Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

Dog Faced



    A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:13)

    Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."

    In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."

    Author Unknown

Wow- that place must have needed a lot of Windex®! Especially if the dogs who visited put their noses up against the glass.

But the point is that every person with whom you come into contact is a potential mirror- reflecting back to you what you have revealed to him/her. You make the choice as to whether you see wagging or growling.

There is another reason to carry a 'glad heart', and this one may surprise you...evangelism. You may not have realized this, but the face you wear when you talk to people about Jesus has an incredible impact on your message.

For example: if I'm talking to you about the indescribable love of God and its effect on my life with a frown on my face and my head down, will you believe me? Or if I'm standing up in a room and sharing my thoughts on the free gift of eternal life, but I look like I just swallowed a lemon; will the message ring as true?

The first martyr was a disciple named Stephen. Before he was killed for his faith, he gave an incredible sermon to a group of people who hated Jesus- in fact, that is what cost him his life!
Here's the way the Bible describes him as he began his discourse:

At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's. (Acts 6:15)

Talk about a person who let God shine through him! Stephen was so full of the Holy Spirit that it *had* to come out through his face.

This week, make it a goal to be the 'happy dog' whose face shines like an angel...there may be some clouded mirrors in your world who need a glimpse of the Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

Gospel Ghost?



    Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed and who lived each day in luxury. At his door lay a diseased beggar named Lazarus. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham.

    "The rich man shouted, `Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.' "But Abraham said to him, `Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. Anyone who wanted to cross over to you from here is stopped at its edge, and no one there can cross over to us.' "Then the rich man said, `Please, Father Abraham, send him to my father's home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here when they die.' "But Abraham said, `Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to.'

    "The rich man replied, `No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.'

    "But Abraham said, `If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.' " (Luke 16:19-31)

Sometimes I wish God had chosen a different way of speaking to people other than just the Bible.

For example, wouldn't it be great to get Jesus to appear personally at all the major auditoriums in the world and tell everyone who He is? Or perhaps we could get broadcast rights for a couple hours on all the major television stations, and God could do some miracles.

It just seems like explaining the gospel from Scripture these days is too commonplace. Besides, hardly anyone believes in absolute truth anymore, so surely there must be a more powerful way of getting the message across.

In Luke 16:19-31, we read about a rich man who died and went to hell. While there, he suddenly gets concerned about his family having to join him there (isn't it amazing how the heat of Hades turns evildoers into evangelists?)

Turns out his brothers never trusted in God- maybe because they had life pretty easy like he did, so they're not too concerned about the afterlife. So the rich guy comes up with this brilliant plan to convince them that Scripture is true: send a preaching phantom- and then they'll believe.

That sounds reasonable, doesn't it? I mean- it worked for Scrooge in The Christmas Carol (sure, it took three ghosts, but it finally changed him).

Have you ever wished that you could produce something supernatural for your friends or family to convince them of the truth of Scripture? Yet Abraham's response was: `If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.'

In other words, The Bible is not just a collection of letters on some paper. If you are witnessing to people using God's word, that is as powerful as it gets. Not even a 'gospel ghoul' would be more convincing than John 3:16.

So if you are discouraged that people don't seem to be responding to your efforts to share the good news of Christ, be encouraged by Luke 16. If you are presenting the gospel with the words of Scripture, you are doing exactly what God wants you to do. Fancy talk, flawless arguments, and flashy methods add nothing to the power of the Word. Don't wait until you have all the information down before you share your faith, just remember that quoting the Bible is more effective than calling a ghost.

[Soldier4Christ]

From the Goo to the Zoo to You?



    "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

    "...the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

Unfortunately, you are probably in a school that pushes the theory of evolution as indisputable fact. What's a human to do? Of course this is nothing to monkey around about- so how are you supposed to respond? Although enough books to fill a zoo have been written on the subject, you probably don't have enough gaps in your time schedule to research even a handful of them. Oftentimes you can feel like you are caged in by arguments from teachers and students. So I'm going to give you one simple and 'appeeling' question to throw at your pro-evolution friends and neighbor. Remember, this could be the missing link to your intellectual survival!

The question is this, "How do you know that to be true?" For example, if your teacher says: "Evolution is not just a theory but fact." you can respond with the question "How do you know that to be true?" His/her response could be, "Well, the fossil record proves it to be true..." At this point you can use the question again by asking "How does the fossil record prove it to be true?"

At this point your teacher may become frustrated because you are pushing him/her to the logical end of the belief system. Your teacher should know that there are no intermediate fossils in the fossil record. So in other words, it's not that there are huge missing links- it's that the whole chain is gone!

Darwin himself said that if evolution was true that there would be thousands upon thousands of these "between species" fossils to prove his theory as fact. There would be countless fossils to prove that a fish turned into a frog and a monkey turned into a man. But in point of fact- there are none, zero, nada!

Now you may be asking yourself,

    "What if my teacher turns the question on me?"

I say- bring it on! You have a powerful answer.

You know that creationism is true because God was there (being the only One) and recorded it the Bible in Genesis 1 and 2. The Bible has been proven true based on the tests of history, science and archaeology. It also proves itself true through hundreds upon hundreds of fulfilled prophecies and the resurrection of Christ. It has stood the test of time and scrutiny of countless critics. It stands alone on its own merits.

So next time someone acts like they have a chimp on his/her shoulder- create the question and watch the conversation evolve! You will probably leave them in the dust...

[Soldier4Christ]

Is Hell Full?



    For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

A college drama group presented a play in which one character would stand on a trapdoor and announce, "I descend into hell!" A stagehand below would then pull a rope, the trapdoor would open, and the character would plunge through. The play was well received. When the actor playing the part became ill, another actor who was quite overweight took his place. When the new actor announced, "I descend into hell!" the stagehand pulled the rope, and the actor began his plunge, but became hopelessly stuck. No amount of tugging on the rope could make him descend. One student in the balcony jumped up and yelled: "Hallelujah! Hell is full!"

Perhaps there is a part of all of us that wishes that student was correct. Wouldn't it be great news if hell were full? Unfortunately, hell still has a vacancy sign posted at the gates.

Yet the saddest part is that hell was never created for people in the first place. In Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats, He describes the day when those who never trusted in Christ are consigned to hell. Notice what He says about it:

    Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels'. (Matthew 25:41)

God's plan was for hell to be the place of punishment for Satan and his demons, not for Adam and his descendants. What went wrong?

When Adam sinned (Gen.3), he made a reservation for a room at the hotel Hades for every human being. No deposit down, no credit card number required, everyone's place is secure. Can you imagine the joy this brought to Satan and his angels? Hell was supposed to be their permanent retreat center, but Adam booked a space for everyone who refuses to put his or her trust in Christ.

One day, hell really will be full. After the final judgment, Satan and his angels will be thrown forever into the Lake of Fire. Regrettably, so will every human being who stubbornly refused Christ's free offer of salvation.

Ever hear this question from an unbeliever: "how could a God of love send anyone to hell?" The answer is two-fold:

   1. God doesn't send people to hell- they have chosen to go there by disobedience towards God's decrees and by stubbornness towards Christ's offer of salvation.
   2. God sacrificed His one and only Son so that no one would have to go to that terrible place- that is the essence of love.

Since hell is not full, and God offers a way out, what could be more important than telling others how they can cancel their reservation at the worst place in the universe?

Believer - rejoice in the fact that your name has been written in the Book of Life, and make it your mission this week to spread the good news to those who hold a one way ticket to hell.

[Soldier4Christ]

I Got Friends in High Places



    There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles . . . but only those . . . in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Rev. 21:27)

Once I was at a conference in Washington D.C. for teenagers from around the country. I was speaking with a student who was from a small town out east. I asked him the name of his hometown, and he said "Podunk".

    Webster defines Podunk as:
    A small, unimportant, and isolated town"- Instantly I thought that his hometown must be so insignificant that he just always refers to it with that generic title.

    "No, seriously" I said, "what's the real name of the town?"

    "Like I said, Podunk".

Well I did a little research, and sure enough - he was telling the truth! In fact, there are several towns in America with that unfortunate name.

You know what would be even worse than having to tell people that you were born in Podunk? Being born and dying there. Why? Because then you would be buried at the Podunk cemetery, which is located at the end of Podunk Road in the town of Podunk...

From God's perspective, all the world's indeed a Podunk, and we are merely Podunkians. In the final analysis, your place of origin, ethnic background, social status, personal achievement, and even your church affiliation have no bearing on your status before God. Even the sum totals of all our good deeds are reeking rags to the God of the universe (Isaiah 64:6).

The one determining factor will be your trust in Christ as Savior from your sin. When you trusted Christ, your name was registered in the most important book in the universe: "the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev. 21:27).

It's interesting to find out where a person is from. But infinitely more important is the answer to the question, "Where are you going after this life ends?"

[Soldier4Christ]

Dead Sea Christians



    He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)

The Dead Sea is not one of the desired vacation spots in the world. In fact, it is one big, wet, grotesque salt pool that contains no fish or plant life. What accounts for this unusual condition? Answer-there are absolutely no outlets! A great amount of water pours into this area, but nothing flows out. Many inlets plus no outlets equals a dead sea.

Could it be that many believers are "Dead Sea Christians"? You see, this law of nature can also be applied to the child of God, and it explains why many of Jesus' followers are so boring and lacking in spiritual energy. They attend exciting Bible conferences, listen to Christian music, regularly do their devotions, attend youth group and even take notes from the pastor. Yet the results of all these efforts are comatose Christianity. Such individuals are like the Dead Sea. How could this happen? Simple: they have several "inlets" but no "outlets." To be vibrant and useful believers, we must not only "take in" all we can, but we must also "give out" in ministry to others!

Is your Christian life feeling like Malibu Beach, or is it more like muddy muck? It's great that you have all the right inlets, but perhaps it is time to open up the outlets. Let me suggest a few:

    Outlet one: Share your faith! Develop friendships with unbelievers and share with them the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.

    Outlet two: Share your love! Get over your own petty problems and reach out to others in the power of the Spirit. Speak a kind word, help a friend in need, and forgive those who have wronged you.

    Outlet three: Share your heart! Pray as though you only have one more hour to pray. Open the floodgates of your broken spirit to the Holy Spirit and reveal your true self to your Truest Friend.

The "Living Waters" of Christ were never meant to be kept to ourselves. May the Lord make us invigorating springs where thirsty souls may drink. Remember, because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we possess the "water of life" and can be channels of blessing to those in need. From hearts of love, let us pour out to others what we have first received from God. If we do, we will never become Dead-Sea Christians.

[Soldier4Christ]

Da Bomb



    " I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)

Of course the gospel is the 'good news'- the greatest story ever told. But have you ever pictured the gospel as a bomb? Or more specifically, like a grenade? Does it really matter who throws a grenade? I don't think so. Whether a soldier or a sissy heaves it, it's going to explode either way. Whether it's the highest-ranking general or a lowly private, a flabby old man or a scrawny teenager, it will still detonate.

The same is true with the gospel! No matter who is proclaiming the message, the gospel will always blow up.
Why? Because the good news is "the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." Whether it's Billy Graham, your pastor or you giving the gospel, the message will explode in the hearts of those who hear it- forcing them to either reject it or receive it!

I have two questions that I want you to answer in all honestly.

   1. Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Most Christian teens are too embarrassed to share. They would never admit that, but the truth is that they care more about their friend's opinion than they do about his/her salvation. This should not be! The gospel is the greatest message in the universe- there is no shame in being concerned about the eternal destination of your friends.
   2. Do you know how to use a grenade? It's really not very difficult: just pull the pin! Many times well-meaning Christian teens who are motivated and unashamed forget to pull the pin! What do I mean? Simple- these teens care about their friends, but when they attempt to share the gospel, they muddy up the message. Oftentimes they end up turning off more teens than they turn around, simply because they've never learned to give the gospel lovingly, clearly and concisely.

The Gospel is "da bomb!" Don't be ashamed to give it or unprepared to pull the pin. It is waiting to blow your friends out of the kingdom of darkness into the arms of Christ!

[Soldier4Christ]

Hell is for Real



    "If anyone's name was not found within the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)

Hell...the final frontier...the last stop on the voyage of the ship Humanity...the fiery melting pot of broken dreams, shattered hopes and seething rebellion. Here's one of the most important questions you could ever be asked: how do you picture hell?

Do you imagine it as a party atmosphere with sex, drugs and rock-n-roll? Or perhaps you have in mind a place of surreal mental anguish? Do you think of hell as having an almost cartoonish atmosphere where horned demons prod the inhabitants with pointy pitchforks? You might want to think again folks, because the Bible speaks of hell as a very different place than you might imagine. In the twelve times that hell is mentioned in the New Testament, Jesus mentions eleven. He paints a picture of hell with fire and brimstone, pain and torture. It is described as a very real place with very real torment.

The Bible also describes hell as being eternal. Speaking of its inhabitants, the Apostle John wrote:

    "And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night..." (Revelation 14:11)

Notice the words "for ever and ever." Hell is an eternal torture chamber for those who refuse Christ. There is no bail, no parole, and no 'get out of hell free' card.

Stop right now and think of someone you know who hasn't trusted in Christ. Imagine them never hearing the gospel message. Picture them in the midst of the lake of fire, drenched in flame, immersed in despair, surrounded by hopelessness "for ever and ever."

Am I trying to scare you? Absolutely. There are some things we should be intensely afraid of, and hell is one of them. It represents the holy side of God's character, and the eternal destiny of those who rejected Him. Hell burns forever because God's absolute hatred of sin burns forever. I believe that it is easy to forget that the same God who fashioned the paradise of heaven also created an inescapable hell.

The biblical writer Jude (the half brother of Jesus) reminds us to "snatch others from the fire and save them..." You and I are on a life saving mission from God to grab people from the precipice of hell and bring them safely to the gate of heaven. Sound difficult? Not really. All we need to do is share with them the message of the cross, and the rest is up to them.

Remember, God is so holy that He made an eternal hell to pour out His righteous anger on those who sin. God is so loving that He sent His only Son to the earth to die on the cross and absorb His holy anger for our sin. God is so compassionate that He made us ambassadors of hope to a hell-bound world. Will you dare to share that message to your hell-bound friends? If not now, then when?

[Soldier4Christ]

Forgive and Forget?

What is forgiveness anyway? Why must we forgive? What does it truly mean to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply? Consider this illustration about a man named Tomas Borge that I found in Let Me Tell You a Story compiled by author and speaker Tony Campolo.

    Tomas Borge was a Nicaraguan freedom fighter who led a group against a regime who sought out to destroy their country by way of utter domination. Borge was captured and tortured in a dungeon, where he was chained to a wall, castrated, and even witnessed the rape of his wife. Finally the revolution ended and Borge was released and marched through a parade as he was hailed by fellow Nicaraguans as a hero. As he marched down the streets he recognized the man who had him in chains and raped his wife. He fell out of order and ran to the crowd. Approaching this man, he grabbed him by the shoulders and began asking Him if he remembered who he was. The captor acted as if he had never seen Tomas Borge before. Borge continued talking about how he could never forget his face. Still clutching onto his shoulders, Borge screamed loudly saying,

    "Now do you know what this revolution is all about? Now do you understand this revolution?"

    The man responded in fear saying, "Yes! Yes!"

    Tomas answered back, "No! You don't understand what this revolution is all about!"

    Then he embraced the man and shouted, "I forgive you! I forgive you! That's what this revolution is all about!"

This is a perfect example of Christ's ultimate love and forgiveness that is offered to us. We have done so much to hurt Him, and turned our backs on Him. We have mocked Him, and hurled insults at Him more times than we probably care to count. We put Christ on the cross and crucified Him, because of our sin. Yet Scripture tell us that:

    "as far as sunrise is from sunset, He has separated us from our sins" (Psalm 103:12, msg).

He has not only forgiven our sins, but He has forgotten them as well. Our sins were removed by the price paid on the cross. God sent His only Son, Jesus to take on the sins of the world and die in our place. He gave a clean slate to work from. God's love is so great; He did this for us, sacrificing everything.

    "You'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!" (Ephesians 3:18, msg)

Christ forgave, therefore we too have the responsibility to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." In other words, we have been forgiven and many of us have seen the transformation of God's powerful forgiveness in our own lives, and are now called to forgive others in the same way.

From a human perspective, this task is impossible! We have been hurt and we justify our hurt and anger, yet God forgave the worst of sins. For example, let's take a look at a man who seemed to have every right to hate his brother for the sins committed against him and refuse forgiveness. Esau was stripped of everything. Jacob, his conniving brother, stole everything that rightfully belonged to Esau. Jacob plotted and schemed his entire life. Years later, Jacob was to face his brother. He was met by Esau and 400 soldiers. Jacob would have deserved death and humiliation, but Esau approached Him and Scripture tells us that he

    "ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept" (Genesis 33:4).

Instead of fighting back in anger and hurt, Esau chose to love Jacob and give the ultimate response of love; that is forgiveness.

I know we all have situations in our lives that require us to forgive and forgive more than we want to. I know I have a situation that requires me to forgive someone each and every day. I do not claim to be perfect, and I know you will not always succeed in the realm of forgiveness. However, I ask that you consider trying with the help of Christ, through whom all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). When we choose to forgive as people like Tomas Borge, Jesus and Esau forgave, we will see great things, especially in our own lives as we are lifted out of bondage to bitterness and anger.

[Soldier4Christ]

Thumbs Up for Hell?

Once there was a preacher who had succeeded in putting an elderly man to sleep by his long-winded sermon. He happened to notice the old gentleman snoozing away, so right in the middle of his sermon he shouted,

    "All those who want to go to Hell, stand up now!"

The only part that the drowsy old man heard was "stand up", so he quickly jumped out of the pew.

He looked around and saw no one else standing. He turned to the Pastor, and with a puzzled look on his face said,

    "Preacher, I don't know what we were voting on, but it looks like you and I are the only ones for it."

There is a question that sometimes enters my mind. It probably should never be asked, but I just can't help but think that it should be thrown out there for consideration.
The question is this: are you in favor of hell?

To put it another way: is there something deep inside you that finds just a little comfort and joy in the fact that there is a place of suffering where perhaps billions of people will end up one day?

If that's the case, I guess you are in favor of hell.

Not for yourself, of course. You don't deserve to go there. But for all the people who have done you wrong, hurt your feelings, shattered your pride, turned you down, stabbed you in the back, left you in the dust...

How comforting to think that one day they'll get what's comin' to them!

Then there are others who find more than a little reassurance in the existence of the Lake of Fire. I read the other day about a pastor who claims to praise God every time he reads about homosexuals who have died of aids.

Did you get that? Pastor. Leader of a congregation. Shepherd to a flock of believers.

The really ironic thing is that Satan would dearly love us to be just a little happy about hell. When we are, compassion for the lost goes right out the window. We also forget that we deserve eternal punishment just as much as anyone who has ever lived. Most of all we then stop thinking about the fact that God's heart breaks for those who die apart from a saving knowledge of Christ.
Want examples?

    As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. (Ezekiel 33:11)

    He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)

    For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

You may or may not be sleeping through sermons lately, but please don't miss this one. God has called all believers to be compassionate, patient, and loving to unbelievers- period. They really don't care what you know until they know that you care.

Care to recast your vote?

[Soldier4Christ]

Recipe for a Happy Father's Day



    Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere.

    At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him and also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice or a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.

    When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he would never make the cut, but he did.

    The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His dad shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.

    It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."

    Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just GOT to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the players, and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before, was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders while the crowd cheered.

    Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?" He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could SEE me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

Is there any other word in the human language that could evoke so many different emotional responses as "father"? For some, that title is a mysterious unknown due to an absent or unknown dad- thus it causes anger, frustration, even a desperate longing that no earthly experience can fulfill. Others sense a deep sense of connection when they hear "father", because their dads took the time to lay aside their money chasing, promotion hungry workaholism long enough to effectively parent and love their children.

Or perhaps your experience is somewhere in-between. Your dad sometimes gave into the allure of American materialism and selfish pursuits, yet other times was right in the stands cheering you on like the father mentioned in the story above. Thus, you have mixed feelings when you hear the word; almost a strange jumble of disappointment and gratitude when you compare yourself to those who have never even met their dads.

Then we have to come along and have a holiday highlighting the whole thing. Talk about throwing gasoline on a fire! How hypocritical some people must feel when they grudgingly buy the card and act like everything has been peachy. And how guilty some fathers must feel when they read the card knowing that they could recite more information about sports than they could about their kids.

I guess we all wish we had the kind of relationship with our dads that the skinny kid in the story did...but the reality of it is that most people don't. So how can Father's Day mean anything else but fake grins and facetious feelings?

Simple...and I'll lay it out for you. Just remember that I said simple, not easy- but I think you'll find it is one of the most freeing things you can do.

If you are reading this and you are harboring any anger and bitterness towards your dad, my advice would be to let it go. That's not only my advice- but it is God's as well.

    "In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part" (Matthew 6:14-15)

Of course I don't know all the circumstances regarding your individual relationship with your father...but God does. He's the one is asking you to free yourself from your own prison by releasing your anger, hurt, and frustration and getting on with life.

My friend, you have choices, and with God on your side you cannot say that you are trapped by your memories. Too many people I know blame their dads for all their character flaws- but God doesn't quite see it that way. Perhaps that's why Jesus instructs us to call God "our Father" (which really means Daddy). He knew that no one ever born would have a perfect dad and a pain free home- so He's letting us know that it's O.K., because as believers we already have a perfect Father who removes our pain.

When you empty you heart of bitterness, you make room for God's grace.

If you are reading this and you are a dad who made mistakes, I would say "welcome to the club". I mess up everyday with my children. But the difference might be that I make it my top priority to apologize to my kids when I mess up and make things right. I don't want to end up like some dads who haven't had a meaningful father's day in decades.

    Jesus told us: "This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God." (Matthew 5:23-24)

Many fathers out there know that their kids still have grudges against them, yet have never made the effort to do anything about it. I don't know about you, but this verse scares me more than a little.

Each Father's Day gives you an opportunity to either grin and bear it, or forgive and enjoy it. Remember to choose wisely, because your heavenly father is watching from the stands!

[Soldier4Christ]

Been Walked On?



    But the Master said to him, "I know you Pharisees burnish the surface of your cups and plates so they sparkle in the sun, but I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil. (Luke 11:39)

Some people can tolerate them, some cannot. I suppose it depends on the way you were raised, or how detailed you are as a person. What I'm talking about is dirty carpets, filthy rugs- you know, the kind where you take one look and feel like asking; "hey, ever hear about the invention of the vacuum?"

For a short time in my life I worked for a carpet cleaning company, and believe me- I have seen it all. I have spot treated things that would frighten a Marine, and I've also been called out to clean up cracker crumbs in million dollar homes.

Even though I had a wide variety of experiences, there was one truth that tied it all together: a good cleaning can make all the difference. After a carpet becomes dirt free, it changes the whole appearance of a room. It doesn't matter if that rug was the victim of toddlers, cats, and pasta sauce or just simple little crayon marks: either way it made everything around it look better.

Could I make a comparison to Christ here? Imagine your life being like a carpet. Not that you exist to be walked on, though I'm sure you have felt like that! What I mean is that your existence has a fabric of sorts that tends to soak up the world around it. When you were saved, you were spotless and pristine; unfortunately things didn't stay that way. You've let people and circumstances soil the material of your walk with Christ.

Maybe it was that secret sin that you have hidden, but you are starting to realize that it is as obvious to God as a Kool-Aid spill on a white Berber.

Or perhaps people really have left ugly footprints all over your life- but was it you who opened the door in the first place?

Then there are marks left by uninvited guests who could not care less about the feelings of others.

All these things add up over time and your life continues to get soiled, and though it might not be as obvious to you- it makes everything around you ugly. You feel distant from God, you can't seem to quit fighting with your family and friends, and your last 2000 prayers have been 'bless this food to your bodies'. Guess what- you need a carpet cleaner!

So which type of person are you? There are those who just let it go because they are too prideful to let Jesus do the dirty work of removing the filth of your sin. If this is you- let me remind you of another person who had this attitude as well- the Apostle Peter:

    Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet--ever!"
    Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." (John 13:

Get the point? Jesus wants you to be a part of what He is doing- but He can't work with filthy rugs! Remember that all it takes is one heartfelt prayer on your part, and Jesus will make you clean. It doesn't matter what you have spilled, or who has treaded over your territory- Jesus can wipe away every stain. Why not put in a call to heaven right now and become as spotless as the day you were saved? Everything around you will be glad you did!

[Soldier4Christ]

A Story with a Point



    A young lady was relating an experience that she had in a seminary class with her teacher; we'll call him Brother Smith. She said that Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

    This particular day when Sally walked into seminary she could tell they were in for another fun day. There was a big target on the wall and a table full of darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would let them throw some darts at the picture.

    Sally's girlfriend on the right drew a picture of the girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Her friend, on her left side, drew a picture of his little brother. Sally decided to draw a picture of Brother Smith. She really put a lot of detail into her drawing, even to the extent to drawing pimples on his face. She was really pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

    The class lined up and was really getting into the dart throwing, with much laughter and a lot of hilarity involved. Some of the darts were thrown with such force that the pictures were ripped. Sally was toward the end of the line, and filled with disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

    Sally was thinking how mad she was that she hadn't been able to throw darts at her picture of Brother Smith. The classroom had been quite chaotic during the dart throwing. Then Brother Smith removed the target from the wall and revealed the picture of Jesus that had been directly underneath the target.

    A complete hush fell over the room as the students viewed the torn picture, the eyes pierced out, and marks and holes all over the Savior.
    Brother Smith said only these words, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Nothing else was necessary as the tear-filled eyes of the students were riveted on the picture of Christ. The students remained in their seats even after the bell had rung, then slowly trickled out of the classroom.

You know, I guess it's just part of human nature to want to hate and retaliate- and I certainly cannot say that I've not wanted to throw a few darts myself. The real problem is that as long as we are on this side of heaven, we will have a tendency in us to be offended- and also to seek revenge.

But honestly, doesn't God understand our anger and the need to not let people get away with the hurt and pain they have caused us???

Yes and no.

Yes in the sense that He can relate to being hurt. In fact, Jesus endured more pain and suffering as a human than any other human who has or ever will live. Abuse, scorn, rejection, betrayal, torture, abandonment, and eventually murder...do you think you can trade stories with Him? Then know for a fact that He knows exactly how you feel during those moments of mistreatment- and yet He never once threw a dart back anyone's way. One of His final statements while He was hanging from the cross was: "Father, forgive these people, because they don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23:24)

No in the sense that God will never understand why anyone would outright reject His plan for life. Since this whole idea of existence was His idea, it must blow His mind that His very own creatures would snub their noses at His Word because they think they know better.

What am I talking about? Simple...unforgiveness and revenge- in other words: dart throwing. Over and over again it is forbidden in Scripture. I guess where God is coming from is that since He loves you so much, He hates to see you lock yourself in a prison of anger that hurts no one but yourself. I personally believe that two of Satan's greatest tools for shipwrecking a Christian are the sin of anger and the root of bitterness. If you are anywhere near being in that condition, let the Sword of God's Words cut through the ropes of revenge that bind you from God's plan:

Don't talk about your neighbors behind their backs--no slander or gossip, please. Don't say to anyone, "I'll get back at you for what you did to me. I'll make you pay for what you did!" (Proverbs 24:28-30- The Message)

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25)
"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)

You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13)

No one said this would be easy, but the truly rewarding things in life rarely are. Just remember that you must give your pain to God, sometimes several times a day, if you eventually want to be free. Can you imagine what life would be like in all our lives if we all just grew up and quit holding grudges?

Forgiveness: it's the anti-dart.

[Soldier4Christ]

Firestarter

I read the other day about a Romanian teenager who torched his new car because he was angry after failing his driving test.

Adrian Mocsani, 17, had been given the Volkswagen Polo by his family as a birthday present. But he was so disappointed at failing his test that he poured gasoline on the car and set it alight in his front yard.

He told police officials,

    "When I came home I thought I saw the car laughing at me. So I put gas on it and lit it up. Who needs it anyway?"

So the first thought that I had anyway was that this fellow doesn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer- would you agree? I for one would love to get a new ride for my birthday (are you reading this Mom and Dad?), and if I did, cremating my car would not be on my list of 'things to do'.

But before we judge this pyromaniac pubescent too harshly, let us consider for a moment whether or not there are parallels between his life and ours. In order to do that, let's read a fairly pointed passage written by the brother of Jesus:

    And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. (James 3:6)

James doesn't mess around here. He is drawing a perfect analogy between the damage we do with our tongue and the destructive force of fire. Basically, he is warning us to keep a holy fire extinguisher very nearby, because at any moment hell itself might strike a match that wreaks serious harm on ourselves and others.

You know who really wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer? The person who wrote that ridiculous 'sticks and stones' thing. Words can and do hurt, and our tongues can light up our lives faster than you can say 'stop-drop- and roll'!

God has given us beautiful gifts called relationships. Yet like our Romanian friend, we oftentimes fail and feel like were being laughed at. So what do we do? Torch them!

Not literally of course. But we burn down folks with little jabs of sarcasm, raised voices, gossip, insincere praise, and even silence.

    "Oh but they deserved it! You should have heard what they said to me first!"

I'm not saying you don't have a reason, but quite honestly - in God's sight your excuse sounds as reasonable as the guy in the story.

So what is that holy fire extinguisher? Well, it starts with self-control. Here's what Solomon said:

    Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. (Proverbs 17:28)

It's nothing more than the age old advice to think before you speak- especially when you are angry! It is always a good idea to consider how your words will affect people.

After self-control comes an examination of your motives. Ask yourself, why am I about to share this information? Is it helpful or hurtful? Is the person I'm talking to part of the problem or the solution? What if God held me accountable for what I'm about to say?

Questions like these can sure save you from having to call the Father's Fire Department later.

So the next time you are about to turn into a flame thrower, think of our car burning compatriot, and when you do...ask yourself if there's any possibility that you're related.

[Soldier4Christ]

Legalism Is For Losers



    "For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions." (Mark 7:

This is what Jesus said to the religious folks of his day who were more concerned about their own reputation and power than about God's plan for life.

This is also what Jesus would say to religious folks today who are more concerned about Christian traditions than Christ. They are called legalists, and you should be on the lookout for them.

It's been said that often traditions are designed to keep living faith of the dead (the saints and Apostles). Yet what legalists do is take those traditions and make them the dead faith of the living.

I could say a lot about how legalism has split churches and driven people away from Jesus, but all you have to do is ask a few non-Christians why they don't accept Christianity. Most of the time their response has something to do with the way they were treated by Christians, or the way they observed how we lived our faith.

Bottom line is this: you are saved by grace and sanctified by grace...period. The idea that you please God through behavior is a lie designed to get believers thinking that they can earn God's approval or something. It's the same old pride game, so if you're playing it - maybe it's time to start reading the Bible.

    Isaiah 64:6 – All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

    Galatians 2:21 – I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

    Galatians 3:10 – All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

I know what legalists are afraid of...if people don't have a list of rules, they might go out and do anything they want- and they are right. That's just how the Pharisees kept their followers toe tapping to their tricky tune. Yet they missed the whole point of grace: if someone hands me a million dollars, will I turn around and slap him in the face? Heavens no! Jesus has given me infinitely more than a million dollars, obviously I will live for Him...

The sad part is that legalists lose out on the greatest truth in the universe: Jesus loves me, this I know

What "list" has been laid down on you that will supposedly keep God loving you? Is it regular devotions, not going to movies, avoiding secular music, etc. etc?

This week, try erasing the list and making a new list filled with truths like these:

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)