Moving on up!

So this Wednesday is gonna be rocking awesome! I promise this Wednesday we have some amazing things we are going to do! We have so many awesome things packed into this Wednesday your brain might explode!

We have new games this Wednesday we are introducing! We have got some amazing announcements for you guys, we have some wicked awesome trips that are coming up. So I promise this Wednesday be there if you can because there is some awesomeness going on!

Also Robbie is speaking this week so you will want to come to hear the cool stories Robbie has to tell and the awesome things he will be challenging us with!

Also at the end of July we are having an event called Bigger and Better! What we are going to is we are going to send you out to the neighborhoods in Middlebury and see what you guys can bring back that is either bigger or better then what you start with! Its gonna be awesome. I am excited to see what you guys will bring back :)

I can not wait to see you guys this Wednesday!

Here is the devotional for today.

There's an old Chinese proverb that goes something like this:

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes;
He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

Now I agree that there is no such thing as a stupid question (except for "Hey Officer, was it O.K. for you to break the speed limit in order to catch me?). So why then are so many Christians raised in an environment where it's not 'permissible' to ask questions? Perhaps there are many leaders out there who are afraid they might not know the answers. Or worse, do you think that many churches feel like they are responsible for defending God and the Bible? I hope not.

I think I'm going with the Chinese proverb on this one. There are many believers out there who could learn much by asking questions, but they will probably just remain 'in the dark' forever because they felt uncomfortable or even afraid to raise difficult issues about God, the Bible, life, etc.

Do you know who asked a lot of questions? King David. Remember? He was the man after God's own heart- and yet he was unafraid to pour out his fear and doubt to his heavenly Father. Apparently he never learned that it's improper and impolite to bring inquiries to anyone- from God all the way down to the Sunday School teacher. So he went ahead and asked away- which later became a large part of the Book of Psalms.

Did you also know that the most famous verse in the Bible came about as the result of someone asking a question? Check it out:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:1-16)

Here was a man who went straight to the source to get his difficulties resolved, and the result is one of the clearest verses explaining the gospel in all of Scripture.

Now I may be assuming a lot here, but my guess is that you have questions. The great thing is that now we live in the age of information, and the answers are out there if you are willing to look hard enough. Here's the order I would suggest if your puzzler has been puzzling lately:

1. Go to God. Remember, you're not going to surprise Him by asking questions (as if He didn't already know!). So quit playing games and ask Him what He already knows you are curious about. I wouldn't expect an audible answer, but this may start the process of answers coming your way.
2. Ask your pastor. Ministers are supposedly well trained to handle the issues that church people bring. Your pastor or youth leader cares about your questions- and if they don't, we have a definite problem.
3. Be content with mystery. There are many issues in the Christian life which simply cannot be resolved on this side of heaven. Here's what Paul said:

   We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! (I Corinthians 13:12- The Message)

Some people rest their confidence in Christ on knowing all the answers, but this is a mistake. The Christian life was meant to be lived by faith. But if you have genuine concerns that aren't meant in an accusing way, bring them out- because I believe God uses this process to increase our faith even more.

So what are you waiting for? Get out a pad of paper and start jotting down questions- because I don't know about you, but I don't want to remain a fool forever!

P.A.