Volunteer: HERE

REGISTER/PAYMENTS: HERE  on or before June 10th.
Forms: Hold Harmless Form

Check out some of the pics here from last year

Location: Camp Tejas

Cost:
Early Bird (before July 1st) $325
Regular $350

Sign Up: HERE
Forms: Sugar Creek Waiver | Camp Tejas Waiver

check out pics from last year

Volunteer: HERE

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your families spiritual journey. Over the years we have seen lots of changes happen. We built the LYF Center, built and then killed a Wednesday night service, started small groups on campus, changed small groups to D_Groups and then changed them again to make them much harder We took awesome mission trips, had powerful worship and prayer nights, played crazy games at camp, created LEAD and did some great work in the community & had a ton of fun doing it. We created C2 groups and have seen the Lord reach out to students and begin saving them in our own homes. We have seen many students begin serving in their gifts on ministry teams, on mission trips, and in leadership opportunities. Even after all this, I truly believe greater things lay ahead as this ministry seeks the favor and glory of the Lord. It will continue be a great beacon of light in the Sugar Land and Ft. Bend Community.

This is the verse that resonates  in my heart as I look back over my time here:
1 Thessalonians 2:8
8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

May you all remain focused on the call of Jesus to throw off your sins and pursue His life of righteousness so as to become like Him. May you take up the mantel of the great commission to go and make disciples, and may your hearts beat to see God’s glory and fame be proclaimed in every life that you have influence on. Do these things and your life will be well spent!

Serving Him,
Ryan Cook

Application
What has this study of the name “Jehovah Nissi” meant to you? What does that name mean for your every day life? Does it change anything?

Prayer
Father, you are the all-knowing and all-powerful God. Thank you for teaching me more of who You are through Your word. Thank you for opening my eyes to new attributes of Your character this week. May I see more of who You really are, and live differently because of it for Your glory. Thank you!

³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

 ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Content
In this passage, the spirit of condemnation is addressed and the love of God is describe. Paul, the writer of Romans, also describes how nothing can separate us from God’s love. Take a moment to read this passage and internalize what is being said. Before you do that, stop and ask God to speak to you through His word.

Application
Have you ever been ridden with guilt, or felt condemned by the world, people, or even the devil? God wants to make one thing clear, is that His Son came to die for us and give us freedom. That spirit of condemnation is not from the Father, but from the devil. Now go back and read Romans 8:26-39.

Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand, praying for us. That is so cool – Jesus is praying for you and is your intercessor with the Father. We also see in verse 26, that the Holy Spirit also intercedes for us. This is just another awesome passage of how Jehovah Nissi is fighting for you; but it does not end there. The passage goes on to describe the depth of His love and how we have victory of such trials.

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for loving me, and praying for me. Help me to know that You love me, and that with You all things are possible.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my load is light.” Matt. 11:28-30.

In Isaiah 11:10 – Jehovah Nissi is revealed as our banner of rest in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Father has handed all things over to the Son, Jesus (Matt. 11:27). Jesus then calls out to those who are hurting, broken, tired, weary, searching… to seek no one or nothing else for a place of rest, comfort or peace.

Application
Has there ever been a time when you are hurting or broken and you were searching for a sense of wholeness and peace? Maybe it was over the loss of a loved one, or your parents got divorced, or your family went through financial problems. In today’s society, everything is fighting for our attention. We all have facebook accounts, twitter, computers, ipods, sports, and a million things going on at once. If there is a problem, we announce it on twitter, blog about it, post it to a friends wall, or push it down deep inside our souls by masking it with business and other activities.

Jesus says, COME! Simply, come. The message of Jesus is so simple, that we have a hard time believing it’s simplicity. If we put aside everything, and just come to Him, Jesus will give you wholeness, peace, joy, love, and rest for your souls. He longs to hear from you.

Jesus’ message was so simple on this earth – Come… not to just the socially accepted, pretty people, wealthy, or poor people – but to ALL! Come, ALL who are weary and heavy-laden and He will give you rest.

Prayer
Jesus, thank You for Your rest – Your comfort – Your healing. May I run to You in my time of hurting and heaviness and not the things of this world. Father, I pray that my message of truth would be as simple as Yours; that all are welcome to the gospel and that I may not judge who should or should not hear about Your rest and Your love for them.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

James is writing to those who are going trough trials or difficult times. The question is how one will deal with the trial when it is faced. In the preceding verse, James mentions the rich and the poor. Most of the time, the perception of the rich is that they are without difficulties or trials in their life. James however addresses this by stating that the “rich will fade away,” implying that we cannot look to wealth as a means to this solution.

Application

The application is simple, however this is easily said, but not easily done. We have all been in a trial of some sort, know the truth from God’s word, but applying it to that specific moment or circumstance seems impossible and sometimes defeating. For me personally, this came about when I was trying to trust God to provide for me in the area of a job, in the midst of getting married, graduating from college, and moving to a new area. I left behind friends and family, and began a whole new season of life. Facing financial trials with little support and the feeling of abandonment was a real trial.

The turning point came when I rested in the Lord and He reminded me of His promise to love me, carry me through this trial, and provide my every day needs. This season of trial and testing was longer than I wanted, but the outcome of a closer walk with Him was the greatest reward. I never did forget that God was on my side, and fighting for me. He desires glory, honor, and a closer walk with each one of us. This does not mean that we will never face a trial or difficulty, but it does mean that God is with us, for us, and fighting for His children.

Prayer

Father, may I seek you in trials and difficult circumstances. I know you love me, but sometimes I forget those promises when there are so many things fighting for my attention and distracting me from who You are. Help me to remember that You fight for me, desire me, and You will never leave me. Cover me with Your presence and peace as we go through this trial together. Thank you!

Exodus 17:15

Content

In Exodus 17, Israel faces their first battle after their exodus out of Egypt. Joshua leads the charge and his men into battle against Amalek, as Moses goes on top of a hill that overlooks the battlefield. Moses is also accompanied by Aaron and Hur, which is important as we read on. As Moses raised his hands and rod, the Israelites would prevail over Amalek, but when he let his hands down, Amalek would succeed. Aaron and Hur noticed that Moses’s hands were heavy, and they stood on either side and held up his arms until sun set. Israel prevails and the Lord declares to Moses to build an altar and name this place “The Lord is My Banner”, which revealed Himself as Jehovah Nissi.

Application

Without Jehovah Nissi, we have no chance to be victorious in our battles. Today, we know God to be our God of victory over sin and death (Rom. 6:6-15, 1 Cor. 15:54-58). We are constantly fighting a spiritual battle, and it is in HIs name and strength that we fight. As you fight today over sin, know that Jehovah NIssi has given you the strength to endure and persevere, just as he did thousands of years ago with Moses. You are not alone in this battle either. Moses surrounded himself with confidants who helped him when he was weak. This is a great example of how we need friends and companions who hold you accountable and help you when you are weak. Remember, God has already won, and is victorious over whatever you may be going through. Our confidence is found and remains in Jehovah Nissi to win every battle today!

Prayer

Father, thank you for fighting for us. You are the victorious, ever present God. You reign over sin and death, and I ask you to reign in my life today. Give me strength when I am weak, and I will only boast in Your name. Help me to feed and water my spirit today, and not my flesh.

The people of Israel rarely maintained their relationship with God for long. They broke it by neglect and by deliberate action. They ignored Him and disobeyed Him. And then they refused, sometimes for decades, to admit anything was wrong. And the consequence of the broken relationship was slavery, poverty, humiliation and defeat. God would let things deteriorate until people finally cried out, “All right Lord, we admit it’s broken! We broke it! Please fix it!” Then God would send a mechanic, a handpicked fixer, who became known as a judge. We meet the first two of these judges in today’s reading: Othniel and Ehud. Each had a unique character and skill that God put to good use. Othniel was a warrior, and Ehud was a courier. Othniel delivered defeat; Ehud delivered a message. When the Bible introduces each of these judges, it tells us, “The LORD raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel” (Judg. 3:9,15).

The main point here is that God chooses and uses His servants according to His purposes. God placed the judges and filled them with His Spirit (3:10). Othniel, Ehud and the rest had unique skills, but their real contribution came as a result of God’s guidance. They brought about God’s will—God’s deliverance. When the people repented of sin, God intervened with human servants. God still makes unlikely heroes out of ordinary people. He accomplishes extraordinary good in our lives by unexpected means. His Word and
His Spirit are His primary tools. But He also fixes broken things using His servants, His churches, His Bible-teaching radio programs, His books— God delivers!

God doesn’t force deliverance on us. He patiently and lovingly waits for us to acknowledge the sin-chaos in our lives and say to Him, “All right, Lord, we admit it’s broken! We broke it! Please fix it!” Then He delivers.

Application
God demands our attention. Judges 3:12 tells us, “The LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel.” Does it ever feel to you like God lets bad things get worse in your life? The lesson is not to assume God is always punishing you, but to assume God always wants you to live in His will. If you make it your purpose not to do “evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 12), but to walk with Him, you won’t have to worry when difficulties arise. What things in your life is He using to get your attention today? Will you make it your purpose to walk with Him?

Prayer
Ask God for vision to see and courage to admit broken areas of life. Express your dependence on His deliverance. Meditate on Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.”