Epic Girls

K.P. Yohannan's Book

2010-09-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

The book I read to you out of tonight is called Learning to Pray, by K.P. Yohannan. It is available for free online.

Click Here

The introduction to the book follows below:

How often have you heard someone say, "I will pray for you" or ask, "Please pray for me"? Of the thousands of letters I receive, a significant number of them always have some kind of prayer request included.

The need for prayer is felt in all aspects of our lives. Whether it has to do with our families, children, education, daily needs, ministry, relatives, friends or the many other concerns that can fill our days, the necessity of prayer is always present.

But despite that, the question remains: Do we honestly take time to pray? If we do pray, how much time do we really spend in prayer? We may spend hours each day talking to friends and family members about the things in our lives, but do we even spend at least one hour with the Lord in prayer, talking with Him?

I believe our lack of prayer is because so few of us truly know how to pray. I know that in the early days of my Christian life, I had no clue what prayer really was. I would close my eyes, and in a few short minutes, I would run out of things to say. It wasn’t until learning from older brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as from books on prayer, especially those of E.M. Bounds, that I began to grow in my prayer life.

May this booklet serve to give you the beginning steps for building your life on the solid foundation of prayer. And may the Lord use this to help you come near to Him and be a child again, simply talking to your Father. He is waiting for you.

More On Spiritual Gifts

2010-09-26T13:03:00.000-07:00
Below I posted some articles from Don Stewart on Spiritual gifts. I know that some of you have been praying about your spiritual gifts, so I thought I would post some links that might confirm to what the Lord is already revealing to you.

The Holy Spirit is the One who decides what gifts you get, not a quiz on the Internet. But it doesn't hurt to take a spiritual gifts quiz to see if it confirms what He might already be saying to you. In fact, it might show you something surprising. Then you need to pray and have the Holy Spirit confirm that, or show you where you might have answered wrong. Here is an online Spiritual Gifts Test. My advice to you is to be completely honest. If you don't like telling strangers about Jesus, don't try and be nice, just say so! Go with your first impression. Also, at the end of the test you will see your top 3 scores, but click under those results so you can see how you measured up in all the categories. You might have strong scores in more than 3 gifts.

I also want to give you the link to Acts-One-Eight. This is the ministry of Jim and June Hesterly. He has worked for Pastor Chuck Smith for many years and his audio downloads offer much wisdom and experience in this area. Topics include the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Four Ways God Speaks to Us, Battling Through Prayer, Discovering Your Gifts, as well as topical teachings on specific gifts. I have enjoyed many evenings with a cup of coffee, listening to these exciting teachings. Make sure you listen to the teachings about the gifts you might posses!

Don't leave your gifts unwrapped! God has given them to you so open them and use them!!!

What Are Your Spritual Gifts?

2010-09-26T12:56:00.000-07:00
Don Stewart, on Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts:

Everyone has at least one spiritual gift. How can someone discover his spiritual gift or gifts.

The Bible does not give us any formula for finding out what the spiritual gifts might be, yet there are certain things we can do.

Find Out The Gifts Available

First, one must find out what spiritual gifts are available. There are four passages of Scripture that lists the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-11,28-30; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:7-12).

Pray For Guidance

Once the believer recognizes what gifts are available, he should then pray for God to show him his particular gift or gifts. The Bible encourages us to pray for guidance:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened (Matthew 7:7,8).

James wrote, "You do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:2).

Step Out In Faith

We should exercise, by faith, the gift or gifts we feel God has given us.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must first believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Get Feedback From Others

Once we start exercising our gifts, we should get feedback from others to see if we are edifying the body of Christ.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the profit of all (1 Corinthians 12:7).

In exercising his spiritual gifts, the believer should realize that he has at least one spiritual gift and may have more than one but he does not possess all of them. His gift is essential to the smooth functioning of the body of Christ.

Not Relieve Responsibility

Furthermore, the lack of a certain gift in a believers life does not relieve him from the responsibility to obey the general commands of God. For example, all of us are told to give (1 Corinthians 16:2) whether or not we have the gift of giving. Every believer is encouraged to show mercy (1 Thessalonians 5:14) though he may not have the gift of mercy. Likewise we are all instructed to evangelize (Acts 1:8) though we all do not possess the gift of an evangelist.

To discover his spiritual gifts the believer should:

1. Find out what gifts are available.

2. Be available to receive.

3. Pray for Gods guidance.

4. Step out in faith.

5. Get feedback from others.

What Are Spiritual Gifts?

2010-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00
Don Stewart, on Spiritual Gifts

Before we examine the subject of spiritual gifts, we need to have an understanding of what they are. Though the Bible does not give a definition of spiritual gifts, it does tell us much regarding their nature and function. The word normally translated "gift" in the New Testament is the Greek word charismata. The word means "gifts of grace" and refers to the gifts or special abilities God has given believers through the Holy Spirit.

Not The Holy Spirit

Spiritual gifts, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are not the same as the gift of the Holy Spirit. There are many gifts of the Spirit, but there is only one Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is received the moment a person trusts Christ as Savior. Simon Peter said to the multitude on the Day of Pentecost:

Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Not Human Talents

Spiritual gifts are abilities God gives the believer for the purpose of service. They are not human talents. Human talents are inadequate to do the work of God.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3,4).

Spiritual gifts are either supernatural abilities that God has bestowed on individuals, or God-given natural abilities that function through the direction of the Holy Spirit. Gifts such as miracles, tongues, healing, and prophecy are supernatural in origin. Other spiritual gifts, such as teaching, administration, and helps, are God-given abilities to perform a particular role in Gods program. Though nonbelievers may have the same abilities, they do not function under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes these God-given abilities and uses them for His purposes in the lives of believers. Therefore, the gifts of the Spirit are abilities, either natural or supernatural, given by God for the work of the ministry.

The Bible says that all gifts ultimately have their source in God.

Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17).

Not The Fruit Of The Spirit

The gifts of the Spirit are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit have to do with service while the fruit of the Spirit has to do with character.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22,23).

Spiritual gifts are the means; spiritual fruit is the end. Gifts are what the believer possesses, but the fruit of the Spirit is what the believer becomes. Spiritual gifts will someday cease, while spiritual fruits are permanent.

Gifts Are Not Offices

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not the same as the various offices mentioned in the New Testament: the office of apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, elder, and deacon. Those who occupy such offices should possess the spiritual gift that goes with it. Yet a person can have the gift - of prophecy or teaching, for example - without occupying the office of a prophet or teacher.

Classification Of Gifts

The Bible lists the gifts of the Spirit in four different portions of Scripture: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11. They have been classified in many different ways, but we will examine them in three groups:

1. Ministering Gifts: The gifts of an apostle, evangelist, pastor, teacher, exhorter, and discerner of spirits; the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge.

2. Serving Gifts: The gifts of ministering, giving, ruling, showing mercy, and displaying faith.

3. Sign Gifts: The gifts of prophecy, healing, miracles, tongues, and interpreting tongues. These gifts are not necessarily in order from the greater to the lesser. Some of the gifts overlap, and this list is not meant to be taken as complete. There may be many more spiritual gifts than these listed here.

Summary To Spiritual Gifts

We conclude concerning spiritual gifts:

1. A spiritual gift is a supernatural ability given by God to the believer for the purpose of serving.

2. A spiritual gift may be a God-given talent that is directed by the Holy Spirit. It is not a mere human talent.

3. A spiritual gift is not the same as the gift of the Spirit. 4 . Spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit.

5. The Bible teaches that the offices of the Holy Spirit are different from the gifts of the Spirit. A person may possess a gift without holding the corresponding office.

6. The Bible lists about twenty spiritual gifts but there may be many more. Every believer has a spiritual gift.

The Christmas Spirit: Humble Beginnings

2009-12-18T10:25:00.001-08:00
Here is another devotion from the book Kari got me "Voices of the Faithful" -- a book of devotions written by missionaries around the world. I actually want to post both the one from today and the one from yesterday. I don't know if I will have time to type out both right now, so I am going to just start with the one from yesterday.

Love ya!

Humble Beginnings

"Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand or cling to His rights as God." Philippians 2:5-6 (NLT)

Another language blunder, but I never imagined it would be so meaningful. It was our fourth Christmas in China, and we had recently moved from a large capital to a more remote town.

Each Christmas we made a manger out of bamboo and filled it with hay, then we wrapped a doll in a blanket and placed it in the manger in our living room. A floodlight shining on the doll's face helped remind us of the wonder of Christmas.

I explained to a Chinese guest that when Jesus was born, He was placed in a feed trough. Instead of saying the Chinese word for "manger," I accidentally used the word for "toilet." My wife quickly corrected me, and we laughed at my mistake.

Reflecting later, it wasn't stretching it to say that Jesus was born and then placed in a toilet. The trough most likely didn't smell much better, and compared to the glory He had enjoyed in heaven, a feed trough surrounded by smelly animals probably did seem comparatively like a toilet.

I realized that the sacrifices made to live in this remote town were pathetically small when compared to those that Jesus made in leaving heaven to come to earth. I was encouraged, though, to think that moving to this town was in line with the Christmas message.

Jesus left a place of comfort to seek the lost in an uncomfortable and remote place called earth. it took a language blunder to be reminded that our relocation was merely our humble attempt to follow His example.

--A worker in China

Father, it is hard to grasp that Your Son emptied Himself to be made into the likeness of man. May I never forget the price He paid for me. May I always realize that my sacrifices are nothing compared to His. Amen

Eating Humble Pie : )

2009-12-11T10:23:00.000-08:00
This weekend Kari gave me a new devotional called Voices of the Faithful, compiled by Beth Moore, that contains devotions written by various missionaries around the world. I really liked the one from December 10 and I just had to share it with you.

Eating Humble Pie

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus . . . And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:5, 8 (NIV).

After arriving in Latvia (LAT-vee-ah), our family began the arduous process of learning Russian. Many missionaries refer to the Russian language as the language of heaven because it takes an eternity to learn it! Day after day, month after month we spoke on the level of a 1-year old. My husband often said it was like being a message in a bottle.

At the home of the national family, we eagerly wanted to communicate, but it was impossible. So we drank tea, ate pastries and smiled a lot.

We were so needy. We couldn't open a bank account, obtain a post office box or even order a meal without a national there to speak for us. We must have seemed like children to them as they taught us how to dress, eat their foods, how to ride a city bus and how to live in an arctic climate.

During my quiet time one day, I began to reflect upon Jesus. He knew all about the heavenly Father, yet He came as a tiny infant. Being the Word Himself, He had no words with which to communicate. He was utterly helpless, dependent upon Joseph and Mary for His needs. The ones He came to serve had to serve Him as He waited day after day, year after year in order to tell us about the Father.

We could identify with Jesus. The ones we came to serve ended up having to serve us, but in the process we learned dependence upon them and upon God for all our needs.

--Cathy, Central and Eastern Europe

Lord Jesus, You understand what it's like not to be able to communicate with others about the Father. May I learn from Your humility and ask that You make a way for me to clearly share the gospel with _____________________________. Father, please give missionaries who are learning a new language a miraculous ability to grasp the grammar and pronunciation while also gaining understanding. Amen.

We are beginning Joel and Revelation

2009-12-09T09:21:00.001-08:00

Locusts
feeding
swarming

a woman and a swarm of locusts

a little boy and swarming locusts

Looking at those pictures makes me think that the flies in Ontario are NO BIG DEAL!!! LOL This morning I was reading my Bible and I noticed that our reading for today was the book of Joel and the first few chapters of Revelation. These books are a little more challenging. And I wanted to give you some help so you don't miss out on the amazing treasures that are there for you. Chuck Smith's commentary on the book of Joel has some really helpful information. And David Guzik's commentary on Revelation 1 is also really good. I would encourage you to use a commentary like the Believer's Commentary or the Blue Letter Bible online to look up the verses that you want a better understanding of.

You can also listen to Dustin's teachings on the book of Joel. If you go to our church website, click on "Recent Messages" and scroll down the list all the way to the bottom. You will see two teachings from Dustin, the first one is called "Listen and Obey" and the second one is called "The Day of the Lord." I wish Pastor David's Revelation series was online, but you can order CD's from the bookstore. It is very good.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy your readings this week. I can't wait until Sunday, to hear what the Lord is speaking to you. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me and I can help you.
Love ya : )

Happy Thanksgiving : )

2009-11-26T20:30:00.001-08:00
Well, I am more stuffed than a "build a bear" right now. Dinner was amazing! This has been quite a week for our family. Not only was it Thanksgiving today, but my dear little Emma gave up her beloved binky on Tuesday night. We took her to the Build a Bear Workshop and we put her binky's inside her new "binky bear" (actually she picked out a Hello Kitty).

It has been hard for her, but it has also been a great opportunity to teach her to rely on the Lord to help her get through hard times. She has memorized Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and she has also learned that the Holy Spirit is our comforter and that we can go to the Lord and receive comfort when we are going through hard times. That has been the best part--watching her depend on God to help her give up her binky. I am so thankful for her faith and trust in the Lord.

I hope you had a great week too, and that you enjoyed yummy food and had a blessed time with your family today.

Remember that this Sunday we begin our week of prayer and fasting. We will meet upstairs in the High School room. I am so excited!!! I can't wait to see God move in us and through us as we surrender even more of ourselves to Him this week.

I wanted to post a few links for you to check out.

Thanksgiving: A Traditional American Holiday

The Top Ten Myths About Creation (I read this the other day and it was great)

1777 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Anyways, I love you guys!

Today's Study : )

2009-10-18T15:29:00.000-07:00
Unfortunately I won't be able to join you tonight, I will be at home praying that you are blessed. Here is an excerpt from tonight's handout

from Pleasing God by Kay Smith:

When the Lord told Kay Smith that the aim of her life should be to please Him, she began to pray. Here is her account of what God showed her:

“Oh, God, just speak to my heart more about this” And then the name Enoch popped into my mind. I stopped praying and I opened my Bible and looked up Hebrews 11, where I knew Enoch was listed among the heroes of faith and read:

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

When I was a little girl, I learned that Enoch was a “type” or picture representative of the church. Noah was a “type” of the Jewish people that would be protected during the tribulation, but Enoch was a type of the church that would be taken up in the rapture. Enoch could easily have lived and been destroyed in God’s punishment upon the world when He brought the flood. But in Genesis 5:24, it says, “Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.”

Enoch’s testimony is that he pleased God. And that shout be the testimony of the bride of Christ today— that we live to please God. It should be your testimony too.

Living this way simplifies our lives. We put many things on our “to do” lists. But only one thing is needed--“Lord, I want to please You.” This way in everything you do, from washing dishes, studying for a test, to having a conversation with a friend--people will see you live a life like Enoch.

Satan's Lies

It seems like the instant you decide you are going to live a life to please God, Satan comes along and begins putting thoughts in your mind. He will cause you to think things like, Living that kind of life will be too stifling. I’ll be bored. I’ll be unfulfilled. See those lies for what they are. Satan is the father of lies. Jesus told us that Jesus comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). Satan wants to steal this truth form you. He wants to kill your joy and destroy the life you can have if you draw closer to God. And as you walk day by day, Satan will whisper these lies to you. Sometimes he doesn’t whisper, though. Sometimes he screams. And if this doesn’t work, Satan will discourage you and tell you that you will fail. Don’t let these lies stop you!!!

For Next Week:
Read:

Ann Kimmel told a story long ago about a young man named Chad. When Chad and his family moved to a new neighborhood he had trouble making friends. Chad was not well liked by the kids. Everyday after school, his mother would see a group of kids walking by the house chatting and laughing together, but Chad would walk all by himself down the street. It broke her heart.
One day Chad came home and said, “Mom, the teacher told us we are all going to make cards for Valentine’s Day. We have thirty-three kids in our class and I want to make one for every kid.”
Chad’s mother looked at him and imagined how much work that would be. Then she thought about how Chad probably wouldn’t get any Valentines back and he would come home brokenhearted. But his face just glowed. So she decided to help him. They spent days working on all the cards.

When Valentine’s Day came, Chad went happily off to school thrilled with his accomplishment. When the time came for the cards to be passed around, Chad received one Valentine.
Afterschool Chad came walking down the street with his head down, all by himself with one Valentine in his hand. When he came inside he smiled and said, “Mom, I didn’t miss one kid!”

That is how we are to live! Let us be so excited about serving God that we don’t even notice life’s disappointments.

Questions for Thought and Prayer:

1. According to Revelation 4:11, we were created for God’s pleasure. If we choose to please ourselves in place of God, what will result?

2. Why does Hebrews 11:5 testify that Enoch pleased God? Also refer to Genesis 5:24 to assist you in your answer.

3. Girls often look to others for approval or appreciation. Why will a fullness of joy result from pleasing God in comparison to pleasing yourself or others?

Remember to write down the verses that speak to you this week in your One Year Bible, and any ideas you have for the EPICgirls Topical Bible.

Love you.

EPIC girls 2009-2010 year begins

2009-10-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

This year we will continue in the habits that we have started and grown by— daily Bible reading, prayer, worship, sharing our faith. And we are going to add to that foundation, the strong encouragement from Kay Smith that she writes in her book Pleasing God.

The principles in her book will certainly help you clarify your priorities now in high school, as well as guide you in your plans for the future.

So many times we wonder and worry what we should be doing, and we feel guilty when we haven’t done all that we wanted to do. But we forget that we do not need to set our own expectations or meet the expectations that other people have for us, we need to only focus on God’s expectations for us. Jesus says, “Come to Me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:29.

Many times we pick up burdens that we are not supposed to carry. We want to do it all. We want to do things that other people are doing. But what does God want YOU to do?
He wants you to please Him. You were created for His pleasure.

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power: for You created everything, and it is for Your pleasure that they exist and were created.” Rev. 4:11
Simplify your life! Learn what it is that you need to do, and release yourself from the pressures that stress you out and imprison you. Let us do every little thing with the desire to please Him.

EPICgirls Topical Bible

A topical Bible is a quick reference of Bible verses organized by topics. And because you are reading your Bibles every day and you have experienced God speak to you, teach you, lead you, comfort you, and help you--I would like you to make your own Topical Bible.

The first thing you need to do is come up with a list of topics that you find relevant to people your age, and then compile scriptures that address that topic. You can even include sections with commentary that help explain the verses better.

The goal is to help kids your age be able to quickly find out what the Bible says about various topics. This is your project. But we will help you compile it and bind it into a book that we can give out.

It is going to be an exciting year!

The Month of March

2009-03-02T17:43:00.000-08:00
During the month of March EPICgirls will be meeting at 5:45 upstairs to share prayer requests and praise reports before going to the "How To Give Away Your Faith Series."

"On Sunday morning, I encouraged the church to take part in the How To Give Away Your Faith series we are having on Sunday night's. I believe that, when someone comes to faith in Jesus the most natural thing in the world is to share what has happened with others.
Sometimes people seem to be reluctant about sharing their faith. Perhaps they don't share their faith because they just don't want to be pushy, or they are shy, or are unsure of themselves. Sometimes they just aren't living for the Lord, and because of this just don't have the credibility. They know that Christians "witness" but because they are not living for the Lord, they really don't have anything to say. Their lives just undermine the message, so for them it is better not to say anything than to share while knowing themselves to be hypocrites. Though I don't encourage hypocritical witnessing, still the fact is the message is what saves you, not the messenger! When I got saved, the guy who pushed me the hardest to become a Christian backslid and has never returned to the Lord. He wasn't genuine, but the message sure was!" -- Pastor David's Blog

The Resurrection

2009-02-15T09:16:00.000-08:00
I wanted to post a link to the CARM website that has the chart showing how the four accounts of the resurrection of Jesus fit together. Since we will still be in the Gospels the next few months, you might want to check out the website as your interest leads you.

Have fun.

http://www.carm.org/bible-difficulties/matthew-mark/resurrection-chronology

Sharing Your Faith

2009-01-18T11:22:00.000-08:00
As we read this week Jesus asks us to go and share the Gospel with those around us. Sometimes it is so intimidating to start that conversation, and then when you do people try and turn it into an argument.

Here is a way to start up that conversation, without bringing on the terrible argument. Read what Charlie Cambell has to say about an easy way to get people to open up, non-defensively, and practially ask you to share the Gospel with them. Click on the link below:

Starting Up A Conversation With Unbelievers

Twas the Night Before Christmas Party

2008-12-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

December 20 5pm -9:30pm
Dustin and Brandi's house
There is no cost to attend.

This year we are going to have a comfy-cozy family style party. We will have food, games, craft, a story time, worship, and a devotion, all while we lounge around the Christmas tree.

Our verse for the evening will be Ephesians 1:3-5

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will"
Please come in your jammie pants and bring your Bible and favorite stuffed animal.
We have a lot planned and I am so excited!!!
We are a family and the Lord has already given us the greatest gifts.

Reading the Book of James

2008-11-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

It looks like the lock in was so much fun!!!

Anyways, I am so excited that we are reading James this week. I have some questions that I want you to really think about as you go through your week.

· November 18-- Read James 1:26 and consider your own speech. Are you able to control your tongue? Do you struggle with gossip? Self promotion/self defense? Twisting the truth to get of the hook?

· November 18— Think about James 2:1-6. Pray about it. Do you judge people based on how they look? Do you try not to associate with people that are not as cool as you? Do you desire to make friends with the cool/beautiful/fancy types? What does God think of this?

· November 19— Read James 3:1-16. James is talking about our speech again. How important do you think James thinks our speech should be? What does our speech reveal? Where does Matthew 12:34 say our words come from? So an evil mouth reveals an evil what? (ouch)

· November 19— We see James contrast human wisdom with God’s wisdom. “Bragging about good deeds or trying to look better than others isn’t wisdom, and neither is doing anything motivated by selfishness or envy.” (Cheri Fuller). Read James 3:17 and think about the difference between the wisdom that comes from heaven, with the attitudes you see in other students and your teachers. How is it different?
If you guys need prayer this week, let me know.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

2008-11-09T12:02:00.000-08:00
Today is the day that we can join with believers all over the world praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Even as some of you have gotten a taste of persectution (choosing to take a stand for marriage), we need to pray for those who are going through much harder things.

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: November 9

BARTLESVILLE –The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on Christians worldwide to set aside Nov. 9, to pray for Christians around the world living daily under the threat of persecution as a part of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP).

VOM will join hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals in remembering our brothers and sisters suffering around the world. These believers risk discrimination, imprisonment and even death because of their active witness for Jesus Christ.

"This is an important day in the church calendar," said Todd Nettleton, VOM’s Director of Media Development. "Scripture instructs us to remember those in bonds as though we were bound with them. This special day of prayer is one of the ways corporately we do that."

Christians are encouraged to pray for continued boldness and courage for believers as they share the gospel and for hearts to be softened to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray not only for persecuted Christians, but for the persecutors as well.

I also wanted to add an update about Pastor "Bike." He is the one who had the idea for us to wear our "Pray For China" bracelets. Please continue to pray for the Chinese Christians, as persecution has gotten even worse since the Olympics.

U.S. Department of State Gravely Concerned by China’s Harassment of Pastor "Bike" Zhang

UPDATE: The U.S. Department of State released a statement detailing its serious concern about the brutal beating of Pastor "Bike" Zhang's sons by China's Public Security Bureau (PSB) on October 23. They also condemned the harassment and recent imprisonment of Pastor Zhang by the PSB.

"We are gravely concerned by the brutal beating of Pastor Zhang "Bike" Mingxuan's two sons by public bureau officials. We are also deeply concerned by continuing official harassment of Pastor Zhang, a prominent Beijing house church leader, including his arbitrary detention and the forced relocation of his family," said Robert Wood, The U.S. Department of State, Deputy Spokesman in a press release.

Wood's statement called on the Chinese government to release Pastor Zhang and permit his family to return home. "We call upon the Government of China to condemn the violent acts committed against his [Pastor Zhang's] sons, and to bring to justice those individuals responsible for such acts," the statement said. "We are concerned about a pattern of intimidation of religious freedom and rule of law advocates and their family members. We urge China to honor those international human rights instruments to which it is a signatory that protect the rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of religion."

On October 16, PSB officials severely beat Zhang Jian, the elder son of Pastor Bike, after they entered Pastor Bike's home, secured the exits. The officers beat him with iron bars for nearly half an hour. As Zhang lay bleeding profusely, his mother called an ambulance. The receptionist told her a higher government authority had directed them not to dispatch an ambulance to rescue Zhang because he is related to Pastor Bike. Xie Fenglan next called her younger son, who rushed to the house. Authorities also then beat him.

"We are encouraged to see the U.S. government speaking out on behalf of this persecuted Christian family," said Todd Nettleton, VOM's director of media development. "We join with the State Department in calling on the Chinese government to release Pastor Zhang and to allow his family to return to their apartment."

This incident is the latest attempt by the Chinese government to stop Pastor Bike and his family from sharing the gospel in China. In August, two days before the Olympics, Pastor Bike was arrested along with his wife and a co-worker. The Voice of the Martyrs and China Aid Association launched an international petition drive advocating for their release. More than 58,000 people signed the petition, and it was delivered to Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong in Washington D.C. Shortly after the petition was circulated and the Olympic Games ended, all three were released.

VOM encourages you to pray for the release of Pastor Bike and the speedy recovery for his sons. Ask God to protect and encourage them and all believers in China during this challenging time.

Pastor David's Study-- Marriage and Prop 8

2008-11-05T12:09:00.000-08:00
Hi girls, I wanted to post a link to Pastor David's teaching from Sunday November 2.

Go to http://www.calvaryccv.org/

Click on "Recent Messages"

Select: "Sunday and Wednesday service messages taught by Pastor David Rosales at Calvary Chapel Chino Valley"

Click on "What is Marriage"

It is such a great teaching.

New School Year: First Night

2008-10-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

This year we are reading the One Year Bible.

We began by explaining the plan for this school year and we passed out the Bibles that our Women's Ministry purchased for our girls.

They were so excited.

Then we decorated our prayer journals.
The girls selected scrapbook papers.

“I rejoice in Your word, like one who finds a great treasure.” Psalm 119:162
A table of girls making their journals beautiful.

Another group of girls; look at the new freshmen additions!!!
Allie and Katie being silly.

A continuing tradition, Joy and Kylie decorating their faces with the alphabet.
They give new meaning to the word "letterhead"

A side of Eunice that we have never seen before.

Tara and Kathryn cutting their hair, just like in children's ministry.

Kathryn and Ariana

We had a great night.

Starting a New Year!!!

2008-09-08T23:06:00.000-07:00
I am so excited that we are starting a new year of the EPICgirls Bible Study. I know God is going to speak to us and change us in such a powerful way.

This year we are going to be going through the One Year Bible. I can't wait to share with everyone all about it.

CHINA NIGHT

2008-08-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow last night was so awesome. It was wonderful to get a chance and get together and discuss the book Safely Home. We ate yummy Chinese food, we prayed, and we worshiped the Lord together.

It was so cool to pass our prayer bracelets, knowing the guy who requested us to wear them was arrested and persecuted during the Olympics himself. What an honor to be able to team up with him in prayer for the underground churches in China.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” Hebrews 13:3

What can we do to help the persecuted Christians in China?

Quan, in Safely Home, says, “Tell them if they wish to help, send us Bibles. And pray for us. Pray that those witnessing our suffering will see that Zhu Yesu (Jesus) must be real in order to sustain us. Pray that the rotten prison food will actually taste good to us. He has performed this miracle for me many times. Pray that the rags we prisoners wear in winter will keep us warm. Pray that the beatings and torture will not weaken us, but strengthen us in our faith. And that the enemy will not overcome us and our families with despair and discouragement. Pray that the prisons across China will become centers of revival, and that Christians in registered churches will be bold, and that house churches will be invisible to the police but visible to everyone else. Pray that our sons and daughters will not be ashamed of their fathers and mothers in prison.” pg. 354

For information on how to send Bibles visit:

http://www.biblesunbound.com/

To pray for prisoners visit:

http://www.prisoneralert.com/

For info about Safely Home visit:

http://www.epm.org/

16 Year Old Expelled for Being Christian

2008-08-19T14:55:00.000-07:00
Here is a story of a young girl, Azerbaijan, who was recently kicked out of school for standing up for her faith in Jesus. She chose to share the truth even though it cost her. I am in awe of her courage and commitment to Jesus.

The four children listened to the pastor visiting their home in Azerbaijan. The pastor explained to the children’s father how Jesus saves people from sin.

But the children were not really paying attention, except for the youngest daughter, Sara. Sara was amazed at the pastor’s story of salvation. She did not want to miss a word.

Trouble at School

Sara decided to follow Jesus and accept His offer of salvation. She could not keep silent about her new faith! That is what got her in trouble.

One day, when Sara was 16, she talked about her faith in school. Her teacher said, “All the other students follow Muslim traditions. But you do not!”

Sara was silent.
A friend of Sara’s stood up. But he did not help her. Instead, he scolded her and told her that her faith was wrong and that Islam was right. (Islam is the religion of Muslims.)

Another student stood up and tried to make peace. He said that one student was calling people to Islam, and Sara was calling people to Christianity. The “peacemaker” said both of them were calling people to God, so both were fine.

The classroom was quiet. The problem seemed to be solved.

Then Sara said quietly, “That’s not right.”

“What’s not right?” asked the surprised teacher.

Sara answered, “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ No one can come to God except through Jesus. I do not accept any other way.”

“Go away!” the teacher said to Sara. “Go away now!”

Sara ran out of the room.

Expelled
On Monday when Sara returned to school, the teacher sent her to the principal. Sara told the principal about her faith.

“I am older than you,” said the Muslim principal. “I know more than you do.”

“God reveals Himself to people of all ages,” said Sara.

“You talk way too much!” the principal said. Then he kicked her out of school for good.

Sara cried as she left the school. On the way home, she met a Christian from her church and told him what happened. “The Lord is above all,” said her friend. “I know He will be with you.”

A worker from The Voice of the Martyrs visited Sara in Azerbaijan and encouraged her. “What do you want to do when you grow up?” he asked her.

“I want to love God,” Sara answered.

Ask God to continue to encourage Sara. Pray that school teachers and principals who do not know Him will open their hearts to His love.
http://www.kidsofcourage.com/

China Confiscates Bibles from American Christians

2008-08-18T11:16:00.000-07:00
The Lord is so amazing how He has directed us to read Safely Home this summer, the summer of the 2008 Olympics in China. This book has totally opened our eyes to what is going on right now, behind the scenes in China for the believers there. And I have totally been praying for the persecuted Christians as our attention has been focused in that part of the world.

China tells the world that they allow their people to have freedom of religion. But that is a lie. Read the following article from foxnews.com

BEIJING — A group of American Christians who had more than 300 Bibles confiscated by Chinese officials when they arrived in China is refusing to leave the airport until they get the books back, their leader said Monday.
Pat Klein said he and three others from his Vision Beyond Borders group spent Sunday night at the airport in the southwestern city of Kunming after customs officers took the Bibles from their checked luggage.
"I heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?" said Klein, whose Sheridan, Wyoming-based group distributes Bibles and Christian teaching materials around the world."

To continue the article click on the link below

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405187,00.html

And please remember to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, who live in China. Believers who daily risk their lives to possess a bible and worship our Lord.

We will finish our Summer Book Club on Saturday night, August 30 with EPICgirls CHINA NIGHT. We will watch a movie about missions, worship, pray, eat and get ready to begin a new year of school.

Don't Leave It On The Desk

2008-05-26T10:56:00.000-07:00
Katie Collins sent this to us this weekend. Wow.

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going on to seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" Cynthia said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?" Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?" Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them." Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then." Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?" With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christianson said, "Look!, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on.

Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come." Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?" Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut." Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?" Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular.

Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a donut?" Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you." Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?" Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.

When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile."Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not His only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."

"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"*

Give God Our Best

2008-05-20T17:27:00.000-07:00
I just read this devotion by Pastor Greg Laurie and I was convicted. I thought it would be a great reminder to all of us to really pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord. Even in times that we are doing okay, we can still draw closer. Love you guys. Brandi

"What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?"—Psalm 116:12

A farmer who was known for his frugality owned a cow that gave birth to two calves. He said to his wife, "I am going to dedicate one of these calves to the Lord."

Knowing his miserly ways, she was very surprised and asked which one he was planning to give to the Lord. "I haven't decided yet, but I'll let you know," he said.

A few days went by, and again she asked which calf he was giving to the Lord. "I'm still thinking about it," he told her.

Then one day, one of the calves got sick. It grew worse and worse, until one night the farmer walked up on the porch with the calf draped over his arms. He said to his wife, "Honey, I have bad news. The Lord's calf just died."

Many times, we tend to give God that which we don't really want ourselves. Think about a typical day. What place do we give to the things of God? Maybe we utter a quick prayer as we roll out of bed or offer some hurried words of thanks over breakfast? Then we rush off to our responsibilities. At the end of the day, we say, "Oh, right. I'll give God these last four minutes as I'm dozing off."

If God is important, then why do we give Him our leftovers? God doesn't want our leftovers. In Malachi, God said to Israel, " 'You have despised my name by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. Then you ask, "How have we defiled the sacrifices?" You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect.' "(Malachi 1:7–8).

God gave us His best. Let's give Him ours.

Summer Book Club

2008-05-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

We are going to be starting a summer book club, where we will read an inspirational Christian fiction novel. Right now we are looking at two books to read.

One is longer, it is called Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. This novel is about the true life persectution that is going on right now on the church in China. This book comes highly recommended and it has been referred to as "life changing."

The other book is a bit shorter, but still quite moving. It is a novella by Francine Rivers called "Unafraid" about the life of Mary.

I think this would be easy for you to relate to because it helps you to see Jesus' mom as a young girl who was a lot like many of you, and it helps you think about what it would have been like to hold the Messiah in your arms as your Child and your Savior.

I would like your input on which book sounds more interesting to you right now. So if you are planning on being part of our book club, take a second to vote on which one you would prefer or let me know when I see you.

Love you.

The Mirror

2008-03-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25

It is our nature to want to look into a mirror each day before we leave the house for work, school, chores, or an appointment. We check the mirror to see our reflection to see what might need to be fixed in order to be presentable. The mirror does not make us beautiful or ugly, it simply shows us what we really look like. Once we acknowledge what we see, we set about the task of making the necessary repairs or improvements.

Spending time studying and meditating on the Word of God is like looking into God's mirror. If we ask the Lord, He will show us what our hearts are truly like. As a mirror uses light to reflect our true image, God's Word, the only true Light, is a mirror to our soul.

God is never surprised with the discoveries we make about ourselves. He wants us to acknowledge the truth about ourselves and ask Him to do the work in us that only He can do. We cannot fix or change ourselves, but we have a God who delights in changing us into the image of His dear Son. What do you see when you look into the mirror of God's Word? Do you need forgiveness today? Do you need a Savior? Thanks be to Jesus Christ--He is all we need!

Peggy Kravig
Calvary Chapel Downey
Downey, California

Delighting in Him

2008-01-25T14:16:00.000-08:00
This devotion was written by Amber Knapp from Calvary Chapel Green Valley, Nevada. It is included in my Passion for Jesus daily devotional. I really like how challenging and honest it is. Love ya.

"Blessed is the man . . . [whose] delight is in the law of
the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose
leaf also shall not whither." Psalm 1:1-3
Living in the middle of a desert that is experiencing a drought, I often look upon the barrenness of the land with sadness. Yet, when we consider ourselves, how often do our spiritual lives resemble the desert--dry, cracked, and fruitless?
Psalm 1:2-3 tells us that as we delight in the Word of God and meditate upon it, we will become nourished, refreshed, and fruitful. Delighting in the Word is more than simply doing our Bible reading for the day. It is looking forward to and enjoying our time with the Lord above all else. Afterwards, it is savoring those tasty morsels and meditating upon them throughout the day.
When you have a free moment, where do your thoughts go? May we shift the focus of our hearts and minds off ourselves, our schedules, and our 'to do' lists and onto the Word of God, that our delight might be continually in Him and His word.
Then we will be like that tree planted by the rivers of water.
What do you spend your time thinking about? When I was your age all I thought about was boys, but it may also be gossip, jealous thoughts, insecurities, etc. I know that I for one, was encouraged to check my heart to make sure that I delight in the Lord more than anything else and continue to meditate on scriptures as I live through my day.

At Jesus' Feet

2008-01-21T12:55:00.000-08:00
This was my devotion on January 20 (yesterday) and it has so much to do with where we are at right now in John. It is by Becky Hallman, Calvary Chapel Kauai, from A Passion for Jesus.

At Jesus' Feet
"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said." Luke 10:39

A few years ago, my sister treated me to a wonderfully relaxing pedicure at a luxurious spa--an experience I'll never forget! For a glorious half hour, my pedicurist was totally devoted to pampering my tired feet!
Mary, the sister of Martha, expressed her devotion to the Lord by being at His feet. Mary is mentioned three times in the Gospels and each time, she is at the Lord's feet! In the popular account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:39, we find Mary sitting "at the Lord's feet listening to what He said." She is quietly absorbing all He is teaching her.
Sometime later, Mary's brother Lazarus died, and in despair, Mary fell "at His feet" (John 11:32). In a time of crisis, Mary was seeking Jesus. Then, just days before Jesus' crucifixion, Mary took her expensive perfume and "poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair" (John 12:3). In servant-like humility and costly devotion, she annointed and blessed her Lord before His burial.
Do you long for more of Jesus? Are you in a crisis? Do you desire to bless the Lord? Whatever circumstances you are in, take some time today and sit at His feet--listening, seeking, and worshiping your Lord!
"Come let us worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker" Psalm 95:6

Answers to Your Questions--by Charlie Campbell

2008-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00
Charlie Campbell is going to speak at the winter retreat. You can read more at AlwaysBeReady.com

What evidence do you have that there is a God?”

The very existence of the universe itself is evidence that there is a God. Let’s think about this for a moment. There are only three options for the existence of the universe. One, that it has always been. Two, that it came into being by itself. Three, that it was created. The first option, that the universe is eternal, has been utterly rejected by the scientific community. The motion of the galaxies, the background radiation echo, and other evidences all overwhelmingly point to the fact that the universe sprang into existence at a particular point in time, something scientists call the Big Bang. Option two, that the universe created itself, is philosophically impossible. Of course, before the universe existed it would not have been around to do the creating. Obviously, a non-existent universe could not have done anything! It did not exist. We all know that nothing can not do anything. Nothing is nothing. It (if we could even call nothing an it!) cannot see, smell, act, think, or create. So option one and two can be thrown out on scientific and philosophical grounds. Option three, that something or someone outside of the universe created the universe, is the only reasonable option. Let’s imagine I am holding up a painting. When you see a painting, what proof do you need to establish the fact that a painter exists? Nothing else besides the painting itself. The painting is absolute proof that there was a painter. You do not need to see the painter to believe that he or she exists. The painting is all the evidence you need. It would not be there if the painter did not exist, and so it is with the universe. The existence of the universe itself proves absolutely that there is a creator.

“What evidence do you have that the Bible is actually true?”

If I had to narrow it down to a few evidences, I would probably say: fulfilled prophecies, archaeological discoveries, and the Bible’s amazing unity. The Bible, unlike any other religious book, has demonstrated itself to be the Word of God through its ability to rightly predict the future. There are literally hundreds of very specific prophecies in the Bible that were spoken hundreds of years before their fulfillment that have already come to pass. No other religious book can verify itself in this way. The Bible has also been proven to be historically reliable by numerous archaeological discoveries. To date, there have been more than 25,000 archaeological discoveries that have verified the names of persons, places, events, and customs mentioned in the Bible. Finally, there is the Bible’s amazing unity. Here is a book that is actually a collection of sixty-six different books, written down by more than forty different authors, over a period of 1,500 plus years, on three different continents, in three different languages, and it addresses life’s most controversial topics from beginning to end. You would think there would be chaos, confusion, and contradictions, yet the Bible miraculously remains absolutely consistent and internally harmonious from beginning to end. These three evidences (fulfilled prophecy, archaeological discoveries, and the Bible’s amazing unity) build a compelling case for the divine origin and historical reliability of the Bible.

“Why aren’t dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible?”

First, we should not expect to see the word dinosaur in the Bible. The term was not coined until a famous paleontologist, Sir Richard Owen, gave them that name in 1841–nearly eighteen centuries after the New Testament was finished. Second, just because a creature is not mentioned in the Bible does not mean that it did not exist. There are thousands of creatures that are not specifically mentioned in the Bible: giraffes, alligators, penguins, just to name a few. Thirdly, the Bible does actually mention at least two different creatures that very well may have been dinosaurs: Behemoth, and Leviathan. Behemoth is described as having a tail like a cedar tree (Job 40:15-19). Of Leviathan, the Lord said to Job, “…indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up….Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face, with his terrible teeth all around? His rows of scales are his pride” (Job 41:9-10, 13-15a). Scales? Terrible teeth? So fierce that no one would dare wake him up? It is easy to see why numerous Biblical scholars have concluded that Leviathan may have been a dinosaur.

Go to AlwaysBeReady.com to read the answers to these other questions too! May the Lord bless you with an answer to give to those who ask you.

"What about those who have never heard of Jesus? Will they be condemned to hell?”

“Hasn’t the Bible undergone corruption as it was translated hundreds of times down through the centuries?”

“If God is so loving, why does He allow evil and suffering?”

“What about homosexuals? Do you believe that they go to hell?”

“Why would God have created us, if He knew in advance that so many people would be eternally lost?”

Dancing With Jesus

2008-01-14T15:44:00.000-08:00
If you haven't seen it yet, the kids from our youth group did the "Dancing with Jesus" skit. You can check it out by clicking here and scrolling down a little bit. Love ya.

Memorizing Scripture

2008-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:00
Felicia subscribes to Greg Laurie's daily online devotions and she sends me the ones that she thinks will be good for you guys. She thought this was great in reminding us why we memorize scripture and how we can use it. So don't forget how important it is to learn the memory verse; we don't do it in vain or to feel like super smart Christians; it is a crucial part of our armor. Love ya.

Keep a Sharp Sword

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword.
— Hebrews 4:12

Temptation is definitely going to come your way and mine. When we know the Word of God, we can deflect the blows that come against us and strike out offensively.

For example, the devil will come to us when we have sinned and say, "You failed. There is no forgiveness for you."

So we pull our sword out of its sheath and say, "It is written in 1 John 1:9, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' " Touché!

The devil says, "You are wrong. God condemns you."

So you strike back with your sword and say, "You are wrong, because Romans 8:1 says, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.' "

Then the devil says, "Now wait. You are going to fall again. I am going to take you down."

You can reply, "No. You are wrong. In John 10:28, Jesus said, 'And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.' " And you thrust your sword again.

This is why it is important for us to commit Scripture to memory and to keep our sword sharp.

The Right Choice

2008-01-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

I thought that this was so good. I look back at the things in my
life that I regret and the memories that cause me pain and they are all centered
in the sinful things I didn't want to miss out on. There was a way that seemed
right to me, but it was very wrong for me. Trust in the Lord, and follow Him,
and then you will look back on your youth with peace and joy. --Brandi

The Right Choice
Greg Laurie's Devotion from January 1, 2008

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
—Deuteronomy 30:19
The smartest thing I did as a 17-year-old kid was to give my future to God. Did I miss a few parties? Did I miss some fun times? In one sense, I suppose I did. But as I look at what life has done to my friends back then who were unbelievers and then look at how life has been for me, I know that I made the right decision. I have missed nothing. What have I really given up, especially when compared to what God has given to me? I have never regretted that day.
There are two ways to learn things: the easy way and the hard way. You can go out and make mistakes that will haunt you for the rest of your life, or you can believe that God means what He says when He warns you about certain sins, and you can walk the way He wants you to walk. I can assure you that you will look back one day and say, "I made the right decision." You won't regret it. But if you don't make the decision to follow Christ, you will indeed regret it.
God has a future for you. He has a plan for you. Don't be afraid to commit your life to Him. If you have never asked Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you have never known God in a personal way, then I am asking you to commit your future to God, to say without reservation, "Lord, I want to follow You. I want to be Your disciple. I want to go where You tell me to go. I will obey." Do that today. Commit this New Year to God.

A Devotion from Greg Laurie

2008-01-08T14:43:00.000-08:00
Felicia sent this to me a couple weeks ago. I thought it would be great to share with you.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Caught in Its Current

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
— James 1:14

Some years ago, I was at the beach with my son Jonathan, and we decided to go swimming. We weren't very far from the shore. Suddenly, there was one of those drops in the sand and, for a few moments, my feet could not touch the ground.

As I held on to Jonathan, a little riptide began to pull us over to the right, just enough to move us along. We were originally lined up with a lifeguard stand, but I noticed it had moved quite a distance. Obviously it had not moved. We had moved. We were being pulled along. I could not stop myself. I kept reaching for the ground with my feet, but I could not get my footing.

Suddenly, the lifeguard came down from his stand and began running toward us with his flotation device. I didn't mind being saved, but I was only a few feet from the shore.

"I'm all right," I said, trying to wave him off.

But you know what? I wasn't all right. I couldn't stop myself. As he began swimming out, I thought, "I have got to get my feet on the ground." Finally, I planted myself.

"I'm OK," I shouted to him, and he waved and swam back in.

That is what temptation is like. You think you can handle it, but suddenly you are caught in its current.

To pray we won't be tempted and then place ourselves in a vulnerable situation is like thrusting our fingers into a fire and praying they won't be burned. We need a healthy respect of the enemy we face and of the temptation that he will utilize in our lives.

Happy New Year

2008-01-08T14:15:00.001-08:00

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:11

So, now it is 2008. Some of you are going to graduate this year and I am so sad about that. But as we always do, we can use this time to think about ways we want to see our lives improve spiritually. Pray about it, do you need to stop losing your temper, respect your parents, spend more time with Christian friends, make a commitment to do your devotions? What do you want to see happen this year.

It is a good resolution to get rid of the things in your life that bring you down, be it friends, music, or parties. But raise your expectations, and focus on how you want to be used by the Lord this year. If you merely stay where you are at spiritually, you are not growing closer to the Lord. Build yourself up in the word of God and then ask God to use you. What can you do this year or even this week that will bless the Lord? Can you pass out a Bible tract, pray for someone, volunteer at church, share with a nonbeliever, pray for a missionary, help someone in need in the name of Christ? Pray and ask God to bring you an opportunity.