Who R U?                                Need – paper, reader, devo sheets, Patmos Promo, Prayer cards

Intro to I am series                                          
Get bulletin, pen, & Bible & Devo sheet &  Sit with grades
Micah – announcement  - (Prayer cards during his presentation)
Show Patmos Promo

Devos survey – go over –

Candy for Devos – 5 chapters or your own study. Come up
(want to encourage you to journal or write down something to turn in)
  Camp costs have gone up considerably. I want to help – So

Eric Liddle Tape (Failure Series vcr tape)

Bk – Insecurities - read
   (1 of our 5 ch.)
I Sam. 11 – Who R U when trouble hits?  On back of bulletin – Do U understand what I am asking?     Who R U when life is good?                       Who R U when U feel all alone –
1Sam. 11:2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel." 3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you."Now if someone gave you an option of surrendering or for U to give up of your right eye – would it take U a week to figure out what to do?  4 So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000.  Now the answer to all of your problems is cutting up meat. But Saul was talking about their lifestyles. It’s time to fight & help out our brothers because we’re in a battle. And don’t forget that Saul listened to God thru His Spirit.
 9 And they said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.'" Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you." 11 So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in 3 companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 12 Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death." 13 But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished salvation in Israel."  Great words from a humble man.

Read How can God use an imperfect person like me (Daily Bible p. 135) Reader _________.
Your life will be defined by Who U R not what U Do.
When men lose their jobs if their life is defined by what they do – they will be crushed.
That’s why we are encouraging your devos to help you discover what God wants you to be.
Strong character is necessary to sustain strong conduct.
Inward strength provides the only hope for finishing well.

Sense of Worth – if missing, we will feel inferior
Sense of Belonging – if missing, we will feel insecure
Sense of Competence – if missing, we feel inadequate

“We become healthy emotionally when we don’t expect others to meet the needs that only God can met!”  write that down.

Who R U – Matt. 13 – Seed –   v. 15 – hearts grown dull – Please don’t waste your time here.
Mt 13:3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
 4 "And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 "Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 "But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 "But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
v. 18 explains "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
 
Wayside – Just here for the show. Don’t listen, not interested – really miss out on what God wants to teach u – Does this describe you?
Stoney – No depth, no devotional life, no preparation – just winging it in the Christian life. May be a good listener but never applies the lesson & never really grows spiritually. Does this describe you?
Thorns - One who does listen but allows the cares of the world, maybe jobs or other interests to get in the way of being faithful to church, or doesn’t have time for God. Does this describe you?
Good Ground –  This is what we want for you. To come, grow, spread the Gospel and depend upon God on a daily basis. Does this describe you?
End on a positive note – Jn. 14 :26-27   "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
God wants to help you be the best U can be – He has given us something more precious than anything – Himself – The Holy Spirit & His Peace – R U allowing God to use & help Grow U?
If U R interested in Worship Team – please see me before you go home!
Pray in your grades – sponsors you can stay in here or go to your assigned classrooms
& pray with them but Sponsors need prayer requests!