FIRST BAPTIST GILBERT
STUDENT MINISTRY
Miss GMS
2010
Youth Ski Trip
Gatlinburg, TN
2010
Youth
Christmas
Party 2009
Youth Car Wash &
Yard Sale '09
Photo Gallery
Click on picture to view entire album.
Youth Worship Opportunities
Sunday School 9:15am - 10:15am
Sunday Service 10:30am - 12:00pm
Wednesday Bible Study 6:45pm - 7:30pm
Gilbert's
The talent show was a hit.
Be sure to view the pictures by clicking the button!
WELCOME
My dearest youth,
I hope everyone had a good first few weeks of school! I am excited to hear about how things went and some conversations you were able to have. Everything here is going well. I am staying with a family that loves and cares for me very much. They make sure that I have what I need. At the same time I am taking a shower everyday out of a bucket, the electricity is on about 50% of the time, and I eat with my hands all the time. Which, by the way is kinda cool. It is real hot here and there is air conditioner in only one room and it works only when the electricity is running. Somehow, though, it is all kinda cool. (that was a pun) Today something funny happened.
I stopped by an Indian wedding just to see what it looked like. When I walked up everybody started waving and acting like I was a celebrity. They waved me to the front with my friend and introduced me to the bride and groom. The wedding had just ended. Then they asked if I would pose for a picture. So imagine this. Here I am a foot taller than the groom and a foot and a half taller than the bride. My shirt tale out, flip flops on, white dude, in a picture with this couple I had never seen before, on their wedding day. The whole place was looking at us take the picture. It was so funny to me. I was at this random Indian couple's wedding for about ten minutes and got in the photo album. I wonder what they will tell their children.
Anyway, God is doing great things here. I heard the story today of a conversion and baptism in a village. The whole town came with clubs to kill the ones baptizing because they believed they had brainwashed the ones being baptized. They had to flee for their lives. They were baptized later and kept alive by God's grace. This country is very dark, please pray that the gospel will go forth with great urgency. And be thankful for what you have. Don't be a wimp. People all over the world are being threatened and killed because they believe in Jesus. Don't cower back from taking a stand because Susie Q and Billy Bob giggled at you because you had your Bible in your book bag. (Which is where it should be by the way, along with hidden in your heart.) Whether it be walking in the halls in Gilbert, SC or living in a village in East India, just remember the promises of the Word. "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. GOD IS FAITHFUL, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) That should be in your heart and on your lips all throughout the day.
As I heard that story I began seeing all your faces in my mind. I started to cry. Now that I am here I miss y'all like crazy. It was a special summer, one that I will never forget. You all became like my children in the faith. There is nothing I want more than to see you grow up strong in the Lord. What will make this summer even sweeter though, will be looking back on it in 10 years and saying that the summer of 2010 is when it began. Some of you will be teaching Sunday school at FBCG, some will be leading bible studies in your home, some will be in Africa serving tribes that have never heard, some will be in China teaching Christians to love the Word more, and all of you will be loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I know that is what I hope to see, and I believe it is what you want as well. But let me tell you, to get there begins right now. It starts with you staying in the Word and spending time with your King. It begins today by being a witness in your school.
Some of you have relayed to me that you are scared and nervous because you don't want to fail. My answer to that is, "GOOD!" The moment you think you got this thing under control is the moment you lose it all. Saying you're scared is admitting you're weak. And admitting you are weak is exactly what King Jesus wants. For he said, "'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Do y'all realize how good that is!!! Jesus is your strength, the King of the Universe is your strength. Our God is greater, our God is stronger, Our God is higher than any other...and if he be for us, what does it matter if the whole world is against us. "For he that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. You have been singing that all summer, now go live it!! No excuses!! The King is with you!!
That is why we are in the Rebellion! And though we are in the world we are not of it! We are different, we belong to Jesus and he is our life!! He is our everything!! And though someone may offer us all of creation we know that that would be nothing compared to KING JESUS!! Our Great Reward!!
I love you all, I am not kidding. And I have been praying for you everyday. I love what God has done with us this summer, now don't waste it. Show the world that Jesus is your life.
With everything I got,
Josh
"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 24-25
