WOW, WHAT A GIFT

Something I discovered the other day really amazed me. When I was studying The Truth Project DVDs, one of the subjects that was being discussed was the "nature of God" and what he wanted for us as his children. This is what I learned and what got me so excited.

The tribunal nature of God is God in 3 persons: That is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father and the Son are one, as shown in John 14 which says:

John 14:10 (New International Version)

10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

However, the relationship between the Father and the Son, even though they are one, is one of submittal from the Son to the Father. The Holy Spirit is also part of God and can be sent by the Father as well as the Son.

Now, what is the relationship we have with God? There is God, and the severed relationship that happened at the Fall in the Garden of Eden. But God has given us his son, so that whoever believes in him, shall have eternal life. (John 3:16) But what is this gift that God is offering? Let's take a look at it.

In this relationship, there are also 3 parts. There is God the Father, man, and the gift of Jesus. If we accept Jesus as our personal savior, the once severed relationship between God and man is restored. When it is restored, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to live in us.

John 14:15-17 (New International Version)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you.

What does that resemble? God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit in us. Yes, that is the tribunal makeup of God Himself!! God is offering us eternal life IN HIM!! That is the most awesome gift for those that believe in Christ as their savior.

If you do not know Christ as your savior, think of the gift from God that you are giving up. A chance to be like Christ, in God. Don't miss this opportunity. Accept Jesus as your personal savior and receive the Holy Spirit from God. It will change your life here on earth, AND, when we go to heaven we will become a part of God!

I have a Hero

Hey kids!

I have a Hero. He doesn't bat 400. He isn't a Golden Glove recipient. He doesn't run a 4.2 second 40 yard dash, and he doesn't hold the touchdown record either. He isn't 6'-8" and he can't slam dunk. As a matter of fact, he hasn't been inducted into the Hall of Fame in any sport. No, he is much more of a Hero than that.

Yes, in fact, he is a Super Hero. But, he can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. He doesn't outrun a speeding locomotive. He doesn't have lots of gadgets in a bat belt that can stop evil villains. He doesn't have a green ring, or wear a cape, or fly an invisible plane.

No kids, his heroics extend much greater than all of these put together. My Hero walked the earth a long time ago, was a carpenter by trade, gave all that he had, gave up all is God given powers, stretched out his arms, and allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. Then, in His final moment of heroism, He died for Me.

My Hero is Jesus Christ. He doesn't hold any records, but what he does hold is eternal life.

Kids, who is your Hero? Who do you idolize? Is he worthy? Has he done anything for you? Has he paid for you with his life?

Jesus has. And all he wants from you is to be your Hero. All he wants is to talk to you, live with you, and have a relationship with you. A friendship, that's all! Can you say that about any of your other heroes?

The next time you are asked who your hero is, remember what Jesus did for you.

Life Is A Test

Hey Kids!

Times are really tough these days. Some of your Parents are without jobs, you might be losing your home, you might be seeing your parent's marriage being tested. All kinds of really bad bad things are happening all around us. The logical question that may be popping into your heads is, "If God is so Good, why is he allowing all this stuff to happen?"

Hmmm, that is a really good question. One that I have heard so many times before. But I want to ask it a different way, and see if you come up with the answer yourself. If you wanted someone to rely on you and love you unconditionally, would you give them everything they could ever want? Or would you make it tough at times so that they would realize that all the "other" ways that they were trying to find happiness, did not work. That you are the only way for them to find happiness.

As a teenager, I rebelled against my parents and wanted to do things my own way. My parents allowed me to do so sometimes, keeping close watch on me, and allowed me to fail, even sometimes painfully watching, all the time knowing that I was going to fail. But that is how I learned.

The same is with God. He is always watching, sometimes painfully, as we stray away from him and fail, and realize that we need to be in His protection, in His ways. Then, and only then, will we truly love God.

I am attaching a letter that came from a really good friend of mine. He passed it on to me because he wanted to give some words of encouragement to me. After reading the letter, it sheds a new meaning to all the things that are happening around us. I want to share the letter with all of you in hopes that if you or someone you know are struggling with life, you can decide to look at these struggles differently, and know that there is a reason for everything, even if we don't know what it is, and that God is ultimately in control. If you take the time, as I did as well, to examine yourself, and find where you are straying away from God and repent, and RUN back to God, you will realize that is what God wants from us. That is what any Good parent would want.

Please enjoy this letter as I did.

All of Life Is A Test
(07Jul09 3:00 am KCSJr)

In the movie The Recruit Michael Douglas is training new recruits for the CIA. At one point, one of the trainees has fallen for a girl in the program who gets booted out. He is then confronted with a choice between his loyalties to the CIA and the girl, and he chooses the girl. Turns out that is the wrong choice, because it was a test, which he has just failed. When he complains to Michael Douglas, “But I didn’t know it was a test,” Douglas retorts, “All of life is a test.”

There is an eternal spiritual truth here. Pilate sneered at truth, and failed his test. Judas misunderstood the nature of the calling of the Messiah, and failed his test. Peter kept alternately passing and failing, even, we are told in stories of his death, right up to the end, when he was attempting to run away from Rome and Jesus confronted him and asked him where he was going. (He went back, of course)We all have our Peter moments of both kinds, and it’s always a test. Will we stand? Will we be loyal?

Just yesterday, I called a friend, and he told me he was having a hard time, going through a struggle with God, and so I offered some advice. “Listen, Bruce I said, ”…

There’s more at stake than what we think. We are being presented with the Original Question: ‘Is God REALLY good?’ That was our first test in the Garden, and Eve listened to the serpent question God’s goodness, and mankind fell. God stood by and let Lucifer lure a third of the angels away. He had to have been watching; he had to have known what was going on. Yet he allowed it. Why? Because he desires loyalty about all. He doesn’t want puppets. And he is about getting a great glory by having a creature lower than the angels—at least for now—believe without seeing and trust in the goodness of God when everything around screams that he is not, and cause the angels to be astonished. We are that creature, and maybe that’s part of why Lucifer was miffed at God—maybe he knew that we were destined to rule over him, and that smarted. Maybe God asked him to make some sacrifice like Jesus was later willing to, and he refused. Who knows? But somehow, it was a test, and he failed big time…We are facing the same test, but somehow, we have to see the Bigger Picture, and realize that there is more at stake than our comfort.

God is more concerned with our character than he is our comfort, and with our ultimate glory than with our short-term happiness.

We really are facing the same Question over and over. “Is God REALLY good?” Not, “Is he theoretically good?” but “Is he REALLY good in this situation of mine that feels so much like he is not?” And with every choice we face that test. Will we tell all the universe, “Yes, I BELIEVE God is REALLY good!” and affirm his faith in us? Will he find a people “willing in the day of [his] power” (Ps.110:3)? Somehow he has to succeed at that…his reputation, his Word, his very glory is at stake before all the universe: He has said it—can he REALLY make it happen? And the Cross and Resurrection provided as the Answer a resounding “YES!” that echoes down through eternity and back, all the way back to that time before time, when “the Lamb…was slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev.13:8).

Will we pass The Test? Will we believe that God is really, really, REALLY GOOD? As I ended my conversation with my friend Bruce, I laughed and said, “The funny thing is, tomorrow morning, when I’m in the throes of discouragement, I’ll need you to remind me of this.” We all need help passing The Test!

A Winning Game Plan Produces a Winning Game!

Something has been on my mind for a few weeks, so I thought that I would write about it and share my thoughts to everyone. I am specifically writing to kids. So kids, listen to me, and understand what I am saying.

One of the things that I have noticed among kids these days is the not-so-good attitude that they display towards there parents. I know, I know... "But my parents just don't understand me, or my situation".... or ...."my parents embarrass me in front of my friends".

But I say this to all you kids that think that you can roll your eyes at your parents, or think that you can turn your head away from them when they are giving you instruction, or talk back to them when they ask you to do something or to stop doing something by saying: "But, I'm NOT", showing great disrespect for your parents:

Exodus 20:12 (New International Version)

¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Now, this is one of the Ten Commandments that the Lord God has handed down to all mankind. This is not a suggestion, or else it would have been described as the "Ten Suggestions". This is a Commandment given my God to all of us. Now why do you think that it is a Commandment and not just a suggestion? The answer is because it is so very important.

I don't think that anyone of you wants to follow in the footsteps of Satan. But what you don't understand is this: The devil doesn't go up to you and say, "Hey Johnny, today I want you to do this really bad, aweful thing that you will certainly end up going to hell for when you die." No, Satan does not go about things that way. This is the way that he goes about pulling you away from God:

1st - He will make you think that you know more about things than your parents do. He will make you think that you know what's better for you than your parents think.

2nd - After years of bucking your parents and disobeying their wishes, Satan will make you think that you know more that your boss does, or more than your teachers do, or more than your school gym teachers do.

3rd - Then Satan will make you think that the laws that are set up by society are really ridiculous, so you will start to disobey them as well. He will make you think that it is a game to disobey the law and not get caught.

The next thing you know, years down the line of your life, you have failed out of school, disobeyed the law, gotten arrested, involved in drugs, and have made a real mess of the perfect life that God had planned for you. And it all started with the rolling of your eyes, the little bit of disrespect that you show your parents.

Now maybe your life won't go this way, and I hope for all of you that it does not. But I have seen many, many, many lives of kids that have. Even kids that were from very strong Christian families went this way when the kids were allowed to display disrespect towards their parents without sufficient repercussion.

To the kids that are reading this: God has a plan for you, and it is awesome! I think that it would be foolish to feel that we know more about our life than God does. So, listen to me. Follow God!! When you find yourself rolling your eyes, or talking back to your parents....STOP!! Realize that it is Satan pulling you away from God! Ever so slowly. So STOP! Turn from Satan. Look to your parents and listen to what they have to say.... RESPECT them! HONOR them, for God COMMANDS you to do this. HONOR God by Honoring your parents! And get ready for the wonderful life that God has planned for you!

To the parents that are reading this: God has COMMANDED that your children respect and honor you. You are God's Child, and God has given you instruction for your kids. You need to Honor God by making sure that your kids honor you! By allowing your kids to run all over you, YOU are dishonoring God! God says to you:

Proverbs 13:24 (New International Version)

²⁴ He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

So, discipline your child if he / she shows you disrespect. This does not mean to beat your child senseless. This means that you should determine a course of discipline that will deter the action not desired. If your discipline is not deterring the problem behavior, then the discipline is not severe enough. Make it more severe! But do not dishonor God by allowing this type of behavior to continue.

I have heard so many parents say that it makes them feel bad when they discipline their children. Well, of course it does! Just like it hurts God when you do something that requires him to discipline you. If it did not make you feel badly, then you do not love your child. But because it makes you feel badly to administer a punishment, it shows that you love your child. Children need to have direction and boundaries in life, just like you and I. God realizes this as well and that is why God has given us the bible as the guidelines for us to follow. When we do not follow the guidelines that He has set up, there are consequences. You have seen them just like I have. Our God is a loving God, He disciplines us when we stray from Him.

Therefore, discipline your children as God disciplines you. Raise your children in a way that Honors God. Don't let Satan pull your children away from you, not even one step. Love your children as God loves you. And you will be happy years later when your child has grown up to be a positive, God loving adult, raising children the way that he/she was raised in God.

A friend of mine once said that he was listening to his son talk to his friends one day. The kids were talking about one of their friends. They were explaining how lucky that friend was because his parents would always let him do anything he wanted to do. Then my friends son spoke up saying, "No, I don't think that it is that way at all. I think that his parents must not love him very much." Can you believe this? This is a statement from a 17 year old. In my opinion, that boy understands the love of his parents. He understands that in order to love a child, boundaries have to be set, and consequences must be enforced if the boundaries are not obeyed.

Parents, love your children. Read the loving guidelines for our lives with your children. Read the bible together as a family. Discuss what you have read and why God is saying these things to you. Listen to what your children have to say about what they have read. Discuss with them in a loving manner, as God always has a loving heart for you.

Kids, Love your parents. Honor your parents. Listen to me, there have been many times in my adult life that I have not agreed with my parents. But I honor them by listening to them. The answer to your parents is not, "But, I'm NOT." The answer should always be, "Yes Ma'am" or "Yes Sir". I think that you will find that more times than not, the things that your parents are telling you to do, are for your own good, or your own safety. I would be willing to bet that if you listened to your parents, then went into your room and dove into your bible, you would find that what your parents are asking you to do is biblical as well! God is asking you to do the same thing! Try it, I bet you will find that I am correct at least 90% of the time.

If you want to be great on the ball field, you read the playbook and execute the plays as closely as you can to the way that they were designed. If you want to be a great cheerleader, you practice the cheers the way that they were designed until you have perfected them. A winning game plan produces a winning game. God has a winning game plan for your life. If you want to be successful in life, go to the playbook that God has provided for you, read it, and execute life the way that it was designed by God. The bible is God's playbook. Read it, understand it, and obey it. Don't ever let Satan get ahold of your life and pull you away from the wonderful life that God has planned for you!

Happy Father's Day - A Tribute To My Dad

Father's Day is fast approaching. I understand the significants of Father's Day and have come to realize that being a father is one of the most awesome privileges bestowed upon me by God.

This past year has given me plenty of food for thought to reflect about my father. When I was a young boy, my dad travelled extensively. Most Mondays through Thursdays he would be away from home working hard as a traveling service manager. He was the best at what he did and took great pride in doing the work that God had given him the best he could. But more times than not, I would miss the father / son times that we were missing. In retrospect, I look back now and remember that even though he was not home monday through thursday, he was ALWAYS at my games on friday afternoon or evening, no matter where they were being played. It did not matter how difficult it was for him to attend, he was always there. As a child, it was great to see him there. As an adult, it is great to know the love that he had for his children, and the great lengths he would go to just to show that love.

Later in my college years, when I strayed from God's will for me, my dad was always there to help me readjust my course through life. When I was young, his guidance was in the form of a loving strong hand, changing to loving and encouraging words backed by his living example when I was older. But I think the fact that he was always there made the most significant impact.

Now, I am much older, with children of my own. I spend countless hours reading the bible and praying and talking with God. And in doing this, one of the things I like the most about our God is that He is always there too. Sometimes he corrects us with a strong hand, and sometimes with loving encouraging words. But He is always there.

It is in this that I have realized that my father is very much a Godly man. He has always raised me in Godly ways, the best he knew how. For that I am extremely grateful and thankful that God has given me a dad that has chosen to love and honor God by trying to raise his children the way that God wanted and by using God as an example to follow.

More times than not, actions speak much louder than words. Economic times have impacted my family extremely hard. I have lost my job during the worst time possible. Stress levels at my house have been the highest I have ever seen. But during all this my dad sat me down and said, "Son, stay in constant prayer, ask for guidance". Wise words from a very wise man, repeating the words from the wisest. Psalms 25:5 - "guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in you all the day long."

My dad has been a wonderful godly example to me my whole life. He has always loved me, cared for me, guided me, been an example for me to follow, and has kept his footsteps close to Jesus so that the example that he set for me was the example that God wished.

So this Father's Day, I want my dad to know how much I love him. I want him to know how much I appreciate the efforts he made to always be there for me. I want him to know how much I am grateful that he chose to be close with God, so that the example he set for me was a Godly example. But most importantly, I want to thank God for giving me a father that expresses his love to me everyday. I am so blessed to have a father like my father, and I thank him for being there for me always, and for loving me endlessly.

I love you Dad! Happy Father's Day!

Scott

ARE YOU READY!!

Are you ready? Let me repeat it again... ARE YOU READY?????

I was sent this video from a friend of mine, and it is the best example I have ever seen of the coming of Christ. Please watch it.

Matthew 24:27 

²⁷For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

I say again..... ARE...YOU...READY??? Separation from God is an eternal thing, not a temporary thing. Jesus could return at any time.

This video made me think about my own life. I have been a Christian for a long time. My thoughts were, "Scott, Are you SURE!!" I thought for a moment, and the answer is, "Yes!! I am ABSOLUTELY sure!" I am not only absolutely sure about me, I am absolutely sure about my wife, my son, and my daughter.

Are you sure? Kids, if you are not sure about where you stand with God, MAKE SURE!! If you don't know how, I will lead you here and now.

Pray this prayer with me now!

"Lord, I know that I am a sinner, and cannot get to heaven by myself. I don't know everything about this Lord, but I do know this: Jesus died on the cross for me, for my sins. And for that I am eternally grateful. Jesus said that He stands at the door and knocks. So, today, I am opening the door of my heart to Jesus to be the savior and the leader of my life. Please come into my life and save me. Amen" 

That is all you need to do to be saved by Jesus.... to be SURE... to be READY for His return.

So Kids, be ready!! Be sure!!

If you have read this article, and have asked Jesus into your heart as a result of reading it, I want to hear from you. Please just send me an email with your name and address telling me. I have a little gift for you to celebrate your special day. Nothing could make me happier for you than knowing that you are God's child and will live with Him eternally in heaven.

All You Have To Do Is Listen

I have been going to church for a long time, listening to pastors talk about listening to God, doing God’s will, God will speak to you. There are countless passages in the bible about people that were spoken to by God or by the Holy Spirit. Remember Paul on the road to Damascus, or how Moses talked with God through a burning bush. There are countless other biblical characters that have been spoken to by God and written about in the bible.

So, why haven’t I heard voices calling to me from any of my trees in my backyard?
And why, when I have been nasty to my wife or friends, doesn’t God intervene with a bolt or a flash of lightning that blinds me for a second, followed by a loud, tremendous deep voice saying, "My son, why have you forsaken me?"

The answer is…..He Has!

God’s Voice

When I was a small child, I remember my parents told me not to eat candy from strangers. Yes, this is as old as the day rule, but one that every parent teaches their children. But the day came when I was playing at a friend’s house and we all decided to play hide and seek, and I chose to hide behind a propane tank that was located behind some stranger’s house. Crouched down behind the tank, I could hear my friend’s feet stomping around close by, and when I looked around the tank, not only did I see my friends, but there was a large bag of candy there as well! Woo-Hoo! Jackpot!

I then heard the loud deep voice, "Don’t eat candy from strangers" rattling between my ears. "But a stranger didn’t really GIVE it to me, so it must be alright", I thought. The voice was even louder, which made me glance to see if Mom was looking.

The voice was there, I just chose not to listen.

Then there was the time in the 4th grade, when all of the students were on the playground. The game of the day was, "Beam the other guy in the head with a rock!" Rule #1 at our school was "Do Not Throw Rocks!" The game was fun, there had to have been at least 50 kids out there, lots of targets! Then there was that loud deep voice again, as I picked up the rock and beamed Robby H. in the head.

That voice has always been there. I remember it now, now that I am older. Some people call that a conscience. Some people were born without consciences and do mean and terrible things without feeling any remorse. I personally believe differently. I believe that yes, it is my conscience, and God made my conscience, just like he made your conscience as well. God also made the consciences of the "evil doers", to coin a fraise. But do they feel no remorse for evil activity? Perhaps, or maybe the calluses of sin have made it so that God’s voice is no longer heard.

We all have been there, Saturday night out with the girl friend at the ball game or the dance. You pick your date up, and she looks spectacular. Wow! The other guys are going to drool when they see her draped across your arm. Now, the thoughts of promiscuity are running through your mind. The loud deep voice is there louder than ever, but you don’t listen.

These experiences we have all encountered at one point or another in our lives. The loud voice has always been there. We either ignored it, thought that it was just our conscience and chose to ignore it because our parents just don’t want us to have any fun. Or maybe the voice is so faint, because we haven’t talked to God in a very long time, and we forget what His voice sounds like. I find that this one is probably the answer that best fits most of us.

So, when the pastor is standing up on the stage talking to us about having a relationship with God, or being closer to God, can you hear God’s voice saying "Come"? Or do you find yourself looking around the packed room wondering what time it is or if there is anyone there that will recognize you? Your conscience must be talking to you, because you are feeling embarrassed.

God’s Plan

I know that when we all come into this world that God has a plan for our lives. Each one of us is special to God and unique in our own way. God says that "each hair on our head is numbered", which tells me that God knows me better than I can ever know myself.

But do you know God’s plan for your life? That is one of life’s enormous secrets that each and every one of us struggles to no end to learn. What am I supposed to do in my life? Is this all I was meant to be? Why can’t I find a job that I like? Why are all my relationships always failing?
Some of these questions as well as many more go through my head on a daily basis. I am sure that there are countless other people out there that are struggling with similar ones as well. How to find God’s plan for our lives?

I believe that this question is easily answered. I said, easily answered, not immediately answered. God wants to have a relationship with us, ALL of us. I believe that this question can be answered when we submit our lives to Him. "What does that mean?", you ask. Let me have the honor of telling you.

1- We are all sinners in the eyes of God. And God hates sin. But God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die, so that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

I know, we all have heard or seen that one before, probably hanging on a banner at a football game in the end zone. And why would any father send his son to be killed, especially knowing that he will be killed? Who would do such a thing?

Back in the day before Jesus was born, the ritual that the people practiced was to ward off the wrath of God by confessing their sins to God and then sacrificing their best lamb for God. This was considered the way that God would forgive your sins and peace would be in the valley. Well, do I have to kill a lamb for every sin that I make, or is one lamb good enough for all my sins? How about the sins of my kids, or spouse? Are they also forgiven or do they need to kill a lamb each for all their sins? What happens if we run out of lambs, or if we do not own any lambs?
Jesus was the "Lamb of God" that placed all the sins of mankind on Him, all we have to do is confess in our heart that we are sinners, and accept Jesus as our personal savior, our personal "lamb".

2- Once we have accepted Jesus into our lives as our personal savior, we can then rejoice and begin to grow, knowing that God is now with us. GOD IS NOW WITH US!! God lives in our hearts on a daily basis. I know that some of you are married or involved with a significant other in some capacity or another. How many of you remember the day when you would hold hands and go for long walks on the beach? How many remember the hours that you spent talking on the phone whispering gentle sweet nothings in each other’s ear? And if you mastered the art of communicating with your spouse or significant other, then you now enjoy a very loving relationship where sometimes you don’t even have to speak to each other because you know what the other thinks, feels, needs, and desires. You are that close.

God wants that kind of relationship with you as well. He wants to spend time with all of us talking, praying, and whispering sweet praises in his ear. As you begin to develop your relationship with God, just the way that you did with your spouse, you will notice something remarkable happening in your life. He will speak to you and give you direction in your life that will be as clear as the day in long. And you will hear Him, just the same way that you knew what your spouse was thinking, even when she didn’t say a thing.

3- The last thing to do in order to find God’s plan for your life, is to serve. You say, "How can serving do anything for determining the plan for my life? I barely have enough time to get everything done as it is!" That is an excellent question that I think that we all ask. Let me answer that question by returning back to the example of a good marriage. How’s this going to work for you? "Honey, I love you so much, but I don’t have time to take out the garbage or cut the lawn because me, Jimmy and the boys are going to watch the ball game". If that kind of activity goes on for any length of time, do you think that your spouse is going to believe that you are madly in love with her? Of course not. There will be turmoil, fights, and uneasiness. The once close relationship that you and your spouse enjoyed will be replaced by a division between you. Your life plan will seem uncertain!

The bible says that our God is a jealous God, and we should not put anything else before him, as stated in the 10 commandments. When we serve Him, we are putting him first, and erasing the division between Him and us. Now let’s try this one instead, "Honey, I took the garbage out, and cut the grass, and there were some really pretty wild flowers that were growing in the back yard that I thought that you might enjoy, so I put them in a vase for you. The big game is on today, and me, Jimmy and the boys would like to see it. I will be home by 6, and I have dinner reservations at Sal’s for us tonight." Now that is putting her first! God wants the same thing. And when God’s happy, everyone is happy! He will bring opportunities your way that you may never have seen before. God will unravel His plan for your life right before your eyes.

Get involved in your Church, in out-reach programs like Christian Life, and in your community. When someone says that you are really great, give the glory to God. The bible teaches us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God…and all these things will be given unto you!" Put God first in everything you do. Your reward will be great!

Just Listen!

Times have been rough these days with the economy sinking into a depression. Thousands of jobs have been lost, businesses have closed their doors after being in operation for years, families are being disrupted, and communities are feeling the strain. These are really difficult times for all of us. As I write this, I am without a job going on 6 months. But I know there are others that have been without employment for much longer than I. All these problems!! What are the answers?

The answer I believe is written clearly in the bible. We are not the only ones that faced terrible times. I am reminded of the story when Jesus and his disciples were in a boat crossing the sea, Jesus had gone to sleep, and the winds began to pick up, the seas began to be angry, and the boat was taking on water and was in danger of sinking. The disciples were in fear of losing their lives, and called out to Jesus. And what did Jesus say? "Be still!" I believe that the answer to all our problems is, "Be still, and know who I am". Why should we worry about what is going to happen in our lives when "even the wind obeys His command."

This is so hard to do when your whole world is crumbling down around you. I am there too. With no job, no one hiring, all the businesses that I have talked to are laying off. It seems easy to give up hope and become depressed. But I believe that is when God is talking to you the most saying, "Follow Me." There is all the noise of everything crashing down all around you, and hearing God’s voice is difficult, and spending time with Him is even more difficult.

I had been trying to find a job for some time and had been praying continuously about this everyday. I asked my parents to pray for me, I asked my sister, and all my friends as well. Some time before, I had signed up at my church to serve in the Children’s Ministry. I needed to go to an introductory class to learn about the program and to meet the director and staff members. I had a lot going on with the loss of my job, the searching for another job, we were also just moving into our new home that I had been building for the past year and a half. My wife reminded me that maybe I had too much on my plate and that maybe I should not go to the introductory class that evening. I let that play on my mind for a good long while, and then finally made the decision. No, I will put God first! So I went. That evening went great. I really enjoyed meeting all the people there and learning about the program. When I was asked what I did, I stood and said that I was a pilot. Later, when I had the opportunity, I was chatting with the director and relayed to her that there may be times that I might not be able to come to volunteer, as I was on call to fly as a contract pilot with Carolina Tractor. Her eyes lit up. "Oh", she said, "My husband is a VIP for Carolina Tractor, I will have him put a good word in for you." I could feel the hair all over my body tingling, something I had felt many times before.

God works in mysterious ways. No, wait…God works in His Perfect Way. I told my father what had happened, how I almost decided not to go, but at the last minute, re-thought my decision. He sat me down in the garage and we had one of the most memorable, most special moments I have ever had with my father. He said, "Son, follow God, keep praying, keep praying all the time. And then…Listen! All you have to do is listen!" God will speak to us, and we will hear him, if we would just listen.

So, what should we do with all these uneasy times happening all across the world? The answer is: Get straight with God, put Jesus in our hearts, spend precious time with Him, and serve Him. Then when things are so loud that we can’t hear ourselves think, "Stop, be still, and know who I am." Just Listen! The answer will be given to us, if we would just listen.

I have learned over the years, to really spend time with God. I believe that God speaks to everyone differently. Paul was blinded by a brilliant light and then God’s voice spoke to him; Mary was spoken to by Gabriel, an angel of God; and Moses chatted with God through a burning bush. God spoke to my sister through a beam of light that ran through her body one evening. I have learned that when God is in my presence, and is speaking to me, all the hair on my body stands on end. I get the chills. It is the weirdest feeling, and yet it is the most comforting feeling for me, because I know that God is with me.

I hope that this short dissertation will help you find God’s path for your life. The answers to life’s most difficult questions are easy, they’re written in the manual. God’s manual on how to live life properly. He calls it the Bible, the Living Word of God. Spend time in the Word. Put your worries in God’s hands, and then…Listen!

Building A Kingdom For God

We have so much to be thankful for. God has given us so much. Beyond material things, God gave us his perfect, sinless son to die an excruciating death as a sacrifice for our sins. We did not deserve it, not at all! I don't k now how that makes you feel, but it makes me feel ashamed of the life that I have lived. It makes me feel that I owe Jesus an enormous amount of debt for His sacrifice for me. And all he asks for is my love for Him.

So, what are we doing for Jesus? The bible says that all that accept Jesus as his/her personal savior will go to the Kingdom of God. But is that all we should do for Him here on earth? He gave us everything! The bible has the answers for us: In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus gives the Great Commission to all followers of Him:

15 Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

So kids, there is our job, straight from the mouth of Jesus. There is our loving duty. Go out, everyday, and lovingly tell the good news of the gospel. Build the Kingdom of God one person at a time.

One of Christian Life's goals is to build the Kingdom of God by creating Frontier Forge Christian Camp. There we can shout out to thousands of kids for Jesus. Our "light" will shine for Him. All that will be done will glorify Him in every way.

But, we have to start small, starting in our everyday lives. So kids, this is our challenge: Everyday, make it a point to talk to at least one person about what God has done in your life, about what Jesus has done for all people. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, shout it out! Tell someone! Matthew 5 tells us to "let your light shine before men". Go out with all the passion you have in your heart, but go out with love, so "that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven".

See what Jeremy Camp has to say about "Speaking Louder Than Before" about Jesus: Click the video below.

Serve God

Just as we were beginning to present our lesson concerning Serving God to the tweens at sunday school, the door suddenly busted open, and a rather unsavory character bounded in wearing old warmups with shorts overtop, a wig, sunglasses, a headband, and wearing unsightly Bubba Teeth, wielding a tennis racquet. He busted into the room and said loudly to someone trying to stop him on his way in, " I am a member of the World Tennis Federation, the ATAA, the NBA, CIA, the FBI.... ", as he ran into the room.

"Excuse me, Excuse me", said the teacher, rather shocked, "Can I help you?" "UUHHH, Yeah, I am here to serve God!", taking his tennis racquet out and wielding it around. "Back up kids, I am a bad man, I have a serve like lightning! LIKE LIGHTNING !! I tell you! Back up!!"

"Excuse me, but...who are you?" said the teacher.

"I'm Bubba Igga Gump. I have the baddest serve this side of The Cove parking lot! I have a fast ball serve, a curve ball serve, behind the back serve, between the legs serve, a ping pong serve...."

"But this lesson isn't about serving a tennis ball", the teacher exclaimed. "HUUUHHH??", a confused Bubba responded with his teeth falling out. "What you mean....Uhhh, It says right there", referring to the words on the projector screen, "I worship God when I serve Him".

"But it says 'serve Him', not serve TO him", said the teacher.

Bubba Igga left the room dejected, but the kids all had a laugh at his expense.

Matthew 25:31-40 says:

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

What this message is telling us is this: Serving God is not just praying to Him, putting our lives in His hands, and walking with Him. Serving people in need is also serving God, for we are to act as Jesus did, and become servants to others. Nothing shows God's love for his people more than Christians serving others, as Jesus did.

Jesus was sent to earth to tell the truth, and to set an example for us to follow. Jesus was God, and yet He humbled himself before all men, and served us, even though we were not worthy. He washed the desciples feet before He was to be executed, even though He knew that Judas had betrayed Him. He showed no preference, however.....He just served with Love!

This is how we are to serve one another...with Love.....as Jesus did.

PARTING OF THE RED SEA

Chariot Wheels found at the bottom of the Red Sea

Are you surprised to see proof of Pharaoh's chariots and bones of horses and men found in the Red Sea? You really shouldn't be. Nothing in the bible thus far has ever been disproven. Please join me in glorifying God after reading this article.

Evidence of the crossing of the Red Sea including Pharaoh's drowned army has been found!
Confirmation of the actual Exodus route has come from divers finding coral-encrusted bones and chariot remains in the Gulf of Aqaba . ONE of the most dramatic records of Divine intervention in history is the account of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt . The subsequent drowning of the entire Egyptian army in the Red Sea was not an insignificant event, and confirmation of this event is compelling evidence that the Biblical narrative is truly authentic. Over the years, many divers have searched the Gulf of Suez in vain for artifacts to verify the Biblical account. But carefully following the Biblical and historical records of the Exodus brings you to Nuweiba, a large beach in the Gulf of Aqaba , as Ron Wyatt discovered in 1978. Repeated dives in depths ranging from 60 to 200 feet deep (18m to 60m), over a stretch of almost 2.5 km, has shown that the chariot parts are scattered across the sea bed. Artifacts found include wheels, chariot bodies, as well as human and horse bones.

Since 1987, Ron Wyatt found three four-spoke gilded chariot wheels. Coral does not grow on gold hence the shape has remained very distinct, although the wood inside the gold veneer has disintegrated making them too fragile to move. The hope for future expeditions is to explore the deeper waters with remote cameras or mini-subs. Mute witness to the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews 3,500 years ago. The coral-encrusted chariot wheel, filmed off the Saudi coastline, matches chariot wheels found in Tutankhamen's tomb.

One mineralized bone, one of many found at the crossing site and tested by the Department of Osteology at Stockholm University, was found to be a human femur, from the right leg of a 165-170cm tall man. It is essentially 'fossilized, ' i.e., replaced by minerals and coral, hence cannot be dated by radiocarbon methods, although this specimen was obviously from antiquity. Chariot wheels and axles were found covered with coral and up-ended. Exodus 14:25 ' And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily...'

When Ron Wyatt first visited Nuweiba in 1978, he found a Phoenician style column lying in the water. Unfortunately the inscriptions had been eroded away, hence the column's importance was not understood until 1984 when a second granite column was found on the Saudi coastline opposite -- identical to the first except on this one the inscription was still intact! In Phoenician letters (Archaic Hebrew), it contained the words: Mizraim (Egypt); Solomon; Edom ; death; Pharaoh; Moses; and Yahweh, indicating that King Solomon had set up these columns as a memorial to the miracle of the crossing of the sea. Saudi Arabia does not admit tourists, and perhaps fearing unauthorized visitors, the Saudi Authorities have since removed this column, and replaced it with a flag marker where it once stood.

How deep is the water? The Gulf of Aqaba is very deep, in places over a mile (1,600m) deep. Even with the sea dried up, walking across would be difficult due to the steep grade down the sides. But, there is one spot where if the water were removed it would be an easy descent for people and animals. This is the line between Nuweiba and the opposite shore in Saudi Arabia .

Depth-sounding expeditions have revealed a smooth, gentle slope descending from Nuweiba out into the Gulf. This shows up almost like a pathway on depth-recording equipment, confirming it's Biblical description, '...a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.' (Isaiah 43:16) The Bible writers frequently refer to the miracle of the Red Sea crossing, for it was an event which finds no equal in history. The Hebrew prophets describe the sea at the crossing site as '...the waters of the great deep...the depths of the sea...' (Isaiah 51:10) Knowing the exact spot to which the Bible writers were referring, what is the depth there? The distance between Nuweiba and where artifacts have been found on Saudi coast is about 18km (11 miles). Along this line, the deepest point is about 800m (2,600 feet). No wonder that inspired writers of the Bible described it as the mighty waters. And no wonder that not a single Egyptian survived when the water collapsed in upon them.

God's Word once again confirmed!

Sing Loudly To God!

Today I wanted to talk to the kids about worshipping God through singing praises to Him. I was having difficulty finding what I thought God was wanting me to talk about. I prayed about it asking God to please bring the ideas to my mind and the words to my mouth, and to help me find the supporting verses to share with the kids.

I started writing on Thursday. And God was flowing the ideas through my mind. By Saturday, I had everything that I wanted to say, and God had given it all to me. The talk would be about the where, when, why, and how to sing praises to God.

Where should we sing to God?

The bible says in Hebrews 2 that we should sing in church. Well that's no supprise. 2 Samuel 22 says to sing among the non-believers. The only thing the kids could think about was standing up on the cafeteria table in school and belting out Jesus Loves Me. That's not going to happen. Psalms 108 says to sing among all nations and Psalms 149 says that we should sing loudly in bed. So, what is the point here? God is telling us to sing everywhere!

When should we sing to God?

Well, again, Hebrews 2 says that we should sing when we are in church. But, Psalms 104 says to sing all the days of my life. But, what about bad times? What about the times when we are down, angry, upset, hurt, or humiliated? What about those times that we just don't feel like singing? God knows about those times and he gave us examples in the bible for us to follow. Acts 16 is one of those examples:

The Apostle Paul and Silas were going to a town to offer prayer. They angered the magistrates and the people when they refused to give time to a fortune teller. They were attacked by a mob of people, beaten, and whipped. They were then imprisoned and chained.

I asked the kids what they would have done if this had happened to them. Most of the answers were to cry, feel sorry for themselves, regret being there, feel badly. But what Paul and Silas did was amazing! They prayed to God and they sang praises to Him! THEY SANG PRAISES TO GOD! WHAT FOR! Well, let me tell you what for! After hearing the praises sung, God shook the ground so violently that the prison cell doors fell open and the chains fell off! God Likes praises sung to Him!

The Point here is this: It is easy to sing songs of praise to God when amazing things are happening and all is good. But in bad times, we have a choice: We can either say "Woe is me" and feel sorry for ourselves and focus on us; or we can focus on God, giving the whole situation to Him, and fill our heart with Him, and sing praises to Him. This may not always solve the situation at hand, but it will definately make us feel better inside, while God is working the problem to the Glory of Him!

Why should we sing praises to God?

I asked the kids to think about taking final exams at school. What is required?
1) Study hard
2) Study all material that will help them with the test
3) If there are any areas that you require help, ask the teacher for help in those areas
4) Form study groups with other classmates to help study the material

Be completely inundated with the subject of the test so that you will know all the answers and do well on the test. This is EXACTLY what God wants us to do too! This is exactly why we sing praises to God.

1) Keeps us in God's presence
2) Keeps us thinking about God and praising God
3) Keeps our attention and focus on God's plan for us
4) We are less likely to stray from God's will when we hold God close to our heart and mind.

How should we sing praises to God?

The bible says in Nehemiah 12 that we should sing loudly! I asked the kids when they go to their favorite ball team's game, do they whisper "go team" to cheer them on? Or do they shout at the top of their lungs "GOOOOOOOOOOOO TEEEEEAAAAAAMMMMMMM!!!!" It is obvious what the answer was.

Ok, so we are supposed to sing loudly to God. One of the kids asked, "What if we can't sing?" That is an excellent question. I know this because I can't hold a note to save my life. I had searched the bible for an answer to this question, and found that there is no-where in the bible that says anything like, "sing praises to God, unless, of course, you can't sing, then God doesn't want to hear you." No, in fact, God knows all of us. He knows how many hairs that are on our heads. And if he knows that crazy number, then I am certain that He knows if we are able to sing well or not. And I don't think that He cares one bit one way or the other!

So, sing praises to God, in fact, shout praises to God loundly! After all, if we are Christians, we have something to sing about. We have been saved! So, put your all into it, sing loudly!

So, where are we here then. We are to sing everywhere, sing all the time, and sing loudly. Again, visions of standing up on the cafeteria tables and singing loudly terrified the kids. But, I eased there minds with this:

This is what I do to keep God in my heart, praises streaming to Him, and listening for His will. I turn the radio on to my favorite Christian radio station. I sing along...loudly...with the songs I know. I listen to the words and listen to what God is saying to me. When I feel bad or upset, I turn the radio on and sing to God. Almost immediately, God takes my bad feelings or anger away and I start to feel better. The problem that caused my frustrations or anger may not be solved yet, but I feel better because I know that God is with me!

Surround yourself with God on the outside, and on the inside, and sing praises to Him! God Bless You!

I Want To Be A Golfer When I Grown Up!

Yesterday was a really awesome day! I am so proud of my wife, Lisa. She has grown so much in her walk with God and it is completely incredible and a priveledge to be by her side as she discovers God's plan for her life! Yesterday, we celebrated with her as she was baptized at the Cove Church in Mooresville, NC. It was a beautiful ceremony, and Lisa looked radiant as she was about to express her Christian commitment with God publicly.

One of the really cool things that The Cove Church does at their baptisms is reading the testimony of the person being baptized beforehand, for all to hear. The testimonies ranged from members having tragic lives that were saved by God, to feeling alone and needy of Jesus' loving arms around them as they walk through life. Some expressed going to church all their lives, but never being told that they could have a personal relationship with Jesus just by the asking! As they read the testimony of a seven year old boy last, I realized something very simple, but very important, none the less, that I wanted to share with everyone. There are many paths that lead to Jesus, but there is only One path that leads to Heaven! The little boy's testimony only said, "I want to be a golfer when I grow up". You see, his life was too young to fully understand life's tragedies and loneliness, but one thing was for sure: He wanted to be with Jesus, even out on the golf course.

They say that alot of business deals are done on golf courses. Now, I can say that even life saving deals are done there as well!

Special Gifts From God

I had an opportunity to teach a lesson to the 4th and 5th graders at Sunday School this passed weekend. I was so excited to talk to them and I wanted to do something that would capture their attention so that they would listen and remember my message. The scripture was from Romans 12:5:

"so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

I decided to tie in the next few verses as well to help with my illustration. Romans 12:6-8:

"We have different gifts, according to the gifts given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

I decided to play a game to help illustrate the verses. I read the kids the verses, and told them that God has given each of them gifts that are to be used to glorify Him. Then I asked for a volunteer who has the gift of "leadership". After choosing a young man, I asked for a volunteer that has the gift of "serving". Then I asked for a volunteer that has been given the gift of "teaching".

The game was simple. There would be a race. The Leader and the Server would race across the room to the other side, pick up a Full glass of water, and race with it back to the other side. The first one to cross the finish line....wins! The Teacher would be the commentator of the race, similar to NASCAR commentators, and with the same excitement, since we are using our gifts to glorify God.

The race was about to begin, "On your marks, get set.....wait a minute, wait a minute". I told the Leader that he has not been using the gifts that God has given him very well. I told him that he has done things this passed week that have blinded him to being able to lead effectively. So, I placed a ski cap on his head and over his eyes. I then turned to the Server, and told her that she has not been serving the Lord all that well the last week. When there were opportunities to serve, she decided to stay in bed and sleep. So, I tied her feet together with a bandana.

"OK, on your marks, get set....wait a minute, wait a minute". Once again, the race was post-poned as I turned to the Teacher, and said, "You have been filling your mouth with impurities, and this has impaired your ability to teach others about the greatness of God". I then stuffed his mouth full of marshmallows.

"OK, on your marks, get set...GO!!" The race began, and the Leader wandered around aimlessly, and the Server hopped quickly to the drinks, picked one up, and began hopping back, spilling the drink all over herself and the croud as she hopped. The Teacher began to commentate on the event with enthusiasm, but all that was heard was a muffled mess!

After the race was over, I asked the class, "Do you think that God was glorified by our Leader, Server, and Teacher? Do you think that God would have been happy at the efforts made by all three?"

You see, we are all one and work together in the body of Christ...the church. And when one of us fails to perform, it hurts all the rest of us. Not only does it hurt the rest in the church, but others outside the church see someone that is not acting too "Godly", and this may hinder a chance for them to accept Christ into their heart. God has given us all special gifts. It is up to us to either squander them, or to use them to our best potential and Glorify God.

God Doesn't Work In Mysterious Ways, He Works In His Way

I have been talking to a friend of mine that I knew very well in High School. Alot has happened since then, and when I talked to her, I realized how much she has grown in Christ, and how much she talks to Christ on a daily basis.

We have been talking about plans to grow Christian Life ministry. I have expressed that it is very frustrating at times that things don't move faster. But when I stop to look for a minute, there is so much happening all at once, that things probably couldn't go any faster. She told me about a book called "Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On" and recommended that I read it sometime. I purchased the book, and took a quick glance at it. I realized something that I have known for a long time, but seemed to have temporarily forgotten in all my busyness. All the things that we are doing are for the Glory of God. Every little step is a planned step by God. For those that keep their eyes on Him, the steps we take are His steps, and in His perfect timing.

All of us have heard the old cliche, God works in mysterious ways. Well, I used to believe that too. I don't believe that God works in mysterious ways any more, however. I think that God works in His perfect way! And the more we pray, the more we read his word, the more we keep our eyes on Him, the more He will shed some Godly light on the step we are taking. God wants us to follow Him, and take bold steps trusting in Him.

I heard it explained this way once. God wants you to take the bold steps forward in His name, keeping your eyes on Him. Once you have taken the step of faith, God will respond with His promises. But only after you step in faith first will He respond, just as He did with Joshua in biblical times. Joshua was told to step into the Jordan River to cross the river, and once he stepped into the river, the river would part. The step of faith had to be taken by Joshua first before God would reveal His promise. (Joshua, chapter 3)

I am excited to grow this ministry. I am excited for all the children that this ministry has brought to know Jesus. My eyes are on Him, and He lights my steps. I look forward to seeing what exciting things God can do through Christian Life.

Pass It On Forward

I was coming home from work yesterday, and as I drove around the corner, I noticed a man that had driven his huge lawn mower into the swail, and had sunk the rear tires up to the axel. Frustrated, I saw him throw his hands up in the air and tromp back towards the house.

So, I turned my truck around and headed back to his driveway and asked him if I could pull his tractor out of the mess he was in. He asked me if my truck could do it, then took a look at my truck and responded, "nevermind...sure!"

I drove my truck over to his tractor, backed it up, and hooked my tow strap to it. My truck is a very large diesel F250 4x4, and it pulled it out of the hole with ease.

The man was really happy, and asked me how much he could pay me, to which I handed him a Christian Life Pass It On Forward card, and responded "God Bless you my friend, just pass it on forward.

Good deeds are our outward expression of our Christianity. The book of James is all about Faith and Good Deeds.

This is what I think would be cool for all of us to do. Go to the Office Depot store, or something like it, and purchase a packet of blank business cards. They are only a few bucks. Write with a marker on the cards the following:

This is a "Your Name" Pass It On Forward Card

God has Blessed you with good fortune, pass it on forward to someone else.

God Bless!

Just think of the smiles and warm hearts that will be generated because of you, and God will be glorified by it all!

Let's Pray!

Yesterday, my work required me to fly to Griffin, GA, a city south of Atlanta. After dropping off our passengers, we decided to eat lunch at a Mexican restaurant called El Toro to have some fajitas. Shortly after I received my order, a very large group of young construction workers came in and sat at the table next to mine. All eight of them were carrying on different conversations at the same time, which made their entrance extremely loud and boystrous. I glanced over to see who was making all the ruckous, and noticed that they were all very rough looking individuals: some had no teeth, most were extremely dirty from the morning's work.

Apparently all had called their orders in, because they received their food almost immediately. Then the most surprising thing happened. The young man on the end of the table announced to the rest of the group, "let's pray". Well, that caught my attention rather quickly and I turned and watched as all eight workers, ranging in age from about 18 to 24 years old, took off their ball caps, bowed their heads, and each prayed, out loud, their own prayer. It was a menagerie of praises that echoed across the room. I heard words of "thank you for the food provided", and "forgive me of my sins", and "bless this meal". It was amazing!! I have never seen a group of construction workers, that young, stop to talk to God and give thanks before eating!! I was completely impressed!

Our world is in economic crisis right now. Leaders of every nation are gathering to sort out the details and try to formulate plans that will hopefully pull us from this dilemma. But I think the world has hope. And all it takes is to stop, remove your ball cap, bow your head......and pray!

Family Quiet Times

My wife and I wanted to give our kids the opportunity to establish a closer relationship with God without making them feel like we were forcing it on them. We decided to have family quiet times 7 days a week for 20 minutes every night and 1 hour every Sunday night. We all went to the local Christian book store to find devotionals for us and both our children to read and explore the bible. We all sit together during our quiet times, and we provide answers to questions the kids may have as they explore the bible. We feel this is a good way to build family closeness as well as getting to know God and learning more about what God wants for our lives.

My daughter has especially been excited about getting closer with God. Her daily devotional verse came from Deuteronomy 6:18,

Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight...

I asked her if she new what "the Lord's sight" was. Then I asked, "Can the Lord see you when you are under the covers at night? Can the Lord see you when you are at school and no-one is around? Can the Lord see you when you are alone at the house and Mommy and Daddy are outside?" She replied yes to all of these. So I told her that what the verse is really telling her is that she needs to do what is right and good ALL THE TIME, because the Lord can see her all the time.

Explaining verses to children in a way that they understand is not hard, just requires a little immagination. Children understand them very well. Spend time with your children in the Word, you will be surprised at how much God will speak through you to them.

God Bless!

Christians: Pray For Our Nation!

II Chronicals: 7:14 says:

And if my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and revive their land.

After a day of contemplation and soul searching, I have decided to reach out to my friends and relatives and ask you to do something that has been troubling me for a long time.
Our nation is/has been on the slippery slope away from God for a long time. If you look around you will find corruption, greed, moral decay and a steady move away from the things that made us great. The principles upon which this nation was founded are no longer our backbone.

However, we can reverse this trend.

In God's word he states, "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

I am convinced that we must pray for our nation and its leaders and ask for forgiveness. So I ask you to join me in this plea to our lord. Would you please take 10 minutes every night at 9:00pm and ask God to forgive us as a people, as a nation, and ask for His guidance. Pray everyday at 9:00pm. I have sent this note out by email to everyone I know. Imagine if every person who reads this note prays all at the same time, what the impact that would be to God. We will lift up millions of prayers everyday day to our creator. He will hear us and in faith will answer.

Let me just add a quote from Ronald Reagan - "if we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." I truly believe this is why the United States of America is in the shape we are in today. Most people have forgotten that we are one nation under God! Let us as Christians stand up and remind people of this. ~ Have a blessed day!

Listen: This is My Plan For You

Teaching a young child to listen to God can be a very difficult thing to do. Unless you know what you are listening for, it can be an arduous task even for most adults.

Today in Sunday School, I gave the kids an example of why it is so hard to hear God talking to us. I told them that I had found a website on the internet that claimed to have a 1 in 3 chance of winning the lottery. The gentleman that owned the site had had a track record of hitting the lottery once every three times he played it, and he shared his secret on his site. I told the kids that I had the numbers for the next lottery drawing and for them to get their pens and papers out so that I can read them the numbers. I told them that winning the lottery could change there lives drastically. (I did not tell them for the better or for the worse.) As soon as I began to read the numbers off, I blasted the radio up full blast until the last number was read, then I turned it off. "Did everybody get that?", I asked excitedly. Obviously the answers resounded "NOOOOOOOOOO!". So I read them out loud again, again turning the radio up full blast.

Our lives are much like that example of the radio blasting in our ears. God has a glorious plan that will change our lives drastically, but our lives are so busy, and filled with so many distractions, we never hear God speak.

I was talking with my father a while back, and he told me that God speaks, but ever so softly. He said that if I wanted to hear God speak to me, I needed to focus on Him, and then listen intently, with no distractions. He said, "If you would just listen, you will hear God speak." I think those are very profound works that apply to all of us, but are so hard for most of us to do. Which leads me to my next thought.

Some kids have often asked "Why doesn't God answer their prayers or requests?" I have often thought the same question as an adult, and had a difficult time trying to realize the answers. Again, in a conversation with my father, he made it very clear to me. He said, "Son, it's like this: If your father has asked that you do something, maybe a chore or a task, and you ignore him time and time again. Then you come to him later with a request of your own, do you think that he will grant that request? Or will he ignore the request until you learn to obey him?"

Suddenly, things became very clear. God speaks very clearly. We need to listen very intently. God has asked that we spend time in the Word, and in James 1:22 it says that God wants us to not only listen to the Word, but to do what it says. If we get ourselves into this type of regiment in our lives, I believe that God will bless us in unimmaginal ways. Kinda like winning the lottery, God's plan for our lives will lead to great joy and happiness, if we would just listen!

Encouragement from a Child

I became a Christian in 1978 at a teen’s Christian Camp called Windy Gap in the mountains of North Carolina. For years after that however, my walk with God had been sporadic at best. Like most, I seemed to gravitate towards God only when times were bad and there was no-where else that I could go. Even so, God was always there for me. As I grew older, the emptiness in my heart that could only be filled with God’s love became more apparent to me. I began to talk to God during all aspects of my life, good or bad. The joy that He brings to me on a daily basis is far more than I have ever expected. He is there all the time for me, and I can feel His presence when I talk to Him. It is sad that I did not come to know Him at this level when I was much younger, but am eternally grateful that He never left me alone.

My son, Travis, became a Christian and was baptized this passed year, something that I am extremely proud of him. Even though I have been a Christian for years, I had never been baptized as an adult. My son's leap of faith encouraged me to do the same and yesterday, March 8th, 2009, I was baptized. It was a moment that I will cherish for all my life. I want to publicly display my commitment to God and my commitment to be the spiritual leader of my family. Furthermore, I want to re-affirm to God that I will follow Him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength. (Luke 10:27)

What Will You Give For Lent?

I was talking to the kids the other evening, having our family quiet time, when the topic of Lent was raised. First the question was, what is Lent? Then the discussion evolved to the history of the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting, praying and being tempted by Satan. And finally my son said that the kids at school were trying to figure out what they were going to give up for Lent.

I asked him what he thought he should give up. He said that he didn't know. I asked what the other kids thought that they should give up, and again the answer came back, he didn't know.

I thought this was a great opportunity to suggest to him to talk to the other kids at school, that God just doesn't want you to give up one thing or another, what He wants is for you to give up ALL things to Him. I told him the next time the kids ask him what he is going to give up for Lent, tell them that he is giving up control of everything in his life and handing it to God.

So, what will you give up for Lent. God doesn't want just for you not to eat meat.....God wants all of you....everything. God wants you to give up everything and give your life to Him!

Be Certain In Times of Uncertainty

I saw a sign in front of a church the other day that read, "When you feel like you are drowning, talk to the man that walked on water." This sign really intrigued me, and made me think about today's economy. Many people and/or familes are feeling the financial squeeze. Many families are sinking and are extremely fearful of the future. Times are really tough out there right now....no...let me say it this way...TIMES ARE REALLY TOUGH RIGHT NOW!!! But how should we all react to these unprecedented times? The answer to this question is really clear to me.

God allows tough times to happen to us because of several reasons, but the two that come to mind are 1) tough times draw us closer to God and force us to depend on Him, and 2) when we learn to depend on God, we become stronger, thus allowing us to help other people through similar circumstances. Why should these times be any different than those difficult times described in biblical times? The answer: They're not! I believe that God wants our attention on Him. He wants us to focus directly on Him. He wants us to rely on Him for our everyday decisions, our everyday problems, our everyday lives. I believe that we, as a nation, have become complacent towards God, thinking that we don't need God anymore. We don't need Him in our schools, workplaces, financially, economically, and in some cases even spiritually anymore. This, in my opinion, couldn't be any further from the truth.

In times of uncertainty, focus on God! Focus on what God's plan is for your life. My children ask me sometimes, "How can we know what God's plan is for us." My answer to them is simply "when you want to know someone really well, you spend alot of time with them. The more time that you spend with God, the more it will be clear to you what His plan is for you."

For some people, this is a really difficult concept to grasp. I believe that it is difficult to understand only if you are unwilling to put God in control of your life, and spend each day talking to him about it.

So, if the economy has you fearful, or you can't find a job, or you don't know where the next mortgage payment is going to come from? This is my challenge to everyone that reads this article:

I want everyone to stop where they are, and say to God:

"God, I am sitting on the fense right now about you. Times are really tough right now and I am struggling terribly and I am affraid. Please reveal yourself to me in a way that will be completely obvious to me. I want to know that you are there, and in control. I want to know that you really love me."

I am certain that God will answer this prayer for everyone that asks it sincerely from their heart. When you feel like you are drowning, talk to the man that walked on water!

God's Love

This weekend was really cool. I was teaching with about 7 kids in Sunday School, and felt that I was not reaching them at all. The room that we were sitting in was really small, and very noisy; so the distraction level was really high. So I decided to have a group prayer where each member of my group could talk to God and express thanks for His Love for them. At first I got 7 kids saying before the prayer began that they would pass. But I said that I would lead the prayer off, and whoever felt that they wanted to say something could speak, and I would close out the prayer at the end.

I started the prayer off thanking God for 7 great kids, leaders among the rest of the class, and expressed that I love them all, and thanked God for loving all of us enough to send his son to die for us all. I thanked Him for the opportunity and the priviledge to sit with these wonderful young men and praise Him! Then I sat silent.

One by one, 7 kids prayed out loud and gave thanks to God for loving them. I now had their attention, and had an awesome lesson about God's Love! Isn't our God Awesome!! God sat down next to us and touched 7 kids' heart with His Love, and brought them to Him so that we could now focus on Him.

Praise God!

Valentine Request

I was going through the kid's Valentine candy, you know, making sure it is all good :o) , and came across a Valentine Request that my daughter had made. It read as follows:

Jesus, please be my Valentine
You make my life complete.
I can take all my cares to you
and lay them at your feet.

You gave to me the blessings
that I cannot live without.
This is the kind of love
Valentine's day is about.

It makes me smile when I see a young child so in love with Jesus. That warmth that comes across my body everytime I see a child come to Jesus is the Holy Spirit of God fueling my strength and passion to continue to do His work. How incredibly special it is, doing God's will. When one child accepts Jesus into his/her little heart, that is more important, and more joyeous than anything I can think of. I thank God for the opportunity to serve Him, and I thank God for the little ones, how precious they really are!

A New Young Christian Is Born

Last Sunday I had the awesome opportunity to lead a 10 year old young man to Jesus! The excitement that was running through my body was extremely intense. This was certainly not the first person I have lead to Christ, but this young man was one I will remember always.

The lesson last weekend was about Abraham and his willingness to follow God's will even when it entailed sacrificing his own son, Isaac. I read the scripture to the group of boys that I was teaching. Then we all started to discuss what we had just read. My son was also part of the discussion group. We talked about how God stopped Abraham from killing his son, and how that sacrifice is no longer necessary because God has sacrificed his son, Jesus, for us all. (John 3:16)

We then stopped for a moment, and I again told the class that my son was among them, sitting next to them. They all like my son, and really look up to him. I asked them that if I had sacrificed my son for them so that they could live forever, would they feel like they owe me something in return. They all said, "Yes". Then I asked, "What if God had sacrificed his only son, Jesus, and his only request of us is to believe that this sacrifice was for our sins, and that we embrace Jesus with all our heart? Would you believe?" They all said "yes". I told them that this is what really happened, that God sent his son to earth for us as a sacrifice for all our sins, and his only request of us is to believe and accept.

I saw some little eyes widen. We had a prayer, and after the prayer we had an alter call for those that wanted to accept Jesus. I kept my eye on one little boy as he slowly meandered towards the front of the room. I motioned to the lead teacher that he was on his way up to the front of the room.

You could tell that God was heavy on this boys mind. You could tell that the sacrifice of Jesus for him was being thought about intensely. Then, when he had thought about it long enough, he went straight for the front of the room to get his acceptance card and to tell someone of his decision.

I ran from the back of the room to be by his side and congratulate him. I was so excited for him, and I could see the excitement in this young boy's heart.

What a day this was!! May all the glory of this day be to God!

Amen!

When You Look Into My Eyes

When you look into my eyes,

Is it Jesus that you see?

In a world full of corruption, hatred and deceit,

When you look into my eyes, do you see the nails in His hands and feet?

Lord, I am a sinner,

Yet you sent your Son to die for me.
All you ask in return,
Is when people look into my eyes,

It's Jesus that they see.

by: Scott Brown

Be Moses

God works in very mysterious ways. Or should I state it another way: God works in His very perfect way! The prominant people in the bible that God used to accomplish great things for Him, were really no greater than you or I. Take for example Moses. Moses parted the Red Sea and brought the Isrealites to the promised land...WOW! But let's look a little closer.

When God asked Moses to lead his people, Moses replied...(paraphrasing) "Why me? God, please choose someone else. You know I have a speach impediment. What will I say if they ask me who sent me?" Moses asked God 5 times to find someone else.

Moses also was a murderer! He had seen an Eguiptian man mistreat a Hebrew man, and he confronted the Eguiptian and killed him!

But God sometimes uses the most inconspicuous people to accomplish His work. And let's face it, we are all sinners, and fall short of the glory of God.

So, my thoughts are this: If God chose a murderer, one who did not even want to follow His requests, to accomplish one of the most notorious, miraculous deeds of all time, don't you think that He could choose one of us to accomplish tasks of equal magnitude? And even more so, don't you think that if we were more than willing, and seeking His divine guidance on a daily basis, that He might want to use us more readily? I think that the answer to these questions is a resounding YES!!

God's goal is to have a relationship with us. This isn't anything new to us. We have been trying to have relationships with individuals for as long as we have been alive. So establish that relationship; open your hearts to God, prepare a place in your heart for him. And be ready for when He calls you to be the next Moses!