all the writings of John during the month of July. There are 21 chapters in The Gospel According to John, 5 chapters in The First Epistle of John, The Second and The Third Epistles of John are not divided into chapters so they count as only one each, The Revelation of Jesus Christ has 22 chapters, which gives us a total of 50 chapters. Reading just 2 chapters each day, you can finish the whole book in 25 days (so you'll have to pick up an bit each day to make it through in July); 5 chapters a day will bring you through in 10 days, which you could do twice before August gets here.

I want to encourage you to take up this challenge as a way to be disciplined to grow in Christian maturity by discovering God in the Bible. You have far more free time during the summer, and you would do well to invest some of it in feeding your soul. If you can play video games or troll Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/whatever new time-suck I don't know about yet, then you've got the ability to read and the time to read your Bible. Make good choices.

The Reward
Studying the Bible is it's own reward. Sorry, not sorry. However, we are going to keep track of how we're doing on the challenge, and there will be some sort of tangible reward at the end for those who complete it. I'm not sure what it'll be, but it'll be a nice bonus of some kind. It's like when we give Peter a piece of candy for going poop in the potty; sure, he should do it just because, but rewarding him helps him learn of the inherent benefit of the action. I will promise the reward will be more than a Peep or a few M&Ms.

Suggested Reading and Watching/Listening

From Lifeway and Dr. Dan DeWitt:

The Apostle John once said that his greatest joy was to know that his children walked in truth. This is surely the supreme ambition, or at least it should be, for every Christian parent. But secular challenges will come and we carry within us a nagging hunch that our teenagers will face them head on in ways that we can hardly imagine. Every God-fearing, Bible-believing, church-attending parent wants equipped progeny who are prepared to "understand their times," not unlike the sons of Issachar (see 1 Chronicles 12:32).
I'd like to offer three broad attitudes parents should develop about the gospel that can serve as boundaries for how they instruct their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

 ...The Gospel Is True...The Gospel Is Powerful...The Gospel Is Absolute... (keep reading)


I had other articles set aside, but my iPhone ate them. : (

You would also benefit from this sermon by David Platt: HERE
(It's going to offer you a chance to sign-up for stuff, but there is also an option to continue without signing up.)